For a war in Continental Europe, we have only to take into account the regular army stationed in England.  When mobilized, it forms the “regular field army” of 6 infantry divisions, 1 cavalry division, 2 mounted brigades and army troops, and numbers 130,000 men, without columns and trains.  The regular troops in the United Kingdom which do not form part of the regular field army are some 100,000 strong.  They consist of a very small number of mobile units, foot artillery, and engineers for coast defence, as well as the reserve formations.  These troops, with some 13,000 militia artillery and militia engineers, constitute the Home Army, under whose protection the Territorial field army is completing its organization.  Months must certainly elapse before portions of this army can strengthen the regular field army.  At the most 150,000 men may be reckoned upon for an English expeditionary force.  These troops compose at the same time the reserve of the troops stationed in the Colonies, which require reinforcements at grave crises.  This constitutes the weak point in the British armament.  England can employ her regular army in a Continental war so long only as all is quiet in the Colonies.  This fact brings into prominence how important it will be, should war break out, to threaten England in her colonial possessions, and especially in Egypt.

Against the powerful hosts which the Powers of the Triple Entente can put into the field, Germany can command an active army of 589,705 men (on peace establishment, including non-commissioned officers) and about 25,500 officers; while Austria has an army which on a peace footing is 361,553 men and about 20,000 officers strong.  The combined war strength of the two States may be estimated as follows: 

In Germany there were drafted into the army, including volunteers and non-combatants, in 1892, 194,664 men; in 1909, 267,283 men; or on an average for seventeen years, 230,975 men annually.  This gives a total of 3,926,575 men.  If we estimate the natural decrease at 25 per cent., we have 2,944,931 trained men left.  By adding the peace establishment to it, we arrive at an estimated strength of 3,534,636, which the French can match with about the same figures.

The annual enlistment in Austria amounts to some 135,000.  Liability to serve lasts twelve years, leaving out of account service in the Landsturm.  Deducting the three years of active service, this gives a total of 1,215,000, or, after the natural decrease by 25 per cent., 911,250 men.  To this must be added the nine yearly batches of trained Landsturm, which, after the same deductions, will come likewise to 911,250.  The addition of the peace strength of the army will produce a grand total of 2,184,053 men on a war footing; approximately as many as Russia, after all deductions, can bring into the field in Europe.