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. 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. [Sidenote: +Infantry.+] Their Infantry consists of 192 regiments of 4 battalions each, and 58½ Rifle battalions, as follows:— 12 Regiments of the Guard. 16 ” Grenadiers. 164 ” Infantry of the Line. 4 Rifle Battalions of the Guard. 54½ ” ” ” Line. The Guard Regiments enjoy many privileges denied to the rest, and their officers rank one step higher in the Army. Many alterations in the uniform have been made by the present Czar. The dark green colour has been preserved, but the cut of the tunic has been altered from that of the Prussian tunic to a loose double-breasted jacket fastened with hook and eye, and with no buttons. The head-gear is a round fur-cap, white in the case of Generals and Staff-officers, and black in all others. The soldier has little to do in the way of metal-polishing, it is true, but still the eye misses the accustomed glint which one usually associates with a military uniform. The Regiments of the Guard and Grenadiers have special distinguishing marks on their uniform. [Illustration: Infantry (heavy marching order).] The Infantry rifle is a useful breech-loader with bayonet, on the system of the American General Berdan. Regarding the question of magazine-rifles, the Government has not yet made up its mind; so that, for the present at all events, Russia is rather behindhand in the matter. [Illustration: Cossack of the Guard.] [Illustration: Cossack of the Caucasus.] [Sidenote: +Cavalry.+] The Cavalry of the Field Forces consists of:— Guard Cavalry:— 4 Regiments of Cuirassiers, 2 ” ” Dragoons, 2 ” ” Hussars, 2 ” ” Lancers, and 46 regiments of Dragoons of the Line.