New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1878.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5173, 15 June 1878, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1878.

News which we published the other day regarding the mobilising of six divisions of the Austrian army, deserves more than a cursory notice. It is worth referring to the more immediate probable causes of this martial movement, and the actual forces employed. Judging from the latest accounts of the Austrian army, recently derived from a French source, It would appear that the number of the forces which Austria is about to place on a war footing, is, in reality, a large army. The Austrian army, we are told, in a recent article in the Times, has no army corps organisation in peace. Its highest unit is the "division," which, in peace, numbers about 13,500 bayonets. The effective force of this division, in time of war, including all arms and services, rises to 51,000 men, 8,600 horses, and 126 guns. From this it would appear that the telegraphic despatch, stating that six of these divisions had been mobilised, leads to the conclusion that no fewer than 306,000 men of all arms, with 57,600 horses and 756 cannon, are to be immediately mobilised by Austria, —that is, if mobilisation in this case means what it usually does—the placing of these bodies on a war footing. There are eleven divisions of this kind in the Austrian army, and these would be "concentrated into three armies if the whole force of the nation were exerted." In peace the strength of the Austrian army is 278,470 ; in war it is 838,700. It might not be uninteresting to know that on active service the Austrian army comprises 2 FieldMarshals, 23 Generals of Infantry (Feklzeugmeisters) and Generals of Cavalry. 56 Generals of Division, and 110 Brigade Generals, besides those on the non-active list. Under the compromise of Austria and Hungary, which is based on the law of 1808, the total strength of the armed forces, including marine troops, was fixed at 838,700, of which Austria proper lias to provide 470,308, and Hungary 319,032, and all orders relating to the concentration and movements of troops must emanate from the Emperor-King. • The diplomatic pretext, that the preparation of such a large body of Austrian troops on a war footing was that they might be ready to execute the decision of the Congress, is -only one way of stating the object in view. There was probably another purpose. It will be remembered that Lord Derby, in a speech in the House of Lords, said that Austria could not safely be reckoned on as an ally in case of war, because a large portion of the Austro-Hungarian army could not be depended upon by the Government ; that the Slav portion of the army sympathised with Russia, that the German portion were quiescent and looked more to the action of Germany, and that only the Hungarian section were desirous of war with Russia. This statement gave great offence to the Austrian Emperor and the officers of the army, and Count Beust, the Austrian Ambassador at London, was directed to call on Lord Salisbury to contradict Lord Derby's assertion. Lord Salisbury, in referring to this matter in the House of Lords, said that it was not in his power to contradict the opinion of an ex-Minister, who was now in the position of a private member ; but he had taken the trouble to search the Foreign Office for records bearing on such a statement, and he was happy to say that none could be found. It may be that, as the officers of the Austrian army felt keenly this slight thrown on their honour, in the eyes of Europe, and, as the Emperor took the matter so much to heart, this mobilisation of a large force may have been ordered to contradict what is deemed a calumny, and to shew to Europe that Austria is prepared to take action, and is aiming for the purpose. If this is not the main reason for the unexpected action of Austria, how is it that when the telegrams speak of the prospects of peace being brighter than they have been for some time, this formidable array should have been ordered ? Austria was impressed with the opinion that Europe had cherished doubts as to the actual attitude of that Power, and this prompt preparation has probably been made to prove that there shall be no doubt on the subject. The imputation ca3t by Lord Derby's remarks will have the effect of uniting all classes, and in removing all personal differences among the officers as to a point of honour necessary for the ■prc-ituje of the army.