The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-10-29
CossACK TACTICS

While Twas in Warsaw in 1891 the Don
Cossacks were making some interesting
experiments that promise to have direct
bearing upon the next campaign. I was
not permitted to be present, naturally,
but heard about them from those who
knew.
One was to improvise boat, using Cos
sack lances for ribs and canvas for the
skin. Lances were also made to do service
as oars by blade lashed on to the end.
In order to test the power of these boats
an attempt was made to cross the Vistula
near the fortress of Ivan-Gorod in Po-
land, about sixty miles south of Warsaw,
one of the most dangerous crossing points
on the river, where the stream is rather
strong and there are several whirlpools.
The first boat was launched within
forty-fve minutes, and quickly loaded
with the saddles, and was rowed by six
Cossacks. In spite of this load the boat
had one clear foot between tine gunwale
and the water. Within half hour the
load was deposited on the other SIDE
The distance which they had to traverse
involving the avoidance of a lengthy
sand bank, was about mile. Within
one hour from the time of embarkation
the two squadrons of Cossacks taking
sound on the other side, in the saddle
and ready to fight. Everything trans
ported in the boats was found to be en-
tirely dry when unload ed, and my infor-
mants expressed themselves as highly
satisfied with the result of this expert
ment.
Another experiment made at the Rus
sian manoeuvres referred to above WAS
in regard to the picketing of horses by
means of bllrying in the ground, about
ten inches deep, piece OF wood about
ten inches long and two inches WIDE
To this piece of wood was bound a
thong projecting above the surface of
the ground, to which the lariat of the
horse was made fast By this means the
horse was effectually secured, and as it
was practiced over and over again during
the manoeuvres it may be considered
that the Cossacks have adopted it for the
present Another curious experiment
was made at these manoeuvres, namely,
the using OF lancts as handles for
scythes, IN order to enable the Cossack
to harvest hay on the march without
the necessity of carrying more than nee
essary. The result of the experiment
was declared to be satisfactory, and
heuceforward we may consider the lance
of the Cossack as intended not merely
for piercing the bodies of runaway Jews
and smugglers, but for propeling six
cared puntS, ana pTOVluluS ScyUne nam
dies by means of which fodder for the
horses is secured in camp.
WEAKNESS OF THE COSSACK.
The war against Turkey in 1877 laid
bare most completely the incapacity of
the Cosssck armies to meet the demand
made upon them by the government.
Their strength had been mostly upon
paper, and for the most part they COM
| pletely failed to bring to the front the
| proportion Of men and horses demanded
| of them. In the event of the next war
it may be safely reckoned that, beyond
| the Cossacks now actually in the field
on peace footing, Russia will be I'M
able to bring more than about 10 per
cent. of the vast hordes which figure in
her statistics and our Biographies.
| The nominal strength of a Cossack
regiment in time of peace is thousand
men. the regiment consisting of six
sotnias or squadrons. According to the
ohc1al statement of 1892 the six Cossack
armies or communities of European
Russia are expected in-tin1e of Var to
furnish the following fighting force of
men, these figures representing pretty