376 Towards a Modern Army, 1825-1874
'
In 1869 Milyutin returned to the charge. By this time the number of reser-
tists (533,000) had doubled since Nicholas I's day and was nearly three-
~uarters of total strength.^143 This was, however, still inadequate-particularly
n the light of Prussia's successes against the Second Empire. Sedan was
ilmost a second Sevastopol~ for the P .. ussian military establishment. On 21
'lovember 1870 the tsar announced his intention 'to extend direct participation
n military conscription ... to all classes in the empire'.^144
Before the 'Milyutin reform', as it may properly be called, was promulgated
)n New Year's Day 1874 three years elapsed that were marked by bitter struggles
n government circles, with echoes in the press.^145 The first paragraph of the con-
;cription statute ran: 'the defence of throne and fatherland from foreign foes is
i sacred duty of every Russian subject'.^146 The entire male population,
without distinction of class (sostoyaniye)', was liable for military service. This
jid not, and could not, mean that every conscript would be treated equally;
:mt the privileges that were accorded were no longer based on class origin but
)n educational qualifications. This criterion favoured the u"pper classes, of
;ourse, but its purpose was to cater to state interests by ensuring an adequate
;upply of trained NCOs and officers. Everyone who was selected served for a
:otal of 15 years before being relegated to the militia (opolcheniye); but those
.vith educational qualifications served a shorter period in the active army
Jefore being transferred to the reserve. For the wholly unschooled the two
:erms were six years and nine; for men with higher education they were six
months and 14 Yi years; and there were three intermediate categories.^147
Students in certain designated educational establishments, as well as business
men whose interests might be jeopardized by call-up, could apply for defer-
ment but were not exempt.^148
In practice army recruits after 1874 still fell into one of two basic categories:
:onscripts in the literal sense and 'volunteers' (vo/'nooprede/yayushchiyesya):
the clumsy term literally meant 'those who freely determine [their fate]' and
accurately described their situation.^149 After registration, which had to be
effected between the ages of 16 and 20, the former remained in their com-
munities until they received their call-up notices; the latter could volunteer at
any time between their 17th birthday and two months before they were due for
::onscription; they could join at any time of the year and (normally) choose
their preferred unit or formation.^150 Anyone with at least two years' schooling
could volunteer, but in practice this was the route most favoured by men with
143 Miller, Mi/iutin, pp. 192-3 (strength from Bogdanovich, !st. ocherk, iii. app. 38).
1.i.1 Miller, Miliutin, p. 195.
145 For discussions in English, ibid., pp. 195-227 and, more recently, Bauman, 'Debates'.
146 II PSZ xlix. 52983 (I Jan. 1874), I, § I. Milyutin's first draft omitted any reference to
'throne' or 'subject': Zayonchkovsky, 'Podgotovka', p. 173.
147 II PSZ xlix. 52983 (I Jan. 1874), IV, § 56; Kursakov, Spravochnaya knizhka, p. 39.
148 II PSZ xlix. 52983 (I Jan. 1874), IV,§§ 52-3.
149 For the differences between these volunteers and the okhotniki, cf. Kursakov, Spravo-
chnaya kniga, pp. 28-32.
150 II PSZ xlix. 52983 (I Jan. 1874), XII,§ 174; Kursakov, op. cit., p. 10.