The Shasta courier., 1866-02-10
e Ihe Military Power of the United States,
France and England

The reports Of General Grant and the Sec
retary of War have brought the consideration
OF our military prominently before the coun.
try; and the figures given by Mr.. Stanton
emphasize at an important moment what the
whole progress of our war made evidcnt-the
fact that we are in truth the first military
power of the earth. Indeed, in view of the
events OF the past four years, it would not be
bit extravagant to say that the possible
power of the United States for the purposes
OF war is equal to the combined power
OF the five great nations of Europe-Austria,
Prussia, Russia, England and France The
aggregate armed force of these five nations is
two millions of men, that is the number of
men that the Northern States alone have put
into the field in the last four years. Add to
that force, the collective power of the
United States, the men with which the South
through four years held up against our blows,
and the number will be sufficiently in our favor
to balance what war might add to their mum
bers. And if it is in their power to greatly
increase their force, it is equally certain that
the full strength of this country was never
yet brought out.
But the present position of our foreign rela
tions give greater interest to the especiaJ
contrast between our power and the power of
show that our force actually on foot when
Lee laid down his arms was great deal
larger than the combined armies of those two
nations, taken at their highest number and
when organized for war. The actual army
of France is four hundred thousand men
but war runs it up two hundred thousand
higher, the difference being counted as a
reserve, which the Government calls out as
the necessity may arise. The French army
numbered six hundred thousand men in
1859. England keeps up two distinct army
establishments-the home force and the In
dian army. Her army is counted at two
hundred and twenty thousand men, though,
perhaps, strict account of the Sepoys in her
service would run it much above that. The
history of the Crimean war is indubitable
evidence that England is practically the fee
blest of the five military powers of Europe
The force she has is scattered in her vast
colonial possessions and at different points in
the British Islands, and is none too large for
the occupation of the places at which it is
posted 1t cannot be withdrawn. England
has an empire no part, of which would be
secure for day without the presence of her
soldiers. India and Ireland are sufficient
instances. Such is the consequences of gov
ernment on the English system. England
cOulu not DV tue uOSt HeTculedH eAertiouS
muster one hundred thousand effective men
at any point of the British Islands.
Thus on paper the fighting force of Eng
land and France together amounts to eight
hundred thousand men but we have seen
that armies, which look very grand on paper,
are cut down tremendously by the day of
battle On paper the single State of New
York is stronger than France, for our popu
lation capable of bearing arms is greater than
the French army with all its reserve
Against the eight hundred thousand of the
two powers we have to place the fact that we
had in May, 1865, one million men, That
was the second million that the States of the
North had placed in the field within four
years. Let it be remembered. to show the
contrast at its greatest, that this force only
represented one section of the country, and
that the great armies which fought this war
on both sides are to be taken by Europe as
the measure of the power we could use against
foreign nation.-N. Y. Herald.