Although it was not until three years later that effects became visible, 1866 may fairly be said to have been the turning-point for the Austrian army—the frontier-line between the old time and the new. Before crossing that line, it appears worth while to cast one more glance backwards at conditions about to vanish for ever.

Among these things were the facilities for advancement furnished by personal favour. In old times each regiment formed a realm of its own, within whose limits the Inhaber, or honorary colonel, could reign at will. A story was told, and might almost be true, of a youth who in the course of one dinner—a particularly excellent dinner, no doubt, and well watered with champagne—advanced from the rank of cadet to that of captain, three Excellencies in turn having vied with each other in thus proving their appreciation of the cuisine to his father, the host. This fortunate lad ate his soup as cadet, the fish-course as sub-lieutenant, the roast as full lieutenant, while at dessert the Excellency who had started the movement cried out: “Hang it all—I'll take him back as captain!”

In other ways, too, the higher officers of the old era enjoyed a position which can never again be theirs. There were Grand Seigneurs among them who had donned the uniform not because they were in any want of the pay, but simply because to be a soldier was the only really decent thing to be in those days.