The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-10-06
RESERVE MAN-POWER OF TEO-
TONS is LESS THAN 2,000,-
900, SAYS BELLOC.
With Losses to Sept. l at 1000, 900,
Three-Fourths Permanent, and
Five Millions at Various Fronts,
Military Writer Finds Few of H.
100000 Left.
(BJ HAaire Belloc, Foremost Military
Writer in Europe.)

very least, the Teutons have now
lost-that is, by the first day of Sep
tember, 1915-in men killed. wound
ed. prisoners, and sick, including
losses permanent and temporary,
over 100000 might be to exagger-
ate the figures, though, in strict pro-
portion to the 6,50O,000 arrived 'at
for the earlier date, the end of July,
that figure is too low. But to say
that the Austro-G German total losses
now reach 100000 would he to re-
main strictly within the truth.
Now, of such losses we can only
count three-quarters as permanent
from various causes. Although the
enemy perpetually suffers temporary
losses which more than make up for
the return of men to the front. yet of
really permanent losses which can
never return in useful time to the
field, we can not now allow for the
enemy even in the first week of Sep
tember, 1915, more than 5,250,000,
with safety.
The, Teuton Forces on the Four
Fronts.
Let US next see what this figure of
total loss means to his total position
at this moment.
The elements for determining the
1teuton forces upon the various
fronts are the reports sent in by the
allied commanders facing those
fronts.
The Teuton forces actually present
upon the various fronts fall into four
groups-the western front, from the
Swiss mountains to the North sen;
the Southern front against Italy; the
eastern against Russia, and the
southeastern against Serbia and
watching the Rumanian boundary.
It is important for the pu' poses of
our calculation that we should count
the least number with which the Ger
mans and Austrians can act upon the
various fronts.
Upon the western front The Teu-
tons have never had less, even at
the most critical period, than 1,600,-
900 men actually present upon the
fighting line. They have increased
those forces considerably since the
winter, having found that there were
livery dangerous points in the line be-
cause it was too thin, and having run
the risk of seeing it piercei more
than once Though no general often
sive has yet been launched against
them) even in local attacks 1t is
certain that they have increased it
now to no less than 100000.
On the Eastern front against Rus
sia the Teutons have certainly more
than 100000 actually in the first
fighting line.
Of course, with its reserves and
communications. it is very much over
that figure, but we are concerned for
the moment, only with the actual
fighting line, and we know, I say,
that there is more than 100000.
250,00O Austrians on Italian Front
The Austrian forces upon the Ital-
ian front are also fairly well known.
The Austrians have maintained there
from the beginning of the Italian
menace about 250,000 men. The to-
tal engagement of Austrians now
tlesent, killed, wounded. prisoners
and sick, used up by that fr,.nt since
May must be more like nine corps.
Lastly, we have the forces watch
llig the Serbian and Roumanian bord-
crs. This is the unknown quantity
liz the problem, but also it Is luckily
the least important factor. We will
tut it at the lowest possible figure,
so as to be within the mari, and
SOuNI IL dl 4Ou,upU--Oi only iOur 1ull
corps.
(Since this article was written the
Austro-German forces on the Serbian
Line have been increased to over 5OO,-
CO men.-Ed.)
Remember that all these f.nres are
absolute minima. There may he more
than 100000 men west of the
Rhine; there are certainly not less.
There may be very many more; there
must be many more than 100000
men in the very front line against
Russia. There are certainly not less
So with the quarter million letween
tie Adriatic and the Trentino; SO
with the 100000 upon the Danube,
Save and the Pennsylvania front.
Adding together these minimum
numbers, we get over 100000 men
Now, it must be remembered that