The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-24

| from Jena, and the steps by which ii has
produced the admirable existing armies of
France, Austria and Roumania have been
! but slow.
The United States stand apart. Their
! resources are so fabulously great that they
and they alone are able to wait for war
before making war preparations. No
Power will attack the United States. All
Powers will submit to many things and
yield many strong points rather than fight
the United States. The only territorial
neighbors OF the Republic are not only
not in 4 position to enter into military
rivalry with her on the American con-
tinent but are not advancing their mill
tary establishments with the growth of
their or of her population. They are of
themselves not only unable to attack but
equally unable in the long run effectively
to resist her.
The whole question. then. unfortunately
for us Europeans. is a European ques-
ton, and | need make but little reference
to happier lands across the greater seas.
In Europe the United Kingdom stands
absolutely apart. The existence of the
British Empire depends less upon our
risoned by a small but costly army suffi-
cient for present needs. but insufficient
to meet their probable growth. The home
army, kept mainly in England and Ireland
(and in Ireland now only because life is
cheap in Ireland and the country healthy
and well fitted for the drill and discipline
of troops, has been chiefly nursery for
the white army in India, and will be for
that in South Africa and in India. The
expeditions which the country is obliged
to send from time to time across the seas
have but domestic interest, and are I'M
important when viewed from a worldwide
military standpoint, In the event of war
the attention of the country would be con-
centrated upon her fleets. with a view to
retain that command Of the sea without
which her old-fashioned army would be
useless.
Belgium has an old-fashioned army of
another type. A small force of cnnscripts
is drawn" and the men are allowed TO
find substitutes for money But Belgium
and the other smaller Powers. except
Switzerland, Roumania. and Bulgaria.
may be neglected in our survey Switzer-
land has developed an excellent army OF
a special local type; cheap, but highly
efficient militia, the most interesting point
about which is that, while field artillery
is supposed to be difficult of creation and
only to be obtained upon a costly and
regular system, Switzerland produces an
excellent field artillery upon militia foot
ing. The garrison artillery militia of Great
Britain have longer training than the field
artillery Of the Swiss Federation. hut the
results of the training are very different
Similarly, while cavalry is supposed 10 be
in the same position as artillery in these
matters, Hungary produces good cavalry
upon a militia system. 1t is. however, to
the native army in India that we have to
turn If We want to see what long service
cavalry in past centuries used to be, for
in these days of shorter service cavalry
at least has suffered a decline. and. so far
from cavalry. on the whole, presenting us
with a picture of military progress in the
the cavalry of the present day is
not 10 be compared with the cavalry of
the past Roumania and Bulgaria, al
though small countries. have remarkable
armies OF the most modern type, Of great
strength when considered proportionateIy
to their populations; but these need not
come under our examination. because sub
stantially they are on the Prussian plan.
Russia differs from Germany, France.
and Austria in having an immense peace
army. Her peace army Is. indeed. as large
as that OF the whole Of the Triple ALI
ance. and the enormous distances Of Rus
STA and the difficulties Of mobilization and
force her into the retention
and development Of a system which is now
peculiar to herself The armies Of Russia
more closely (aIthoueh on far
larger scale, the old armies Of the time
before the changes which followed 1866
than the French, German, and Austrian
armies Of today. italy is decreasing her
army, and has been driven by her hnan-
ciai straits to completely spoil a system
which was never good except on paper.
Il IS doubtful whether now in a sudden
war the Italians could put into the field
any thoroughly good troops. except their
Alpine batialions which are equal to
those Of the French The Austrian svs-
tenn does not differ sufficiently from thai
OF Germany and Of France to be worthy
special note, although it may be said in
passing that the Austrian army f. pon,