Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-12-29
The Armies and Debts OF the Great Powers Of
Europe.

10 the real position of the beligerents and their ca
paciiy TO sustain long struggle The first Napoleon
was compelled to hattie against England and Russia
united with several other powers. and Russia is now
fighting single.handed with England. France and
Turkey, and maintains her ground against this pow
erful combination, ii would appear, with wonderful
ability 1t is perfectly clear that the will be
protracted one, and it may not be improbable to take
glance al the military strength of the nations invov
ed in the contest and those also that from locality or
sympathy. may yet be forced to engage in it.
According 10 the usual peace establishment, Great
Britain has of infantry, cavalry and artillery, total
of 123768 men. Of these, $4,000 men distributed
in America Africa, and In her European and AslatIc
Colonies We have not included in this calculation
the pensioners, dockyardmen, yeomanry, and militia
in Channel Islands, which, numbering st, al men,
would make grand total of $4,000. This is ap-
parently large force. but not more than $4,000 of
these soldiers actually to be found in Great Britain
and Ireland and these necessary for the pre-
serYaton of the internal peace of the Islands, that
very few could be safely spared from them and hence
when inevitable ii was deemed requisite to
increase the army and put it upon war-foong.-
The first thing done was q reembodlment of the mi
tIa, which being substituted in the place of the reg
uar soldery allowed the latter to be detached upon
foreign service. Authority was then obtained from
Parliament 10 augment the standing army and to call
in troops from the colonies. Some of the regiments
quarered in Ireland have also been removed, the
my of police which overruns that country being
deemed SuUclenl 10 lake care or the uefenceS. Inc
result Is that about 49, 600 Of the regular army has
been sent, thus far, to the of war, of whom up
wards of 10000 have fallen in battle and victims of
disease. In making this great draft of military, Eng
land has greatly weakened her internal defences her
army s by far the smallest for her population of any
country in Europe. In this connection the public
debt of Great Britain becomes matter of than
ordinary interest," especially any sudden increase
of that debt affects unfavorably our own finances
The debt at the peace of 1915 1854, 100000
and had decreased in January, 1854 to 9770 1923 600
The total debt at per cent. was E508 900 O0O at
Il per cent. G218, OOO000 and the debt of Ireland
R39 OOO,0 900; miscellaneous, G5, $685. 900 Total
g770,923 000 with annual charge of about G27,-
100000
France at all times maintains large peace estab
lishment, which may be increased by means of Con-
scripts TO an enormous force. Her peace establish
ment embraces of infantry 302,224, which added to
l06,S56 of cavalry and artillery, gives total of
408, $50 great portion of this immense force
is quartered in Africa whilst another large portion
is scattered all over France for the maintenance of
" order" During the war, Napoleon has gradually
added 100 600 to his army, and WILL it is expected,
ask his obsequious Senate to sanction without delay
the levy of 100000 more. The ci-deuant National
Guards of France amounted to 2,630,8OO men, all in
good discipline and familiar with the exercises and
weapons of warfare and from this the bulk of new
levy can be made. Louis Napoleon can thus very
easily, if he pleased augment his army from $780,
900 to 100000 men.
The public debt of France is smaller than that Of
Great Britain, but it may be well questioned whether
her fnancia! TO be compared with that
of her ally The public debt of France consists in
rentes at 3, and Al per cent, amounting in Janu-
AIRY, 1853, to 5,576.952 900 francs or 223O78OO0
sterling. This debt is considerably less than in
l847 and 1850, III consequence of the conversion of
half the debt from five per cent. stock to AZ
The deficit in the French revenues has been very ex-
traordinary since the year 184O, amounting in the
| uoa tn he Of mil If
francs. During the past fourteen years, the year
| 1852 only shows an excess of revenue. while the
new loans of last year indicate further growth OF
the debt of that country.
The ordinary military establishment of Russia be-
! fore the war, numbered 100000 men the regulars,
including 468,00O infantry, $4,000 cavalry and 90
900 Cossacks, amounting to 537, 900. But the Gar
has the power, which has already been twice ex-
ercsed during the present warof making levies upon
the mass of the population. These levies have swell
led the army ,0OO,0 of whom one half are &C
tuaIly available in warfare and with little difficulty
This number could in short time be doubled
These soldiers would not be we'll disciplined, per-
haps, those of England and France, nor composed
of so good material, but they would be able and
willing to fight under orders as their comrades have
! fought and are fighting in the Crimea. While the
public debt of Russia is specifically known, are
not well acquainted with the internal resources
and wealth of that great empire. 1t has been
tain ed that her gold regions yield very largely, and
constitute Der cnleF source or revenue ana there is
to believe that the financial affairs of the EN-
pire better managed than those of nearly all the
European governments. The public debt in the ag-
gregae is relatively small and has been slightly in.
creased since l849. At present it amounts to EOS,
$4,000. In addition to this the government has
large of credit notes in circulation, guaranteed
by the ofprecous metals This issue amount
ed in January, 1858, to three hundred and eleven
millions of roubes
At this crisis Austria has arrayed the whole of he
war-strength, which falls but little short of that
which Russia has in the field In peace the Austrian
army numbers 378, $50 men, in war it is nearly dou
bic Her force at present amountsto 500, 600 soldiers
and of these fully onehalf are ready for actus
service, to which in few weeks $50 GOO more coulc
be added. Financially, Austria is in worse posi-
ton than either of the three Governments before
named. The deficit of revenue for some years pas
has been great, and for the year amounts tt
about $700OO,0OO.
Tabular and official exhibits serve to show that al
these Governments have been subjected TO an ncreas
ing money drain for some years. England is hor
rover; also is france, Turkey and Austria. Each
is in the market for heavy loans, the begin
ming in the extraordinary expenses of the war, anc
for the liquidation of these expenses years If
centuries will be required.
Of all the military powers of Europe, it seems tina
none is better prepared for war than Prussia Her
regulars number 1892 men, and by ordering wa
levy, Prussia could Immediately incorporate her mill
tia and her regulars-thereby raising her fghtins
army to COL 1903 meanwhile new militia coult
readily be embodied for the internal service and de
fence of the country.
i The LANCASTER GUN-Our readers have no doub
noticed in the letters from the Crimea accounts of tn
Lancaster gun. which has proved to be most efec
tive weapon against the walls of Sebastopol although
it has not been altogether safe gun for those wht