EUROPEAN ARMIES.

Kumara Times, Issue 1070, 5 March 1880, Page 4

EUROPEAN ARMIES.

Both the Austrian and Hungarian Governments have accepted the Bills proposing to keep up for the next ten years the war effective at 800,000. The Austrian Government says it has coaBCientioualy studied the question whether the effective could be reduced, but has come to the conviction that in the present juncture of the world and the relative power of the larger European States a diminution of the army and navy, which would entail likewise a radical reorganisation, cannot be thought of. While the army spstem of the Monarchy has remained stationary since 1868, all the other great Powers have, in consequence of the Franco-German war, increased

their armies. However regrettable this fact, the least that can be done in view of it, to provide for the safety of the Monarchy, and the maintenance of its position among the other Powers, is to maintain the present system, which has hitherto so well stood the test. The Government deems this its patriotic duty to take the initiative in the reduction of the army, even before the end of the ten years if an understanding were come to among the Powers to diminish their armies. The Hungarian Government, in justification of its course, gives a statement of what will be the comparative military forces of Russia, France, Germany, and Italy when the system now in progress is completed. Russia, it is said, already disposes of a force of 2,389,000 men j France has 1,815,000, and will have 2,723,000 in 1882 ; Italy had at the end of September, 1878, 1,375,000, and will have over 2,000,000; while AustriaHungary has 1,194,000.