The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-04-26
THE WORLDS ARMIES
UNITED STATES LEADS IN POINT. OF
AVAILABLE SoLDlERY.

100000 Men-The Next Largest Army
Ii That Of France-Military Resources
of An Nations Estimated and Compared.
Every year seems to make it more
probable that the close Of the nineteenth
century will mark an epoch in the his
tory of the world. The thoughts of the
nations have for some time now been
turned to the subject Of war, and, in
credible though it may seem, in the
event Of general call to arms nearly
40, ,00o, 900 men could be placed in the
field.
According to the London Daily Mails
ssrimrate, the United States can call
upon a greater number of trained sol
diers than any other country in the
world. Although the standing army
numbers only 81, 900 men each state has
90 support its own militia. and should
n become necessary as a last resource
upward of 2. 800, 900 men could assist in
maintaining the independence of the
states.
To defend the coast there would be
navy Of some 20 ships, with 10, 600
men.
OF the European armies the biggest is
thai Of France The number Of men in
she active army and its reserves is
1880, 900. The territorial army is 900,-
600 strong, and its reserve !, 100, 900,
making total of some 1850. 900. It is
not likely, however, that under any con-
eeivahle circumstances more than
., 500, 900 men could be called out. The
navy, with 451 ships. also has reserve
of $4,000 men, of whom about 20, 500
are serving at the present time with the
neet
Next in point Of numbers on war
footing comes Germany. The peace
strength Of the standing army is about
$40, 600. There has been no late return
of tho war strength, but in the last ex-
tremity Germany would have an army
of not far short Of 5000, 600 trained
men while %, 900 men could man the
two hundred and twenty odd vessels con-
shutting the navy. The third great
power is Russia The total peace footing
of this country is 900, 900 and the war
footing 100000. The navy consists of
100 ships manned by S2, 900 men.
Italy can boast of an army numbering
3,03O, 900, of which nearly 900, 600 are
under arms. 600, 900 are on unlimited
leave and $50, 900 are mobile militia
and 1860, 1000 are territorial militia.
The navy comprises 81, 800 men and
220 ships.
From a military point of view Great
Britain i'll compares with her European
neighbors. The total of all branches of
the service only amounts to 715, 683, and
of these only 665, 154 are classed as ef-
fective. The regular forces at home and
in the colonies only number 7,105,
the army reserve is so, 100, the militia
140, 1o4, the yeomanry III, 67S and the
volunteers 1858, 52S. The British navy,
therefore, should at all times be re-
markiy strong one.
Austria Hungary has a war footing Of
1850, 600, but should the necessity arise
over 1000, 900 men would have to take
arms in defense of their country. The
navy has only total Of some 8, 500 men
to man the 40 ships. The permanent
army of Spain numbers 116, 1000, which
could be increased in time of war to
1886, 600; 23, 900 men could man the
lO8 vessels comprising the navy.
The army Of Switzerland is divided as
follows: The elite, 131, 500; the land
wehr, 81, 800, and the landsturm, 273.-
600.
Sweden has 3S, $40 men and 900 re-
serves, with a navy of 5S ships with
30, 900 men, and Norway an army Of
O.O00, although the number 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 $40 men, although some
32S, 600 men could be called upon to
serve.
China could bring some $50. 900 men
on the field and Japan 1000.
OF the smaller powers, there is Rou-
mania, with permanent army OF 81 600
men and q territorial army numbering
$1,000; Portugal, with war strength
Of $50, 600; Persia, with "a, 500; Ser
via, with 10000; Netherlands, with
80. 900 and q navy Of 183 ships and
$500 men; Belgium, with strength
of i55, 500 men and garde civique OF
nearly $4,000, and Denmark. with q
war strength of so, 900 men and an ex-
tra reserve Of 10, 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 Rios.
Eoeador, Mexico, Marocco, Peru, Para
susy. Bolivia. Afghanistan, the Argen-
time Republic, Liberia, Nicaragua, the
OFsgge Free State and the South Africa
Repablio among them, could number
.sonae&hins like 800, 900 men. Jtei
NisNt terrible reflection that the win
Of npe man or a mistake Of diplomacy
,nxy bring these armies Of the world in
10 ooiliaon. After the first shot Is fred
mo opes can say when and where the sac
rinoe will end, and the contemplation
thst 20, 900, 900 men are armed against
~ach. other, even in the interests of
"peaee," Ii not soothing when rumors
- - .-sA IA AkAk all