The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-04-20
THE RrILIGER, Mt ARMsEs-RE.
sOURCxs OFTHE COMBATANTs.

.,eaoy accumulation by Russia OF an
enormous military force during late
years, from her progress southward UP
to India, from her reported alliance Win
Persia, from the alliances she has sougn'
with the western powers, from her coz
csntration of large armies at points
close upon the Turkish frontiers, ana
from the fact that che has employed the
sclsy societies to foment the disturbances
in the Turkish provinces, and IRON the
angular character of her late diplomacy,
il that she intended TO seek settlement
of the Eastern question by resort 70
arms. There lie no longer much hope
that this appeal can be avoided, and
hence comparison of the forces and re-
sources of the two chief combatants, snd
of those powers most likely u be drawn
into the FRAY on one side or the other. IS
not without interest.
The area of the Russian empire IN
Europe ard Asia extends over one
seventh of the land surface OF the globe.
The European population, occupying an
area of about 5000 ,quare miles, Is
63,65S,9Si. This does not include either
Russian Poland, whose population Is
sos, 607; Finland, with l,oiS'245 inhao'
,,nrs or the Caucasus, 4,66l ,S24 inhsh.-
tspts. Russia IN Asia has an estimated
population OF s 800, 4l2, but these belong
chiefly to the nomsd C tribes. From the
above population is drawn the regular
army OF the Russian empire. 1t Is
not necessary to go into Inc
details of the military Organization.
The duration of military service
is fixed in European Russis at Six years
in the active srmy and nIne In the re-
serves. The total number of men In the
regular army is Sl,sSO,954. The strength
of the irregular army is estimated at
l4O,493. the grand total is 2.O1l,44'
men, 36l,S37 horses, and 2,7e6 guns.
This is. OF course, independent OF the
t.rri.orial army, which is composed oil
ALL the male inhabitants between the
ages of twenty and forty who are ut Tor
military service and not already en-
rolled IN the active or regular army.
The navy is cstslogued under Two
great divisions, the Baltic heet and
the fleet OF the Black Sea. In the Bal
tic are seventy.thres men OF war; in the
Black Sea nine men OF war. The oioe-
rian fleet comprises eleven ships OF small
account, and there are three ships IN the
White Sea and five on the Sea OF Arai.
The total svsiIsbles trength OF the navy
il stated at about one hundred and twenty
men of war, OF which only twerty-nlne
are iron-clads. The public debt of Rus
sis is estimated at ESQ, $4,000. OF which
e77S7l,OOO does no. bear interest.
ADDED to this is paper curreccy OF
ell3.0ii783. Both gold and silver are
at high premium.
TIE total war strength OF the Turkish
government. is Clio 600. Military service
Is made obligatory on all the Mohsmme-
dan pupulu,ion, the duration OF which |
is twenty years, four o: which are spent
in the regular army and the rest IN the
various reserves. Only one r'"sious
division OF the empire, the MohammedaD,
is permitted 10 serve in the army, though |
men of o.ner creeds are Obliged to serve
in the feet when called Oh |
The non -Mussulman population pays
an exemptions tax from army service ana
the citizens of ConstaE tinopie are
also exempt, Thus the army Is recruited
from about Il, 100000, or less than hall |
the population of the empire. The official
report of the navy gives twenty IRON
c!sds, o.hers seventy. Nearly al the !
iron-clsds were built in England. Three |
additional iron-clsds have been COM
pletsd during the past year, aud a num-
Der of smaller vessels gotten in order for |,
vsrlike services. The navy is manned |
by "a 600 men. Hobart Pssbs, the chief !
naval commander. is an Englishmsn of
decided ability.
In the Crimesn war, twenty-threa |
wears ago, th9re was no telegraph wire |
nor a mile OF railroad in Turkey. The |
first railroad WAS begun as lately rs 1850. |
The country Is now well covered with |
lines connecting all important points,
From the ferocity and isnsticism of the
Turkish character it is spprehended that
if Turkey triumphs there will not be
enough Christians left in her dominions
to quarrel over.
The financial condition of Turkey is
bad. Her deficit last year was nomlnally
s4,036 924. Ii will probably prove to
be, on account OF the lnsurreclions in the
provinces e7,5ooo0o. The foreign debt
of The empire is upwards OF els5 coo 600.
Turkish securities OF the best class have
been treated in London and Liverpool
with derision. The "internsp debt is
paced by official figures at about f.S,-
600 GOO, though the enemies of TuGkc
saw it cannot fall below f30.0O0,000. The
financial resources ct Turkey for war
purposes amour. sto nothing, though
tie fac. that so much OF her
paper is held by Englishmen may lead
with other supposed English interests, to
military assistance from Eng!snd.
Here the military strength of the