EUROPEAN ARMAMENTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2146, 12 June 1889, Page 3

EUROPEAN ARMAMENTS.

It is no exaggeration to speak of the Euro* pcan Continent as an armed camp, From some returns wbioh have been prepared for the information of the Austrian War Offioe we get an idea of the marvelloua rapidity with wbiob some of the States oan now mobilize their armies and rush them to and aoross thoir frontiere. In the event of war breaking out suddenly, or nbsolutely without any warning, what oould Germany do ? In seventy-two hours ebe oould have 230,000 men, fully equipped, on Fronoh soil ; and at the end of seven days this number would be increased to 750,000. She could m three days put 120,000 mon upon Rußßian soil, and m the same space of time she could plant 100,000 m Austria. What oould Austria do ? She could m throe days carry 60,000 troops into Rußsia. Russia is not so well prepared for rapid movement ; bnt it iB calculated that she oould bring to the Austrian frontier m three days 25,000 men, and by the end of eeven days 110,000. Francois already well prepared for rapid movement ; and Bho is about to inorease her railroad faoilitiea m the direction of the northeast. Already she could, it is thought, carry 200,000 men to the fi on tier m three days and 700,000 men within a week. When the new arrangements shall have been oompelted, the calculation is that these figures will be increased to 260,000 and 860,000 respectively. Ot oourse, calculations may fail and aooidents mar the Buooesa ot the best laid plans. It is reasonable to oonolude tbat > the oost of theße vaßt armies must be something fearful. The annual oost of the whole is estimated at one hundred and twenty millions of pounds sterling (600,000,000dol), Daring the last seventeen years the preparations for the great war that is yet to coma have oost the Powers not under fifteen hundred millions Bterling (7,500,000,000dols), Suoh a state of things is a disgrace to the Christian Nineteenth Century .—New York" Mail" and {'Express."