The sun., 1915-06-20
specia! Correspo~lsses to tbs sru


LONDON. Juno the Casualties
among officWs in the present war and
rhe supply OF mon 10 NIL tho gaps are
serious matters for the armies OF both
friend and foe. In tho Franoo-German
war tho Germans put $4,000 ofioers
and mon IN tho field. tho proportion Of
officers bdns approximately ono officer
TO twenty-nine non -comnrss. oned ofiic ers
ana mon. Tho German Losses IN the
war were 1870 officers killed 20 $1,000
non-commissioned ofiicers and men, iO2
officers missing 10 $4,000 non-oomrnts-
stoned officers and men, and 1900 on
GERS "a $4,000 other ranks wounded.
There was an aggregate OF approIi-
mately 200 casualties among officers
and $4,000 among the mon, or about
hors de combat. In tho Boer war the
British losses in officers were propor-
uonately greater. for the death roil-ir-
respective OF tho forces sent BY tho In
dian Government to South Af1ca-vvas
In the proportion OF one ofYicer to nine
men. while In wounded eleven men be-
came casualties to one offiosr.
Tho early engagements In the South
African war were charact er4zed by ex-
cessive casualties among officers. and
the armchair critics as we'll AS a por-
abuse upon these unfortunate comba-
tants, The sacrificing result OF the brav-
cry OF British officers yet had its bright
feature IN tho warm tributes paid by
foreign na-ionalities. In tho Russo-Jap-
anese war the first Russian army, with
strength OF 2.200 officers and 100. 900
other ranks. lost during thirteen months
81 per cent. OF the officers and g. per
cent. OF infantry soldiers The total
Russian electives az Lao-yang were
about 10000, and presented - deficiency
OF some 900 officers. while the Seven
teenth Russian Army Corps lost during
one year go per cent. Of It's officers
against 55 per cent. OF It's men. tho ar
tillery arm being IN the ratio OF twenty
five officers to seven men respectively.
In respect 20 the Russian losses It should
he remembered that then, as now. no
troops In the world require less "lead-
ing than the stolid soldiers Of the Gar.
Ordinary Reserve Exhausted.
II may be said that with nearly
twelve months run OF the war tho or
d!nary reserve of officers has by now
become expended and that Germany has
al least utilized The selections OF former
one year volunteers and most OF her
retired Officers. as well as tho sergeant
major lieutenants, which rank does not
80 far exist In the British army. Ger
many utilized the officers reserve In
completing the establishment OF field /
,adres TO war strength. TO officer de
pot formations ana for extra reglmentai :
appointments, France has a better sys- ,
EN- in drawing n reserve for the active |
army. for besides the large number OF /
etired sub-lieutenants OF the active |
lrmy who are morally and physically ,
itted for the position. she can draw
IN the students OF the Polytechnique,
he School OF Forestry. Central School .
" Arts and Manufactu railway Of
icials and commissioned officers OF /
he army who have reached the age
or entry into the reserve ta5 years).
For the reserve OF the territorial
Irmy France depends upon sub-lieutep-
Ints or the active army. who, having
attained the age for transfer TO the
erritorial army. have not been specially
etatned In the reserve for the active
rmy. non commissioned officers who
AVE passed the limit age for the active
rmy. unless they have elected TO re-
main on as candidates for the position
4 reserve officers IN tho active army,
nd commissioned officers OF the
rrritorial army.
Non commissioned officers In their
ast year OF service in the active army
re specially reported on as to their
tness for the appointment Of half com
any or section commanders in the re-
erve or territorial army, and are exam
ned by committee of officers dur
ng their las, month OF service. Vol
lntecrs are called for from among
Ten serving FOR two years, and these
niertake to undergo three supplement
,ry periods OF instruction In the rc-
erve. These ultimately become sous
niciers,' or acting sous -offciers" and
o the last half OF their second years
raining as sub-lieutenants Reserve
Ulcers can only attain the rank of