THE GERMAN STRENGTH.

Evening Star, Issue 15892, 26 August 1915, Page 3

THE GERMAN STRENGTH.

LOSSES AND RESERVES. QUESTION OF EQUIPMENT. LONDON, August 24. The German casualties reported un to June 30 were 1,672,444, of whom 306,123 were killed, 15,808 died of disease, and 540,032 arc either missing, prisoners, or so seriously wounded as to be permancntly out of action. Thero has been verv heavy fighting on both fronts since June", and a large proportion of the casualties for June and later have not yet been reported. It is estimated that Germany’s total nrl 01 ' y ear ar ® provisionally 2.000. If one accepts the official statements of 1,672,444 casualties for 10 months as correct, and assumes that half a million were only slightly wounded and have recovered, the effective loss may be fairly assumed at 1,000,000, exclusive of probably half .a million wounded absent in hospital and on leave. Therefore the total net loss is 1,500,000 for a year, of whom 450,000 have been killed. There are no data on which to accurately calculate the number of German prisoners. It appears probable that Germany began the war with 8.000,000 available for service, and has possibly increased that number by 1,000,000 or 1^500,000. if everv eligible man gave his service. It is there--7 aaa I 'nniarkable that there are only men in the fighting line. The only reasonable explanation is that the Germans are unable to supply more with aims, equipment, guns, and ammunition, there may yet be increases in the equipnient, for a considerable number of eligibios are required bv the war factories, whose staffs are included in the 8,000.000. ’ It, must be remembered that half a million youths attain military age every 12 months. The recruits of the 1914 oaaa’aaa are als =° included in the 8.000. have already seen service, and' have contributed material losses.' the re- ™ class probably number 750.000, because all the men previously put back into former classes for various reasons have now been called up in the 1914 class. The 1915 , class of recruits were called up in December, and cannot be greater than 350,000. They have suffered inconsiderable losses. The classes °/ nn d 1917, of whom the .first drafts are now in training, cannot be greater than 400,000 altogether, because so many are unfit for immediate service.