Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-05-09
The Prospectiye Contestants,


The European news which the cable brings
for the present issue is no more definite or
authoritative than what we have printed daily
for weeks past. 1t is trifiing less favorable
to peace than we have sometimes had, though
no more warlike than has been furnished on
other occasions.
! .1thpstilities are TO ensue, it will be inter-
lesting to know the resources of lLe contend
ing powers. Russia has on paper regular
army Of sos, $40 men, with 4O4, ,S57 in the re-
serve, and nearly 200, 900 ossacks. Her fleet
consists of eighteen ironclands, one circular
monitor, and 142 torpedo boats. Of course,
many of the older reserve soldiers can not be
depended on for anything but desensiye pur-
poses, through the effects of the late war and
ordinary causes. the actual sum total of troops
must be considerably less than the above fig
ures would indicate. t.ras
AS matters now look, Austria may not be
an active participant in the war. We may
mention, however, that her estimated military
forces fall but little short of 100000 men,
while her navy consists of ten irOnclads and
more than three times that number of wooden
vessels and small craft. IS dfies' ..s-1-i ia
Great Britain has $4,000 regular troops at
home, about 81, 900 in colonial posts and gar.
risous, and 123, 900 native and 63, 900 British
troops in India Many of the natives are now
on theis way to or getting ready for European
service. In addition to the above, England
looks for valuable assistance from her 354, 600
reserves, made up of militia, mounted yeo.
manry, and volunteers in the different branch
es of the service. An actual sweeping con-
scription for duty abroad would probably be
an impossibility in Great Britain. and it re.
mains to be seen whether the reserves can be
made as efficient in actual war as they are il
target shooting, sham fights. and the evolu'
tions of peaceful drilling Il is hardly neces.
sary to say that the British navy is much
stronger than the Russian. 1t employees
62, 900 officers, marines, and sailors, against
less than 10. 600 in the Russian service, and
includes twenty'one first class and twenty.
five second class ironclads. rs 81
The advance of the Russian borders south.
ward and eastward in Central Asia has in.
spired many Englishmen with the fear that
the constantly narrowing space that separates
them from the Anglo Indian frontier may
ere long cease to exist. The large deporta-
tion of troops from Hindostan shows that
there is no immediate prospect of the realizs-
tion of this apprehension, while ingenious
calculations show that Russia could not make
formidable start in this direction until after
great delay. 1t would require courier. tray
cling with all possible speed, nearly fourteen
days to reach Taschkehd, the Asiatlc head
quarters, from st. Petersburgh. There was
at the former point, at last accounts, q force
not exceeding $500 men. About all SUPP
plies, except horses, must be brought for
themfrom a'great distance, at heavy cost,
and with much less than courier speed. In
view of these facts, a prominent French tray
eler in the East, NJ! Leon Cahur, concludes
that it would take seven months for an over