The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1897-07-10
OUR, GREAT ARMY.
More Trained Soldiers Than Any
Other Nation.

TAsv Are Not EnlisteA, Nat Are Avail
able at short Notice - Sons
Very Interesting war
Figures.
Every year seems 70 make It more
probable that ths close Of the ninc-
teenth century will mark an epoch In
the history OF tia world. The thoughts
Of the nations have for some time now
been turned to the subject Of war, and,
incredible though it may seem, in the
event Of . general call to arms, nearly
a0,0o0, 900 men could be placed in the
field.
According to the London Daily Mails
estimate, tie United States can call
upon . greater number OF trained SOL
diers than any other country in the
world. Although the standing army
numbers only 81, 900 men each state ha.
to support !ts own militia, and, should
upward OF I, $780, 900 men could assist in
maintaining the independence Of the
stAtes.
To defend the coast there would be Q
Lazy Of some 70 ships, with 0,00O men.
OF the European armies the biggest il
that OF France. The number of men IN
the active army and reserves is 1885,.
600. The territorial army is 100000
strong and its reserve 100000 max
ing q total of some 1880, 900. 1t il not
likely, however. that under any con-
ceivable circumstances more than2, ,5O0,-
600 men could be called out. The navy.
with 45l ships, also has reserve Of 114,-
600 men, of whom about 25,500 are serv-
ing at the present time with the feet.
Next in point Of numbers on a war
footing comes Germany. The peace
strength of the standing army Is abou.
$4,000. There has been no late return
of the war strength, but in the last ex-
tremity Germany would have an army
Of not far short of s,0o0, 900 trained men.
while $4,000 men could man the 22o odd
vessels constituting the navy. The third
great power is Russia. The total peaca
footing Of this country is 100000, and
the war footing 2,60o 600. The navy con-
xists of l60 ships, manned by 81, coo men.
Italy can boast OF an army number
ing 1850, 600. Of which nearly 25o,0oo
are under arms. 60o, 900 are on unlimited
leave and $50, 900 are mobile militia and
l,esO,O are territorial militia. The
navy comprises :1,so0 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 only amounts to 1868, and
of these only eos, 1874 are classed as ef
fective. The regular forces al home and
in the colonies only number 1i7, ,1O5, the
army reserve is so. 100, the militia 14O.-
1O4, the yeomanry l1,67a and the volun
teers 263, ,52S. The British navy, there
fore should at all times be remarkably
strong one. -
Austria Hungary has war footing
OF 1,750,0O0, but should the necessity
arise over 100000 men would have to
take arms in defense OF their country.
The Dsvy has only total Of some $500
men to man ITO ships.
The permanent army of Spain num-
bers 10000 men. which could bo in
creased in time of war to 1,OS5 900; a.
0O0 men could man the 10S vessels COM
prising the navy.
The army of Switzerland is divided ~
follows: The elite, 131, 500; the land-
wekr 81. 500. and the landxturm e73, ECO.
Sweden has 1886 men and 1000 re
serves, with q navy of SO ships with co.
600 men, and Norway an army Of 80, 9,0oO,
although the number OF troops actually
under arms never exceeds, even in wal,
! ,8cO men without the consent Of the
The navy OF 81 ships Is only
manned by s2S men, although sonle
323 900 men could be called upon to
Ierve. <t>s-'
China could bring some $4,000 mer
on the field. and Japan 27l,0e0.
OF the smaller powers there 10 Eou--
mania, with a permanent army OF ST.
900 men and territorial army number-
Ing $1,000; Portugal. with q war
strength of 15O, 900; Persia, with "a, 800;
Servia, with 10000; Netherlands. with
70 900 and a navy OF 133 ships and 2,S0C
men: Belgium with Q strength OF 1885,
800 men and a garde civique OF nearly
$4,000, and Denmark with war
strength Of 10000 men and an extra re
serve OF 16,5oO. only called out In ex-
treme emergencies.
The smaller nations of the world ali
have their means Of defense, and the
Congo Independent State, Costa Rica
Mexico. Morocco, Peru, Para
quay. Bolivia, AfghAnistan. the Ar
gentine Republic, Liberia. Nicara-
qua, the Orange Free State and the
South Africa Republic, among them,
could number something like million
and . half men.
It IL a terrible reflection that the will
Of one man or q mistake Of diplomacy
may bring these armies Of the world
into collision. After the first shot IL
fred no one can say when and where
the sacrifice will end. and the contenl-
rlation that 40.000, 900 men are armed
against each other. even in the interest
OF peace" Is not soothing when rumors
Of war are 30 rife. 1t means that all
ovee the globe one man in every forty OF
the population u ready for the fray
V. Y. Herald.
~~aAt Ale<NNa