Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1871.djvu/481

 ARMY. 4 45

tary on the part of the children, bnt is participated in by the greater number of pupils at the upper and middle-class schools.

The troops of the republic are divided into four classes, namely :

1. The ' Bundesauszug,' or Federal army, consisting of all men able to bear arms, from the age of 20 to 32. All cantons are obliged, by the terms of the constitution, to furnish at least 3 per cent, of their population to the ' Bundesauszug.'

2. The army of reserve, consisting of all men who have served in the first class, from the age of 33 to 40. The numbers are calcu- lated to amount to 1^ per cent, of the population.

3. The ' Landwehr,' or militia, comprising all men from the 41st to the 45th year.

4. The 'Landsturm,' or army of defence, including all men above 45, till the term when they are disabled by age from military service.

The numbers of the first three classes, in actual readiness to take the field, are given as follows in an official return of April, 1869, communicated to the Statesman's Year-book by the President of the Federal Council : —

Men

1. Bundesauszug ..... 85,138

2. Army of reserve .... 50,559

3. Laudwelir 64^323

Total. . 200,020

The number of men belonging to the fourth class, the Landsturm was estimated by the Government in April, 1869, at 150,000.

Every citizen of the republic not disabled by bodily defects, or ill health, is liable to military service at the age of 20. Before beino- placed on the rolls of the Bundesauszug, he has to undergo a train- ing of from 28 to 35 days, according to his entering the ranks of either the infantry, the Scharfschiitzen, or picked riflemen the cavalry, or the artillery. Both the men of the Bundesauszug and the reserve are called together in their respective cantons for annual exercises, extending over a week for the infantry, and over two weeks for the cavalry and artillery, while periodically, once or twice a year, the troops of a number of cantons are brought together for a general muster.

The military instruction of the Federal army is given to officers not permanently appointed or paid, but who must have undergone a course of education, and passed an examination at one of the training establishments erected for the purpose. The centre of these is the Military Academy at Thun, near Bern, maintained by the Federal government, and which supplies the army both with the highest class of officers, and with teachers to instruct the lower grades. Besides