RUSSIA AND ENGLAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 70, 21 August 1885, Page 4

RUSSIA AND ENGLAND.

SOME FACTS ABOUT THE RUSSIAN - ARMY.

The Russian army is, I believe, the largest in the world. Every year 210,000 young men between the ages of twenty and twenty-four are chosen from every part of the vast Empire to serve their country. .Th<jy have to serve fifteen years — aix in actual sur vice and nine in reseive. The whole strength of the Russian army would therefore be 1,260.000 mbn in actuul service and 1,890,000 reserve. But the figures kljow only those who are serving and have served ; there are many thousands more placed among thejreserve not included in the above, hut forming a kind of militin, which iiv themselves are quite a formidable army. In order to show how they aro chosen it will be neceasary togive a short account of th-« laws relnting to thefiilistiug of soldiers Every Russian upon reaching the age of twenty-one, must appsar before the military authorities in order to be ex amined by a medical man with regard to' his fitness for military service. If not strong enough he is sent home, but has to appear for three successive yeard. If after appearing three times, he should be pronounced too weak, ho gots free. All the rest who are pronounced fit for military service are next called and lots drawn. Those drawing black tickets must-enlist ; the rest form the militia. This is done because there are always more young men than the State requires. As above stated, tlio State requires 200,000 each year. And every town and villiago has to furnish a certain number of soldiers, the number being fixed by the Government, and, of course, depending upon the size and population of the town. -Tli us a large town may have to f urnish 500 every year, aud a small village only about a dozen. It is said that every place could furnish quite 20 per cent, more men thau are required ; these, amounting to about 200,000, form the militia. Then we have to add Circassians and Cossacks, who make the military profession their principal trade, and we find that Russia can command au army of nearly .4,ooo,ooo !— Saturday Journal.