Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-07-24
THE WORLDS ARMIES.
What the Various Countries Could fu'
In the Field.


what the Various Countries eo"'" tut
In the Field.
The United States can call upon
greater number of trained soldiers
than any other country i'll the world.
Although the standing army num-
bers only $1,000 men, each state has
to support it's own militia, and
should it become necessary as last
resource upward of 1,500,O 900 men
rould assist in maintaining the indie
pendoncc of the country.
To defend the coast there would
be navy of some 70 ships, with 1O,-
600 men.
OF the European armies the big
gest is that of France. The number
of men in the active army and its
reserves is 1850, 900. 1t is not like
ly, however, that under any conceiv-
able circumstances more than =, 500, :
600 mon could be called out. The
navy, with 451 ships, also has re-
serve of la, 900 men, of whom about
25, 800 are serving at the present
time with the fleet.
Next in Loint of numbers on a war
footing comes Germany. The peace
strength of tho standing army is
about $4,000. There has been no
late return of tho war strength, but
in the last extremity Germany would
have an army of not far short of
5000, 900 trained men, while 1000
men could man the two hundred
and twenty odd vessels constituting
tho navy. The third great power is
Russia. The total peace footing of
this country is 800, 900 and the war
footing ., G00,0 Tho navy consists
of 100 ships, manned by 81, 600 men.
Italy can boast of an army num-
boring 3,030,000 of which nearly
$50, 600 are under arms, GOO, 900 are
on unlimited leave, $4,000 arc
mobile militia and 1, $50, 900 are ter
ritorial militia. The navy comprises
81, 500 men and 220 ships.
From military point of view,
Great Britain i'll compares with her
European neighbors. The total of
all branches of the service amounts
to only rs, 6s3, and of these only
665, l64 are classified as effective.
The regular force at home and in the
colonies numbers only 147, los, the
army reserve is so, 100, the militia
IA, 10l, the yeomanry 1853 and the
volunteers 1868, 52S. The British navy
therefore should at all times be a re-
markably strong one.
Austria Hungary has war foot
ing of /, ESQ, 900, but should the me-
cessity arise over 1000, 900 men
would have to take arms in defense
of their country. The navy has to-
tai of some $500 men to man the
40 ships. The permanent army of
Spein numbers 116, 900, which could
be increased in time of war to 1, 0S5,
900; $4,000 men could man the 10S
vessels comprising the navy,
The army Of Switzerland is divid-
ed as follows: The elite, 131, 500; tho
landwehr, 81, 500; the landsturm
273, 200.
Sweden has 80, SAG men and 1000
reserves, with navy of SO ships,
with 20, COO men, and Norway an
army of $4,000, although the num-
Der of troops actually under arms
never exceeds, even in war, 1900
men without the consent of the
storthing. The navy of 81 ships is
manned by only 535 men, although
some 1928, 900 men could be called
upon to serve.
China could bring $50, 900 men on
the field and Japan 271 900.
OF the smaller powers there are
Roumania. with a permanent army
of 81 600 men and a territorial army
numbering $1,000; Portugal, with a
war strength of $50, 600; Persia, with
24,500; Selvia, with 2l0, 600; Meth
erlands, with Co., and a navy of
1873 ships and $500 men; Belgium,
with strength Of 1915, 500 men and
a garde civiquo of nearly As, 600, and
Denmark, with war strength of
60, men and an extra reserve of
$500, only called out in extreme
emergencies.
The smaller nations of the world
all have their means of defense, and
the Kongo Independent State, Costa
Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Marocco,
Peru, Paraguay, Bolivia, Afghanis-
tan, tho Argentine Republic, Libe
ria, Nicaragua, the Orange Free
State and tho South African Repub-
lie among them could number some
thing like 1000, COG men. London
Mail.