RESOURCES, &C. OF RUSSIA. 459 



to form the reserve part of the forces. The eldest son of the peasant 

 was to succeed his father as proprietor of the house and little spot 

 of ground to be allotted to each ; the second and third sons were to 

 be obliged to enter the army, and be taught the use of arms. 

 The soldiery, while they were on no account to neglect their martial 

 exercises, were at the same time to support themselves and the 

 colony by cultivating the ground. Each village, or colony, had its 

 own military chief, whcse authority was perfectly sovereign. Military 

 schools were also established. These the children wei"e to enter for 

 the purpose of training, at the early age of eight, until which time 

 they were to remain under the charge of their parents. " At the 

 age of thirteen, they obtain the distinction of cantonists, and are 

 taught the profession of the agriculturist and the soldier. When 

 seventeen years old, they form a part of the colony. The com- 

 mander-in-chief of the cavalry, which form about the half of the 

 whole number of the colonists, is the supreme judge. No female 

 colonist can marry any individual who is not enrolled." 



The code of laws for these colonies, extending to fourteen vo- 

 lumes, was drawn up by a committee appointed at St. Petersburg 

 for the purpose. These laws are, in the first instance, administered 

 by the committees of the several squadrons, which committees are 

 composed of the squadron's officers, one of whom is chosen president. 

 The offences of which these squadrons are competent to take cogni- 

 zance are those only of a minor kind ; nine aggravated de- 

 linquencies are tried by a commission, the nomination of which is 

 vested in Count de Witt. Privates have the privilege of appealing 

 from the decision of the committee of squadron to a regimental com- 

 mittee of administration, consisting of the colonel who is invariably 

 president, the lieutenant-colonel, who is vice-president, two captains, 

 and six deputies chosen by the colonists themselves. One of these 

 deputies is chosen from each of the six squadrons constituting the 

 regiment. The decisions of this committee are submitted to Count 

 de Witt for his approval. From the Count's decision there is no 

 appeal, in so far as the common soldiers and colonists are concerned, 

 even should the sentence be banishment to Siberia — the severest 

 punishment short of death which a Russian can receive. Officers, 

 however, may appeal from the Count's decisions to the Emperor 

 hi mself. 



The effective police maintains good order in each of these colo- 

 nies. A subaltern officer visits the house of each colonist every day, 

 and reports at head-quarters as to the condition of the inmates. Co- 

 lonies, on the plan just described, have been organized throughout the 

 empire. The entire number of soldiers belonging to them cannot 

 be ascertained with any precision ; but, on the lowest calculation, it 

 is supposed they exceed a million. 



We have already mentioned that these military colonies owe their 

 existence to Count ArakschejifF. He had observed that the great 

 disadvantage of the military system which then obtained was that 

 the soldier, in consequence of the vast extent of the empire, being 

 generally exiled during the most important part of his life from 

 home, felt little of that patriotism which can alone j)rompt to deeds 



