The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-07-28
The War in Europe.

The following figures showing the strengtn OF
the armies of the two first and principal par
ties to the war just commenced, and which bids
fair to involve all the great powers of Europe,
will be read with interest by all classes OF
our people,:
The French army, when increased to its war
footing-the condition it is now in-consists of
seven hundred and ffty-seven thousand seven
hundred and twenty-seven men. Of these
SIS, ,9S7 are infantry 100,22l cavalry; engi-
neers Is, ,493; Gardarmes, staff and troops OF
the administration 60,S74. The horses OF this
establishment amount to 49, This IS the
actual force now in the field But to this must
be added the reserves, which embrace nearly
the whole of the male adult population
The French military forces, embracing all
the classificatiens of war material, consists Of
three grand divisions, namely, the "Active Ar
N.Y." the "Army Of the Reserve" andthe ma
tional Guard Mobile" The active army
amounts to 404,l92; the army of the reserve
4OO, 900 and the national guard 59S, ,723, ma
king total force of ,341 ,9l5 soldiers This
grand army is divided into seven army corps,
each commanded by Marshal of France
Among the number now in commission are
Marshals Canrobert, Bazainc, McMahon and
paraguay deHilliers, all of whom have won
distinction on previous fields of carnage.
France has for the past few years paid par
ticular attention to the increase and perfection
of her war navy, and has now ahoat an arma-
ment which in the number and size Of her
vessels, the character of their guns, and the
kind of projectiles in use, compares favoraby
with any of the great powers of the world
She has sixty-two iron-clads carrying 672 guns
of heavy calibre; two hundred and sixty-four
steam screw propellors, with l ,547 guns; sixty
two side-wheel steamers, with lo4 guns and ll3
sailing vessels, carrying 673 guns, making a to-
tai of four hundred and one vessels, carrying
3,045 guns.
Many of her iron-clads are of the most for
midable character, not only from the size and
character of armament, but because of the ter
rible il Sramsn which project from the prows of
most of them. The guns used on these iron
clads are principally breech-loading 100 poun-
der rifles, furnished with 155 charges each.
The largest of these iron-clads is the Rocham-
beau, formerly called the Dunderburg, built in
this country by Webb, and originally intended
for the government of the United States
The navy is commanded by 2,21S officers, and
the sailors ahoat and ashore number 39,345,
which, together with engineers, dockyard la
borers, and others connected with the force,
swells the grand total to "A, 400.
The military establishment of Prussia on the
peace footing, is settled upon the basis OF per
cent. of the population. The total number en-
rolled is on the peace footing 319,35S and on
the war footing 977, ,262. In time of war the
military force embraces the whole adult male
population. All men between the ages of 20
and Sc, are held ready for offensive warfare,
bound to do service in the military garrisons
and posts within the country. This immense
establishment is divided into eleven grand ar
nv corps, two of which, the End and 3rd are
commanded by Princes of the present reigning
house.
The Prussian navy is quite inconsiderable as
compared to other frst-class European powers.
Her navy consists of six iron clad steamers car
rying 73 guns, nine steam frigates and corvcttes
carving 200 guns, twenty-seven steam gun
boats carrying 81 guns fifty-nine sailing vessels
carrying 247 guns. KONG Wilhelm, iron-clad,
was built in England front designs made by the
chief constructor of the British navy, and is of
573S tons burden carries % rified Founders,
made of hammered steel, and capable of being
fired with 75fbs. charges as often as twice in a
should encounter the Rochambeau, terrible
conflict must ensue.
1t will be seen that while Prussia is greatly
inferior in the naval army of her service to
France. that her regular land forces are 100000
greater than those of the latter. If the war
could by any possibility be confined to these
powers, its duration would be very limited.
f The main strategic points are close and equally
accessible to both governments; the armies Of
both are in pefect state of mobilization, and
war materiel on both sides abundant and con-
venient. But we indulge no hope that the con
flict can be confined 10 these powers. We
regard the alliance of Russia with Prussia as
absolutely certain, while Austria and Italy are
eoually certain TO ally themselves with France.
Sweden, Belgium and Denmark will be irresisti-
bly, drawn into the great war vortex, and their
position will in, our judgment, have much in
huence in fixing the status Of England towards
the two great belligerents. If Englands great
statesman and war minister were now alive,
that government might maintain strict neu-
trality, but since the death of Palmerston,
Great Britain has been left without statesman
able to comprehend her vast influence ard re,
~ {ba nonoh1o n