THE ARMIES OF THE WORLD

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 740, 22 November 1870, Page 2

THE ARMIES OF THE WORLD

"We publish below a statement of the " armies of the world," from a San Francisco exchange, which will give our readers something of an idea of the gigantic nature of the struggle which would take place in Europe, should all the great powers be drawn into the war now existing between France and Prussia; an event which is not at all unlikely. At the present day the standing armies of the world are larger than they have been since the great wars of the first Napoleon. The armies of the United States now number 56,000 men in all. For the extent of our territory, this is the smallest army In the world; and we have reason to congratulate ourselves upon the fact. The cost of the army is $100,000,000, or nearly $2,000,000 per 1000 men. The army of France has been fixed at 550,000 men in the active army, and 750,000 in the passive, the latter being named the National Garde Mobile. Total, 1,300,000 men available for war. A contingent of 100,000 men is annually available to recruit the army. The British army numbers about 200,000 men," The bulk of this army is at home, Ireland absorbing about 25,000g00d troops. .Of the colonies or foreign possessions, India takes the largest body o£ troops, and the Bominion of Canada next.

The Prussian army, numbers about 600.000 men. J " IIJ % 3 " '

The Italian army now numbers some 215,000 men, and is a very effective one. In one of its arms, the Bcrsaglieri or rifle battalions, it excels even the French army, whose Zouaves are supposed to be the first light infantry in the irorld.

The Austrian army numbers about rVOOjOOO mien; its' cavalry in said tqbe very Government breeda its own horses, and thus secures good mounts. " The Russian army numbers about 800,000 men ; it could be quickly increased to 1,200,000 in time of war. It is spread all over the empire, from the Baltic to,the Caucasus. . .__ . The Spanish army is small, not exceeding 80,000 .men but it is very well clothed and disciplined. It is also receiving breech-loaders. The number of men, maintained in the standing armies of civilized nations, is not less than 3,000,000. All these vast numbers are snatched away from useful industriesj and for the costly armaments they require. Is it not too large a police force ?