The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1899-07-12
UNCLE SANS FIGHTERS.
They Are Probably More Numerous
Than Those OF Any other
Nation.

In the table of the armed strength of
various countries it is customary TO put
Russia first among the nations Of the
world, with an active army of 1,125,0oC
soldiers, a first reserve Of 100000 and
4 second reserve of 1,375,0G0, bringing
up the total number of available sol
Tiers on a war footing TO about $780,
300, as against 100000 in Germany,
i,s00,O00 in France. 100000 in Italy,
1000, 600 in Austria-Hungary, and
l 100, 900 in Turkey. But recognized
authority anong military men, the
France Militaire of Paris. in a recent
issue disputes the correctness of the
popular belief that Russia can put in
the field the largest army of the world
n time of war and says: THE United
States are not a great military power
from the point of view of their effective
,oot forces in peace, but in time of war
their permanent contingent would
form the nucleus of the yastest army Of
the world"
Prior to the beginning of the San
tiago campaign and the stirring events
Of year ago at Manila, it was not usual
to include the United States in any
computations of available armed
strength, the nations of Europe being
compared only with each other in this
the French military journal shows, in
all computations of available military
strength the United States must now be
reckoned as a factor, and very little
computation shows that the view of
the French military paper is very
nearly correct. In the first place, in
all authentic estimates of the available
fighting strength of European coun-
tries, soldiers of every grade are in
cluded in the general total, whereas the
American total is made up only of the
regulars in the permanent service of
the United States and without any ref
erence whatever TO the national guard,
which corresponds to the first reserve
and outnumbers the regulars in the
proportion of ten to one. The number
of able bodied male residents in differ
ent countries is put at 100000 900 in Rus
STA, 10000, 900 in Germany, $1,000, 900 in
Austria, 100000 in France, s,5O0,000
in Great Britain, 100000 in Italy and
100000 in Spain.
BY the federal census of 1890 the
number of residents of this country in
the category of males between IS and
A years, both included, was 10, 100000.
Since then the population of the United
I Gfof
cording to the most reliable estimate.
The actuary of the treasury estimated
the population of the United States on
June l, 1897, as 72,sO7 900, and by next
years census there is very little doubt
but that the total population will be
shown to be 75,OOO,OOO, an increase OF
100000 over nine years ago, and the
total number of Americans of military
age will not fall short of 100000.
In the United States the number OF
physically disqualified persons incapa-
bic of serving in the army is materially
less than in Russia, and the admins.
trative business of this country, too
is conducted almost exclusively by
civilians, whereas Russia is under prac-
teal military rule, thus taking from
the number of those available for mill.
tary service all who are in the employ
of the government. Moreover, while
A years is put generally as the maxi
mum age for soldiers, the majority OF
the commanders and many of the of
/ ficers, as well as the rank and file, are
above a. Everything considered, it i:
probable that Uncle Sam could, on q
pinch, put more troops in the field fol-
a finish fight" than any other country
In the world.-N. Y. Sun.