[Sidenote: +Volunteers.+]
The Volunteers consist of a large number of Corps, both Artillery,
Engineers, Infantry, and Medical Staff Corps, with 2 Corps of Light
Horse and 1 of Mounted Rifles. The Honourable Artillery Company
(composed of 1 battery Field Artillery, 6 troops Light Cavalry, and
8 companies Infantry), although not strictly Volunteers, may be
considered as coming under this head.
The Artillery Volunteers are divided into 9 Divisions according to
their locality, forming 62 Corps.
The Engineer Volunteers form 16 Corps of Engineers, 9 Divisions
Submarine Miners, and 1 Railway Staff-Corps.
The Infantry comprises no less than 211 battalions, distributed
throughout Great Britain, and attached to the different regular
regimental districts. 31 Infantry Volunteer Brigades have now been
formed, each consisting of five or more battalions, and each commanded
by a colonel of Auxiliary Forces.
The number of Volunteers is unlimited, and has gone on steadily
increasing, since their formation in 1859. The Corps were originally
intended to be self-supporting, finding themselves in everything except
arms. Now, however, the Government, having awoke to their importance
as a great national reserve for home defence, gives a Capitation Grant
of 35_s._ a year to the different Corps for every efficient Volunteer
on their lists, and £2 10_s._ more for every officer and sergeant who
obtains a certificate of proficiency.
Volunteers are liable to be called out for active military service in
Great Britain, in case of a threatened invasion.
It is, however, a fact that, if they chose, the Volunteers might, on
the eve of the invasion, all disappear within fourteen days by simply
giving notice of their wish to retire! A little legislation on this
point might not be out of place, though of course such a catastrophe is
not to be dreamt of.
Volunteers are exempt from service in the Militia, and cannot be
employed as a military body in aid of the Civil Power. They receive no
pay, and have to attend a certain number of drills of different sorts
every year, otherwise they are not considered efficient.
The Volunteers are not yet thoroughly equipped for service, but
strenuous efforts are being made in this direction by private and
public enterprise.
Their uniforms vary greatly in colour, from green or scarlet to drab
or grey, and in appearance. It is, however, expected that all Corps
will in time present a similar appearance to the Regular Forces, with
the main distinction of silver or white-metal embroidery and buttons
instead of the gold or brass of the Regulars.
The rifle of the Volunteers is either the Martini-Henry or the Snider.
The organisation of the Volunteer Corps is identical with that of the
corresponding Regular Forces.
There were on the 1st January, 1890, 216,999 efficient Volunteers,
besides 7,022 non-efficients—total 224,021.
[Sidenote: +Entrance Of Officers.+]
The mode of entrance of officers to the Regular Army is as follows:—The
candidate, if wishing to enter the Cavalry or Infantry has two routes
open to him. He may either pass a competitive “preliminary” and
“further” examination for the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, remain
there one year, and then enter his regiment direct (if successful
in passing the “final” examination), or else he may be appointed as
2nd lieutenant to a Militia battalion, undergo two annual trainings,
and then pass an examination equivalent to the Sandhurst “final.”
Formerly this latter mode of entrance, _i.e._ through the Militia,
was considered much the easiest, but now there is not much to choose
between the two.
A candidate for the Artillery or Engineers has to pass two examinations
in the R. M. Academy, Woolwich, and then spend two years there. The
order of merit in which the cadets pass the “final” determines which
branch they are to join. As a rule, those passing out high up join the
Engineers, and the others the Artillery.
[Sidenote: +Military Establishments.+]
Other Military establishments are:—
(a.) The Staff College near Sandhurst, which an officer may enter by
means of a competitive examination, after he has served five years
at least with his regiment. Here he remains for two years, and is
instructed in the various acquirements necessary for a good Staff
officer, and in the higher branches of his profession. Having passed
the final examination, the officer is attached for two months each to
the two branches of the service other than that which he belongs to,
and then rejoins his own regiment; he is then entitled to put p.s.c.
after his name in the Army List.
(b.) School of Gunnery at Shoeburyness, where experiments are carried
out and new inventions in gunnery tried, etc., etc.
(c.) Artillery College at Woolwich.—Instruction, etc., in the higher
branches of gunnery.
(d.) School of Military Engineering at Chatham, where officers and N.
C. O.’s of different Corps are put through a course, experiments in
engineering tried, etc., etc.
(e.) School of Musketry at Hythe, for instruction of officers and N. C.
O.’s in the use of, and in details and experiments concerning, small
arms.
(f.) Schools of Gymnasium and Signalling at Aldershot, the Army Medical
School at Netley, the Veterinary School at Aldershot, and the School
of Music at Hounslow, whose titles sufficiently explain their _raison
d’être_.
[Sidenote: +Mounted Infantry, &c.+]
A glance at the latest accessories to the Army in the shape of Mounted
Infantry, Machine-guns, and Cyclists, may not be out of place here.
The authorities consider that a force of Mounted Infantry (_i.e._,
Infantry with rifles on horseback) will be of the greatest use to the
Army in case of war. Accordingly, a force is being trained, little by
little, which would be available to act as such on active service.
For the past two or three years 2 companies at Aldershot, formed of
volunteers from the different Infantry battalions quartered there,
and 1 company at the Curragh, consisting of 150 men each, have been
trained during the winter months to act as Mounted Infantry. On the
conclusion of the course, the men are sent back to their regiments, and
a fresh lot come on the following winter. These companies are intended
to be formed into battalions when required. The duty of this force on
service will be to act as Infantry, but with a rapidity of transport
from one place to another unattainable by ordinary Infantry. Thus they
may be pushed forward to attack a village, to hold a defensive position
till supported by other Infantry, to assist the Cavalry, or to perform
a hundred other duties of Infantry far in front of the real Infantry.
It is proposed that every battalion of Infantry and regiment of Cavalry
should in future wars have a Machine-gun Detachment of 2 machine-guns,
worked by 1 officer and 12 men, attached to it. A large number of men
have been trained in this work, but there are at this moment but few
complete detachments in existence.
Corps of Cyclists, chiefly Volunteer, have also lately been started,
but it seems very questionable whether they would ever be of any use in
a hostile country except to carry messages to and fro along good roads.
[Sidenote: +Army Corps.+]
Finally, mention must be made of the recent apportioning of the British
Regular Army into Army Corps. Serious difficulties have arisen in
organising this matter, for, since regiments are always on the move
from point to point at home, or between home, India, and the Colonies,
it is a very difficult task indeed to arrange so that even one Army
Corps should be ready to take the field at the shortest possible
notice. It has, however, been done, and the 1st Army Corps is an
accomplished fact. The 2nd is on the high road to completion, though as
yet it is badly off for horses.
The above gives a tolerably fair idea of the strength and constitution
of the Army of the British Empire. The Navy, it is true, is still
our first line of defence, as it has been for hundreds of years; but
although the best in the world, it is not yet large enough for our
needs. Our Regular Army has also been shown to be barely large enough.
It is, therefore, doubly necessary to keep the Army at a high pitch of
efficiency, and fully supplied with everything needful, in order that
if we ever come into collision with one of the colossal European powers
detailed in the following pages, we shall not be found wanting.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 1: This article has been entirely re-written by the
Translator.]
[Footnote 2: The Colonial forces really form a class between the two,
but may be taken here with the Active Army.]
[Footnote 3: The Militia Ballot Act.]
[Footnote 4: _I.e._, West India Regiment, Malta Artillery, etc.]
[Footnote 5: More than 40 per cent. of would-be recruits are annually
rejected by the doctors.]
[Footnote 6: Blue in the 16th and white in the 17th Lancers.]
[Footnote 7: Crimson in the 11th Hussars and brick-red in the lévée
dress of the officers of the 10th Hussars.]
[Footnote 8: The Black Brunswick Hussars came over to England after
Waterloo, and their uniform was so greatly admired that the 60th and
95th, who were in process of being changed from Light Infantry to Rifle
regiments, adapted their Hussar uniform to the Infantry pattern.]
[Footnote 9: With one or two exceptions.]
[Footnote 10: Though liable to fifty-six days.]
THE GERMAN ARMY.
[Sidenote: +The German Empire.+]
[Illustration: Prussian Hussar of the Guard.]
It was in the autumn of 1870, during the Franco-German War, that the
preliminary arrangements were made for the forthcoming consolidation of
the German Empire. Up to that time, Germany consisted of a multitude of
States, each with its own Government and its own Army. The interests
of these States, ranging as they did from kingdoms down to small
principalities, were extremely conflicting, and internal hostility was
frequently the result. The one great aim of King William of Prussia
was to see them all united into one Empire, and defended by one Army.
Aided by the genius of Bismarck, the negotiations were brought to
a successful conclusion, and on the 18th January, 1871, William of
Prussia was declared Emperor of Germany with the title of William I. At
the same time the forces of the different States were combined, and the
present German Army is the result.
[Illustration: Prussian Garde du Corps. Court full-dress.]
In peace and war this United Army is under the command of the Emperor,
and each man is bound by oath to render him faithful and loyal service.
Several of the States, whilst keeping their own troops, have, by
means of special military conventions, attached themselves and their
forces still closer to the chief military power of the Empire, namely,
Prussia. On the other hand, a few of the larger States have reserved
for themselves a certain independence in the management of their
armies. The chief outward and visible sign thereof is seen in the
variations of uniform from the strict Prussian pattern. Thus, the
Bavarian Infantry has kept its light-blue tunic, the Saxons still
have red piping round their skirts, and the Württembergers wear
double-breasted tunics and grey greatcoats.
[Illustration: German Empire. I.
_Printed by G. Löwensohn, Fuerth Bavaria_
_Published by William Clowes & Sons, L^{d}, London._]
[Sidenote: +Organisation.+]
The Army may be roughly divided into
four groups:
1. The combined forces of Prussia and the following States, which
have concluded conventions with her: Saxe-Weimar, Saxe-Meiningen,
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Saxe-Altenburg, Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, the two
principalities of Reuss, Oldenburg, Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, Lippe,
Schaumburg-Lippe, Lübeck, Bremen, Hamburg, Waldeck, Brunswick, Grand
Duchies of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Grand Duchy
of Baden, and Grand Duchy of Hesse.
2. The Saxon Army Corps—(one).
3. The Bavarian Army Corps—(two).
4. The Württemberg Army Corps—(one).
Universal Conscription is the keystone of the Army. Introduced on
September 3rd, 1814, first of all, it was amended by the law of the
16th April, 1871, and perfected by subsequent laws passed in 1874
and 1881. The recent edict of the 11th February, 1888, has put the
finishing touches to it, so that it now holds sway throughout the whole
Empire. According to this law, every German who is physically capable
and who is in the enjoyment of civil rights, is bound to serve as a
soldier.
[Sidenote: +Terms of Service.+]
A man is bound to commence his service, as a rule, with his 21st year.
The period of service is as follows:—
3 years with the Colours.[11]
4 years in the Reserve of the Active Army.[11]
5 years in the 1st Class Landwehr.
7 years in the 2nd Class Landwehr.
6 years in the 2nd Class Landsturm.
By this time the soldier is in his 45th year.
The 1st Class Landwehr is divided into complete units, and these are
formed into Reserve Divisions for the Active Army. The 2nd Class
Landwehr garrisons the interior and fortresses, and acts, if called
out, as a reserve for the above-mentioned Landwehr Reserve divisions.
All men between the ages of 17 and 45 who are fit to bear arms and
who are not serving in either the Active Army (including the Ersatz
Reserve) or in the Landwehr, are enrolled in the 1st Class Landsturm.
This body can only be called out in case of national invasion, or for
garrison duty at home.
The Ersatz (_i.e._ Supply) Reserve consists of those men who are
physically fit, but have, owing to surplus numbers or other causes,
escaped being sent to serve in the Regular Army. Part of this Reserve
undergoes a training of ten weeks in the first, six weeks in the
second, and four weeks in the third year. These are considered as
belonging to the so-called “Furlough Men”[12] class, and serve when
required to complete the Army in the field. On the completion of
their thirty-first year, the men are sent to the Landwehr and 2nd
Class Landsturm, and there they remain till the termination of their
liability to service, _i.e._, their forty-fifth year. The men of the
untrained portion of the Ersatz Reserve remain available for service
up to their thirty-second year, and then pass over to the 1st and 2nd
Classes of the Landsturm in due order.
If every single able-bodied young man were to be taken for the Regular
Army, two disadvantages would accrue to the State; on the one hand an
immense amount of industrial labour would be lost to the country, and
on the other, it would be impossible for the State to support such a
huge Army. For this reason the law of the constitution has laid down
that the peace Army is not to exceed one per cent. of the population.
This gives the Army the respectable peace-strength of 468,409 men (not
including officers and one-year volunteers). Of these numbers about
156,000 annually enter the ranks as recruits.
There is a supplementary clause to the law of universal conscription,
and that is the one which allows of _One-year Volunteers_. It stands
to reason that with a three-years’ bout of compulsory service, a large
portion of the youth of the country are interrupted in the studies
which are to prepare them for their particular professions, and that at
a period when they can least afford to lose the time. For the labourer,
who needs but little knowledge for his daily task, and for those
handicraftsmen whose work demands but little brain capacity or culture
of any sort, this interruption of business is of small moment. It is
far otherwise, however, with the young man who requires to spend some
time in the higher schools in order to fit himself for the profession
he has chosen, be it industrial or scientific. This disadvantage of
the conscription law makes itself felt in proportion to the progress
in education and general culture made in the country. At the same time
it is obvious that a man who has the assistance of a well-educated
and well-trained mind does not require so long a period to master the
intricacies of soldiering as one who is less intelligent.
For this reason the Government allows young men who have either
received a certificate of educational efficiency from one of the higher
schools or else passed an examination before a commission appointed
for the purpose, to enter the service as volunteers on completing
their seventeenth year. After one year with the Colours they are sent
“on furlough” to the Active Reserve, and for this privilege they have
to find themselves in uniform, equipment, and food during the period
of their service. They may become officers in the following manner:
If they have behaved well and have subsequently, during two trainings
of several weeks each, whilst attached to a Corps, shown themselves
professionally and socially qualified to become officers, they are
balloted for by the officers of their district. If the ballot is
favourable, they are commissioned by his Majesty and become full-blown
officers of the Reserve. These have, in case of war, to complete the
active establishment of officers to war-strength, or have to fill
vacancies as officers in the Landwehr.
[Sidenote: +Officers.+]
The German Army represents the people under arms, and their officers
represent the cream of the Army. The road to the higher, and even
to the highest ranks, lies open to every educated man, without
reference to social standing or birth, if he only have the necessary
qualifications thereto.
Every candidate for an officer commission must possess—
1. A good general education, of which the candidate must give
satisfactory proof, either by the possession of an “Abiturient”
certificate,[13] or by passing an examination before a commission held
in Berlin.
2. Physical qualifications for military service, including good eyes.
3. An honourable character.
Having satisfied the authorities on these subjects, the candidate now
serves as a private for five months, generally with the regiment he
intends to enter. At the end of this time, during which he is called an
“avantageur,” he undergoes an examination in military duties, etc., and
on receiving a certificate of satisfactory service from his superior
officers, he becomes an ensign (“Porte-épée Fähnrich”) and is sent to
a military college for a year. There he passes a final examination in
military knowledge, and, if balloted for successfully by the officers
of the regiment of his choice, he joins as second lieutenant.
As much as 40 to 45 per cent. of the officers are drawn from the Cadet
Corps, which is distributed amongst establishments at Lichterfelde
(near Berlin, head college), Kulm, Potsdam, Wahlstatt, Bensberg, Plön
and Oranienstein, in Prussia; Dresden in Saxony, and Munich in Bavaria.
A new college will shortly open in Karlsruhe. This Corps is chiefly
composed of the sons of officers, who receive a cheap and excellent
training and education. The proverb that “the apple falls close to the
stem” is well exemplified here, for amongst the cadets are many who
bear celebrated soldiers’ names, such as Roon, Steinmetz, Canstein,
etc., etc.
Although the training in the Cadet Corps is chiefly a military one,
yet on the whole the cadets receive an education equal to that of a
first-class civilian college. Thus they are enabled in after-life, when
they have left the Service, to pursue a civilian calling with greater
ease than if their education had been purely military.
Mention may also be made here of the establishments in which the
“Porte-épée Fähnrichs” (ensigns) are instructed: they are the military
colleges of Potsdam, Engers, Neisse, Glogau, Hanover, Cassel, Anklam,
Metz, and Munich. The higher branches of military science are pursued
in the United Artillery and Engineer School, and the Staff College
(Kriegsakademie), both in Berlin. The entire military education and
training of the country are managed by an Inspection-General.
As in all large armies, the three great branches of the German service
are Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery, besides the Engineers and
Transport Corps, the latter of which is called the “Train.”
[Sidenote: +Infantry.+]
As everybody knows, Infantry is intended to go anywhere and fight
anywhere. It is, therefore, equipped for all contingencies that may
arise, and is armed with a weapon for use either at a long range or in
close hand-to-hand fighting.
The German Infantry is[14] armed with a capital magazine-rifle, with a
bore of ·315 inches, which, with a point-blank range of over 300 yards,
will carry up to 2,400 yards. The magazine is detachable, and holds 8
cartridges. The bayonet is a short sword-bayonet, very similar to the
new English bayonet.
[Illustration: Württemberg, Sergeant of the Train.]
As a rule, the German foot-soldier has to carry his own equipment,
both on the march and in action. The equipment consists of a knapsack
with large mess-tin attached, great coat, bayonet and scabbard (to
which latter is fastened a small spade), havresack, and water-bottle,
and three pouches, two in front and one behind. These pouches hold,
altogether, 150 rounds. The whole thing can be put on or taken off
at a moment notice, by simply buckling or unbuckling the waist-belt
and slipping the arms into, or out of, the knapsack braces. This new
arrangement also obviates to a great extent the discomfort caused
by the older pattern of equipment, which compressed the man chest
considerably.
The old division of the Infantry into Grenadiers, Musketeers, and
Fusiliers has now no significance, except from a historical point of
view. Nowadays, the whole of the Infantry being identically equipped,
they all receive exactly the same amount of instruction and training,
with the sole exception that the Rifle battalions (Jäger) spend
somewhat more time and pains on their musketry than the other troops.
[Illustration: Prussian Engineer.]
“Grenadiers” first sprang into existence in the seventeenth century;
as their name indicates, they were originally intended to throw
hand-grenades amongst the enemy ranks. For this object, particularly
powerful men were selected, and in France, under Louis XIV., four
Grenadiers were at first attached to each company; subsequently, each
battalion received a Grenadier company. Grenadiers were now introduced
into every civilised army, but as there was seldom an opportunity for
the employment of their special weapon, they were given muskets, and
remained Grenadiers only in name, and thus the name came to be applied
to particularly fine bodies of troops only. The Prussian Grenadier
battalions of Frederick the Great were the flower of his Army, and in
memory of these troops the 1st Prussian Foot-Guard Regiment still
wears the old sugar-loaf brass helmet on big review days and other
special occasions. The title of “Grenadier Regiments,” which the first
twelve Prussian Infantry regiments received in 1861, was only bestowed
in order to keep green the memory of the old Grenadiers.
The names of “Musketeers” and “Fusiliers” come from the different
firearms their predecessors bore, _i.e._, the musket and the rifle
(fusil), first introduced into France in the seventeenth century. The
Musketeers were at first the Heavy Infantry, in contradistinction to
the Fusiliers, who represented the Light Infantry. Later, however, on
each branch receiving the same firearm, the distinction ceased, and it
is now only remembered through the old Fusilier songs, of which there
exist several, and whose burden is the chaffing of the heavy Musketeer.