Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 2.djvu/671

] panics and 1 of rifles; it has four different establishments, viz., &quot; cadre&quot; strength of 320 rank and file, &quot;peace&quot; strength of 500, &quot;increased peace&quot; strength of 680, and &quot;war&quot; strength of 900 rank and file. This is exclusive of musi cians, officers servants, &c. A regiment on war establish ment numbers 81 officers, 270 non-commissioned officers, 2700 rank and file, 90 drummers and buglers, and 259 artificers, officers servants, and other non-combatants; and is accompanied by 12 officers horses, 173 draught horses, and 41 ammunition, ambulance, and baggage waggons. Rifle battalions consist of 4 companies only, and have three establishments, &quot;war,&quot; of 720 rank and file; &quot;in creased peace,&quot; of 544; and &quot;peace,&quot; of 400 rank and file. The Russian infantry is formed in two ranks. On parade the four line companies of a battalion stand in order from right to left, while the rifle company stands at fifty paces in rear of the centre; but for manoeuvring purposes the three rifle companies of the regiment are often united to form a separate battalion. The guards still main tain on parade much of the stiffness and precision for which the Russian army was once famous; but generally the movements of the infantry are loose and rapid. In the main their drill resembles that of the German army; the commonest formation for march and manoeuvring is the company column of sections. The men are armed with the &quot; Berdan&quot; breech-loading rifle, a bayonet (which is always carried fixed), and a short two-edged sword. They carry CO rounds of ammunition in two pouches, and 40 rounds are carried in the regimental -ammunition carts, so that there is always present with the regiment 100 rounds per man; and the divisional reserves carry 60 rounds per man besides. A certain number of entrenching tools are issued to each company, and on service are carried by the men in turns. The clothing is of somewhat coarse texture, but very serviceable; that of the guards is of slightly finer material than is supplied to the rest of the army. All infantry alike wear tunic and trousers of dark green cloth (or white linen trousers in summer time), long boots into which the trousers are tucked in the field or for marching, cap or &quot;kepi&quot; of black cloth with straight peak, metal badge, and horse-hair plume, and cloak of reddish-grey cloth with a dark-coloured hood. The tunics of the guard are turned back in front, and faced with red or yellow. Regiments are distinguished by the colour of the &quot;paroli&quot; (a strip of cloth worn on the collar) and of the shoulder straps. The belts of the first three regiments of the guard and grenadier divisions (with the exception of the rifle companies) are white ; those of all others black. The knapsack is rather large, and made of black calf-skin. A white smock frock, intended as a fatigue dress, is worn in summer at drill. A Russian regiment is very completely equipped with transport. Every company has two waggons attached to it, one carrying ammunition (40 rounds per man), the other six days rations of biscuit, salt, and other provisions and stores. In addition to these the regiment has an orderly- room waggon, a paymaster s waggon, a store and implement waggon, four ambulance waggons, and two hospital and medicine carts. All these are kept in store in peace time with the headquarters of the regiment; but only one waggon per company is horsed. In war time most of the waggons are four-horsed; but some still have shafts, and are drawn by three horses abreast. The regimental staff comprises 1 colonel, 3 lieutenant- colonels, 1 supernumerary field officer, a regimental adju tant, paymaster, quartermaster, and instructor in arms, 3 battalion adjutants, a chaplain, and 4 surgeons. In the field each company is attended by an apothecary, provided with the necessary appliances; and the officers servants and other unarmed men are taught the elementary prin ciples of military surgery, and trained to the duties of stretcher-bearers.

Cavalry.—The regular cavalry consists of 10 regiments of the guard, 18 regiments of dragoons, 14 regiments of lancers, and 14 regiments of hussars. The cavalry of the guard comprise 4 regiments of cuiras siers, 2 of lancers, 2 of hussars, 1 of dragoons, and 1 of horse grenadiers. There are also 2 regiments of Cossacks of the guard, who in peace time furnish 2 squadrons each for duty, and in war take the field with 6 squadrons, and may fairly be included among the regular troops. All regiments of cavalry are organised in the same manner, and consist of 4 field squadrons and 1 reserve squadron, the latter belonging to the &quot; local troops.&quot; They have two establishments, viz., &quot;war/ of 128 men per squadron (mounted); and &quot;peace,&quot; of 112 men per squadron. The war establishment of a cavalry regiment is 32 officers, 73 non-commissioned officers, 512 rank and file, 16 trumpeters, and 305 non-combatants, including dismounted men in reserve, officers servants, artificers, etc. ; or a total of 938 officers and men, with 693 horses and 11 carriages. The formation and manoeuvres of the Russian cavalry do not differ materially from those of other armies of Europe, except in the case of dragoons, who are armed with a rifle and bayonet, and specially trained to act as infantry. In all other cavalry the front rank is armed with a lance in addition to sword and revolver. The rear rank is armed with sword and carbine in lancer and hussar regiments, and sword and revolver in cuirassier regiments. The cuirassiers wear white tunics with shoulder scales, cuirass, and helmet; the dragoons a dark green tunic, with scales and cloth cap; the lancers, a blue tunic with metal epaulettes, and the czapka, or lancer cap; and the hussars, a blue tunic and cloth cap. Only the hussars of the guard wear bearskin caps and pelisses. The guards have parade trousers of black or dark blue with stripes; but in the field, trousers or pantaloons of a greyish blue cloth are worn by all cavalry alike. The saddlery is simple in construction, though somewhat heavy and cumbrous. Four separate folds of felt, each inch thick, support a wooden frame previously fitted to the horse s bare back; on the wooden frame is strapped the horse rug, and the saddle is complete. When one fold of felt is wet or har dened by dried perspiration, it is replaced by another, and sore backs are almost unknown. The men as a rule ride fairly well, though not so well as the Austrian or English cavalry; and the peculiar seat, and height of the saddle above the horse s back, strike the eye as ungainly. The horses, though often small, are hardy and enduring; they are provided partly from the Government breeding establishments and partly by purchase, and come mostly from the south-eastern provinces of the empire. They are not taken on the strength of the regiment until rising six years old, and are cast on completing their twelfth year; this securing that they shall always be in their prime, and fit for the severe work of active service. The staff of a cavalry regiment consists of a lieutenant- colonel commanding, two field-officers commanding divisions (of two squadrons each), and regimental adjutant, paymaster, quartermaster, and instructor in arms. Each regiment has also a chaplain, two surgeons, and a veterinary surgeon. Each squadron has its provision waggon, and each regiment has an ambulance waggon, and three store and office waggons. Dragoon regiments have two ammunition wag gons carrying 30 rounds per man; other regiments have only one.

Artillery.—The field artillery consists of 3 brigades of field and 1 of horse artillery of the guard; 44 brigades of field and 7 of horse artillery of the line; and 3 Turkestan brigades.