The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-03-08
SOME FACTS ABOUT
THE RUSSIAN ARMY

that color. Tho foDtguards and grena-
dlers have bright 8colorcd piplngs ana
facIngs on their green coats. Some OF the
|.lanccrs wear blue. and the cars hussars
aro brilliant lii scarlet. Tho Cossacks
wear mostly dark blue!or green But tho
general effect. the prevailing tone, Is dark
green except In the hot months, when
white Is the lending note. s
Az to d the equipment, Russian In
sfantryman carries thirty rounds OF am
munftlon III his belt, thirty more rounds
III Ia bundolier hung over his left shoulder
|underncnth his great cont, which IS car I
Tried there done up In Il roll, and a final
reserve supply5of Ammunition. consisting
|2of thirty rounds carried In Il pouch which
hangs from Il strap running over INC lei X
shoulder and attached to the belt From "A
| the4rght shoulder is suspended his water
I,lropfg kit bag, and on top OF tho Kit bas
lis IN aluminium water bottle holding ia
pint land a. half. TO tho great coat IN
strapped a pair Of boots sand a. aluminium o.
mess dish. Besides this. every SIX men
carry among thcm the materials for q d
tent which viii properly shelter them. so
that ltamny easily be seen that the Rus
sian soldier Is considerable Of n weight [
carrier. s$ IS S #
Tho medical and surgical departments
OF the Russian army are finely developed. 1
There arc six large and more than sVo
smaller 8f hospitals regularly connected
with the army. besides * much larger
number OF smaller 8la2aret tos. s'l re are 4
more than 300 surgeons In the army on
\ peace footing and 1nost of them are
men of3advanccd training and nigh stand u
Ing II, their profession. The hospitals mo
surgeons in charge are supplied ~ the
| State with the latest and most Improved
appa ratus for carrying on their work III +.
! the best possible manner during the ne
cessary Inconvenience and hnrdships Or
1 nm active campaign. The drugs LOT meal /
| cal use are prepared for the army m 1,so
| cnl de partmcnt IN the form Of ia binids.
WITH The active principles accurately
dosed and put up by the latest machinery,
and the bandagcs and dressings q re pre-
nnred and sent out I nstcriizcd bundles
| from the state factories, which are the
admiration Of all che medical men VINO
| have seen them. "a
7. The present Russian army. : an zrpr-
SANITATION, Is only about thirty years Old
LIT was established by the i'm perisai ukaso
! ~ January. 1874 by which the whole male
!, popu1ation OF thescmpire. with the ex-
ception OF certain outlying distrcts,a.ls
made liable to military service, from the
I heginning OF the twenty first 70 the ena
| ~ tho for@y-third year. OF this time. inc
| first five years are spent In the Slanu'hB
| army and the remainder IN me H1lli ",
I'm every year there are more th a'i q ~.
!lion recruits that reach the age OF mill
| tary service. The law makes many eaceP-
| tons among those who are liable 20 ser
| Vice. and In ordinary years not more IMAM
I a quarter of a million. and, perhaps ho'
| that many actually join the colors, inc
| rest going directly into the militia. Ed-
ucatlon Is one OF the qualities which cut
down the length Of service. According 20
IA degree or education which he possesses
, d young man may have his term OF ac-
thai military service reduced to three,
two. or even one year. It is from !!his
class that most of the officers In the re-
serve corps OF militia are draWn.-H. NJ.
| Fl, In Chicago Tribune.