The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-15
THE RUSSIAN ARMY.


From the Pou Mall Gazette.
The telegraph has brought us the informa-
ton that the Russisn army is hereafter TO be
recruited on the Prussian plan. AT present
the Russian military organization is the exact
opposite in all essential particulars to that of
Prussia. The change now announced in
wolves therefore a complete reversal of the
existing system. AT this moment, however,
we are concerned rather with the system as
il is than with the system of the future. In
the event of war, it is the existing Russian
army, and not a Prussianized Russian army
which would take the field.
The Russian army is recruited partly 10y
conscription. partly by selection, partly by
voluntary enlistment partly by irregular
leves. The latter mode of recruiting is in
vogue among the Cossacls and the inhab-
tants of the Caucasus in Finland, the enlist
ment is all by voluntary engagements; in
Poland by conscription in Russia itself by
ballot and selection. An annual levy IS
ordered by Imperial ukase. to the extent
generally of about per 1000 on the whole
male populations which would yield ab0u
100000 men. In troublous times the pro-
portion is greatly increased; and during the
Crimean war it rose as high as 81 recruits
per 1000. The exemptions are very
numerous. Thus, all mobiles are exempt:
the clergy, notable merchants, natives
of Siberia, some religious sects, persons
who decorated with certain orders and
distinctions, and others. The Cossacks and
the inhabitants of the Caucasus, also, who
furnish irregular troops, are not liable to the
conscription. Then a number of trades and
professions may claim temporary exemption,
such as Government servants, lawyers, medi-
cal men, engineers, architects, schoolmasiers.
professors, etc. 1t is permitted to a conscript
to find substitute either in the form of
another recruit, or by the payment of GER
tain sum of money in excess of what the
Government would have to pay to obtain a
voluntary recruit. When "a levy has been
decided upon, each commune is charged to
produce certain quota of recruits-this
number being calculated on the basis
of the last census, and without reference
TO the number of permanent or temporary
exemptions. In Russia proper the recruits
are taken by ballot from all classes of each
commune, except the class known as ''pea-
SAINTS Of the Imperial domain, from which
the recruits are taken by selection, the
largest families of males being made to fur
uish the greatest number of recruits. The
limits of enlistment are from twenty-one to
thirtytyears of age; the minimum height is
about five feet one inch In Poland the con-
scription is universally enforced upon all
males between twenty and thirty years of age.
with the exception of those enumerated in a
table Of exemptions. In Finland all persons
enlistment being purely voluntary recruit
may also fix the duration of his service at from
to . years. Those who do not exercise this
discretion serve six years. The Russian con-
script or selected recruit is liable for fifteen
years, of which twelve are with the colors
and three on furlough Bat, in peace time,
it is generally thought sufficient to keep the
soldier eight years with the colors, the
! balance being spent on furlough. Thus, it
| H,yIn hn f,1,c aa SO in
serve army at all, in the Prussian sense of
the word. Re-engaged soldiers receive a
medal and chevron as a distinction; with
extra pay, which is further increased at the
end of the first three years of re-engaged SER
vice. 1t is obvious that such a system as the
above must be an enormous drain upon the
resources of the country, and it is not sur
| prising that the Prussian system is about to
! be substituted.