Preparations In Europe For War: 1882

Extracted from European Armies (June 1882; Zion’s Watch Tower, Pittsburgh, USA), 5.

‘The peace footing of the standing armies of Europe, is as follows: Russia 715,000, France 498,483, Germany 427,274, Austria-Hungary 252,535, Italy 202,271.

Those of the lesser powers, Turkey, Spain, Norway, etc., etc., aggregate 643,000 and Great Britain has an army of about 250,000 men.

Thus it will be seen that Europe has a standing army of about 3,000,000 men, besides a navy which numbers 250 iron-clad and several hundred wooden vessels.

‘In addition to these regular armies there are reserve forces of drilled men, ready for immediate call in case of war, as follows:

In Russia 2,252,126, Germany 1,500,000, France 1,230,000, Austria-Hungary (army and navy) 1,220,000, Italy 664,105. Great Britain and smaller powers about 2,500,000. This gives the enormous army of over 12,000,000 men ready for immediate action, composed only of trained soldiers in the prime of life. Truly it has been said “Europe is a huge standing camp.” “All Europe stands ready for war.”

‘How dreadful, how heart sickening the sight; 12,000,000 men trained in the use of the most devilish instruments of death, stand prepared to slaughter one another at the beck and nod of Emperors, Czars and Kings. . . .’

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