numbering 15,000 men, and 11,000 men of the Carabineros, or Frontier
Force.
The Colonial Army, about 33,000 men in all, is formed by voluntary
enlistment.
[Sidenote: +Armament.+]
The Infantry is armed with the Remington rifle, the Cavalry with sword
and Remington carbine. Three sections[21] of each squadron of Lancers
carry the lance. The Artillery is armed with cast-steel Krupp guns of
3·15 inches calibre; the Mountain Artillery with those of 2·95 inches.
The guns have, however, been altered to Colonel Placentia’s system.
The two Royal Household Companies, Halberdiers, are the only ones who
wear the old Spanish dress.
The Spaniard combines the liveliness and hot blood of the southerner
with the determination and endurance of the northerner, and would now
count as one of the best soldiers in Europe if it were not that, in
consequence of the long civil wars and disturbances in the country, he
had become somewhat less amenable to discipline than formerly. If an
instance is required of what Spaniards can do when fighting for their
land and freedom, we have only to look at the guerilla and mountain
warfare waged by this plucky nation against the old campaigners of
Napoleon at the beginning of this century, before the English troops
came to their assistance.
PORTUGAL.
[Sidenote: +Terms of Service.+]
Universal Conscription is the rule in Portugal as well as in most other
countries, but there are numerous exemptions and sendings on “unlimited
furlough with the Colours” (in order to save the national exchequer),
so that the Army does not by any means comprise as many men as would
appear from the strength as laid down on paper. With a nominal peace
strength of 37,000, the actual strength is only about 18,000.
The terms of service are three years with the Colours, five years in
the 1st Class, and four in the 2nd Class Reserves.
[Sidenote: +Organisation.+]
The Infantry consists of 24 Line and 12 Rifle regiments, each of 2
Active and 1 Depôt battalions, altogether 72 battalions, the Depôt
battalions being skeleton ones.
Cavalry—10 regiments, of which the first two are Lancers, and the
remainder Light Dragoons (Caçadores a Cavallo). Each regiment consists
of 3 Active and 1 Depôt squadrons.
Artillery—3 Regiments of Field Artillery of 12 batteries each, 2
Regiments of Garrison Artillery of 12 companies each, 1 Mountain
Brigade of 6 batteries.—Total, 32 Active and 10 Reserve batteries with
132 guns.
Engineers—2 Active and 1 Reserve battalions, and 1 Torpedo Company.
Portugal has, besides this Army, a Colonial Force of 9,600 men, chiefly
natives.
The Infantry is now armed with the Kropatschek repeating-rifle; till
quite recently, they had the Enfield rifle. The Field Artillery is
chiefly armed with 3·54-inch steel Krupp guns.
More attention appears to be paid in Portugal to the Navy than to the
Army, and it seems unlikely that the latter will be engaged in war, at
all events for some time to come.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 21: Out of four.]
SWITZERLAND.
The Swiss Republic, or rather the Free Confederation of twenty-two
small Republics (Cantons), had its beginning in the four “Forest”
towns of Schwyz, Uri, Unterwalden, and Glarus. It was by the treaties
of 1815, upon which, after the downfall of Napoleon I., the present
distribution of Powers was founded and still to a great extent remains,
that the neutrality of Switzerland was recognised, so that she is now,
to all intents and purposes, excluded from taking part in an European
war. Being, however, surrounded by three Great Powers, whose Armies
may at any time traverse her territories from any quarter, she is
obliged to guard her neutrality very strictly. This object she seeks
to accomplish by universal conscription and by a military system which
is adapted to the exigencies of the country and rests on the so-called
“Militia System.”
[Sidenote: +Terms of Service.+]
According to this system the conscript has to pass only a few weeks
or months in being trained, and is subsequently called out for only
a few weeks annually during peace-time. This system certainly allows
of universal service in the widest sense of the word, and also gives
a small State the power of calling out a proportionally large Army
in time of war. At the same time, however, this system, in order to
be of any use, would require the people to be naturally of a warlike
tendency, and every man to be thoroughly accustomed to the use of a
rifle; in fine, it would require that there should always be a nucleus
of thoroughly-trained troops, even in peace-time.
Every Swiss is liable to service from the 20th to the 44th year of his
age. Of these twenty-five years of service, thirteen are spent in the
“Auszug” (Active Army) and twelve in the “Landwehr.” All able-bodied
men between the ages of 17 to 50 who are not employed in either of the
above branches belong to the “Landsturm.” Anyone who is not fit to
serve has to pay a small fine as a sort of compensation.
In case of war the “Auszug” would provide the Army as follows:—
[Sidenote: +Organisation.+]
Infantry—98 Fusilier and 8 Rifle Battalions.
Cavalry—8 Regiments (24 squadrons) of Dragoons and
12 Companies of Guides.
Artillery—24 Regiments of Field Artillery, and 1 of
Mountain Artillery, each of 2 batteries of 6 guns each—
total, 300 guns, besides 10 batteries of Position Artillery.
Engineers—9 Battalions.
Train—8 Battalions.
[Sidenote: +Strength of Army.+]
The strength of the Field Army comes to about 100,000 men. It consists
of the Army Staff and 8 Divisions, each comprising 2 Infantry
Brigades, each Brigade comprising 2 Regiments of Infantry, 1 Rifle
Battalion, 1 Regiment of Dragoons, 1 Company of Guides, 1 Brigade of
Artillery, 1 Battalion of Engineers, 1 of Train, 1 Field Hospital and 1
Administration Company.
The Landwehr consists of nearly as many men as the Auszug, but the
former are only called on to serve on garrison duty at home. As for
arms, the Swiss troops are not behindhand with other nations. The
Infantry is armed with the repeating Vetterli rifle, the Rifles
with a similar short repeating-rifle, and the Dragoons with a
repeating-carbine. The Field Artillery has three patterns of guns:
the light 3·28-in., the heavy 3·93-in., and the mountain 2·92-inch
guns. The Swiss soldier is more of a Light Infantry man than anything
else; as for the Swiss Cavalry, it is not to be considered on the same
footing as the Cavalry of other nations, being feeble.
The Swiss Militiaman is trained for a short time and then sent home
with his uniform and rifle. Thereafter he appears yearly for a short
training, in order to “keep his eye in.” This sketchy military
education is, however, greatly helped by the numerous Cadet divisions
in the schools, and by Volunteer Rifle and Gymnastic clubs.
[Illustration:
Holland. Belgium.
_Printed by G. Löwensohn, Fuerth Bavaria_
_Published by William Clowes & Sons, L^{d}, London._]
HOLLAND AND BELGIUM.
The “Kingdom of the Netherlands,” instituted by the Vienna Congress in
1815, was, after the revolt of the southern provinces, divided into two
kingdoms, Holland and Belgium, the former extending from the mouth of
the Ems to those of the Rhine, Maas, and Scheldt, and the latter from
these mouths to the north-eastern frontier of France. The neutrality of
these two States, recognised by the other Great Powers of Europe, have
so far exempted them from keeping up large standing armies, that their
organisation remains very much as it was in 1830.
[Sidenote: +Terms of Service.+]
The Dutch military system is a combination of the old Voluntary
Enlistment and the Militia systems. Every able-bodied young man between
20 and 25 years of age is bound to enter the Militia; the number of
these not to exceed 11,000 annually. The length of service of these
men, nominally one year, is as a matter of fact shortened to nine or
even six months.
The Army consists partly of voluntarily-enlisted men, who bind
themselves to six years’ service, and partly of Militiamen. Gaps are
often caused by the impossibility of filling Volunteer vacancies by
Militiamen, and this leads to the disadvantage that the training of
the Militiamen is not so thorough as it might be, and also that the
troops are not always kept up to their full establishment.
[Sidenote: +Organisation.+]
The Standing Dutch Army consists of—
Infantry—1 Grenadier and Rifle Regiment (comprising 3 battalions of
Grenadiers and 2 of Rifles), and 8 Line Regiments of 5 battalions
each—Grand total, 45 battalions.
Cavalry—3 Regiments of Hussars, each of 5 Field and one Depôt
squadrons.
Artillery—1 Corps of Horse Artillery, 3 regiments Field Artillery,
altogether 42 batteries with 252 guns: and 4 regiments of Garrison
Artillery.
Engineers—3 Field Companies, 3 Fortress, 1 Railway and Telegraph
Company, and 1 Instruction and Depôt Company.
Besides the above there is a Colonial Army Depôt of three companies, and
the Corps of Maréchaussée, which corresponds to the Gendarmerie in other
States, 373 men.
[Sidenote: +Strength of Army.+]
The total strength of the Active Army approaches 64,000 men and 270
guns. The Colonial Army, recruited entirely by voluntary enlistment,
comes to about 30,000 men.
[Illustration: Infantry of the Schutterij.]
In case a necessity should arise for reinforcing the Dutch Army,
another body of men has been formed, called the “Schutterij,” of all
Dutchmen between their 20th and 30th years not included in the Active
Army or Militia. No great expectations can be formed of this body, for
the members are only trained for forty to fifty hours annually.
The Landsturm and Rifle Clubs are also destined to increase the
strength of the Army in case of emergency.
Since Holland has been declared a neutral State, and her energy is
chiefly devoted to the furthering of her commercial and colonial
interests, the chief duty of the Army will probably be confined to that
of national defence. The numerous sluices and canals, which would offer
numerous obstacles to an invading army, would be of great assistance
in case of war. It has, in fact, already happened that the country has
been saved by letting in the sea through the sluices and forming a
general inundation.
[Illustration: Officer of Horse Artillery. (Holland.)]
BELGIUM.
Belgium also is not one of the warlike States. She has, however, often
served as a theatre of war for other nations, and her neutrality has
not been always duly respected. She must therefore possess an Army, if
only to watch her frontiers, and to prevent her total dependence on
the will of other Powers. Her Army is, however, not numerous, and is
considerably behindhand both in organisation and training.
[Illustration: Officer of Grenadiers. (Belgium.)]
[Sidenote: +Terms of Service.+]
Conscripts are chosen by ballot at the yearly so-called “Appels,” but
this is easily evaded by either paying a substitute, or by paying an
exemption of £64, in consideration of which the Government provides a
substitute of its own finding.
[Sidenote: +Organisation.+]
The Belgian Army is formed as follows:
The Infantry numbers 4 Divisions, or 9 Brigades of 2 or 3 regiments
each, _i.e.:_
1 Regiment of Carbineers.
1 Regiment of Grenadiers.
3 Regiments of Rifles.
14 Regiments of Infantry of the Line.
The Carbineer Regiment consists of 4 Active and 2 Depôt battalions; the
remainder of 3 Active and 1 Depôt battalions, the latter being only
skeleton battalions. This makes altogether 58 Active and 20 Depôt
battalions.
The Cavalry numbers 2 Divisions of 2 brigades of 2 regiments each,
_i.e._:—
2 Regiments of Light Dragoons.
2 Regiments of Guides (similar to Hussars), and
4 Regiments of Lancers,
each regiment numbering 4 Active and 1 Depôt squadrons—Grand total, 8
regiments, forming 32 Active and 8 Depôt squadrons.
[Illustration: Officer of Carbineers. (Belgium.)]
Artillery—4 Regiments Field Artillery, consisting of 30 Field, 4 Horse
and 6 Reserve batteries. The Reserve batteries are skeleton ones
and have no guns. The remainder have 6 guns each—total, 34 batteries
with 204 guns, besides 3 regiments of Siege Artillery, each of
16 Siege, 1 Reserve, and 1 Depôt batteries.
Engineers—1 Regiment of 3 battalions, and 5 companies for special work,
_i.e._, pontooning, railway, telegraph, pyrotechnic and
general trades.
Train—1 Battalion of 6 companies.
[Sidenote: +Strength of Army.+]
The whole peace-strength numbers about 45,000 men, with 204 guns. Both
Dutch and Belgian Infantry are armed with single breech-loaders, the
Beaumont and Albini rifles respectively, and there seems no present
intention of introducing magazine-rifles.
The Belgian Army is clothed chiefly according to the French model; the
tall bearskins of the Grenadiers and Guides are peculiar and striking.
Both Holland and Belgium will have to follow the example of other
nations in adopting strict universal conscription. It will be only
when this is accomplished that their Armies will represent the armed
strength of the nation and satisfy the demands made on a National Army.
TURKEY AND THE STATES OF THE
BALKAN PENINSULA.
[Sidenote: +Historical.+]
[Illustration: Officer of the Dorobanze (full dress).]
[Illustration: Officer of the Roșiori (undress).]
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the inhabitants of Europe
were several times alarmed by a common danger, that of invasion of
their territories by a foreign race, Asiatic by extraction, and
connected primarily with the Mongols. This race, known as Turks or
Osmanli, had made itself master of Constantinople, the capital of the
Eastern Roman Empire, in 1453, and set up its government there under a
Padishah or Sultan. From this point they extended their empire further
and further to the north-west, over Hungary and the intervening lands,
and took possession of the Hungarian capital, Buda, or Ofen. In 1683
they actually besieged Vienna, and this city would undoubtedly have
fallen if it had not been for its heroic defence by Field-Marshal
Rüdiger von Starhemberg, who held out till he was succoured by Duke
Charles of Lorraine with the Army of the Austrian Empire, and John
Sobieski, King of Poland.
The Turkish power now began to wane, and its forces gradually declined
in strength during the wars with Russia in the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries. One by one the provinces of the Turkish Empire
became detached from Turkish rule and proclaimed their independence
under their own sovereigns. In this way arose the independent
kingdoms of Greece, Servia, and Roumania, and the principality of
Bulgaria (under Turkish suzerainty), all of them during the present
century. Eastern Roumelia is still in the hands of the Turks, but
she has her own administration. The Turkish Empire—once the terror
of Christendom—is now fighting for very existence, and to retain her
hold over the small remnants of her European possessions. Russia, who
considers herself the champion of the Greek-Catholic Church in the
East, would by this time have undoubtedly seized the lands of the
“Sick Man” on the Bosphorus, if it were not that the ambition of other
Powers has secured a frail but fleeting life for him. Since, however,
Turkey is determined not to let go of her European possessions without
a stiff fight for them, and since no one can foretell what far-reaching
consequences such a war would entail, we must not skip her over, but
must give a short account of her Army as well as of the others.
Turkey has now, since the disbanding of the Janissaries (who formed
the Sultan body-guard, of 12,000 men at first, and later of 100,000),
organised her Army on a purely European footing. The officer who is
chiefly responsible for this organisation, and who was sent for that
purpose to Turkey, at the request of the then Sultan Mahmoud II., from
1835 to 1839, is no less a personage than Field-Marshal Count Moltke.
Since his time, the Turkish Army has improved after every war. Though
it is yet by no means equal to that of any of the great Powers, still
that is the fault of neither the military system nor yet of the Turkish
soldier. The responsibility lies with the confused system of military
administration, which deals in the most hopeless and in the worst
possible way with the clothing and equipment, and even with the feeding
and pay of the Army.
[Sidenote: +Terms of Service.+]
According to the Law, every able-bodied Mahomedan inhabitant of Turkey
is bound to serve in the Army. Christians are exempted on payment of a
fine.
Service in the “Nizam,” or Active Army, lasts six years, of which
the Infantry soldier spends three and the Cavalry and Artilleryman
four years with the Colours and the remaining time in the Active
Reserve or “Ikhtiat.” After this the soldier joins the Landwehr or
“Redif” for eight years, and subsequently six years in the Landsturm
or “Muhstafiz.” As a matter of fact, the period of service with the
Colours is usually reduced to two years, or three at the outside.
[Sidenote: +Organisation.+]
The whole Turkish Empire is divided into 7 military districts or
“Ordu,” of which the seventh, Arabia, is exceptionally constituted.
“Ordus” 1 to 6 have each in peace-time to supply 1 Army Corps of Nizam
troops, and, besides this, 1 to 2 Army Corps of the Redif in case of
necessity. The seventh Ordu only possesses 1 Army Corps altogether.
Each Corps consists of 2 Infantry Divisions, 2 Cavalry Divisions, 1
Regiment of Field Artillery, 1 battalion of Pioneers and 1 of the
Train.
A Division consists of 2 brigades; an Infantry brigade numbers 2, and a
Cavalry 3, regiments. A regiment of Infantry numbers 5 battalions, of
which 1 is a Depôt battalion; a regiment of Cavalry, 5 squadrons, of
which 1 is a Depôt squadron.
The Artillery Regiment numbers 14 batteries, of which 3 are Horse
Artillery and 2 mountain batteries, each of 6 guns.
The 18 Army Corps of the Turkish Field Army, (including Redif) comprise
a strength of 612,000 men, with 1,512 guns,[22] and these could be
heavily reinforced by drawing on the “Muhstafiz.”
[Sidenote: +Armament.+]
The Infantry is armed with three different patterns of rifles at this
moment, but will shortly be armed altogether with a magazine-rifle.
Cavalry and Field Artillerymen are armed with a repeating carbine.
The guns are good cast-steel breech-loaders from the Krupp works. The
mountain batteries have steel guns.
As regards discipline and training, the Turkish soldier cannot be
compared on the same grounds with his European comrade. As for a
discipline founded on feelings of honour, respect, and love of country,
the Turks wots not of it. These feelings are, however, compensated for
to some extent by a religious fanaticism and a warlike spirit.
The Turkish soldier is easily satisfied, quiet in his demeanour,
unruffled, sparing of words, dignified, obedient, and true to
the death. The romantic halo which formerly endowed the Turks
with unequalled fighting powers in the assault and unconquerable
stubbornness in the defence of strong positions, has faded. In vain
does one now look for the Spahis and Delhis on their fiery horses,
with crooked swords, flashing turbans and waving garments. With the
exception of the red fez, the uniform of the Turkish troops has a
distinctly European cut. The “Nizam” wear a dark-blue coat, usually
wide in the body, to allow of the growth and alterations of the body,
which take place during their six years’ service, and the “Redif” wear
jackets or sleeved waistcoats. The most adventurous-looking are the
Bashi-Bazouks (_i.e._ “lost heads”), a wild body of Irregular troops
who carry on war in their own fashion, and who are little amenable to
discipline. These wear bizarre and wild-looking dresses, and are armed
with long rifles. The Army is extremely plucky in war, but is sadly
deficient in good officers and non-commissioned officers.
* * * * *
The armies of the smaller States of the Balkan Peninsula, organised on
the lines of great European Powers, will in future wars probably only
act as allies to either Russia or Turkey. We need therefore cast but a
hasty glance at them.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: +GREECE.+]
_Greece_ has, in consequence of her universal conscription—
Infantry—27 battalions of the Line and 9 battalions of Rifles.
Cavalry—12 squadrons.
Artillery—2 Field, and 2 Mountain battalions, and 1 Garrison Artillery
battalion, altogether 10 batteries with 64 guns.
The Army (including Engineers and Train, as well as Gendarmerie)
consists of about 30,000 in peace-time, which could be reinforced in
war-time to 80,000 men.
[Illustration: Turkish Infantry of the Redif.]
[Sidenote: +ROUMANIA.+]
_Roumania_ can bring into the 1st Line 4 Army Corps, well-drilled and
well-armed (with repeating rifles and Krupp guns), and into the 2nd
Line 4 more Divisions. Her peace strength consists of—
Infantry—16 battalions of the Line, 4 battalions of Rifles and
65 battalions of the Dorobanze (a Territorial Militia)—total, 85
battalions.
Cavalry—16 squadrons of Roșiori, (Hussars) and 54 squadrons of
Kalaraschi (a species of Gendarmerie)—total, 70 squadrons.
Artillery—54 batteries with 312 guns.
The peace-strength of Roumania numbers over 30,000 men.
The war-strength consists of 120 battalions of Infantry, 80 squadrons
of Cavalry, 72 batteries of Artillery, 20 companies of Engineers, and
details; altogether 150,000 men and 448 guns.
Besides these there are 32 Local Militia battalions and a body of men
corresponding to the German Landsturm.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: +SERVIA.+]
_Servia_ can put into the field 5 Divisions, namely:—
Field Army—45 battalions, 25 squadrons, 25 batteries, besides Engineers
and Train—total, 65,000 men and 100 guns.
Reserve Army—65,000 men, formed similarly to the above.
Landsturm—60 battalions, comprising 30,000 men.
Total war-strength 130,000 men and 200 guns.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: +BULGARIA.+]
[Illustration: Bashi-Bazouks]
[Illustration:
Turkey.—Greece. Servia.—Bulgaria.
_Printed by G. Löwensohn, Fuerth Bavaria_
_Published by William Clowes & Sons, L^{d}, London._]
[Illustration: Roumania.
_Printed by G. Löwensohn, Fuerth Bavaria_
_Published by William Clowes & Sons, L^{d}, London._]
_Bulgaria_, although her constitution is as yet not definitely
settled, is not at all behindhand in the organisation of her Army.
The principality would be able to put into the field an Army of over
30,000 well-trained men, besides 24,000 Landwehr and 7,000
Landsturm.
[Illustration: Montenegro: Soldier.]
* * * * *
[Sidenote: +EASTERN ROUMELIA.+]
The Army of _Eastern Roumelia_ is a species of Militia, which would in
war-time amount to 64,000 men. The Standing Army numbers only 3,400
men, and their efficiency is not very great.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: +MONTENEGRO.+]
_Montenegro._ In the western portion of the Balkan Peninsula, between
the Dinaric Mountains and the Adriatic, though not touching the latter,
lies a wild and craggy mountain land. According to the inhabitants,
“When the Creator was walking over the earth, distributing rocks and
plains, the bag in which the rocks were split, and those which remained
fell on to Montenegro.”
There can certainly not have been many rocks in the bag, for the land
of the Black Mountains (Montenegro or Tzernagora) is a tiny country
of only about 2,300 square miles. The inhabitants are as wild as their
country. They are a small, liberty-loving nation, of great physical
beauty, and born warriors. When the Czar, the other day, called the
Prince of Montenegro the best friend he had on earth, his speech
probably referred less to the Prince himself than to the people whose
merit and determined bravery he so much admired.
[Illustration: Montenegro: Officer.]