Evening journal., 1898-05-06
RussIA,s MAMMoTH sTRIDE.

their way up the steep incline to place
and power, linger there for a few cen
turtles and then go on the decline which
leads so gradually but so surely to
those minor places which are reserved
by nature for those who have outliyed
their usefulness or accomplished those
purposes for which nature designed
them. SO 1t was with Persia Egypt,
Greece, Rome, Carthage, Venice and
Spain. and so it will be with all the
great nations which to-day occupy ad-
vanced places in point Of civilization
and power. But nature maintains re-
serve force, and one Of its great ele-
ments Of to-day is Russia. She is be-
hind the other great European states
in point OF civilization, but is advanc-
ing with slow and ponderous stride to
overtake and outstrip her sister states
which now dominate the worlds af-
fairs. The agencies which she is em-
ploying to accomplish this are not per-
sonal, political and religious liberty.
Neither are they manufactures and
trade extension. But, rather, territorial
expansion and gigantic system OF
militarm designed to crush all that
opposes its progress.
A London contemporary points out
that the Russian army has been almost
doubled since the Last Turkish war,
while the general staff has been in-
creased by more than two-thlrds. The
three western frontier districts. Wilma,
IIieff and Warsaw, now have 5S4 bat
talions, 396 squadrons and 2S2 batter
les, with 2,O7O guns, all on a war foot
ing, or about six-sevenths of all the in
fantry and five-sixths of all the
cavalry and infantry which
Germany keeps up in time
OF peace Russia is attaching more and
more value to cavalry, and has already
twenty-five divisions, whereas Ger
many has only one cavalry division OF
the guards in peace time. AT the end
OF last year the cavalry divisions quar-
tered round Warsaw we're united to
form an army corps, and the War Of
fce means to extend the system. In its
opinion, the value of vast bodies OF
cavalry, such as were used in the
American war, is very great, and 12O
squadrOns take part in the maneuyers
The Germans, however, appear to be
giving up the employment of large
masses OF cavalry. The Russian cav
airy is equipped and drilled accordingly.
Except the two cavalry divisions Of the
guards, which still have cuirassiers,
Uhlans and hussars, il consists almost
entirely OF Cossacks and Dragons who
receive an excellent training as in
fantry as well, to enable them to ad-
vance as rapidly, independently and
vigorously as possible. Some of them
have even been supplied with bayonets,
as an experiment 1t may be added the
Russian Frontier Guard, Of 30, 600 men,
includes 10000 horse soldiers. Both
men and horses are excellent and ad-
mirably trained. On the other hand, it
is distinct disadvantage that the Cos
sacks and some Of the other cavalry
regiments can only ride at a quick trot
which would entail heavy losses in long
distance attacks on modern artillery
and infantry. This disadvantage will
be considerably intensified by the pro-
posed union Of Cossacks and other cav
airy in one division, for the latter car
ride the field gallop" of $50 PAGES a
minute.
The Russian Navy Budget for 1895
allots 67l, 100000 rubles for general ex
penses, $4,000, 600 including the 90,
100000 recently assigned, for new
ships; 100000 for putting ships int,
commission, and 100000 for the i'm
provemont OF the harbor Of Lihau. Tn.
considerable outlay on the widening o
the naval harbor at SebastOpol and 70
building or improving other harbors i
not included. The Pacific Squadron /
to have nine cruisers, two torped
cruisers and seven seagoing gunboats
the Mediterranean Squadron thre
large ironclads, one torpedo cruiser. .tw
seagoing gunboats and two torped
boats; the Black Sea Squadron si
large irOnclads, one cruiser, three tor
pedo cruisers, six torpedo boats, thre
training ships and three transports: tn
coast ironclads, six cruisers, three CUR
boats and forty-seven torpedo boat
The cars yachts and several Otht
vessels for special purposes are not il
cluded. The new Russian ironcla
type is a compromise between an iror
clad and an armor-plated cruiser. tt
length will be 4261s feet, beam 7ll5 an
draught 26. The vessel will have tr
pie screws, 1i,50O horsepower and
speed Of Is knots, 1O-inch and II
inch guns, 16 S-inch guns, and
smaller quick frers. Thirty-two ne
torpedo boats for the Baltic and p
eific fleets are building in Russia TT
Arctic division of the Baltic fleet W
no longer Winter in the Baltic port
but in the ice-free harbor of Ekaterln
on the Muman coast Of the Peninsu