GENERAL VON BERNHARDL
(To Tali EDITOR or " sescrAroa'7 STS,—The other day I came across rather an interesting incident which links one of the prominent personages of this war to the Franco-German War of 1870. Lord Acton in his essay on " The Causes of the Franco- Prussian War " mentions how Theodor von Bornhardi was sent to Spain on the business of the candidature of Leopold von Hohenzollern for the Spanish Crown. He must then, of course, have been quite young, but was already " certified by Moltke as the best military writer in Europe. He was eminent also as an economist, a historian, and a politician, and it would have been hard to discover his equal in any European Cabinet." His mission to Spain failed, as wo know, and he seems to have incurred the displeasure of Biamarok:— " But if," says Lord Acton, " Bernhardi was neglected by Biz. marok, he received a distinction from Moltke of which he might well be proud. One of the war correspondents, Sala I believe, has related what he saw on the day when the Germans entered Paris. A group of four horsemen came out from the mess at the Bois de Boulogne, rode full speed up the dee, and were the first of their countrymen to pass under the Aro de Triomphe and gaze on the conquered city. The Telegraph goes on : In front, ten paces before the others, rode a young officer of about twenty, sword in hand. The young follow in the van looked so pluoky, as he galloped with head well up and sabre in air, that I could not help admiring him.. . . I asked the young hussar his name and regiment. He answered, "Lieutenant Bernhardt of the 14th Hussars." That was the reward of the man who obtained the offer of the Spanish Crown, whieh brought the Germans to Paris.' " —I em, Sir, Ike., T. B. A. SAUNDERS.
St. John's Vicarage, Windermere.
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