Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-12
RICHMOND WING.
WIN. IEA SMITH, Proprietor.
FRIDAY kORNING..........MAY u, 1866.


The military power Of the United States
hIs.been exhibited during the war in forms
Of strsGgta so imposing that the world has
: wondered attthe spectacle. In 1851 the
: Whole Standing army was estimated by the
Secretary Of War at eighteen thousand men,
and in 1880 il had been very little Increased
Yet within four years the national forces
have embraced = total OF not less than one
million three hundred thousand, and 1t Is
now estimated that At least six hundred
thousand are under arms. II TO these be
addea the troops who so long and so visor-
ou,ly resisted the Government, it may be
reasonably assumed that = million OF men OF
ali arms have been actually in the field dur
ing the heaviest camp Aga Of the war.
The total population Of the country, in
Guiding men, women and children, does not
exceed thirty-six millions. This embraces
full estimate for increase by immigration
and births since the census in 1860, al which
time the numbers were rather less than
thirty one millions. Therefore it appears
that the terrible motive power Of the war has
called into the field one-thirty- part OF
the whole population. This exceeds the
highest proportions known even in Europe
there VAT has been recognized vocation
tar ten centuries. In France, in 1872, Ma
poleon drew on; the most gigantic military
ratio that a people had ever yielded. France
then had a population OF about thirty mil
lions from which an army Of two hundred
thousand were in Spain, two hundred thou
sand in Italy, Germany and Poland, and
about two hundred and fifty thousand con-
s,ituted the Gallo material in the immense
most that invaded Russia. From one and 4
half - three per cent. have been the ex-
treme ratios in which the military capacity
Of European countries has been estimsteu
in reference TO their whole numbers. The
late war in our country has called out at
tea.t three per cent. Of our population, and
NAV therefore be considered IS test Of mil
starry strength in case Of emergency.
A very large proportion Of the armed men
Oh both sides during the contest have been
volunteers. II is certain that during the
year 1861 and part OF 1862, neither drafting
nor conscription was resorted to. Yet not
less than eight hundred thousand men len
their homes and went into camp under the
influence Of the volunteer spirit.
While the land element has thus been de-
vsloped, the naval power OF the country has
increased in like proportion. From a force
of barely seventy armed ships, the United
States navy nov mum bers about six hundred,
A least two hundred Of which are constructed
With every modern appliance and improve
rnent 70 give them power as well to endure
IS 70 destroy.
The sight Of the armies of Generals Meade
and sherman, moving through Richmond,
with every form Of equipment that can give
efficiency, and with evidences Of discipline
necessary to the art Of war, taken in connec-
ton With the obstinate contest now ended,
have impressed beholders with a conviction
that the men Of the United States, both
North and South, constitute 3 military ele-
1nent to which no European power can pre-
sent . superior.
The manifestations made by the war, of
the formidable strength of the United States,
viii be assurance Of peace with other powers.
No country will seek TO provoke a contest
with she giant Of the New World.
When the sad and excited feelings of many
q the South shall have subsidized into calm
reflection, they will look with pride upon the
military proEess OF land in which the men
Of both sections are friends and brothers.