The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-29
TIE OPPOSING FORCEs.
French Estimate OF Effective Russian aud
.Japanese Troops.

To THE EpIToR or THE suN Sir! Toward
the end Of February last the French General
stan drew up a statement OF the composition
OF the armies then confronting each other IN
Manchuria, which has since been published IN
lts special organ.
beginning with the Russians. the First
Army, under Iinievitch, was made up OF the
First Second, Third and Fourth Siberian
army corps and a division OF Trnnsbaikal
Cossacks under Rennenkampf The Second
Army. under Kaulbars, comprised the Tenth
and Seventeenth European corps, the ruin
Siberian corps, and two divisions OF Cossacks.
the Caucasian and Orenburg. The Third
Army, under Gen. Bllderlng. was composed OF
the Fourth. Eighth and sixteenth European
corps and the sixth siberian corps. with the
Sixty-hrst infantry reserve division ana a
division OF Siberian Cossacks,
In addition there was a reserve army
under Gen Meiendorf. made up Of the First
European corps five brgades OF rifemen
from Europe. twelve batteries Of mountain
guns lin which tho Russians were snRularly
defictentl and twenty-five companies Of the
various technical corps The number Of Geld
guns was uncertain, hut was estimated AT about
twelve hundred, with two regiments OF mortar
batteries. The total combatant strength OF
the Russians on Feb. - was put at $780,
The analysis OF the Japanese army gives
FEB. 27 composed OF the Guard Division with
its reserve rgade; the Second Division with
its reserve Brigade. the Twelfth Division with
the Fifth Ninth and Twelfth reserve brigades
the Second bri gade OF cavalry and the Second
Of artillery, Nodzus army comprised the
Fifth, Eighth and Tenth divisions. and the
Third, Eighth and Tenth reserve brigades,
with their artillery and cavalry. Oku's army
was made up OF the Third, Fourth sixth.
Ninth and Eleventh divisions. and the First.
Fourth Sixth and Eleventh reserve brlgades.
the First Brigade Of cavalry. two regiments
Of the First artillery brigade, and a brigade Of
the First Division. The effective strength
OF these three armies was estimated at 275-
900 men and $50 field guns on the Shaho
there were several mortar batteries and
thirty-hve ii-inCh guns brought up from
Port Arthur. The number OF mountain
batteries with the Japanese army could
was known TO be considerable and no cal
culation whatever could be made OF the
strength OF NoRis or Kawamura's armies.
All that could be said was that they were
probably made up from the reserves assem-
bled in Japan at the time OF the fall Of Port
Arthur, and transported to Corea and Man
chuTia after that event 70 the number Of some
200 600
II is believed that the japanese cannot have
much fewer than 400 900 men now in Man
chuTia and Corea and that they are ready 10
keep adding 10 the number as the Russians
Increase their forces. The remark OF Marshal
Oyama on his arrival al Liaoyang that Russia
may mobilize as many army corps as she
chooses Japan will so arrange that she will
always have a superior mum Der Of men in the
field" Is recalled. and so is.the statement OF
Baron Sayematsu. that Europe knew very
little Of the numbers or OF the importance OF
the japanese armies in ManChuria OF COrea.
NEW YORK, March -. I.