FEATURES OF THE RUSSIAN ARMY.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 26 September 1901, Page 4

FEATURES OF THE RUSSIAN ARMY.

Thera are few outside tho Russian Empire, and comparatively few inside, who are familiar with the Muscovite army Out of a population of 129,000,006 Russia has an army in peace time of 860,000, which in war time is more than quadrupled, and brought up to a fighting force of 3,500,000, which means, in popular parlance, that one Russian soldier fights every 37 civilians. As in Germany, the Czar is tho great war lord of the Empire, and almost every male member of the Imperial Family and the nobility is a soldier; not only this, but the Czarina is honorary chieftain of four regiments of Russian cavalry', and most of tho Imperial Grand Duchesses have tho command of lino regiments bearing their names. At some recent army manoeuvres, in which several divi Jons took part, the Czar and Czarino were both present to witness the operations, two Imperial Grand Dukes commanded the apposing sides, and fighting in the ranks of the artillery was the Heir-Apparent, the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrowitch, and in the Horse Grenadiers Duke George Georgewitch of Meck-Icnburg-Strelitz. Curiously enough, as a writer in ‘‘Harper’s Weekly” points out, the rules for military service in Russia arc not quite so form dable as many people imagine. Since 1874 military service has been obligatory for all who have completed their majority, but out of 900,000 who annually reach the age of 21, only about 275,000 are made to serve in the active army, while the rest are drafted for long periods into the reserve. Tho former have to complete 15 years of service, of which six are spent in the ranks of the active army (out of which about two are allowed for furlough) and then nine in the reserve, which can only be calk'd out in the evert of war or great national danger. A curious system is also in vogue by which recruits from one part of the country are drafted to another to perform their terms of service. Rus.-ia is a cjuo ry lecaliar’y adapted for cavalry purposes, nnd the Russian Cossack is the natural consequence. It is a country whore horses abound, and it is estimate i that 20,000,0j0 within the dominion of the Czar, of which at least 1,000,000 are suitable for use as saddlehorses and available for military service. The Russian is also by nature more adapted for service both on horseback and on foot than is the case with tho natives of other European countries. At present tho Russian cavalry comprises a total number of 155,000 men, and, as might be expected, the cavalry is better provided with horses than in any other country. In no other does the number of animals in time of peace equal the number of men.

In Russia’s vast body of mounted men there are only two types —the Dragoon and the Cossack. As regards the former, the ideal kept in view is to make him an equally efficient fighter whether mounted or dismounted, and he is armed with the ordinary rifle. The Cossacks represent what might be called the “light cavalry” but the Russian military authorities are gradually assimilating him to the Dragoon. Cossacks form the volunteer cavalry troops of all Southern Russia.

The Czar’s bodyguard is a Circassian regiment of mounted men, every one of noble birth, and with armour and weapons almost mediicval in character.