The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1870-07-23
Comparative Strength aud Resources
OF the Belllgerents.

Now thatthe fact ofwar between France
and Prussia is established beyond perad.
venture, and now that hostile armies arc
.thronging TO the frontiers where the first
clash Of arms must take place, II becomes
interesting 10 know what Is the relative
strength Of the two Powers, IN popula
ton, In soldiers, In vessels OF war, and 10
other resources.
According 10 the census OF 1888, the
population OF France, exclusive OF 1885,
900 soldiers stationed outside the empire,
wa 3S,067, 00I. This enumeration, how.
ever, doea not include the inhabitants Of
the colonies, who number 2,8IO,B7S, nor
the incubation Of countries In Asia,
Africa and Occanica, under the protec.
lion AT FFauce, TO the number Of 8,d03, 6I5
In 1869, the public debt amounted TO
t2,g25,7 6,073 francs, OF Upward OF
5s500b09 The revenue for mt year
was t,75J,649,203 francs, and the OK.
penditures, 1881 ,2il ,9}l francs.
According 10 the new law Of Feb. /,
1868, the army consists OF the active army
and the reserves, each numbering 4g0,-
coo men. A National Guard, TO be pom
posed Of 800, 900 men, was created TO co
operatc for the defense OF fortfesses,
coasts and frontiers. These three mill
tnry organizations combined give an az
egepete Of $4,000 fighting men. The
army 10 divided into seven army corps.
France possesses lly iortresses, Of
which eight are Of the first rank. The
Notifications OF Paris are eihted TO have
cost some $40, 100000, and up 70 1868,
about $4,000 900 had been expended upon
Cherbourg.,
On January I, 1850, the navy Of France
| consisted Of 439 vessels, carrying a total
Of A680 guns. OF the vessels, % were
screw steamers, iron clad. Besides these,
there were 8 screw steamers, iron clad,
with gs guns, and 10 0 IRON clads, with
| 144 guns, bailding. Tho French naval
force consists OF T2,446 men,
According to the ccnsasof December B,
1861, tho population Of Prussia aggregated
2lg4s 296. This includes the population
Of the territories lately absorbed" by
The national deb. is 44s. $3.50, 37s thalers,
or over 100000 900. The annual reye-
nue arc about no, 10000 thalers, and the
annual expenditures 160,000,0o0 thalers.
THE Prussian Military Gasctte states
that "a million soldiers can at any mo-
ment DO placed under arms by . single
teleoram from Berlin" According TO the
same authority, the Prussian troops num-
her 10000 men. To thcse should be
added the Federal ~contingents Of Sarony,
Brunsyick, Mecklenburg-Streliiz, aud
IIesse Darmstadt, in all $1,000 men. This
combined force Of 4g3, coo represents the
standing army OF the kingdom In case
Of emergency, Prussia can also command
the services Of the troops Of Baden, Wur'
temburg, and Bavaria, and Immediately
order a reserve, consisting Of an army Of
$4,000 men. An additional force o 1900
GOO men is ut her disposal fof the occupa'
tion Of towns and garfisons. Every
prussian male subject Ia enrolled as :
soldier as soon as he has completed hii
twentieth year. He serves, unless ex
empted, three years In the regular army
tour in the reserve, and at the emf
~ this term enters the Land wehl
or militia, for nine years. Leaving
the Lsndwehr. he Is finally enrolled u
the Lansturm until he is % years o. age
The Commander In. Chief Of the Army
and Navy Ia the King. The regular ARM
Il divided into eleven oorps. There ar
twenty. nine fortresses In the kingdom, 9
which five are Of the first rank.
The Prusslan navy is now second Z
mono Ii The Baltic aea. According TO tn
latest returns, the feet consists OF 90 YES
reIs. carrying 63T gins. OF the vessels
four arc iron olAJs. Seyersi others ar
nearly completed. The vessels In corn
mlssion are manned by 5,Di2 sailors, NJ
kengrneern, $40 c~arnsntersa and mechanics
| lgs warrant officers and ROD officers. NJ
! sldes This, there Is a reserve Of Also men
which can be called upon ~ any TINT
! and q second reserve, called "a ufa'
! which acts only In time Of war, . ma
be translated sea militia. -chscago Heps'
acan.