New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-09-24
COMPLIMENTS RUSSIANS
SHrgeon Spear Found Troops " ell
Built and Courageous.


ana decidedly complimentary view OF the Russian
troops. besides furnishing valuable and interesting
information concerning the diet OF the Russian
army. the character OF the wounds innicted' etc
surgeon Spears report is the second OF those pre-
pared by United States military observers with the
armies in Manchuria TO be printed No one OF the
three volumes OF the reports made By army officers
has yet appeared.
Discussing the personnel OF the Russian troops
Surgeon Spear says: The individual Russian SOL
der varied great deal. Most OF them were taken
from the peasant class, but from widely separated
parts OF the country. The first soldiers seat out
were men too old for active campaigning Many
were married and naturally took little interest in
the war. The Russian government soon saw H>
mistake, and then recruited young men. between
the ages OF twenty and thirty. These men csrca
from the Baltic provinces, from the south OF Rug
sia, Russia proper. the Caucasian Mountains and
Siberia The types OF men were different Tney
spoke different languages and were for the most
part lliteratA Taking an average. tns men were
larger ana heavier than our soldiers and possessed
OF far better physiqaes Their chest and hip devsi-
opments were noticeably larger; they were accus-
toned TO a plain diet. for the most part black re
bread and soup.
IAN Russians are religious It is more religious
fear than true religion The Church is omnipresent
At the beginning Of the war troops took their
1kons. or sacred pictures. into battle with them
They soon learned that these gave little protection
against the enemy's FIRE So one PROOF OF the
foundation of their Church was shown 10 be use
less Many OF the soldiers are now asking for less
religion and more education.
Instead OF being possessed OF brutal dispositions.
as SO often has been pictured tire world now knows
that this Is only OF q small percentage OF the
Russian soldiers. IN fact, their dispositions are
like those Of any other peasan cs-smple and sym
pathetic 20 d degree. They lead absolutely simple
lives and have vicious habits.
The pay OF soldier is about g cents month Az
ter he has bought little sugar and tobacco there Is
rstr-a TaFr fov driuk e
DO SO. There was a strict regulation enforced
among the Chinese against the sale Of any alcohoho
beverage soldiers
AS an additional protection against the cold the
soldiers wrapped newspapers about their feet ana
legs over the cotton cloth. then put on the noots
and over these they used heavy felt oVerooots'
which they called valenki Feet protected IN THIS
manner were rarely frost bitten
The soldier part OF the Russian army as ooo''
IN the opinion Of many foreign attaches, was sec
ond 10 none in the worlds history. The men were
Young vigorous, well nOurished, clothed ana
equipped. They were ali willing 10 perform any
duty asked OF them cheerfully. Their spirit was
good and they possessed the necessary courage
| For hzhting This was proved time and again
Every day the lasted the soldiers were learn
ing their eyes being opened. and the pan OF
| ignorance that had hung over them so long was
| gradually being lifted. The war, for the peasant
| class Of Russia, bringing them as 1t did in touch
| with the outside world and with one another. has
meant much 70 them Religious superstition mas
| been in a measure dispersed The awe In WHICH
all classes regarded the government and al Us
| officials has now disappeared The peasant Ihlne
| has received q stimulus which Is bound 10 better
| their condition"
| SPEAKING OF the rstIons issued 10 the Russian
| army, Surgeon Spear says:
The diet OF the Russian soldier Is very simple
| Each man Is allowed one pound OF meat and two
| ana q half pounds OF black rye bread. with tea.
| daily. The meat Is Incorporated in vegetable
| soup, in which cabbage Is conspicuous. Boiled
| buckWheat known as kashs,' Is AZ times also
/ issued.
The Russians eat two meals day, the first
] about 10 or u o'clock in the morning. the second
| about or IN the afternoon They eat with
wooden spoons out OF large IN cans, eaeA can
hoqng enough IoT SDoIs t t5s .sme for ali meals
| day il and day out-soup and black bread, Inc
The ration certainly sterile for everything cate
| IS either cooked boiled. 4,
All the soldiers drink great oeA ~ tea a. a.
is made with boiling I water ss u : .S Eas ah9 vas
consumed than would nave been Ins SAs Il 'H0
/ men had not been tea drinkers.
slams neglected the wounded, saying:
The Russians have been criticised for their Ia
ing lines back % the heid hospitals and sanitary
trains Compared win le resi- OF ths iasaiEa4 ~ 80
when The character OF the country with at times
! Bers OF wounded following the different battles,
when the constant retreat Of The Russian forces
| that the Russians did convey majority Of their
wounded 10 the base hospitals and lLls uluet UNI
''of the total number Of wounds there were about
/ The Russian Cossacks We're very adept in using
their swords Lisy also according 70 me hess'a
| the use of their hayonets That there should have
been eny such Pefeehtass OF s~oiG ana uas ~
| sides were armed with modern rifles, machine guns.
I proach OF an enemy impossible: but. : a matter
OF TACT nIghl, tne GlaIacIe. o. C-e c1St.-IS - %
tectng fields or gram, ana. hot ieast me eQursee
and reused fighting spirits or both sides made ills
| character Of fighting possible. Men We're stabbed
/ over and over again in these charges; many died.
/ Stab wounds by the japanese broad bayonet
Idoos vessels The narroWer Russian blade unless
/
| The same amount o. damage. but nevertheless.
S S5ayoSSe e wounds Treated were Of the eSfremts
and usually healed without any trouble, ~ bones
The sword wounds involved. as e rule, the up
! b.ad Eases presented fractures OF tie skull IL
! they we're clean cut and did not become infected
one example Of bravery is related in Or. Spears
! "a Russian officer in Hardin presented good
} example Of what soldier may endure and SUI
| OF shell on the head and sustained a compound
! fracture he was sent 20 hospital. operated
| Later he was stabbed through the palm OF his
right hsIa IN . Sa15se , ms HeateG FSpla'y 4
| projectile through The abdomen He soon recov-
sd dv IRON 10 try his luck again wen pdas " Was s
clared. much 20 his disapPointment,
/ marked BY wooden crosses about four feet nigh.
] The name and other data pertaining the soldier
were sometimes written the wooden crosses with
| lead pencil. Sometimes they painted on
I Sometimes the Sisters burned the name into the
/ wood Some graves were marked by a piece Of tin.
! an which the name had been indentad
| saTbara " systematic method Of marking
| 80 soldiers graves soon many OF the identifcs-
/ ton marks will be destroyed, and n will be i'm
/ POSSIBLE TO locate the different graves
IN THE 6ERKsHIREs.
| by Telegraph The Tribune