A COOL CALCULATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5326, 23 April 1878, Page 3

A COOL CALCULATION.

The Russian St. Petersburg Gazette, in an article on the losses sustained by Russia in the war, says that according to the last official reports the number of men who have become non-efficient iu the army was about 70,000, which is about 20 per cent, of the whole combatant force. This, considering the length of the campaign, the writer does not think is a very great loss, when it is compared with that of previous wars. “In the battle of Friedland the Russians lost 25,000 men ; at Borodino, 50,000 Moreover it must be

recollected that the natural increase of population in Russia amounts in favorable periods to 1,000,000 people of both sexes ; and even iu unfavorable times, when the number of marriages and births diminishes and the mortality increases, Russia is always pretty sure of obtaining at least one-half of her normal increase of population. In the year 1877 the number of male births will be about 250,000. . . . Hence it follows that even if we lose 250,000 men in this war, we shall not draw on our capital of force as a State. France has nothing like such an increase of population, even in favorable years, and she therefore loses by war or epidemics, not her income, but part of her capital, i.e., her population diminishes. On the other hand, it is to be observed that the loss of 70,000 men is equivalent to an expenditure of 14,000,000 roubles, reckoning the value of an anned man in warfare at 200 roubles. In time of peace he is only worth half as much. But what are these 14,000,000 compared with the milliards which are absorbed by the war ?” In conclusion, the writer remarks that the losses of the Russians would probably not have been so heavy if Generals Dragomiroff, Scobeloff, and Gourko had followed the tactics of Koutouzoff, Barclay de Tolly, and Mouravieff, instead of those of Suvaroff, who attached much more importance to the bayonet than to the rifle.