INCREASE OF THE GERMAN ARMY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2459, 14 April 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

INCREASE OF THE GERMAN ARMY.

An Enormous Addition. NuT a little side-light ivm thrown on l.ho European situation tit ;i sitting- of tlio Select Committee now considering in detail tlio new Army Bill, wlii'li, when pas-cd, as the Berlin correspondent of the Times says it, i.s quite sure to be, will add about TOO.ODD men (not merely lmlF a million, as at. tirst contemplated) to the fighting sf rciiir! h of rlie Empire in time of war. Before tie' committee began the second reading of the measure, the War Minister, General Bronsart von RehellcndorfV, volunteered the statement that the initial eo-l of the change (apart from the annual expense of maintaining it) would bono less than about 000 m., or £b1,000,000. This is an enormous sum, and if I lie demand had been sprung upon the nation suddenly it would have taken away everybody's; breath. But iho country was led up gradually to this stupefy, ing financed climax, fust by vague hints at the likely magnitude of the .sacrifice to bo imposed upon it, and then by the conjectural mention of positive fiiruros, beginning wit.ii 100,()0U,000u:. and ending now with nearly thrice rh" huge amount. The sum is to ho provided for by a separate Money Bill (not, yet before tlio Reichstag), and will in all probability bo raised by n .".', per cent. Imperial loan. There is not, the slightest doubt, continues the correspondent, that immense as i.s the sacrifice, the Reichstag will Vote the money by a largo majority.