The Washington herald., 1916-09-17
First Uncensored Figures
Show 14,OOO,O Men at War
Allies Heavily Outnumber Foes on All but West
:, Front, Where Forces Are Even-British
Reserve Looks Strongest.
By JOHN L. BALDERsToN.

climax. the nghting strength in men
OF the warning powers stands approx
mately as follows:
Entente.
Great Britain. rs divisions of about
i.5so.o00 men.
Russia, 147 infantry. IS cavalry d.
visions, Of about $4,000 men.
France about 30 divisions Of about
Italy, So divisions OF about 100000
men
: ROumania. IS divisions of about 6OO,-
oe0 men.
serbia, 5 divisions Of about 100000
men
men.
Total entente lighting strength.
about 403 divisions, Of which 36 are
Russian cavalry, comprising about
s.z2o,0O0 men.
= Central Powers.
E. Germany, $50 divisions Of about
3,2o0. 900 men.
Austria, so divisions of about 1.6oo,-
oe0 men.
Turkey. 4s divisions of not more
than 100000 men.
Bulgaria, 23 divisions OF about 4oo,-
900 men.
strength. 311 divisions, comprising
about 5.7Oo.OOO men.
This article is written in the United
States and uncensored. The above
figures compiled from many sources,
oficial and unofficial, are given as ap-
proximate only. They are an attempt
10 show the actual strength on the
various fronts, and since they deal
only with mobilized divisions, take no
account of available reserves. The
numbers are calculated, excepting in
the case Of the Turkish army and OF
the Russian cavalry, on a basis OF
10000 men to a division. 1t should be
understood that not more than 10000
to $4,000 men out of the 10000 men
making up a division handle rifles in
modern warfare, the odd 5000 or 5000
being employed in the auxiliary SER
vices.
Before taking up the armies OF the
powers involved one by one, a few
general statements based on the hg-
ures contained in this story will be
made.
West Front Forces.
On the west front, about eighty-two
French and ffty-hve British divisions
were opposed to 113 German divisions a
month ago, indicating, If the divisions
are Of equal strength, that the numerical
Superiority Of the allies on the western
front Is very slight.
On the main eastern front, before Rou-
I17 infantry divisions and thirty-siX di-
visions Of cavalry opposed to forty-two
German divisions and fifty Austrian di-
visions, a numerical superiority for Rus
ala. Of about hve TO three.
On the Italian front, flfty-hve Italian
divisions very recently were opposed to
twenty-five Austrian divisions, a dis
parity Of more than two to one, explain
able by the handicap imposed on the at
lacking Italians by the mountainous ter
rain.
Just before Roumania entered the war,
there were IN the entrenChed camp Of
Saloniki about ten British divisions, eight
French divisions, and five Serbian di-
visions, with a few brigades Of Italians
ard Russians imported for political effect.
Opposed to these twenty-three divisions
were about seventeen Bulgarian divisions
with from three to six Austro-German
divisions within call.
Britain Underestimated.
Widespread misconception exists con-
csrning the field strength Of the British
armies because of the Kings proclama-
tion which stated that 100000 soldiers
had Joined the colors. The statement was
literally true. but the figure includes men
killed, wounded and captured since the
beginning OF the war, men on noncom-
batant service, in the dependencies, in the
reserve army kept in England to guard
against INVASION ana IN IdlIlnBr as well
as the soldiers facing the enemy.
Great Britain and Ireland are maintain
ing, at full strength. seventy-One divi-
sions intended for service abroad. Most
If not all of them are now on the vari-
Gus fronts. Seventy divisions are under
the regular army establishment. and the
odd division-the naval 6ivision-while
technically controlled by the admiralty
has fought side by side with army units
at the Dardanelles and no longer con-
fines its activities to cooperating with
the fleet.
These seventy-one divisions, enbodying
roughly 10000 men, are exclusive of the
conttngents furnished by the colonies.
Figures furnished by Premier Asquith in
secret session Of Parliament set forth
that the self-governing dominions had
agreed to provide. and maintain at full
strength, fifteen divisions of infantry or
$4,000 men, in the field. The allotment
Is divided almost equally between Canada
and the Australian and New Zealand
conmonwealths, South Africa furnishing
two divisions. 1t would appear then
that eighty-six divisions of 1,72O,OOO men
represent the fighting strength of the
empire, a 1gure requiring some qualifi-
cation, because not all of the promised
colonial divisions have yet appeared on
the firing line.
EnEIand's Forces Divided.
1t is only possible to give roughly tho
distribution Of the British forces in the
different theaters of war. There are in
France hfty-hye divisions, containing
100000 men, approximately ten divisions,
or 10000 men, in Saloniki; six divisions,
or 10000 men. in Mesopotamia, and two
divisions, or 1000 men, in German East
Africa. This enumeration accounts for
seventy-eight divisions, and the eight
divisions missing from the empires war
strength OF eighty-six divisions are not
yet at the front. 1t is not claimed that
the superintendent is exactly correct. II
It were trouble might result for the
vrttsr-I have given the approximate dis
tribution only in the hope of disabusing
the readers mind Of the absurd legend
current in America that England has
two, or even three million combatant
troops on the French front
Compared with the great French army
holding most Of the western front, and
with the legions of Russia and Ger
many, 1t does not seem at first glance
that the British empire, with its enor-
nous available man power has done as
well as its friends and enemies. The
policy Of restricting the size of the field
armies, however, was deliberately adopt