Note 2 — Chapter L · THE USSURI AND SUNGACHA.

I learned that in the Primorsk were 6 battalions of infantry, namely, at Nikolaefsk, Sophiisk, Khabarofka, Sakhalin, Kamen-Ruiboloff, and Vladivostock; and 8 batteries of horse-artillery, namely, at Nikolaefsk, Khabarofka, Sakhalin, Nicolsk, and Paseat. From the “Russian Officers’ Handbook,” published at Petersburg by the Ministry of War, it appeared that the number of soldiers in East Siberia, in 1878, was 17,610, with 130 guns; namely, 10,640 infantry, 1,300 artillery, 270 sappers and miners, and 5,400 irregular cavalry. More particularly they read as follows:—

Infantry.—Blagovestchensk, 400; Irkutsk, 900; Chita, 300; Stretinsk, 240; Yakutsk, 700; Kara, 470; Kiakhta, 470; Nertchinsk, 470; Sakhalin, 1,100; Olga Bay, 180; Paseat, 340; Vladivostock, 1,000; Kamen Ruiboloff, 1,000; Sophiisk, 1,000; Khabarofka, 800; Nikolaefsk, 800; De Castries Bay, 400; Barracouta Bay, 70.

Heavy artillery.—Chita, 250; Khabarofka, 250; Nikolaefsk, 800.

Field artillery.—16 batteries, of which 8 were in the Primorsk, of 8 guns, having 12 horses to each gun, and 2 mountain batteries.

Sappers and miners.—30 torpedo men and 240 engineers.

Irregular cavalry.—9 Cossack regiments of 600 each.

In war time the Cossacks of the Amur and Ussuri send 6 mounted regiments, of 560 each; 9 foot regiments, of 920 each; and 2 batteries of horse artillery. Of these, 500 are in constant service.

On the frontier service were 2 regiments, each of 400 mounted Cossacks; and 15 companies, of 133 each, of foot.

For the service of the Étape prisons of Eastern Siberia were employed, from the Yakutsk regiment, 400, and the Kamchatka regiment, 200. It is from these last two, I suppose, are supplied the Cossack posts I heard of from Behring’s Strait round the Sea of Okhotsk, serving as police, and distributed thus: Anadir, 13; Petropavlovsk, 59; Tigil, 17; Ghijiga, 42; Yamsk, 7; Okhotsk, 32; Ayan, 12; Udskoi, 10.

The following is the constitution of an infantry regiment, which is divided into 3 or sometimes 4 battalions, of 1,000 men each, in war time or on the frontier. Superior officers: 1 commander, 1 adjutant, 1 treasurer, and 1 commissariat. To each battalion 1 commandant, 1 adjutant, 1 treasurer. Each battalion has 4 companies, No. 1 being called “skirmishers,” and consisting of a fixed number of 240 men, 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, 2 sub-lieutenants and non-commissioned officers, 1 field assistant, and 1 under officer to every 5 men. Companies 2, 3, and 4 have not a fixed number of men, and there is an under officer to every 10 men only.

In the book quoted above appeared the military officers’ pay; but they get several additional allowances, everything being provided for them except food. The pay of officers is:—

Generals from £152 to £254 per annum.

Colonels ” 58 ” 103 ” ”

Captains ” 54 ” 66 ” ”

Staff Captains ” 50 ” 68 ” ”

Lieutenants ” 40 ” 60 ” ”

Sub-Lieutenants ” 37 ” 54 ” ”

Cornets ” 34 ” 51 ” ”