Wednesday's papers contained what is apparently a semi- official calculation
of the numbers of the German forces now in the field and the German casualties at the end of a year's war. The writer estimates the forces on the western front at 1,800,000, on the eastern (excluding the Austrians) at 1,400,000, or a total of 3,200,000 Germans in the fighting line. He estimates the casualties at 1,672,444 down to the end of June, fixing the total losses for the full year provisionally at .2,000,000, but, for reasons which are not pita clear, redao3s the net loss to 1,500,000. At the outset of the war Germany had 8,000,000 men available for service, or 9,500,000 including all men of military age, the small proportion of 3,200,000 actually in the fighting line being explained by the fact that Germany cannot supply more than that number with equip- ment and munitions at the moment.
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