GREAT NATIONS AT WAR

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2218, 3 August 1914, Page 8

GREAT NATIONS AT WAR

ARMIES AND MEN \. ■ 1 ■ ■ STRENGTH OF OPPOSING FORCES WHAT MODERN WAR COSTS The enormous area of modern coridiets of recent time's" will be drawft'd-, into insignificance' in the stupendous clash in which the great, nations of Europe, are apparently about to onyaiio. 'Clio most astoundinp; feature about ,i modern battle is tho microscopical portion of it that is actually wM* t<t iho

general, commands from what is practically tan administrative office, surrounded by tclegraphio apparatus, and at hand various otlior means of communications with liis field commanders, r il'S ®s'sent-ial task of tho'leader is fulfilled, states the writer of an unsigned article in tho "Deutsche Revuo" —the 'article was popularly attributed to Field-Marshal Qouilt Schlieffen, and created some sensation by reason of the Kaispr's reference to long before tho encounter is possible, ho has pointed out to. his armies and corps the lines of their advance, and the points they aro oxpectod to reach day by day. The assembling for the cgnibat commences when the men leave the railway. • The battle of tho future will last for several days. When; as now, tho existence of a nation is dependent 011 tho uninterrupted continuation of commerce and industry, a rapidly-roact-ed decision is necessary, imperative, in order to permit of trade machinery being again set in motion. Strategy based on wearing out the enemy is out of the question, when tho existence of millions of men means "the expenditure of lliilliards. Frightful Cost per Day. An approximate estimate by an eminent statistician, Dr. J. Riessert, places the cost to France and Germany ui the war of 1870 at £87,600,000, and £76,480,000 respectively—it cost France £316,500 per day. and Germany £312:-'' 000. . : Tho Boer War cost Britain £211,256,000, or £220,000 per dav. It cost; Russia £143,650,000. or £257,000 per day, to fight Japan, while tho latter had to pay £121,400,000, or £217,000. The same writer concludes that a future war for Germany, on tho basis of a mobilisation of 3,000,000' men, will cost that nation £900,000. a day, at tho rate of 6s. per man per day. Riessert does not discuss the finance of a naval war for Germany, but undeterred by the huge liability which in a land campaign, he estimates the nation will have to face, ho considers that she ought, by reason of the 'great value of her foreign arid other securities—set down at £3,750,000,000 —to be able to afford a big land war; "A groat deal will depend, he says, "upon tho capacity of German financiers to gauge the .state of tho market, and tliat'of her own credit. Unquestionably, the financiers failed miserably In 1870, in striking contrast to tho skill with which both British and Russian. war loans were placed during thoir recent wars. Germany," says Riessert, "would require.; £122,500.000 during the first six weeks after the declaration of war, and. to meet this floating; money totalling over £71,000,000 is available, including tho famous £6,000,000- in gold in :the Julius Tower at Spandau;". , Clash of Titans. The enormous .liability which modern war imposes, upon nations' makes 'it inevitable-;that this conflict, "though, stupendous, will bo, comparatively speaking,': Short and sharp, and al : though incidents.of tho war will necessarily be scattered over Europe, it. is quite probablo that the. whole of its course- may" bo "determined 'by this or that land battle, ,or a decisive score by one of the belligerents at sea, following whicli an armistice, pendiiig dip T lomatio overtures by a'mediator nation, would occur. The aim of the strategy of eacTi of tho combatants will be to establish, at some decisive point, an overwhelming . superiority of. strength, and at other ! important points' to'!- nre-; sent such a. front, as will hold I ..their opponents in check long enough to enable the main issue to be brought to' a decisive culmination. ' V ■ ; Tho relative strengths of tho princi-. pal actors in tho European war drama may now be considered, together with tho tactioal positions and probablo strategy of each.. Britain's Small Army. Tho present establishment of ' the British Regular Army was officially stated last-'March as: — - , .Officers. ' 10,547 N.C.O.'s and men 233,218 Total ......: 243,765 ; In addition to this, is tho: Special Reserve 78,714 While the Territorial Force, upon which tho country, relies .011 for Homo defence, .was' stated at 312;100. Tho recruiting statistics showed a startling decline for 'the regular : Army, and there was.then, an actual shortage of' 8000. in tho establishment.: There was, however, a ■ of. 13,000 ■Reservists. Mobilisation,"' said the;: British Secretary of State, for War (Colonel Seely), had been speeded v up,.' and 50,000 men of all arms, could; be' L" ready in a few hours; to go anywhere. Though tho Territorials were. 56,000 short of the. establishment,; the year's recruiting had been the; biggest on record. . It was not said that , such amy could be able to .-meet' eVery Imperial, call. "For this," said Colon el Seely, "wo want the help of the Oversea Dominions. But our Army would be able to cope with any bolt' irom the blue. Thf> National Reserve is now 217,000. . If wo went to war_ tomorrow,- we should want 152.000 horses, and there are 275,000 available." Sinoe these ' words. were uttercd v a great" public movement lias been going on to ; boom the regular Army, and it is. If air: to assume that- the recruiting sergeants have profited thereby; ENTENTE V. TRIPLICE. . COMBAT OF MILLIONS. Summed up, the military. strength 1 of the opposing force's, the. Entente and the liiphce, are as follow. Triple Entente. Triple Alliance. Great Britain: ■ Germany: Regular :■ War footArmy 243,765 <'• ing ■'..:; 5;5M,00Q Special -Be- • Austria: \ serve ...' 78,714.. .War footr.-' Territorial ■.'■•■ . ' ' . tag 2,500,000 Force 1..:... 312,100' Italy:.. ' National Eo- • -. War footr serve .. 217,000 ing 2,000,000 651,579 Franco: . i War footing 4,000,000 Eussia: '. War foot- . . ing 4,500.000 . Total ...... 9,351,57? T0ta1......' 10,000,000 The official figures are not.published for the war strengths of tho Great. Powers, or of the number of guns Which: can be mobilised. .The a,bove' figures are,,in most cases, extreme estimates.