The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-09-20
VIII this War Produce the Abolition of
standing Armies

The extraordinary success Of Prussia in
vanquis4ipg what have hitherto teen re.
garicl as the finest soldiers in the world,
has naturally excited the deepest interest
among the statesmen Of other nations. Nj
Lowe tho English Chancellor o. the Exche-
guer, in speech at Elgin last Friday, declared
Dne OF tho lessons OF the war to be, that the
fay Of great standing armies as q means OF
national defence is at an end, and that hence.
Forth armed nations must take their place.
The distinctive feature Of the Prass AN
military syAtcm is, that ii compels mon Of
all ranks and stations in life TO actually
serve as soldiers a certain length Of time.
mud allows no substitutes to take their place.
where, although the army may be nom
ipslly composed of conscripts of every class,
yet practically il is made up only of substi.
lutcs and of men who arc too poor to
buy substitutes. Again, the term of sc-
live service in Prussia - but Tires years,
and every year 10000 fresh men are
enrolled and 100000 drilled soldiers re
turncd to their homes. In 9th r countries
lhe term Of service is longer and although
nOminaHy CONSUMPTION may be made an
nually, yet, as has been said. military cddca-
hon - limited TO only a small fraction Of the
people.
The population OF France in 1869 was
B6,000O0o. Its standing army, excluding
The geaci0rmtrie, and troops acting in sim
liar police capacities, was 100000 mon The
total expenditures of the war department
were $75,000,000 On the other baud, In
1860 the North German Confederation,
which includes Prussia, Saxony, and a mum.
Der Of small States, had u population OF
Bl,0O0,O00; it's staining army Numbered
10000 men While che cost OF the mil.
iary department Of the Government
was SjC00O,0O0, It appears thus that
with smaller population, Prussia hAe
maintained, in timo Of pence, quito as
macy soldiers us France, at two-thirds the
Expense that she keeps those soldiers only
lArse years, instead OF lifetime, from pro.
bactive industry; and tim she turns out
Bvery year 100000 veterans 10 BIZ aided to
hor reserve. instead Of merely reenlisting the
ZANE men over and over. France had, there.
fore, when war was declared, but $4,000
elen ready, with $4,000 serving in Algiers
md in the gsi.QGTHerie, and nominal To
Bsrvo OF 100000, besides n carte Mobile
OF raw, unframed militia, Of 10000, max
Ing O nominal total OF l.3JO0O0 men, Vi
whom not onehalt could b. Immediately
made use Of Prussia had $4,000 men
In
Trained s0ldiers who ore drilled for few
weeks every year, Of 100000 men besides
making total Of nearly l,000CO0 Then
thore was the LandNurm composed OF the
whole male population between 80 and 90
years OF age, Gll of whom had served their
Lime in the army and the LaHd,'tAr. Ia ad.
hition TO this, there were the troops Of Bava-
ria, Ndrcmberg aud Baden, SO that France
found herself ouuumbcred three 10 one.
1t is apparent nom these figures that Prus-
sla has always lad u standing army nearly
equal 10 that oi France Tho present war does
not therefore illustrate, as Mr. Lowe repre-.
hents, the usyiG,slCss Of standing armies but
1t shows the vast advantage in military
point Of view oi having behind aud n add.
zion TO that army u whole nation Of dlscipliael
men ready 10 On up Tie ranks ot - m7ments
np.co' II IL this which has enabled Prussia
20 procit itatc such an overwhelming force
npon France aud which VIII, uulu.- the
other nations Of Europe hasten O., Innto,g
her example, make her the dlc..l.r .t'lhat
continent