Terms of Service.
Russia has therefore organised her Army on an European footing, and chiefly on the German model. In 1874 she brought in Universal Conscription, from which, however, the upper classes, i.e., the nobility, the clergy, and officials, are exempt. The actual Colour service lasts six years; after that the soldier is sent for nine years more to the Reserve, which can be called out to reinforce the Standing Army. During the rest of his time, i.e., up to his twentieth year of service he belongs to the Opoltschenie—a body of men similar to the German Landsturm.
Infantry (heavy marching order).
The number of able-bodied young men who annually attain the requisite age, 21 years, comes to about 800,000. Of these only 225,000 are conscribed, and the requisite number for the Army are selected from these by lot; the remainder are sent to the Opoltschenie. The latter body, therefore, consists of a huge mass of men, but mostly untrained. There is no middle body of men, like the German Landwehr, in the Russian Army.
The Regular Army is divided into four bodies, according to the respective duties required from them. They are the Field Forces, Reserve Forces, Ersatz Forces, and Local Forces.
The Field Forces are intended to be the first to take the field in case of war.
Infantry.
Their Infantry consists of 192 regiments of 4 battalions each, and 58½ Rifle battalions, as follows:—
| 12 | Regiments of the Guard. |
| 16 | Regiments of Grenadiers. |
| 164 | Regiments of Infantry of the Line. |
| 4 | Rifle Battalions of the Guard. |
| 54½ | Rifle Battalions of the Line. |