The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-13
100000 GERMANS
AT FRONT JULY 81
Casualties to June 30 Total
1000, 900, Including More
Than 40O, 900 Killed.
ARMS SHORTAGE LIKELY
SpeciaI Correspondence 10 THE suN.

Special correspondence TO THE Sen.
LONDON. Aug. 2s.-A detailed estimate.
said to have been obtained from an ex-
pert source, of the number and position
OF the German forces already In the
field and those available for service was
published here to-day.
The great armies on the western and
eastern fronts at or about July 81 are
first set out thus:
on the western front. ....... 1900 900
On the eastern front Excluding
1.l20, 900 Austrians) ........ 1,400,0 900
Total In firing line ......... q. 200, 900
These figures do not include the large
number of German troops OF various
classes. principally Landwehr and Land
sturm. In garrisons. fortiications and
on lines OF communications, besides the
convalescents and invalids.
How far these reserve troops are
armed and equipped Il IL impossible TO
say. but the fact that the total numbe
Of troops on the two fronts Is only
1890. 900 appears to show that tina is
about the largest number OF men which
the German Government. with all its
preparation and resources. Is able to put
fully equipped into the fighting line.
Thu following statistics are given as
to the German casualties reported up
TO JUNE 80:
Total 1.672.ttt
OF this total the number killed is 306.i23
Died OF disease ............. i5,s0S
Missing. prisoners or seriously
wounded $40. rs
II has to be noted. however. that
there has been e heavy fighting On
both 'front.' since the beginning OF June.
and a large proportion OF the casual
ties for this later period are not Included
In the estimate. as they had not been
reported at the time.
Having regard to this fact. II Is possi-
Bile to give the following supplementary
estimate
Total loss for 1000. 900
Including:
Effective loss. I, OOO. 900
Slightly wounded and now re-
covered 500 900
Wounded, absent on sick leave.
&c. 100000
Actual net loss at present time / 500. 900
or this number the total killed is at
least 400. 900 20 $50 1000.
There are no data on which to make
an accurate calculation of the number
of taken prisoners by the
Allies.
Lastly. some figures are given con-
corning Germany's available SQUIRE
In men:
Number available for military
service at beginning OF war. 5000. 900
Possible Increase II every man OF
military age gave his servicesl. 500. 900
Total 100000
OF these. however. a considerable num-
Der are required for the making Of
arms and ammunition. and those. as
well as the 1900. 900 net loss in casual
ties, must be deducted.
II must be remembered. too. that
about 500. 900 youths attain military age
IN every twelve months. OF these the
class Of 1914 should be included in this
5000, 600. II has already seen service.
and has contributed materially TO the
net loss OF 1900. 900. II was a large
class. numbering actually more than
100000. as all the men previously put
back from former classes for various
reasons were called up in 1t. so that IL
probabl y numbered fully 10000 men.
The class OF 1915. called up In Deem
Der. has as yet suffered only inconslder-
able losses, apparently.
In the first few months of the war
Il is calculated that the first line troops
lost about so per cent In casualties
and the reserve about 25 per cent Their
places were taken by the recruits Of
1914. and. as has been said. by men from
the other categories. The reformed
units ~(includlng now the 1915 class OF
recruits) have since then again lost
about SO per cent. In casualties. so that
IL is probable that there remain only
about % per cent. OF the original first
line troops, TO which must be added men
slightly wounded who have returned TO
the fighting line.