The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-11
FOREIGN ARMY NOTES.

From schwarzcnau tho centre Of tho recent Austrian
manruvres n German officer writes: There has been
endless discussion the question whether the new
Austrian powder II 'smokelrss' rr .s,roGr weak
After this trial there is nothing more to ,,c said Tho
powder w absolutely rmokcles. The resni. L. NIL UNI
canny scene on the battlefield. -Four mutations Of
Chasscsrs shot vo!ley after vocy from the woods
heard the ratng fire. but no. the slight st cloud ross
to Indicate the location of tho rIhcmen hide tho
opposing force Thc shield Of smoke IL
gone and soldiers must arctstom themselves to nvhs
without its protection. There thun rrliv to-day
for instance Edclbach. twelve grent cannon In
the Old days the smoke would have hecn heavy enough
to hide whole rgades. Standing close by the bsttery
however could see after every shot only very thin
blue ring ht the cannons mouth Tho ring was not
heavier than that which sk!i:u smoker blows from
his cigar ami in an instant i. gone The smell Of
the powder during heavy firing from battery n. a lit.
Tic more p"r" han it was formerly and TN" reports
IRE much weaker"
writer whom the D~u..-hc Wo.n,loa in; roiuc.s to
us rcancrs as celebrated ami accomplished army
hcer. has expressed himself a: length against the
present uniform Of the German troops. The radical
fAut OF the Uniform has always been that Il WAN too
gay and this fault has aggravated tsnlol v th.
introduction Of smokeless powder Tho briiancy Of
poiished metal helmets and buttons will hereafter be-
tray the approaching enemy at great distance. In
field Of stubbe or on the highway the dark buc Jackets
anu trousers are III striking contrast with the natural
surroundings. The new uniforms tho Russian army
introduced by War Minister wannowsky are devoid Of
everything that attracts the and by most
practical OF all uniforms in Europe. Tho blouse has
hooks instead of buttons. and the leather trimmings
are black. The cloth is OF dead green and tho over.
coat Of an earth Color Infantry cavalry 70 into
pattle wearing neld caps. Even when hand
Russian regiment Is hardly dlstinguishabIo BY the
naked eye The reform in tho German uniform should
begin with the abolition OF tho helmet and the intro
duction of tho Held cap waterproof and with a large
overhangng crown. but without front niece For the
present cossh:ting. tightly belted with buttons
should DO substituted loose Jacket with hooks and
eycs. The cloth should DO dark and in harmony
with some prevailing color Of nature. All adjuncts OF
the uniform should DO dark and unpublished Whits
leather. metal belt clasps. polished steel scab-
bards polished handles Of side arma and
the colors the lances should abolished or hid.
den Tho gay adju.ants sashes should replaced with
sasheB In sonbre coors These reforms urgent for
In tho next the chances of victory will b nm.
usually large In favor Of the General con most sue.
cessfuy conceal tho movements of his troops Franco
and Russia recognize this fact and rejoice the ray
eesons for reform have been endorsed by almost ali
Berlin. Frankfort. and Munich dailies.
During the discussion of the budget in the It.l
Ian Chamber recently Capt Bettoo made . Statistical
comparison between the French and tho Italian navy
in the Mediterranean frances fleet includes he said
10 battle ships. arElored cruisers and Ruuboata
wtha total displacement of 1862 tons: II unar-
mored cruisers with displacement Of 4o5 tons; II
torpedo boats with displacement Of Gill TONS Italy
os'oses to this heet II battle ships with 100 $40 tons
displacement: II unarmored cruisers. of which are
torpedo rams, with 35213 tons displacement.
1870 torpedo boats with 0.19l tons displacement.
Each list oomprehends only ships of modern
construction All old models arc left out
OF consideration. While France has the greater num-
Der of battle ships. Italy has much more powerful
torpedo fleet In artillery too Italy has the ADVANTAGE
Her monster vessels like the Duiio tho sardeRus and
the Italia. carry moro great guns and armed moro
over. with twelve and fifteen centimetre rspid.nrs
cannon. which entirely lacking In the French Med.
iterranean fleet. Heavy rapd.hre guns have already
been ordered by France for her Mediterranean china
however so that within year this difference will be
obterated. Tho advantage OF Italy will disappear I'M.
donbtedly when tho men.of-war building for both
countries will have been completed Those unfinished
ships For France. sixteen armored ships Of liz.
$50 tons displacement nino cruisers Of 2p2 700
tons displacement. and seventy.thrse torpsdo
boats of 8512 tons displacement for Italy four ar.
mored ships OF 1913 tons displacement, twelve
cruisers of 1902 tons and fourteen open
torpedo boats of o2o displacement Probably the
os tho French ships will bs added 70 the
squadron in which case. Capt Bett6Io
reckons the strength of Itays feet In the Neditsr.
ranean will be to that Of the French fleet to3A
Russia's volunteer navy to which the attention Of
Europe has been turned by tho concessions 70
its ships by the Sultan OF Turkey founded BY rich
private persons and corporations about nine or ten
yea ngo during of the periodical war scares The
object OF the founders place at ovsrnments
sposal fleet Of cruisers which expected 70 be
especially usef" as commerce Destroyer In Of
war with England. Several old and new ships were
bought mt English and American ports. and two or
three purchased at Hamburg The feet included
til recently only thirteen fourteen ships varying in
egs between eleven and twenty ysars, in ton.
mage between 1900 and $500. and in speed
between thirteen and fifteen knots The Jaroslaw the
swittest cruiser of the fleet. made 1914 knoss EA1A
cruiser carries six or eight guns of fifteen twsntyons
rentmetres calibro. This heet Increased in 1889
by tho launching at English shpyard Of the twin
cruiser Ore and this yoar by the launching o(
the saraton a. the same yard These ships are
almost exactly alike. Each Is 40 foot long has 5000
ons displacement engines Of 10 600 horse power. and
'peed OF knots Each carries seven twelveosntims-
rapid fire cannon and Ia transportation SERVICE for
which each was chiefly designed can easily accommo-
late 800 troops The Of the neet could TRANSPORT
70 900 Mt Tho Older ships are rather slow
commerce destroyers tho high seas but the two
cruisers, as well as three more which aaid to
,e building in European shipyards. a-o up 70 all ~
lurcments for boats OF their class. This volunteer
navy would undoubtedly be OF Immense service In war
,ctween Russia and England. or tho three allied
lowers. II could land an army corps at ConstannopIs
xpeditously. or perhaps get It to tho Suez Canal.
What merchantmen Of enemies Of the dual alliance
nay expect III the Mediterranean In tho next war 10
apparent not only from the above. but also
rom tho fact that the mail steamships Of
he MessaCeries Maritimes which ply between
and the Orient. carry heavy cannon ana
he crews drilled daily in handling them. There
similarity between the relationship Of England to
he transatlantic mail steamships from her ports and
hat Of Russa to tho volunteer navy The latter 10 al
eady Government property Is already In the military
transport service is armed for destroying commerce
nd In short resembles feet OF merchantmen only in
no misleading particular that It's ships ny msr-
flags.
An Ar.aailio for the Fresileat
Prom he WUshingtow Pos.