Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-06-25
THE ROUMANIAN ARMY.

JhE hUU IA ANlAN AHMfs
A correspondent of the London
Times writes as follows:
Everybody who has seen the
Roumanian army speaks in high
terms Of its appearance aud the
courage of the men under fre-for
instance, at Kalafat, where the
prince was two OF three days ago.
AS newcomer, hardly like to
venture an opinion but from all
that is said seem to detect want
of that quiet steadiness-a certain
feverishness which will have to be
trained down if they ever have to
face the Turks. They are very like
thelr relations, the Italians, and,
with no want of clevcrness. strike
one as deficient in some of the
moral qualities which go to make
armies of the first rank. Their
regular army has been organ
lied on the German model, and
uses the German books Of drill and
tactics. Their Rashiori, or Red
Hussars, are, indeed, equipped ex-
actly like those of the Germans,
and have gained much applause for
their appearance. Their artillery
is armed with guns on the ormer
Prussian model. The recruiting is
chiefly conscription, modified by
volunteer enlistment and re-engage-
nent. -Four years of active service
and four Of reserve are all that are
required to produce the small army
which ought to fulfill Roumanian
needs, but now that a heavy and
unexpected task has presented itself,
the prince has to fall back on the
territorial army, which in its organ
ization dates from the 10th century.
Formerly the cavalry were called
Darobanzi, but the name became so
popular that it was at last applied
to the infantry, who form the
bulk of the force. The cavalry then
took the name of Kalarashi. | saw
some of them during a late long
drive. They are Cossack-looking
men, mounted on very small and
half-staryed ponies, and looked as
if they could carry their own horses
if they we're only fed up a little at
first. The territorial army is strict
| ly localized, and has six years active
service with two in the reserve.
The arrangement of their duty is
curious. Each company is divided
Into four parts, one of which does
duty for week at a time, and goes
home on Sunday, to be sccceeded
| by another Of the company-thus
every man has one weeks duty
and training in lunar month,
and three weeks at home, Every.
body IS Struck by the amount Of
s.ldierlike accomplishments gained
in this time, and the spccess is at
least a proof that there arc more
than one Of managing short SER
vice. But the quality Of the troops
is not likely to be severely tested
There is at present no intention oi
sending them across the Danube.
Indeed, it may seem as if the Rus
slams themselves were never going
! but | do not think that there hai
been any unnecessary delay. UI
| to Yesterday not even all the corps
iof the front line we're in position
Men fly from extreme to extreme
aud after first imagining that thu
Russian army would not 20 to wal
for want of money--a want thal
never yet prevented a nation going
to war-now expect all the rapiditl
and dash Of a Prussian army moy
ing towards a French lrontie
with some of the finest railwa,
lines in Europe and excellent an(
numerous roads at its command. A
complete answer has been given t,
those who declared that the Russian
army would be before Constantine
pie IN six weeks after crossing tn
Proth. On the other hand, let n
one 90 to tle opposite extreme, an,
: imagine that the slow wheel int
line of the inyadersmears that the
can execute nothing. II reall
: seems necessary to call attentio
\ nov and then to the fact that th
} east Of Europe is not quite SO we