Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-10-05
THE RUSSIAN ARMY.
Proposed Radical Cbnnges-Field
4rtiIiery-the New Uniforms

fFopOSfu hdulchI SDhuGte-F 1tiu
artiIiery-the New Uniforms
Writing of the Russian maneuvers at
Krasnoe Selo, the st. Petersburg cor
respondent of The London Times says:
An order will shortly be issued here,
transforming the whole of the cavalry,
excebt specimen regiments of the
guard and Ccssacks, into the dragoon,
described by Marshal Marmont as a
soldier who fights 'inditlerently" on
horseback or on foot. This wholesale
change proves, however, that the results
of the late Turkish war, when the
cavalry, from the very nature of the
country, had little chance of distinguish
ing ITSELF have shaken the faith of
Russian officers in the lance and saber.
At the same time, it must always be
borne in mind that the Cossacks. are no
mean scouts, and that men can only be
taught riding out Of doors during four
out of the twelve months in Russia
proper
Besides this reform in the cavalry,
its numbers are to be immensely In
creased. AT present, in time of peace,
regiments have the usual four squad
rons with depot squadron; now there
will be six squadrons of $50 horses
each in time Of peace, with depot
squadron only in time Of war. This
addition to the force will, of course,
entail great deal of extra expenditure,
and would create difficulties in the
estimates if carried out al once; but
the emperor, VINO is DESTROYS of avoid
ing any increase of the budget for the
next two years. has ordered the change
to be effected gradually during that
period, beginning for the present with
100 horses only per squadron. The
census of all horses now being made
here is probably connected with this
change, and hardly justitics the alarm
which it has created among some per-
sons, who regard ii as a sign of prepare
ton for an early war.
Great progress is remarked III the
field artillery, which, except as regards
some Cossack batteries, consists ex-
clusively of what is termed the new
MATERIAL. e., steel in place OF bronze !;
but where still greater changes and
improvements may be expected are
in the heavy guns, which are now IN
state of transition. Up to the present,
Russia has been one of the best custo-
mers of Krupp, but it is no longer
disguised that the govern ent here ex-
poets soon to be able to supply all its
own implements of war. And consider
ing the mineral wealth of the country
and the lavish expenditure INDUCED in
by the responsible authorities for ex-
perrin ents, there is no reason why the
Russians should not ere long compete
successfully even with the eminent
German firm at Essen. No country
burns more powder than Russia, and
her artillery is one of the best arms of
the service.
The assembling Of large bodies of
troops together at the maneuvers gave
an occasion for forming a good idea of
the style and servicable nature of the
new Slavonic uniform, introduced by
the leaders of the "new departure" pol
icy--a dress which the after called ma
tional," and which their opponents the
sapadniki, or "westerlings," call Tar
tar" Most of the foreign officers, wear
ing every possible kind of uniform and
headgeaI, probably regarded the sim
pie new costume of the Russians from
their various points of taste or utility;
but tried to learn what the majority
of the Russians themselves thought
about it, and gathered that as regards
the uniforms of the officers they were
pretty generally approved. AS regards,
however, the soldiers, many thought
that the new tunic, closed with hooks
and eyes in slant from the right
shoulder to the left of the waist, was
liable to be much more easily torn
open in action than if fastened by but
tons in the usual way.