Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-05
THE CossACKS.
How They Are Organized and Mobi-
lized.

From the Hartford Times.
The latest and probably the most accurate
description of the Cossacks has been pub
lished recently in Paris by Col de la Pan
ouze, who is now retired from active serv-
ice, after brilliant career as French off,
Ger of cavalry and military attache to
French embassies in some European coun-
tries. He says, among other things:
ION the opening of hostilities there would
be at first a naval phase. Then would come
the operations on land. The small forces of
cavalry which Japan would land would be
employed only for the service of outposts
and could not combat the superior forces
or RUSSIAN cavalry assembled in Man.
churia. That cavalry, composed of Cossacks
amounts to such figure that the total of
the Japanese cavalry, We're it possible to
disembark 1t in Manchuria, would be still
out of proportion to the Cossack cavalry
of Asia.
In Europe the Cassacks operate coniointly
with the ordinary cavalry, but in Asia they
are the only mounted troops of the Musco-
vite empire. In exchange for a
homestead and other privileges the Cos
sacks are bound to military service and
to furnish their horses and equipment uni
forms, &c. There are, according to the off,
cial statistics published in 1900 by the i'm
perial commission, $50 regiments of mount
ed Cossacks, three divisions, fifty-three sot-
MAS or squadrons, eighteen battalions OF
infantry and forty-four batteries of light
artillery; in all, 900 soldiers and non
commissioned officers.
THE mobilization of the Cossack forces is
rapidly made, without great expense of ink
and paper. The military posts in the i'm
mense steppes, not being connected by tele-
graph lines, served by COMFY or
couriers, having the best of horses and
who stay permanently near the province
governors in order to carry their orders
to the log dwellings, of the Cossacks. When
the mobilization order reaches the central
military administration of the provinces
each gonetz starts, carrying in his right
hand a small red flag in daytime and a
red lantern at night, crying: The czar
calls you Mobilization! In a moment all
the village is up. On the high pole in front
of the municipal building red flag in day
time red lantern at night is hoisted
All the men, accompanied by women and
children, start for the rallying place All
the men are clothed I'm their finest caftans,
of all colors. Nobody is missing even sick
men refuse to remain behind. Those who
would voluntarily remain behind would not
dare to return to the village; their moth
ers. wives or sisters would gouge out their
eyes, as has happened several times
THE whole Russian Asatic region from
the Ural mountains to Vladivostok is col
onized by these Cossacks, to whom could
be joined the thousands of converted Mon
gols living along the frontier of Mongolia
and Manchuria. 1nnumerabIe reinforce
ments in cavalry can be drawn by Russia
to push toward the east. 1t is calculated
railroad line of Mukden- New-Chwang
There would be greater danger for Japan
if there was truth in the theory advanced
by Gen. Prjevalsky, that twenty-five thou
sand Cossacks would be sufficient, if need
be. to conquer the Chinese empire