A Rouen correspondent has obtained possession of the diary of a German
officer, who surrendered to a party of stragglers, and quotes the
following from it:
“Aug. 5.--Our losses to-day before Liége have been frightful. Never
mind; it is all allowed for. Besides the fallen are only Polish
beginners, the spilling of whose blood will spread the war lust at
home--a necessary factor. Wait till we put our experts on these deluded
people.
“Aug. 11.--And now for the English, who are used to fighting farmers.
_Vorwärts, immer vorwärts._ To-night William the Greater has given us
beautiful advice: ‘You think each day of your Emperor; do not forget
God.’ His Majesty should remember that thinking of him we think of God,
for is he not the Almighty’s representative in this glorious fight for
the right?
“Aug. 12.--This is clearly to be an artillery war. As we foresaw, the
infantry counts for nothing.
“Aug. 15.--We are on the frontier; why do we wait? Has Russia really
dared to invade us? Two hussars were shot to-day for killing a child.
This may be war, but it is the imperial wish that we carry it on in a
manner befitting the most highly cultivated people.
“Aug. 14.--Every night now a chapter of the war of 1870 is read to us.
What a great notion! But is it necessary?”