Russia's Armed Forces •
SIR.—Mr. Cole has chosen population as a standard for assessing the adequacy of the military strength of a nation, and on this basis be proceeds to show that " the figures of Russian might are not so terrify. ing." Yet, on what logical grounds is size of population the Criterion for the strength of the armed services? A peaceful nation may certainly require an internal police force proportional to the number of its inhabitants, but this argument does not justify the possession of a great modern military force, including tanks and aeroplanes, by a large nation surrounded by a number of smaller States. It would be of little comfort for the citizens of these States to know that their defence bill, per head of the population, was in no way lower than that of their more populous neighbour.—Yours faithfully, J. B. PARKER. 4 Shirley Avenue, Croydon, Surrey.
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