Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 August 1875 — The Armed Strength of Europe. [ARTICLE]

The Armed Strength of Europe.

In a recent lecture delivered in London Capt. Vincent, of the Royal Berks militia, made a hasty review of the armed establishments of the different nations, the following being, as he stated, the forces which each country ought to count upon in an hour of necessity: Holland—Sixty-eight battalions of infantry of 5 companies; 111 companies of engineers, transport corps, etc.; 24 squadrons of cavalry, 4 to a regiment; 18 batteries of artillery ol 6 guns, with a “ combatant” strength of 90,260 intantry, armed with the Snider and Beaumont breechloadeis; 3,850 cavaliy, with 108 bronze breech-loadipg rifled guns. Navy—ll 3 ships, 17 armor-plated, with 981 guns and 7,250 men. Belgium—Eighty-four battalions (mostly of four companies of infantry), armed with Albini, Braendlin and Comblain breech-loaders; 16 companies of engineers, 45 squadrons (14 to a regiment) of cavalry, 20 batteries (of 6 guns) of artillery, with a “combatant” total of 130,000 infantry, 7,500 cavalry, and 152 guns, on the Prussian system. Sweden and Norway—One hundred and twenty-two battalions, mostly armed with the Remington; 15 companies of engineers, 58 squadrons of cavalry, 40 batteries of artillery, with 152,800 infantry, 10,540 cavalry, and 322 guns, plus 20,000 volunteers. United Navies—Sixty-five vessels (five armor-plated), with 491 guns and 5.100 men. Denmark—Five territorial brigades, 42 battalions of infantry, armed with the Snider and Remington rifle; 28 companies of engineers, 21 squadrons of cavalry, 12 batteries of artillery, with 36,050 foot, 2.100 horse and 96 guns. Navy—Thirty one steamers (six iron-clad), three of which have been converted on the French model, and of the remainder the Odin, of Danish built, a turret eight-inch armorplated screw vessel, fitted with a peculiar steel ram six feet in length, and hidden, when not required, in the hull. The Odin carries four ten-inch nineteen-ton guns. Germany (including Bavaria) —Peace establishment, 18,079 officers, 401,059 men, 97,379 horses. War establishment, 31,495 officers, 1,273,346 men, with about 1,000,000 combatants, 270,920 horses, and 2,472 field guns. In addition, the new Landstunn bill provides an organized force for the defense of German hearths and homes. The landsturm is divided into two classes. The first, including all able-bodied men not already in the army, distributed into 293 battalions, and calculated to produce 175,800 men. This addition will bring the German war strength to over 1,700,000 men. Navy manned by some 9,000 officers and men, the latter drawn by conscription from the seafaring population, estimated at 80,000, who on that account are exempted from military service. Russia—War strength, 752,000 combatant infantry, 172,000 cavalry, with 2,768 guns, including 400 mitrailleuses. In ten or fifteen years the land forces of the Empire will number 2,000,000 men, of which about three-fourths will be combatant. Navy increasing every day in importance. Numerically, strength about 300 vessels, including twenty-five iron-clads, with an armament of over 1,500 guns. Turkey—l7o,376 regulars, 148,680 reserves, 75,000 auxiliaries, 87 irregulars-; presenting a grand total of 350,000 combatant infantry, 21,000 cavalry, with 648 guns. Navy one of the finest in the world, commanded by an Englishman of no less ability than experience. Austria—Hungary—79B,l72 infantry, 62,746 cavalry and 1,616 guns. Navy thrown into the shade by the efforts that have been directed toward the army. Eight or ten iron-clads form the entire fleet. 1ta1y—447,264 infantry, armed mostly with the Remington breech-loader, 15,850 cavalry, and 1,240 guns. Navy, doubtful. Portugal—About 50,000 combatants and 100 guns on a war strength. Navy, about fifty ships; not more than one-half seaworthy, with six iron-clads now building in England. Switzerland—“ Estimated” strength, 174,000 infantry, 5,000 cavalry and 194 guns. France—Army in process of reorganization. Navy about 350 ships; some 50 iron-clads. In conclusion the lecturer said: “Of the fifteen States of Europe, seven have introduced universal liability to military service: Germany, Russia, Austria, France, Italy, Denmark and Switzerland. The armies of seven are recruited by conscription, or conscription and enlistment, viz.: Spain, Turkey, Sweden and Norway, Holland, Belgium, Portugal and Greece, while in England alone are ije solely dependent on voluntary enlistment. Looking at the armies of Europe from every point of view, the rapidity, with which they can be mobilized, fed from reserves concentrated on any point, maintained in the field, they may be arranged in the following recedence: First-class— I, Germany; 2, Austria; 3, Russia; 4, France. Second class—s, Italy; 6, England. Third class —7, Belgium; 8, Turkey; 9, Sweden and Norway; 10, Holland; 11, Denmark; 12, Spain; 13, Portugal; 14, Switzerland; 15, Greece. Altogether, four armies of the first class, two armies of the second and nine armies of the third, with, in round numbers, a paper strength ofseven and a half millions and a combatant strength of five millions, with 15,000 guns and a million and a quarter of horses.”