The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-15
WAR DOGS OF EUROPE.
Enormous Cost of the Armies of the
Old World.

London Letter to the New York Sun:
France has now at a cast of jus. Sl25,-
GOO COO a peace strength of 2S963 OIL
GERS, Co., 20 men whereof 1900 are
cavalry. and 146 661 horses; guns, 3,O4S.
But in war the personnei-the trained
soldiers that can be put into the field
is sextupled, and the whole French
army reaches the astonishing total OF
$500 600 of men. The number Of horses
available is more than double, increas-
ing from 1861 Gel to $40 GOO; the guns be-
come half as numerous again, namely,
400 as against 3,04S. The French war
office is always on the alert about the
quick-firing field gun that certainly VIII
be introduced as soon as the pest pat
tern has been definitely agreed upon.
In this France watches Germany, and
Germany France: While Russia and
Austria watch both. The change will
be costly. as it must mean rearmament
of batteries, and the rival nations may
well pause before they embark on the
new guns. Speaking generally of the
French artillery, the verdict of our offl-
GERS who have attended recent man
euvers is is altogether favorable. Some
indeed. declare that the French artil-
iery of today is as far superior to the
German as was the Prussian to that
which it encountered in the Franco
German war of 1870. 1t has been
brought to great perfection in man
euver
France, in point of actual numbers,
has rather the advantage Of Germany;
the general total of men is larger in
the former. The peace establishment
of cavalry is u, eco in France, against
$1,000 in Germany France, too in
peace has IS more guns. but the war
total is largest in Germany by Ala.
Again. France maintains more horses
in peace, but in war Germans approx
innate very closely. in the first line
alone having $3.50 against 100000
! French; while there are 100000 more in
the second German line. The grand to-
tai Of the German personnel is just
> 500. 000 field and second line together,
3, GOO more, of which 100000 have
been regularly trained. Such figures
are. in truth bewildering. but they are
no more than might be expected from q
whole nation in arms. The chief work
carried on of late in the German army
has been the reorganization Of regi-
ments. Till April l, this year, it con-
sisted of 5SS battalions and 113 half
battalions, and now there are 624 whole
battalions, and each of these has been
given a revised strength Of officers and
rank and file. No definite decision
has been arrived at as Yet as to the
rearmament of the field artillery, al
though it must undoubtedly be formed.
| The chief new service to be provided
under the increased budget. S156000, 900
| for 1878, as against S135 goo, 600 for
1867. are field railway material. and
| said to be for fortress warfare; money
to create a military telegraph school
and adopt field telegraph system; the
establishment of travelling field ovens
for the bakery columns, and a second
! installment for the purchase of re-
/ serves of provisions. Large sums are
also voted for the completion of fort
resses, major and miner, and it is OBJ
vious that the same Watchful care is
given as of old to all branches of wal
| office administration in Germany.
There has been a, very marked in
crease in Russian military expenditure
! The estimates for 1886 were for $154,-
! 600. 600, as against S1i5, 100000 for 1895
and the forces supplied and paid by this
sum make up a total of 100000 men
and $4,000 horses on the peace estab
| lishment, with 2,446 guns On a wal
| footing the personnel is nearly trebled
and amounts to 2.771.679 men. with f00,-
$50 horses and 1866 guns, but both sets
| of figures must be taken with caution
! Considerable changes have been made
in the organization and location OF
troops, especially in the Caucasus and
| Asiatic Russia, the cavalry is better
distributed, and under the new cav
airy regulations it will probably be
better taught. a new drill book has
been brought out, which is said to be
a great advance upon the old-fash-
toned instructions, and among the new
formations stress is laid on the speedy
rallying after a charge; Importance is
laid on the action of the first line, and
/ so forth. The equitation of the Russian
regular cavalry is certainly capable OF
| Improvement. The peace strength OF
| the Austro- Hungarian army is $780, 00(
men and $4,000 horses, which becomes
on a war footing 1.250,00O men, with
100000 horses. The artillery is com
paratively weak. There are only LA
! guns on the peace establishment, which
are increased to 1924 in war. In the
above numbers are included the cav
airy, $1,000 men and $4,000 horses ir
peace, as against $4,000 men and SO, 00C
I horses in war.
At present the peace strength of the
Italian army is 226,000 men and IS, 00t
horses; the war establishment 1924, 00t
men and $4,000 horses. An increase il
the budget has been needed TO complete
the armament of the first line with the
so-called new rifle, which is of the 1879
pattern, and of which there are nov
some 200 stand of arms with am.
munition on hand.