The Sun FRIDAY, JULY 31, 1914. RUSSIA AND AUSTRIA.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 150, 31 July 1914, Page 6

The Sun FRIDAY, JULY 31, 1914. RUSSIA AND AUSTRIA.

The ilefeat of Russia by Japan some ten years ago created unfavourable impressions in the popular mind concerning Russian military capacity. A great many things have happened since then, however,, and there is reason for believing that if Russia goes to war with Austria, she will give. a very good account of herself. The war with Japan was conducte<l under extremely difficult conditions, and without detracting one whit from the brilliance of Japan's exploits, it can be said with a good deal of truth that Russia was in a better position than Japan to prolong the struggle, and had she done so it might have ended very differently. But of recent years great changes have been made in the Russian War Department. According to Captain Cecil Battine, an exceptionally able writer on military matters, reforms in the organisation and distribution of the Army have been hade so as to enable the Tsar to mobilise vast forces on Russia's western frontier, with great rapidity and certainty. The legions of the Russian Empire can muster army corps, each of 50,000 troops, besides 100,000 cavalry iu the first line. Large reserves of garrison and militia formations stand behind these forces. An army numerically supeilor to Austria can be assembled within a month on the borders of Galicia, while sufficient army corps stand between the capital and the German frontier to paralyse the action large German forces in the event of general war. In the all iniportant matter of leadership, Captain Battine states that a large number of officers who fought in Manchuria have come to the front, and although regimental officers of the Russian Army cannot compare wfth the same ranks in Germany, well educated, keenly intelligent officers exist to /ill the higher commands and principal staff appointments. In a vitally important matter such as the supply of horses, Russia also occupies an assured position. That Austria can defeat Russia and Servia single-hand-ed and without. German assistance does not seem possible. It is clear that England 's efforts are now being directed to localising the conflict to Austria and Russia, and if they' are successful Austiau pride has a fair chance of being humbled.