The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-07-22
THE EUROPEAN WAR.
MILITARY RESOURCES OF THE EUROPEAN
POWERS NOW DRIFTING INTO WAR.
From the New York Herald, Sth.1

MILITARY RESOURCES OF THE EUROPEAN
POWERS NOW DRIFTING INTO WAR.
From the New York Herald, Sth.l
France, the military Colossus of the
West, has, according to the latest and
most accurate advices, under the new
law recently carried into effect, 4l4,-
632 soldiers ON the peace footing, 647,-
27l of a field army, or 100000 men
in all for her entire ordinary war
strength. OF these 10000 men are
ready to march at the tap of the drum
on the outbreak of hOstilities. Aus
tria, which, correctly or incorrectly,
is regarded as the inevitable alley of
France, has 27S,470 men on the peace
establishment, S3S,700 of a war
strength, or 1000 fully prepared to
move. Could the South German con-
federation, or group of States, be Sc
cured on the same side, they have Co.
$40 men ON the peace, or Is, 4O6 on
the war footing, with 1900 of these
prepared for instant service. Such q
coalition would give France the con-
troll of III, 900 fighting men at once,
with a reserve or l 500, LOG trained
soldiers.
On the other hand, Prussia has 1885,
600 men on the peace or 12,66,0OO or
the war footing, with $4,000 now
ready for operations on her Western
frontier. North Germany, going with
Prussia, has 3I5, 526 on the peace, 521, :
992 OH the field or GA, 32I on the war
footing, of which $4,000 are instantly
available. This would place at Prus-
sian disposal $500 men for the first
moment, and 1,364,32l in reserve.
Thus she would have, instantly, Co.,
600 men more, and hereafter 231, 1885
less than the French alliance. Should
she be able to manage Southern Ger
many for her cause, she would have
| 1,053, 900 men, or 10000 more than
France to move at once or quite
enough to cope with her and Austria
together, for the time being with all
the advantages of common language
and position. This would leave Prus-
STA still reserve of 1,44l, 72G men or
only l54,319 less than that Of France
and Austria coalesced, difference
swamped to the extent or nearly-90,-
600 men by her superiority of i'm.
mediate force.
The inquiry now arises as to what
would be the course of the adjacent
Powers. France has seriously anger
ed Italy, and the latter is reported t.
have formed a defensive, if not al
offensive, alliance with Prussia. Ii
such case, the latter being attacked b.
France, the Italians, out of force o
376,72l on war footing, with 1871,
600 of Ia reserve, or 573,72l in all
could spare possibly 100000 men {,
operate OH the French frontier or hole
hostile corps in check. The direc
and open participation of Russia i
hardly to be expected unless circum
sta. should force her into the me
Ice. In that case she could dispose O
about 100000 men from about 700,00
composing her army in Europe, inclu
ding the Cossacks. She could take n
other course by family alliance, posi-
ton and the recollection of Crimea
v ounds than to aid Prussia. Swede
and Denmark would, if they dared t
| move at all, have to go in the sam
f direction, with about $4,000 mel
, Thus Italy, the Car and Scandinavi
would bring King William 10000
men-a force that, with South Germa
aid. would place him 430,OOO ahead {
I France, allowing England, Belgium
i Holland and Switzerland to renal
neutral-a proviso difficult to adm
i'm such a universal conflict. As fC
a Spain, it is clear that, should she az
p cept the Hohenzollern Prince, sl