The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1904-04-14
che gossasks.

The latest and probably the most &C
curate description of the Cossacks has
been published recently in Paris by
Colonel de la Panouze, who is now re-
tired from active service, after brilli-
ant career as French officer of cavalry
and military attache to French embas-
sizes in some European countries. He
says, among other things:
"On 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 jap
an would land would be employed only
for the service of outposts, and could
not combat the superior forces of Rus
sian cavalry assembled in Manchuria.
That cavalry, composed of Cossacks,
amounts to such figure that the total
of the Japanese cavalry, were it possi-
BILE to disembark itin Manchuria, would
be still out of proportion to the Cos
sack cavalry of Asia.
"In Europe the Cossacks operate con-
jointly with the ordinary cavalry, but
in Asia they are the only mounted
troops of the Muscovite empire.
In exchange for homestead and other
privileges the Cossacks are bound to
military service, and to furnish their
horses and equipment, uniforms, &c.
There are, according to the official sta
tistics published in 1900 by the imperial
commission, 15O regiments of mounted
Cossacks, three divisions, fifty-three
sotnias or squadrons, eighteen battal-
ions of infantry and forty-four batter
les of light artillery: in all 10000 SOL
diers and non-commissioned officers.
"The mobilization of the Cossaek
forces is rapidly made, without great
expense of ink and paper. The mill
tary posts in the immense steppes, not
being connected by telegraph lines, are
served by "gonzy," or couriers, having
the best of horses, and who stay per-
manently 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 pro-
vinces each gonetz starts, carrying in
his right hand small red flag in day
time, and red lantern at night, crying:
"The Car calls you! Mobilization" In
a moment all the village is up. On the
high pole in front of the municipal
building red flag in daytime or a red
lantern at night is hoisted. All the
men, accompanied by women and chill
, dren, start for the rallying place. All
the men are clothed in their finest caf-
tans, 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 mothers, wives or sisters
would gouge out their eyes, as has hap
pened several times.
, "The whole Russian Asiatic region
, from the Ural Mountains to Vladisvos-
tok is colonized, by these Cossacks, to
whom could be joined the thousands
, of converted Mongols living along the
frontier of Mongolia and Manchuria.
! Innumerable re-enforcements in caval-
ry can be drawn by Russia to push to-
| ward the East. 1t is calculated that
there are $4,000 horsemen along the
railroad line of Mukden-New-C Chang.
There would be great danger for Japan
if there was truth ia the theory, ad-
! vanced by Gen. PrJevalsky, that "twen-
> ty-fve thousand Cossacks would be
t sufficient, if need be, to conquer the
Chinese empire."-Hartford Times.