Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-03-12
WILL DEAL THE
CRUSHING BLOW.
Russia Massing Vast Force
Along yaIu For A
Decisive Battle.

Military experts of the United States
army place no credence in reports re-
Gently circulated that the outbreak of
war in the Far East found the Russian
army unprep Ired 10 face the splendid
army of Japan. According to the best
military authority in this country Rus
STA is now engaged in so massing her
forces in the theatre of hostilities that
she may, if possible. crush the Japan
land forces with one blow.
II is true that Russia is having great
difficulties in transporting her army TO
the scene of hostilities. owing to the
limitations of the Trans Siberian Rail.
way. but there are many American stu
dents Of the war situation who believe
that Russia is biding her time and at
present avoiding a land conflict until
she has massed her troops along the
Yalu River in the most advantageous
and strategic manner.
The stories published in some quar-
tiers that the Russian military system is
lax and that incapable officers and un-
educated men without sufficient militia
ry training form her army. are said to
be utterly unfounded by officers of the
United States General Staff Corps. On
the contrary. il is said. the Russian
army is in many respects the best mill
tary system in the world. Japan I'M
derstands this fact, and there is no evil
dence that the Japs have any disposition
TO belittle their opponents.
CZAR's TREMENDOUS RESOURCES.
The statistics ON file in the War De-
partment show that the Russian stand
ing army. in time of peace, numbers
more than 200. 900 men, or more than
one-fourth the male population of Rus
STA between the ages of 90 and 80 years
This army is made up of 627 900 infan-
try. il7.OO0 cavalry. $4,000 artillery.
$4,000 engineers, $4,000 commissiarat,
medical and other staff departments,
and 10000 Cossacks. Including her re-
serves Russia is able to assemble total
military force OF 100000 men. and to
those may be added $4,000 gendarmes
under the Minister of the Interior and
$1,000 frontier guards under the Minis
ter of Finance.
Colonel Sir Henry Howard. an emf
nent British military expert, who has
made careful study of the Russian
military system. estimates that from GO
to 20 per cent. of the recruits for the
Russian army are illiterate. "But if
they fail in education. he says in re-
port on the subject, mo army is manned
under such excellent physical conditions.
Mature age and hardy training make
the tall. broad chested Russian an ex-
cellent soldier from the very first. The
French. Italian or Spanish conscript is
hardly TO be compared with him, and
he also surpasses both the German and
the Austrian.
RAILWAY THE GREAT DRAWBACK.
Russia takes particular pride in her
mounted infantry and cavalry forces.
She has 81 regiments of dragons, who
are, in reality. mounted rifles. They
move in threes: the centre file holds the
horse of his comrade on either side when
the order to act on foot is given. The
horse detachment remains under the
command of the senior subaltern. He
Is directed tn keep under cover. yet near
at hand, and the order ITO horse may
be Immediately put into execution to
charge disheartened infantry. to meet
cavalry face TO face, to seize position
or TO retire swiftly before superior mum
bcTs.
The great drawback. military expert.
say. in successful Russian campaign
III the Far East. is the fact that the rail
way line cannot handle successfully
more than about 10000 men. 1t is no,
believed, however, that Russia will
limit her force opposed to Japan 60 tina,
number. bur il is understood that she i.
now massing supplies at accessible
places, and at the same time pouring
troops into the East as fast as possible
The chances are. however, that japan
realizing the disadvantages under which
Russia is laboring to prepare her army
for an encounter, will take an early Cd
portunity to strike quick and hard
blow by land.
4 SfuUsrlnr vVnrI