Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-14
WAR TALK IN WASHINGTON.
Gen. Drum and Gen, azen Discuss the
Merits of the Opposing Armies.


WASHINGTON, April 1.-The general
drift Of opinion in military circles at
WASHINGTON is that war between Russia
and England is inevitable, although Off
GERS are divided in opinion as to whether
this war is imminent. Gen. sheridan was
asked this evening to give his judgment
upon the subject He replied: Il still
think the question between England and
Rpssralsa Diplomatic one. Whether 1t Will
get b youd that point or not do not pre-
tend to say. | know nothing Oi the whole
controversy but the mpagre reports OF the
newspapers. ard even these may have no
basis of facts. You know during our own
war great MANY things got into the
newspap RS about the movement OF our
armies and the ike To the very reverse OF
the truth. So in view OF the uncertainty
OF the whole situation y0u viii have to
ex use my giving a positive Opinion. You
know am rat her cons erVatiYe and not
inclined to d. c ma fers too quickly"
r. c. Dunn, the Adjutapt G neral Of
the army, spent two months in Eng and
last summer. II is an enthusiastic adj
mrer of English troops. and heliages tina
England and Russia " ~ get 10 fighting
before tong. He saws that Russia has
hPen quietly working down towards the
East India pcssees nns Of England, and
that a conflict In the future is inevitable.
The English soldier," said Gen. Dunn,
sis the finest in the W ria. make no
execution. A regiment Of Engliahmen is
the ircst body OF soldiers ever gotten to-
gpther."
"You will not even except our volun-
tepr troops of the last warp
"No." SAID G.n Drum; "we had no
regiments Of the purely American type.
They We're mixed with the foreign ele-
mept always"
"Wmch nation do you think would win
in a ii ,ht-Engla or Rus,ia?"
"I DO not believe that the ENGLISH
troops can be beoton by any nation They
love i ehting. They are men of high in
li2enco. and their officers are p1cky
fellows. The weak feature Of the Eng
is army at present Is the absence Of any
S atI system. They have no regular ST Il
as we have in or armv. No cfcnr is
trained up o hold an executive position.
one rs lp the British army are too apt tn
ne placed in responsible position through
favor or Influence. This is the great
fNult Of the service Tho Scotch make
wonderful soldiers They are the only
trOons that have made n TeDu alton in
military history for capacity to rally
uuder fire. Unite them with The British
and baud Thorn well and you have an
invinciblp armN."
Gen. Hsz n was sent abroad during The
Turc0-b Russian war as a military oh
EVER. and had his headqU 'r'ers at
Vienna. II was with the Russian trOoTs
for some time. ana was with Gen. SkObC-
? Il inr several DAYS. Gen. HHZ % saws
th % EusSla came ~ near having a war
vita England the close Of her war with
Tia sey. If she had been fully prepared
- sr.Ts %,
w4r between the two nations at that
rtme. 81 haA "A good many tabs VITA
Russian Iii rers" he said 'Tney an are
preparing Themselves with one idea. that
is o. some day test tn irstrength with the
En- 'ish. saw great many of their regj-
M .nts on para e. The unceGsjnr quoS-
tilu that was asked me was, BOW do
ur no n comuare with the Engl eh| The
Russian s1i1iers are very fine body of
m n. They have "A greater personal de-
ton their OIL ers and to the Empnrur,
t. ir chief than is known in any army.
Russia has been preparing tor a war with
Epgrpd tor a long time. | suppose that
the Emp,r1r will he very argcly guided
hy The desire of the Russian people. He
has very large d bt, it is true, hut it
may be easier for him to go cad aud
have war to divert the attention Of the
revoluti0uists at home. Toe Russians
nave been m wing south for Some time.
Ii is inevitan lie that the Russian en- Dire,
rear as it is, will some time control the
outlet through the ID r lanellos 10 the
NJ q gferran' an. It is necessary to the
p ospe' it, and future growth OF toic r. t
ewrjre."
On. HaZon has as high ar 7-'ai7-7 0f
the En-lt-h troops As bad G.a Dfum. he
thinks that tNey are the finest soldiers 10
the world. England does L believe in
maintaining large standing a.m'Cq. Ia
her reserves represent the We. best p S.
Sible mater al. The Germans al the
Au-trlans are perhaps better M 'ite
soldiers. Taey ar more inclined 10
develop the professional soldier than the
English. TIC latter are Il mocratic in
,heir ideas, vcry much like the people in
this coun ~. Il the wer comes it VIII be
Sc ere and rro.gacted one. G+n.
Hazeu G Lot K that other nations
would lA-lrfCre, although certain
alliarCas l.. & he made. He
IL 4 + it p0ssib that Russia was more
be- lined % tisht at the present time THAI
@ any other, becaus- Eaelaad is IN cer-
tain s-use at a disad VANTAGE through hav-
+ ing otler complications upon her hands
lie 0il net believe tat thore would be
any Ioghle in Ireland in The event of a
var. Tia Irish are 50 fond Of fighting
/ that he felt certain England would re-
I ceiVe all the supper she needed from the
people OF that pu u4c Gus ISLAND
Gen. C2ckreN, Senator from Missouri
/ Nu7 Was slasning cavalry otlicpr in the
! 60 f lef3cy. is very much interested in
the Eu-sian-E uglirh quarrel. lie mas
O-an reading all Of the reports that ht
could get upon the su ject. lie saws he
tl that the whole question OF whether
there viii be war now or not depends
fNn nF Ia 81