Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/1297

 DEFENCE 041

The lowest estimate which can be made of the peace strength of the Russian army puts the number of officers at 36,000, and of the rank and file at 860,000 men ; the total number being 896,000. In war the total strength is approximately 63,000 oflicers and 3,440,000 men ; total, 3,500,000.

III. Navy

The Russian Navy is subject to special conditions such as do not affect the navies of other Powers. Owing to the geographical situation of the Empire, and the widely separated seas which wash its coasts, Russia is obliged to main- tain four distinct fleets or flotillas, each with its own organization. Of these the most important in regard to Western relations is the Baltic Fleet. It is a powerful force, to which additions are being made of battleships, cruisers of various classes and torpedo-ciaft, now completing and building in Russia and abroad. The chief base of the Baltic Fleet is Cronstadt, which is heavily fortified, as are Diinamiinde, Wiborg, Sweaborg, and other Baltic ports. The Gulf of Finland is usually blocked by ice from November to April, whereby the operations of the fleet are impeded, but a new ice-free port at Libau, in Courland has now been made ready for the fleet. It is further in contempla- tion to establish a naval port on the Arctic coast of Russian Lapland, which is free from ice throughout the year, and thus to open up the possibility of creating a naval force with free access to the Atlantic Ocean, Considerable progress has lately been made in the constniction of ice-breaking vessels.

The Black Sea Fleet, which has no access to the Mediterranean except by the exercise of force, has been largely augmented. To the first battleships of this fleet the powerful armour-clads Georgi Pobiedonosetz (' George the Vic- torious'), Dvenadzat Apostoloff ('Twelve Apostles'), and Tri Sviatitelia ('Three Saints') have been added, and the Rotislav (a sister of the Sissoi Veliky) has been launched. Other vessels are in hand. In this sea, Sebas- topol, now a naval port, and headquarters of the fleet, has been strongly fortified ; Nicolaieft*, Kinburn, and Ochakoff" have received important defensive works ; Kertchand Yenikale have been made very strong, and Azov, Poti, and Batoum have been strengthened. Great additions have lately been made to the Russian squadron in the Pacitic and China seas, where Vladivostok and Port Arthur are the bases. There is a flotilla also in the Caspian Sea, which ensures the communications of the Trans-Caspian railway between Baku and Usun Ada, and would have its purpose in operations against Persia.

The Russian naval estimates show a continuous increase. The total ex- penditure upon the navy in 1893 was 49,892,893 roubles, being an increase of 2,010,660 roubles upon the outlay of 1892, which again showed a con- siderable advance upon that of 1891. There was a further increase to 52,492,803 rs. in 1894, to 55,100,000 rs. in 1895, to 57,966,600 rs. (6,440,666/.) in 1896 to 59,902,166 rs. (6,239,809Z.) in 1897, and to 68,055,417 rs. (7,089,106Z.) in 1898. In 1898 a special grant of 9,000,000?. was allotted to new constructions to be spread over a period of seven years. Russia has now excellent shipbuilding yards, but her swiftest torpedo boats have been built at Elbing. The new Admiralty yard and the Baltic works are both State establishments. There is also a large Imperial ship-building yard at Nicolaieff", Private establishments which build for the State are those of the Franco- Russian and Black Sea Companies, and the Neva, Putiloff, and Ishora yards.

The chief of the Russian Navy is the General Admiral, Commander-in- Chief. There are 15 admirals, 316 superior oflicers, 1,326 junior oflicers, 376 engineers, 521 medical and civil officers, and 95 admiralty oflicers. Up to a recent period the men of the Russian Navy were divided into \2 ' equipages, but the progressive increase in numbers rendered these units