Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-05-07
THE ARMIES.

posing armies SO Tar apart as IN the pres
ent instance, and many days must elapse
before an encounter of any magnitude
can take place. From present appear
ances this will occur somewhere on the
Danube, assuming that the Turks will
make that river their first line Of de-
tense, thus avoiding the violation of qua
81 neutral territory and securing an un-
questionably strong position whence to
repel the Russians after their long march
across the principalities. If they decide
to meet the invaders halfway in Servia
or Roumania the collision will be some
what fastened, but will be preceded by
a deal Of desultory fighting. Meanwhile
Russian movements are probable in all
directions along the coast of the Black
Sea and in Transcaucasia.
Of the two armies thus facing each
other the Russian is by far the more
complete, powerful and numerous. It's
organized on the plan which proved so
successful in Germany, and has indeed
been remodeled since the extraordinary
campaigns of the Germans in their last
war. The regular army consists of an
active and reserve force embracing, by
virtue of law passed in 1874, all Rus
sian subjects save those resident in some
of the most remote districts of Siberia
and Turkestan and few professional
exempts. The term of military service
is fifteen years, six of which are passed
in active duty and nine IN the reserves.
When the reserves are called in and the
army mobilized it is estimated that
something more than 100000 men,
about 100000 horses and $500 guns
will be under orders. This immense
force, however, is not readily available
for use against Turkey, owing to the
vast distances which must be passed
over, the lack of a complete railway sys-
tenn and the necessity of maintaining ad-
equate garrisons in view of possible COM
plications nearer homo.
The Russian infantry has long been
conspicuous for its machine-like drill,
reducing the individual man to an al
most complete subordination. In battle
they are stolidly courageous, but are
said to be wanting in the resource which
is regarded as so important a requisite
in modern field operations.
The cavalry is probably the best in
Europe. A professional soldier, an Eng
lishman, lately described a review at St.
Petersburg in terms which showed that
such perfection was revelation to him.
This arm includes, of course, the famous
Cossack regiments who have always
proved themselves highly efficient as
scouts and terribly formidable fighters
in all sorts of skirmishing.
Turkey also divides her forces, ac-
cording to the modern method, into an
active army, with three grades of re-
Z serves. The troops are drawn by lot
when they do not volunteer, and the
term of service is twenty years. Only
Mohammedans are required to serve in
the army but members of all creeds are
liable to draft for the navy.
The regular army consists of several
corps. Its total war strength is placed
at something more than 100000 men
but this force, unlike that of the Rus
slams, can be brought into the field with
out the extraordinary drain on its num-
bers and resources which is the inevita-
BILE accompaniment of long marches thro'
a strange country, far from the base Of
supplies. The regular cavalry consists
of 16l squadrons, numbering more than
10000 men. In addition to these are
the irregulars, $4,000 strong. and in.
cluding the Bashi-Bazooks and Bedouir
horsemen, whose efficiency as light cav.
airy is unquestioned.
As soldiers the Turks are supposed tc
lack the machine-like steadiness of thei1
:. opponents but this lack is more thar
compensated by their personal fanati
; cism and hatred of foreigners. They
have always. when properly led, proved
themselves desperate antagonists; and
in the coming war all their best quail
ties as soldiers will be called out by The
conditions Of the contest.
Persia, as possibly active, and GER
tainly passive ally of Russia, can proba
!, bly, put some 10000 men in the field
enough at any rate to offer serious OBJ
stacle to any movement of the English
from India, should they be drawn int
the struggle.
This brings US to the last of the Pow
ers which seems likely at present to b
engaged in the coming strife. England
main strength lies in her navy, but he
army, while comparatively small. is o
superb material and has seldom met it
match on an equal field. The regulars
somewhat exceed 100000 men. Will,
the reserves, the Indian army and othe
colonial forces bring up the total to ;
nominal strength of about 100000
This, however, exists in great part only
on paper; but England has an immens'
reserve of fighting material to fall bacl