The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-08-03
EUROPEAN ARMIES.

Although the peoples of Europe muir
muir more and more in opposition, the
burdens of militarism are growing.
Leading statesmen of several of the
great nations have lately expressed
opinions and given semi-official init
nation that the limit has been reached,
but there is no cessation in the activity
and magnitude of preparation. The
French military budget, the French
marine budget, and the Austrian mill
tary budget for 1894 were communi-
Gated to the legislative bodies of the
respective countries two weeks ago. In
each case provision for increased arma-
ment was asked.
The budget of the French war minis
try demands credits amounting to $685.
701. $50 francs. 1t provides for 1855
officers, which is 215 more than in the
present year: for 526, O4S men, or 1851
more than this year, and for 141, 059
horses, 5S4 more than in 1898 The
French marine budget for 1894 amounts
to 267, 0O0,0 900 francs. OF this amount
so, 000, 900 francs are to be de-
voted to the construction of new
vessels. There will be put on the
stocks this year, according to the pro-
gramme presented in the budget, three
2,000-ton ironclads, two first-class
cruisers, eight second-class cruisers,
one torpedo despatch boat and twenty
four torpedo boats. Provision is asked
for the completion during 1894 of other
vessels already in course of construc-
ton, as follows: Eleven ironclads, five
armor-belted cruisers, one first-class
cruiser, five second-class cruisers. and
two third-class cruisers, in addition to
torpedo, despatch, submarine and
other smaller boats. There will thus
be, in 1894, about a hundred war YES
sells in course of construction or equip
ment for the French navy.
Economy and retrenchment in mill
tary matters have been talked in Aus
tria lately. but the Austrian military
estimates for 1894 provide for a - neces-
sary expansion" of the army. The num-
Der of officers will be increased, addi-
tional horses will be purchased. and
the artillery will be "reorganized' on
a broad scale. Seven hundred and thir-
teen additional officers will be gazetted
to infantry regiments during 1894. A
like increase of officers is projected for
the rife battalions, and a few will be
added 60 the cavalry, artillery and med
ical corps; but these reforms will ex-
tend over several years. A brigade of
artillery will be added, making sixteen
instead of fifteen, and total of sixty
four regiments of field artillery. Addl-
tions will also be made to the fortress
artillery. A telephone corps is to be
attached to each army corps.
There has been an enormous increase
in the strength of European navies
during the past year or so, and the
Austrian naval minister calls attention
to the fact that during last year Great
Britain added to her feet more vessels
and greater tonnage than that of the
whole of the Austro- Hungarian navy
put together. Twenty-one ships, rep
resenting 141,00O tons displacement,
was England's addition to her navy in
1892. Russia approached most nearly
to Great Britain in adding to her fleet
during that year, and most of the great
powers notably increased their naval
strength The report of the naval min
lister says there was an almost feverish
activity in building during 1892, which
strained the resources of many state
yards, as well of numerous private
firms. If, as some wise men argue, the
armament of the nations is the best
guarantee of peace, the millennium
would seem to be at hand.
All the vessels launched last year by
the more important countries were
armored ships of the line, with pro-
tected hulls and decks, with displace-
mcnt between 10000 and $4,000 tons,
the former being more general The
armor consisted mainly of steel or
compound plates, and in few cases of
nickel steel. Nickel steel was also
used to some extent for naval guns.
The most notable innovation in ma
chinery was the use of three screws in
some of the larger vessels. The use Of
petroleum has been abandoned on war
ships, on account mainly of the risk of
fire. The big guns of 100 to 10 tons
continue to give way to those of lighter
calibre, the new guns being, at the
most, not more than sixty-eight tons
in weight, with calibre of thirty-four
centimetres, against forty-five cent?
metres in the big guns. Many experts
consider this reduction in calibre as
premature, in view of the recent i'm
provements in ships armor. There was
a great increase in the number of
quick-firing guns of medium calibre up
to sixteen centimetres. The general
use of smokeless powder. for guns of
all calibre, is considered by the COM
pliers of the Austrian report to be
only a question of short time. The
Whitehead and the Schwarzkopf tor
pedoes are the only ones yet adopted
for offensive operations. The expert
ments with submarine boats are noted
as not being very encouraging, and that
form of vessel is not considered to be
serious factor in naval construction
as yct.-N. Y. Sun.
The Mustache Originated In Spain.
The home of the mustache is in Spain
la,-a &c 4ho hiSforv of oyioiY,