The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-06-26 00:00:00

raze STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

trod for life in the unremunerative profession of arms.
An axe was held over every united family, every
domestic circle. The emigration returns showed how
great was the burden. A veritable exodus had taken
place since the war, and he was informed that a treaty
was in negotiation between Germany and the country
where these tens of thousands of fugitives from the yoke
of military service found a ready shelter and the road
to wealth. The German Navy was in its childhood,
but for the last few years no efforts had been spared to
hasten its development. Its ships were fine, its officers
well trained and bold, its men hardy and seaworthy,
but its growth must be limited until such time as its
range was extended on the North Sea. Such time
would come, must come, and then must England look
to her laurels. Often had the attitude of Russia been
the cause of much anxiety, but never had her influence
been more paramount than it was now. The
universal sex vice on which her Army was now
based produced a tota/-war strength of 752,000 corn-
batant infantry, 172,000 cavalry, with 2,768 guns,
including 400 mitrailleuses. In 10 or 15 years the
land forces of the empire would number two million
men, of whom about_three-fourths would be combat-
ant. Owing, however, to the vast area of Russian ter-
ritory the difficulties of communication, and the con-
ditions of climate, that gigantic total was much lees
alarming than it at first sight appeared. The
Russian Navy was increasing every day in importance,
but, owing to more than one geographical consideration
its sphere of action was at present very limited.
With reference to Austro-Hungary, immense had
been the efforts of recent years to reduce to a
minimum the possibility of such ill fortune attending
the valour of the Hapsburg arms in the future as had
beset them in the past. 798,172 infantry, 62,746
cavalry, and 1,616 guns could Austria now put into
the field, and rapidly recovering from the disasters of
a double war, guided by prudent state:man, bordered
by two puissant States, both courting her alliance,
both dreading her enmity, the Viennese Government
was every day producing a more direct influence on
on European affairs. With a recuperative power
peculiar to Gaul, France had been unremittingly
devoting herself to remedy the evils in her military
administration which the last war laid bare in so
terrible a manner. Those, however, who knew France
best would need no telling of how much there was
yet to do, in what a transition state was the whole
mechanism of the Army, bow wholly unfit it was at
present for revenge. The new laws were but im-
perfectly understood by the local officials, and
years must elapse ere the Eagle of France could
again be borne againet a foe. Not half a million
combatants was it possible for France to put into
the field, and before even that paltry number
could be brought to bear on any one spot months of
preparation would be essential. A very marked im-
provement had taken place since the war in the officer-
ing and training in the French army. Greater atten-
tion was paid than before to technical study and pro-
fessional duties, and learning from the victor, no pains
were spared to develop the efficiency of the Bather.
The inherent delight of Englishmen WU to depreciate
themselves and condemn their own institutions. Of
late the Army, and, in a minor degree, the Navy, had
been the victims. It might be that the services were
in many points defective, but, nevertheless, half a
million Britons were ready to die for their country. It
was true that three-fifths of those were but moderately
trained troops of reserve, and that more than one-fifth
were abroad; but it was a fact that an array corps of
50,000 Regular troops, complete in all its branches,
could within a week set sail from our shores. Of the
fifteen States of Europe, seven had introduced uni-
versal liability to military service—G rmany, Russia,
Austria, France, Italy, Denmark, and Switzerland.
The armies of seven were recruited by conscription, or
conscription and enliatment, viz.—Spain, Turkey.
Sweden and Norway, Holland, Belgium, Portugal, and
Greece, while in England alone were they solely de-
pendent on voluntary enlistment. Looking at the
Armies of Europe from every po.nt of view, the
rapidity with which they could be mobilised, fed
from reserves concentrated on any point main-
tained in the field, they might be ranged in the
following precedence :—Germany, Ist; Austria,
2nd; Russia, 3rd; France, 4th ; Italy, sth ;
England, 6th; Belgium, 7th; Turkey, Bth; Sweden
and Norway, 9th; Holland, 10th; Denmark, 11th;
Spain, 12th; Portugal, 13th • Switzerland, 14th,
and Greece, 15th. Altogether there were four
armies of the first class, two of the second, and
nine of the third, with, in round numbers a paper
strength of seven and a half millions, and a com-
batant strength of five millions, with 15,000 guns, and
a million and a quarter of horses. In navies Great
Britain was supreme; then came in their order, France,
Russia, Turkey, Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain Hob
land, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, and Portugal,
with an aggregate total of 2,039 vessels, of which 209
were ironclad, the whole being manned by some
280,000 men, and armed with 15,000 cannon. 110
ships of war were building in European dockyards,
and of those fifty-six would be armour-plated. The
expenses incidental to the armies and navies of
Europe exceeded 112 millions sterling per annum, of
which fully three-fifths were devoted to the land forces.
Turkey and Austria kept their troops at the least cost
—vie., at about £29 a year per man; the maintenance
of the British soldier was the dearest, close upon £lOO
per annum. _ _ _

_
A vote of thanks was awarded to Mr Vincent for his
interesting lecture.