Europe's Armament

According to a tabulated statement of the armed strength of the various Europeanpowersthe triple allianeehas 1,137,000 reg-ulars and 3,072 guns to oppose the 1,347,000 reg-ulars, and 5,698 g-uns of Russia and France. These figures, however, glve a quite inadequate idea of the number of men in the field in case of war, as no account is taken of the reserves and militia. A better idea of the gigantic dimensions of the coming conflict may therefore be Rot from the statement of each state's full fighting strength: many, 1,080,000 in line and reserves, 620.000 militia of the first cali, 700,000 militia of the second cali, that is, total without substitute reserves, 2,400,000; AustroHungary, 938.000 in line and reserves, and 438,000 militia. that is a, total of 1,375,000; Italy, 848.000 in line and reserves, and 372,000 militia, or a total of 1,220,000; France, 1,500,000 in line and reserves, 1,700,000 in the territorial army, or 3,200,000 altogether; Russia, 1,180,000 field troops, 832,000 reserves and substitutes, 193.000 troops for oecupation, 154,000 Cossacks and 33,000 militia and border guards, a total of 2,392,000. Russia and France therefore can now place 5,590,000 men in the field against the triple alliance's 4.097,000. With even these figures, however, the hugeness of the great continental encampinent is still inadequately described, for the landsturm of all five states has not been calculated. The landsturm is the militia of the very last cali, which will not be summoned to fight till the final days of invasión and despoilation shall have come and the all but conquered people make one last effort to rally. In Germany and Itussia the landsturm has not been counted. In AustroIfunrary it numbers 445,000; in Italy. 1,630,000, in France, 900,000. A moderate estimate, then, gives a total of 15,000,000 men rcady to live or die by the sword. The universal liability to service, which keeps f uil the ranks of all five armies, varies somewhat in the different states. In Germany, AustroHungury, Franee and Italy active service lasts 3 years; in Russia, 5. The service in the reserves lasts in Germany 4 years; Austro-IIungary and Franee, 7 years; Italy 5; Russia 13. Service in the militia lasts in Germany 5 to 7 years; Hungary, 2; Italy, 4; Franee 6. Service in the landsturm lasts in Russia from the seventeenth to the forty-fifth year of a man's life; in Austro-Hungary, from the nineteenth to the The total period of liability to service, including the landsturm, is, in Germany, 28 years; Austria, 23; Italy 19; Franee, 25; Russia, '23.- Chicago Post. - Miss Knowitall - "Theydo say Fred De Smythe actually wears stays!" Miss Witsome (yawning) - "Weil. lie called last evening, aud I oonoluiad he veas a stayer. " - Spirit. Might and Maine - James G. Blaine.