The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-03-08

gvided III by tho government. HIS reg,i--ff
lar allowance for spending money for all
purposes is Just little moro than a.
Iruble year, but extras OF various kinds
bring tho grand total Up to a little less
than 81. This sum Is supposed to cover
all his expenditures for tobacco, spirits
and lnxurlcs OF every kind The enlisted
men in the United States army are paid
moro than three times that amount per
month, or about forty times rs much per
year. when It Is considered how little.
tho Russian private has to. spend IT 10
easy to see why lle should be eager and
Quick ION the loot, s.i385ff II
a rho Russian officers are paid + a little
better H bit not 50 much so aEt to cause
any particular ga spng for brcht tn. a Ifsls
sian Lieutenant gets about 500 q yea r,
a captain about 1900. and u major rs $50.
BIZ viii DO seen therefore that such Of tho
Russian officers as have not private
means or do not obtain financial assist
anco from some outside souce are forced
to live In q condition not far removed
from actual poverty. A new uniform to
a man who depends on his pay Is quite
Impossible. AS "a matter OF fac t, q lInost
all the higher officers come from more Eor
less wealthy families, and II they marry
they are supposed to- select only rich girls
as wives. &
The most astonishing strength Of the
Russian army is in its cavalry branch
The agricultural department at Wash
sngton estimates that in all the world
there are about G5 .dOo, 900 horses. The Rus
sian empire alone has 10000 900 horses.
or nearly half OF the grand total. In tho
regular army OF the car there are no
less than half a million horses, and this
number in time of war might be easily
doubled. How valuable this vast cavalry
force may be in the far East may be
questioned, for allowing TO each horse .
daily ration OF twenty-five pounds :
fodder and taking It for granted tha {.
Manchuria and tho adjacent provinces
raise little that might be used for horse
food. IT is hard to see how any iarsa
humble OF horses can be permanently
ma intained at tho far end OF a single
track railroad more than 5000 miles long.
IN tho Russian cavalry, OF course, the
most picturesque; corps Is that OF the cos
sacks. The Cossacks are really profes-
sional soldiers. They almost live On
horseback, and are the only horsemcn N
the world who equal the rough riders OF
the far western States In feats OF horse
manship. They come from about the
Of 100000, furnish 10000 men for the I'M
perial army. The horses and uniforms OF
the Cossacks are furnished by the various
Cossack tribal communities. and In camp
the curious tribal signs hang over the
entrances to the Quarters OF each resl'
ment. In other active service the Cos
Sacks are tho eyes and ears OF the RUS
sian army. They arc the scouts, m. !, no
pathfindcrs, the couricrs. and ordcrlles
when desperate and dangerous WORK IS
TO be done. They are much more lnae-
| PENDENT than the common soldier OF 10
army. ana arc. algo treated with much
more consideration by the military ~
|thorities.
The cossacks arc armed With TILES U.s.
without bayonets. with swords. withone
guards. and the men in the front RANKS
n elch company also carry lnnces. Ihcy
tnke great care OF their horses. and arc
as teemcd as among the most daring. tire
less. and relentless soldiers in the world e .
The predominant and characterlstlc
color in the uniforms Of tho Russian army
4 Is dark green. The infantry wear double {.
breasted blouses and knickerbockers OF