CORRESPONDENCE.

Northern Advocate, 15 March 1913, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

EUROPEAN ARMIES.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —We had a cable a few days ago about the "Magaiificent Army of France." Unfortunately, as far as I have read, Continental military criticism does not confirm this view. I read in the November number of

"Deutsche Revue" —the leading German magazine—an article by General Yon Com entitled: "What could England's Allies do against Germany?" He "as a very poor opinion of the French Army. The infantry is degenerate, the cavalry is useless, the amunition is of a wretched quality; the trains cannot concentrate troops quickly. "France has no army, only the paYody of an army." He asserts also that nearly half of the army is affected by disease. In one of the last numbers of the leading Danish paper "Politiken," a military writer .expresses almost similar opinions. He thinks French military affairs are in a hopeless muddle. He considers the Russian Army is in nearly as big a muddle. Germany's military might, and war preparations is the spectre that haunts Europe. No nation in the world's history has ever prepared for 1 war to the extent that Germany has. "When war conies, the world will probably be astonished by the swiftness with which Germany will strike." All the smaller countries who would be in active sympathy with Britain are terrified by the German Army. He says- "The troops England could send would have very little effect—even if they were in time; but it is very certain that they would be too late, as at th° battle of Austerlitz."—l am, etc., O. E. HUGO.