The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-03-13
MISSISSIPPI, MARCH 10, 1875.
THE COMING WAR IN EUROPE.
An English Writer an the Fighting Ca.
pacity OF the Natiens.


THE COMING WAR IN EUROPE.
, An Enxliah Writer ON the Fixhtsnx Ca
pacity OF the Natiens.
In that respectable London period
cal, the Gentleman's Magazine, TO
January, there appears an article con
tributed by Mr.. b. NJ. Hosier, which
in an intelligent and thoughtful! man
ner, discusses the fighting capacity o
the nations of Europe in view of tn,
general war so confidently predicted BY
Mr.. Disraei and other English states
men. Mr.. Hosier alludes to the dis
quietude prevailing in the public MIND
in England in consequence of these
mysterious utterances on both sides o.
the house of commons, and believes
careful survey of the field will
have the effect of enlightening his read.
ers as to the nature of the conflict, the
parties which will be engaged in it, and
the duty of the English people and gov
eminent in the crisis which will soon
be upon the civilized world.
He begins his survey o: Europe with
France, considers the military condition
tof e2c68uhtry in turn, and concludes
with an endeavor to fix the exact point
where hostilties will break out.
/ ,s-..s-.s FRANCE. 4, *. e.,-
Notwithstanding the desire which
may exist on the part of the French
! people to rush into q war with Germany,
| to gain reyenge for the defeat of four
j eals Ago,k is doubtful if the French
| government would encourage the as.
! piration.s Torn as France is bv politi-
cal dissentions, it is extremely doubtfnl
| whether, any ministry would add the
| cares and the perils of war to the other
| prominent dangers of its existence.
Neither is the French army in condition
nor is likely to be for many years-to
le6eR n eanpaign Of any magni-
tdde. The military organization of the
second empire was entirely broken up
by the disasters of the German war.
At the present time no fixed plan can
really be raid to have been adopted fol
the organization of the army; tho
questions as to depots and cndres are
still unsolved. French military men
RFtxlat their artillery is in pc yer.
fur state but it may reasonably be
doubted that, in the, short time that
has elapsed since the enormous loss Of
war, It can have been replaced by gums
judiciously selected and carefully man.
ufactured. Though there is not great
dearth of men in the French army, it
oanoot b said that the recruits are of a
sztfsfactofy kind. The weakness of the
commissariat amusement was one of
the most potent causes of the failure of !
the French in the German war. It has
not yet been thoroughly changed for |
the better. The mitrailleuses, which
were 60 zealously guarded, and which |
were expected to strike terror in thei
German 7rapksswexe found to be fail |
ne<i IN the war, aud have now been
abandoned for all practical purposes of |
campaigning; so that at present France
il not in condition to "rush into
war;" It has taken England twenty
years to reorganize from the break
down of her military system in the
Crimean war, and a vast amount of
money has been expended in effecting
the changes; and it can hardly be pos-
siDle that Ahings are SO much better
in France that she can in four
with any prospect of winning back the
laurels so rudely wrested from her in
her last great contest.
SPAIN.
Spain may be considered at the pres
ent moment out of the military arena of
Europe. She is too much engrossed
by her internal troubles to be available
either as an ally or enemy in case OF
disturbances. Italy pos
sesses an army of considerable numeri-
cal force-an army which may be in H
round numbers said to amount to 400
900 men. But in Italy the sinews of
war are wanting. The Italian govern
ment is hard pressed by financial diff
culties. The italian army is a new
and, like all other new ma
chimes, it can not be expected to work
throughout. Its organiza-
hon and administration were originally
copied from the French but since the
of the French system the
of the Italian army has
been considerably modified. Still, it
can not Ia denied that the italian mill
Try toroD are formidable power to
u conc dGed II the fighting capacity
of Europe. and would cast IN enormous
weight into the scale on either side.
BELGIUM AND SWITZERLAND.
q As toths tWo ADWSne11al countries
Il Beleidm and S11tieljkm little need
Be said. The neutrality cf one is guar
a9tssS y "a gSssE RI, e. . g. an sne
81 me- 81 4 il is sdSpe Of
P P . FL Eys9PA TIE Bel
Bsss sas3 s n 81 lgs q 80 &C., Pf IN
Ibo rro.1d lint aEil1 fbav aro not On |