Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-03-11
GERMANY AND RUSSIA.

GERMANY AND RUSSIA.
The indications are alarming IN Europe.
The fact that serious fall in all securities
has actually occurred shows how critical
the relations between Germany and Russia
are believed to be in even the best informed
circles. It is said that this fall on the ex-
changes was directly due to the news that
the Russian Government had refused
positively to apologize for General Skobe-
lofts recent utterances. The belief in the
critical nature of the situation rests mainly
upon observation of the Cars condition.
His circumstances are such as almost
necessarily to impel him to foreign war
Il is with him largely means of at least
temporary escape from the crushing dread
of assassination which hangs over him now.
Anything is preferable to such a state OF
things, and his fathers experience war.
ranted the conclusion thatin time of war the
Nihilists would suspend their prosecutions.
The Indictment of his people to con-
test on the old issue of Slav versus Teuton,
moreover, would tend to call forth the
utmost enthusiasm. Nor is there any other
European power so well fitted in many
respects to endure defeats, as Russia.
Only her railroads can betray her, indeed,
and they may do so. But for them she
might keep up conflict almost indefinitely
by simply pouring fresh troops continually
into the field, and thus in the end crush her
adversary by sheer weight of numbers.
What is most against her. however, is the
extreme swiftness of action made possible
bv Moltke's combinations-a swiftness SO
effective that it may enable Germany to
beat an enemy into breathless submission,
before that enemy has had time to mobilize
half his forces.
In view of possible war between these
powers the contingency OF an Austrian ALI
ance on the German side, and of a French
alliance on the Russian side, must be taken
into consideration, and such combinations
would bring into the field the most nu-
merous and formidable armies the world
has ever seen, and result in war all the
operations of which would be destructive
and disastrous in an unexampled degree.
a brief review of the ornaments of the
powers concerned will be found to contri-
butte much to a clear understanding OF the
situation. The Imperial army of Germany,
founded in October, 1879, consists of 400,
900 rank and file, $1,000 cavalry, and
l,700 guns, on peace footing. On war
footing it is raised to 1915 900 infantry,
2Sl 900 cavalry, and 200 guns. This
great army, however, really constitutes
less than half the actual entire fighting
strength of Germany. There is Field Re-
serve of $50, 000 men, and then there is the
Landsturm, by the aid of which it is cal
culated that Germany can place in the field
2,500,000 men, without drawing upon her
last reserves.
The army of Russia has been greatly
improved, it is understood, since the war
with Turkey, but there is good reason to
believe that it is still very far below that
of Germany in discipline and general ar
engagements. According to the latest re-
turns available, which are those of 1879,
the war footing OF the army gives l. 2l3, 259
men of all arms, of which sos, go belong
to the regular army, and the remainder TO
the first and second armies of reserve.
Besides these must be counted 1873 1000
Cossacks in military service, and some
what uncertain Finland contingent. OF
all these forces the only ones Immediately
available are the first 500, 900, the reserves
not being formed in time of peace. Under
the new army organization law adopted in
1871 the reserves constitute a militia
something like the Landwehr, but by no
means SO well disciplined or go easily mo-
bilized.
The Austrian army consists of the Stand
ing Army, the Landwehr, or militia, and
the Landsturm. Under the law of 1868
the total strength of the armed force, in
Guiding marine troops, is fixed, for term
of ten years, at 500, 900 men, to which
numbers Austria Proper contributes 49,.
1868, and Hungary $780, men. Every
conscript must spend three years with the
colors, after which he is enrolled for seven
years in the army of reserve, with further
liability to serve two years in the Land
wehr. The present total standing army
numbers III, $50 men of all arms on war
footing, of which 81 900 are infantry, S.
600 cavalry, 67,774 artillery, $4,000 engi-
neers and $4,000 miscellaneous establish
ments
According to the budget of the French
Minister of War for 1880, the effective
strength of the whole French army was
then 496, 442 men and ia, 279 horses. OF
these over $4,000 men and $1,000 horses
are in Algiers, and substracting the gen.
darmerie and non-effective elements, it
may be estimated that the total available
French force at present does not exceed
400, 900 men and horses. OF these not more
than 100000 infantry could be used for
any sudden emergency, and it is doubtful
if the preparations for mobilization have yet