The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1877-06-26
A COMPLETE ARMY

A COMPLETE ARMY
In ITSELF There is, however, provision for the
temporary massing OF the infantry, cavalry or
artillery OF several corps into one body when
ever the exigencies Of the service may require.
According to these estimates, that is to say,
bAeing our calculations on the normal war foot
ing of the Russian unit of discipline, which is the
company Of 203 men in infantry and the troop
Of 100 men in cavalry, the ten corps now in
Roumania or on route thither would aggregate
about 332, 900 men OF ell arms, Of which $4,000
are infantry, e. 600 cavalry and 270CO artillery
men, with about 10, 900 horses Including those of
mounted oficers) and 1880 cannon. This is the
force on paper, it is true, but there is every rea
son to believe that the
ACTUAL FIGHTING STRENGTH
will not fall much short OF it. for our author as
sures us that "tbe Russian levy (that is, the con-
scription) is estimated at ten per cent above the
required quota in European, and fifteen per cent
above in Asiatic Russia excepting the Cossaeks,
who are simply ratable to furnish g certain
quota at certain depots, and left to drum up the
men neAeir own way. Nominslly, the Cossacks
are volunteers, but their social customs such
as TO render military service among them as COM
pusuIy Do in othoI pni tS Vi puo o"pios AuuoS
our author tells us, the Russian regiments are
always kept fnlly up to their prescribed footing
and the regulation which provides for the estab-
lshment Of the supernumerary ten or fifteen per
cent Of conscripts in
DEPOT BATTALI oNs
creates large dispossble force of reserves,
which amounted in 1874, after the second con-
scription under the new regime, to 10000 men.
Thus far have treated only of the European
army of Russia. now come to consider
THE AsfATIc FORCE,
which is officially known as the Army OF the Cau-
casus. This army, under the old regime, was q
variable force, consisting of detachments from
the European Or regular army, Cossack
and Kalmuck volunteers and hordes OF
irregular auxiliaries drawn from the va
rious Tartar tribes of Southern Siberia and
Turkstan. But under the new system devised
by Nicholas-the present Grand Duke, not the
late Czar-the Army Of the Caucasus has been
regularized and is become defined branch Of the
imperial
RUSSIAN STANDING ARMY.
| 1t is not organized, however, like the European
army. Our author tells us that Nicholas at one
time contemplated m liking the corps system uni
versal, but finally concluded that the means OF
communication in Asia were too primitive to admit
Of advantageous use Of such large masses; in
fact the style Of warfare there was too scattering
and desultory to require 30 large units of stra-
tegy as corps d'armee."
Therefore division system was adopted for
infantry and artillery, and a brigade system for
cavalry There are fifteen infantry divisions in the
Army OF the Caucasus, OF which three are known
as "Gyenadiers of the Caucasus" corresponding, i
suppose, to the Imperial Guard in the European
Army-and twelve are termed "troops of the line
of the Caucasus" Our author does not very clea-.
ly set forth
THE ARTILLERY PROVISION
for this force, but as near 80 can make out each
infantry division has four eight-gun batteries of
foot artillery aad four probably four gum batter
ies Of mountain hoWi.zers. Ee ia equally dim in