The Daily News. SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 1914. RUSSIANS FORCES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 79, 22 August 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 1914. RUSSIANS FORCES.

When, a few days back, it was stated in a cable message that 'Russia had five million troops on the frontiers, the statement was regarded as being somewhat exaggerated, aiul its verity has since been questioned, in the press. The only reason for doubting the truth of the announcement seems to have been based on the remarks made in March last bj' a competent authority that Rus-' sia's effective pqace strength was 1,335,000 men, which is over sixty per cent, above Germany's peace strength. It was tiien that Russia set the German press into a war fury by her proposal to -increase her peace effective force to 1,800,000 men —more than-double that of Germany. It will be remembered that Russia in .10(10 reorganised and redistributed her vast military forces, one of the principal features of the new scheme being the acceleration of the process of mobilisation. As compared with Germany, Which is exceptionally well provided with railways facilitating the rapid movements of troops from all parts of the Fatherland to the frontiers of the adjacent nations, Russia is greatly handicapped, and it has evidently been taken for granted Iby Germany that Russian mobilisation would be a ponderous and tardy operation. According to calculations made in March last, it would taka the Vilva garrison twenty days to reach the German frontier, the Warsaw garrison thirty days, and the St. Petersburg garrison five days longer. How com'pletely these calculations have been upset is apparent from the fact that. Russia, within a fortnjght, is ready to operate against Germany with two million men. For the last four years Russia has been improving her railway service with the object of quickening/the transport of troops to the German frontier, and so little lias this been noted that to-day general surprise is felt at the alacrity displayed by Russia in ln-r advance on Germany. If doubt was evinced at Russia. having five million men on the frontiers, what will-be thought of the latest statement that She can rely on having twenty million under arms if needed? To realise the possibility of such an enormous army it must be remembered that Russia's population consists of one hundred and seventy three million souls, as against the sixty-six millions of Germany. At the present time there is a German force of 1100,000 men opposing tile Russian advance, and it is evident that the German military authorities have counted on the Russian mobilisation being extended over a lengthy period—or at least that there would be an appreciable delay, but events have proved that the Germans have made a very great mistake in their estimate of Russia's alacrity—an error that bids fair to cost them dearly. It is also probable that Germany to some extent counted on the ability of Austria to nold the Russians in cheek, and it is quite evident that if Austria fails in this important work, the position cf Germany will be perilous, for as she is checked in the west by the -Belgians and -French, the quickened movements of Russia 'in the east will -be a double blow to German calculations. There is no reason to doubt that the. whole of Austria's strength (with the exception of the two army corps in Alsiu'e) is 'lining exerted against Russia, and so far Austria has failed altogether to stem the advance of the Russians. If; seems as if the neglect of the Germans to consider the possibility of Belgium's opposition being a serious matter, and the underestimate of Russia's mobilisation powers, have entirely upset-German calculations, and it looks that in the very near future the German forces will be hotly pressed botih in the front and in the rear. When that occurs the end of the war will not be far oft. and every day brings the foe 3 of Germany nearer together. Austria is hardly likely to court the fate of being ground to powder, and the vast resources of Russia should be a factor in bringing the wir to a .speedy termination unless some unforeseen event occurs. As matters arc at present Germany seems to be -between the upper and nether millstones, ready to be crushed as soon as the lull power of the machinery is brought to bear upon her forces.