The Irish standard., 1904-04-02

ers. The services are as much Il part
of the everyday routine as breakfast
and supper. No other army observes
SO many religious ceremonies.
With drilling and riding, gymnastics,
fencing and shooting, according to his
regiment, the soldier works hard until
the time for dinner arrives, between
II and II. Afterward, until 2 o'clock,
he may sleep OF rest. Two hours drill
ing is followed by tea. Between 6 and
z the illiterates of the regiment study
the arts of reading and writing in large
classes.
On this occasion the car rides all
round the camp, which is several miles
in circumference, and inspects each
regiment. The troops are without their
side arms, for this is largely religious
ceremony. AS the car passes he
greets the soldiers with the we'll known
words, 'Zdorovo molotzee''-''1our
health, my lads"-which they answer
0OoN
health" and with loud hurrahs.
Like the ancient Roman DICTIONARIES
before the period OF decadence one and
all are agriculturists. Every Cossack,
on reaching his majority, obtains as Il
birthright from the commune to which
he belongs several acres OF land.
When not engaged with their military
duties the men occupy themselves with
farming and rearing cattle, some max
ing.a good living by catching fish i'll
the Irish and other vast rivers Of the
rich country they inhabit.
An idea Of the present efficiency Of
the Russian army may be gained from
the recent Russian conquest of MAN.
chrria, which was effected almost ell
tirely by Siberian troops the troops ut
home having been left practically un-
touched.
In this campaign Russia swiftly and
secretly massed 100000 efficient troops
OH the Manchurian frontier, thousands
of miles from Europe, without any
special effort.
The Cossacks, which form Il branch
Of the Russian army service which has
no parallel i'll any other army i'll tile
world, are irregular cavalry, but very
different from volunteers in America
for the right to be Il Cossack comes
only through Inheritance. The son Of
Cossack, therefore, is a Cossack as
soon us he is born and is taught the
use of arms and the traditions of his
warrior race all through his boyhood.
SO exclusive is this hereditary mill
tary caste that it is almost impossible
for an officer of the regular army, no
matter how high his rank, to secure
commission in Coss;lck regiment
unless he has inherited the right to
such Il command.
The Cossacks are organized into
regiments, but it is only certain of the
officers who are on duty all the time
Each man gets his horse and small
pay from the government when not on
active duty and is allowed to settI.,
down and rear Il family of young Cos
sacks for the service of the car.
When the government call comes, how
ever, the CosSack must give instant
obedience and sometimes there is the
necessity of his being kept many years
in the field. There are many of these
regiments i'll Siberia. They came in
with the first Adventures and settlers
and did much to wreSt their lands
from the primitive inhabitants for the
benefit of Russia. They are settled in
large numbers in the south and tue
vast stretch of country and as they are
always in uniform are easily picked
out from the masses of peasants who
have settled there too At the Russian
mail steamers ply up the Amur and
Chilkl rivers during the summer
months they are met at each small
village ut which they stop by a group
of the Inhabitants, including several
Of these soldiers in white blouscs and
caps. The small boys are always in
the same dress, the blue trousers with
the yellow stripe thrust into high,
wrinlllcd boots, the white blouse and
the military cap.