New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-29
General Sir Ian Hamilton
Assigned to a Peculiarly
Interesting Duty.
tooprrirht 1909. BY the Brentwood Company

Copyright. 1909. by the Brentwood Company
General Sir Ian Hamilton's presence al the
grand annual manouvres Of the Russian army,
now in progress. the personally invited guest
OF the Gar. is an event Of not only military IN
terest but also OF great political Importance
Sir Ian throughout the war in Manchuria was
attached to the headquarters Of the japanese.
who Initiated him into all their military secrets.
movements and projects. as the chief represent
alive IN the field OF Great Britain-ther ally.
though not their fellow combatant. To-day, in
his capacity as adjutant general and chief or
the general staff. Sir Ian represents TO an even
stin greater degree than in l904-'05 the English
army, and that he and his aides-de-camp should
be attending the Russian uanoeuvres on the
coast OF the Baltic-man9uVres from which all
foreign officers have for years been barred save
the chief Of the general stan Of the French
srmy-is accepted as a conclusive proof that
Great Britain has now definitely Joined the
Franco Russian alliance. The latter. which has
been in existence for twenty years IS admittedly
organized against Germany-and her Austrian
aly-not for offence. but for purposes OF de-
fence, and the fact that the annual maneuvres
Of the Muscovite army are Invariably designed
10 resist an invasion either by Germany or by
her ally Austria-those now in progress repre-
sent the defence OF ST. Petersburg. and OF the
metropolitan district against a German attack
by sea and land-serves 10 emphasize the anti
Teuton character OF Russia's projects and afih-
stions
Sir Ian Hamilton. who is one OF the most up
to-date and brilliantly clever OF British gen.
erals. cannot but have found during the last
few days a wonderful change In the military
conditions OF Russia. as compared with those
which came under his notice during the war in
aanchuria- The Muscovite army has been sub
5ected 10 the most radical and farreaching
organization since Il went into the field against
Japan five years ago. The period OF service has
been reduced from FIVE 20 three years and the
pay OF officers and OF men has been considerably
increased, while the arrangements for the feed
ing and lodging OF the rank and file have been
completely transformed. An this has naturally
contributed 10 render service much more popu-
hr than IN days Of yore and there Is a good
VIII and a satisfaction among officers and men
which was formerly lacking but that Increase
The value OF the army a hundredfold. The
ere artillery. which was the weakest arm in the
war In Manchuria, has been rearmed and re-
equipped, and the cumbersome arrangement by
winch each branch OF the service had its own
populous and decorative general staff. under
Ne ntular chieftainshp OF a member OF the i'm
Ierlsl family has been done away with through
e influence OF the Donna. Instead, the ar
s'ery' The cavalry. the engineers. the transport.
me commissariat and the medical corps each
as ITS representative on the general - III Of
-re army az headquarters. and moreover the
4Sh and the Cabinet In the face OF the strenu-
A opposition Of the clique OF grand dukes.
accepted the recommendation OF NJ Clutch
- IN behalf Of the Army Committee OF the
o1is' That the various divisions and army
should IN time OF peace be under the
naho or those generals who would be al
~s~0 W tins OF wsr. Columns could be