Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-04-20
TIE X OF EuRopE.


The policy Of Peter the Great is
slowly working out. Russia has
been preparing for this war for
many long years, and waiting for a
favorable opportunity to strike,
The treaty Of Paris, SO often re-
ferred to of late by diplomatists,
has been at different times disre-
garded by nearly all the powers. The
guarantees of reform in the Turk
iSh provinces demanded by Russia
were not conceded, because, to have
done so, would have been to sur
render that much territory for all
time. Pretexts would have been
found for maintaining and strength
ening the governors appointed I'M
der the protectorate of Russia in
these Christian provinces. Turkey
knew what these demands meant and
remembering the Crimea and
hoping for help again from Eng.
land on account Of her Indian pos
sessions. has invited the worst that
Russia can do, and the great armies
on both sides are already in mo-
ton. The situation is intensely
interesting. The leading papers are
sending out their correspondents
and preparing maps That will
be far more accurate and re-
liable than found in the ordinary
atlas. The New York Herald will,
as usual, take the lead of the papers
in this country. That paper, Of
the 18th, taking the view that
Russia, England, Turkey and Per-
sia will all be involved gives a full
a1d valuable statement of the mill
tary strength of those powers, the
organization Of the several forces,
relative strength of the different
arms in each service, regular troops,
irregular forces, reserves, etc. From
this and other sources we easily
CLEAN a very interesting statement.
In the first place, it is estimated
that the empire Of the car extends
over about one-seyenth of the land
surface:of the earth. It's area is set
down at 8,4O4, 767 square miles, not
including Poland, the Grand Duchy
Of Finland and the Caucasian prov,
inces. The military service is rem
dered obligatory on all Russian
subjects, except in some remote and
isolated districts. The strength Of
the regular army, on a war footing.
is 1850, 954; irregular army, l4O,-
493. Total war strength, 2,O21, 441
men, 361,S37 horses and 2786 guns
The military strength of the Brit
ish empire is given as follows: Reg
ular army officers and men, 22S,.
ga; reserves, 32O,241; Irish police
$1,000; Channel Isles, $500; In.
dian army, 11O,l97; Indian police.
100000. Grand total, $780, 1862
Horses, 51,544. Under the Turk.
ish law military service is madt
obligatory on all Mohammedans
Members of other creeds are ex.
cused, but may be required to sery,
in the fleet when called on. TIL,
duration of service is twenty years
four years Of which must be spen
In the regular active army. TIT
total war strength Of the army, in
Guiding the first, second and thirc
reserves and the police, is set dow
at GIG, 100, with seventy-fye bat
terieS and 450 pieces, besides ten
regiments Of heavy artillery ant
one corps of artillery reserves. Tn
total effective strength Of Persia
which may be drawn int.
the war on Russia's side. !
, about $4,000 infantry, $500
cavalry aud 1900 artillery soldiers
s The Shah could, with pecuniar.
t assistance, put into the field fror
e fifty to seyenty-fve thousand So
e diers, who would be effective i
$ covering a flank of the Russia
army, guarding communication
) and cutting off aid to the sulta.
coming overland from India. S
+ it is evident that Russia ia tho,