THE RUSSIAN ARMY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 207, 1 September 1877, Page 4

THE RUSSIAN ARMY.

[From of the Australasian.] Since those Cossacks of Skobeloff's ...cantered over tbe Reni Chausee two months ago, the Russians have massed in Roumania the largest single army of modern times. The Germans, indeed, jn 1870, overwhelmed France with a < more numerous force. At one time there were quite httlf-a-million ,Ger- ' mans in France, but then this force -was divided at the commencement into -Ihree armies, and later on was still further subdivided. Under one chief, - under one general staff, the Russian host now in Roumania consists of nine army corps, each corps nominally , 36,000 men strong. It is not easy to -isaiise tbe idea of an army of 320,000 mea strong. Stauding in rank, and - allowing two men to the yard, which "^Vould be a very tight fit, especially with Russian soldiers, an army of this -Strength would extend in an unbroken line for about 90 miles. Marching in the usual manner, by sections of fours, .'such' an army would occupy over 48 hours in defiling past a given poiut, exclusive altogether of its train. In a patient, methodical manner have these great legions been brought down fromi Russia, and marched first through Moldavia, end then through Wallachia, till now they stand one and all within three days easy marching of the Danube. Men will tell you that the Russian army is a sham, that it is far below its nominal strength, tbat its equipment 'Is defective, and that its intendance .system is already a failure in Roumania. Such averments are not to be believed. lam a man wholly without prejudice oh this Eastern question — I hud almost "said a man without opinions. Of its politics, I know uothing, and care about tbem as little; but, as a soldier myself, and as a man who for years has been studying soldiers, armies, and military organization, I claim to have some right to speak on these subjects. The Russian army is below its nominal strength. No army ever existed that was not so after two months marching and camping, but it is not so below its nominal strength but that the additional troops not reckoned iri army corps at all — fekobeloff's division ot Cossacks. twenty other regiments of Coss&oka^ ,a brigade of riflemen, .quads of guardsmen, of sailors, of pontooniers, several battalions of Engineers, the Bulgarian legion, and other contingents, swell its numbers to beyond the figure I have Written down above.** I never saw an army better equipped. The British soldier tramps the arid sand of Alder- • shot in the self-same thick, stiff) confined, brickdust-colored tunic in which he does sentry, and goes in the depths of the bitterest midwinter's night with Unprotected head, congested throat and confined waist. It is little wonder that when he is knocked about in the midsummer sunshine, he has occasionally a sunstroke, July, August, and September, 1870, were as warm in France as the present summer is in Roumania, but tbe Prussian soldiers marched their 30 miles a day, for three flucsessive days to fight a r Sedan in tbeir thick blue tunics and as thick blue trousers. Suppose we look over the hedgß of the garden in which I am now writing into the road along which, through clouds of dust, a brigade of Russian infantry, are tramping down to the Danube, singing lustily as they march. Except as regards the facings and the sunburnt faces, there. is not a spot of color about the whole brigade; from cap to boots the men are clad in wbite canvas. Over the kept is a white curtain or puggaree protecting the neck behind, and on either side the light cloth tunic has given place to a loose canvas blouse, which leaves the throat bare. Stocks are an unkuown institution in a Russian army in the field. The loose canvas trousers are tucked in high boots which come well up, nearly to the knee. I have heard men Bay of many of these boots that they were sorely worn. So many of them are; but sticking out on eitbei Bide ot the knapsack, are a pair of new, or nearly new, boots, available when the others shall bave dropped to pieces. The Russians carry tents of the eume fashion as those used in the French army, but iv flue weather they frequently don't t_k_ the trouble to piid, them. As much as circuuosuuces j allow, they march iv the early morniug or in tbe cool of tbe evening. And often during the night, testiu/ duriug the da/- Their arms are either the Krenke or the Berdan breech-loader. The latter bus been gradually supplanting the former, but probably two

thirds of the infantry are still using the Krenke, which in efficiency may be taken as about equal to ihe zuridna, delgehivere with which the Prussians were the victors in the wars of 1666 and 1870-1. It is cot so good as the Snider, with which the Turks are mostly armed, aud cannot compare with the Martini-Henry, which, let captious critics cay what they will, is the finest military small-arm in the world. The Russian field cannon are of two kinds, Krupps and bronze guns with steel chambers, made in the Russian ordnance factories. They ore of two calibres, nine-pounders and four-pounders, but in weight of projectile these are respectively about equal to our twelve and six pounders. The guns are very well horsed; andif the harness is somewhat clumsy audthe look of the thing is no, quite up to Woolwich form, there is an emiuenently serviceable appearance about the whole turn-out. The cavalry are horsed to the admiration of all who have seen the regiments, and the Russian dragoous can be used either as cavalry or as infantry. They curry bayonets attached to their sword hilts, and are trained to dismount and fight on foot, the centre man of eaoh three taking the horses of his right and left comrades to the rear, but not so far as to be out of reach. The Cossacks are cavalry men sui generis. I will not say that they would create a great impression in a regular charge although even for this work I don't think that they would prove inferior to average light cavalry ; but for independent work, for scouring the country in Iront of an advancing array dealing for promptlly with such cattle osCitcas-siaiisandßa&hi-B'izouksaudinguarding the fl-uks, they seem perfection. Contrary to the accepted belief that they are sami-aavages, the individual Cossack is a more inteiigent fellow by far than is comrade of the line and, next to service in the guards, service - in a Cosa.ck regiment ,is the aspiration and envy of the young Russian officer — so that tbey are well led. It is often the case that in a line regiment no officer is found speaking any language Bava bis own, but this is never so iv Coasack regiments. I have found more Cossack officers speaking some English that, in any other branch of the service.