20,000,000 RUSSIANS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 129, 7 January 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

20,000,000 RUSSIANS.

The Russian army, drawn from an empire with a population of over 1 70.000,000, is naturally a very large cne, and Includes in it a number of different nationalities. From men dwelling within the Arctic circle to the swarthy Orientals of the Caucasus, all serve under a flag which to many of them conveys but little, so remote is all that it stands for from their own distant corner of the world.' NVarlv all the peoples constituting the Russian Empire c'ome under the law of conscription. There are. however, strange :is it may seem, some who are so uncivilised that they are net even pressed into service. The standing Russian army does not appear very great in comparison to the population; but the real fighting strength of Russia lies not only in her standing army, but also in her reserve rces, which are immense. These are so vast that to many they appear almost limitless, and it is said she can put 20,000,000 in the field, if necessary.

Tho permanent Russian army Is composed of such diveise elements, and is so unwieldy, that it has been necessary to divide It into three separate armies; the army of European Russia; the Caucasus: and the Asiatic army. Those are practically distinct from one another, and even the terms of service vary sligntly. Tho army now devotes six months instead of three to manoeuvres; of these, thrco months, ii.stead of six weeks,/are i.pent in camp. Less time is devoted to parades, and more to proper drilling. The old puns and rifles have been almost entirely replaced by neweY patterns, and the artillery has been reorganised, the French artillery being taken an a model.