Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1139

 DEFENCE 1017

2 independent cavalry brigades, 3 indeDendent brigades of field artillery (each of 12 batteries of 6 guns), 3 independent divisions of mountain guns, and 4 or more regiments of heavy field artillery, each of 24 guns.

Two infantry regiments form a brigade, and two brigades (12 battalions) a division. But to each division on mobilisation is attached a Kobi brigade, makiug 3 brigades, or 18 battalions in all. The artillery consists of a regiment of field artillery (6 batteries of 6 guns) supplemented by heavy or mountain guns as required (also probably by 3 batteries of Kobi artillery). A regiment of cavalry of 3 squadrons, with 4 machine guns, and a battalion of engineers, complete the division. Four infantry, and 4 artil- leiy, ammunition columns, 6 field hospitals, 4 supply columns, and 1 remount depot, accompany each division in the field. The war strength of a division, excluding its Kobi brigade, is reckoned at 18,700 officers and men, 4,800 horses, 36 guns, and 1,674 vehicles.

The strength of an indejiendent brigade of cavalry is 2 regiments, each of 4 squadrons and a battery of 8 machine guns; total about 1,650 men and 1,680 horses. The strength of an independent artillery brigade of 12 batteries is about 2,500 men tnid l,00p horses. Divisions are grouped directly into armies, 3 to 5 divisions forming an army of from 80,000 to 130,000 men. The total strength of the field army at the present time may be taken at about 600,000 combatants, including Kobi troops detailed for the lines of communication. The war effectives of the new divisions will not be com- plete before 1916.

The active army consists at present of 80 regiments (240 battahons) of iufantry, 27 regiments of cavalry (89 squadrons), 150 field batteries, 9 mountain batteries, 28 battalions of garrison artillery, and 19 battalions of engineers each of 3 companies.

The Kobi comprises 228 battalions, 57 squadrons, 114 field batteries, 12 battalions of garrison artillery, and 19 battalions of engineers.

The Japanese Islands are divided into military districts, corresponding to the divisions of the army, and the district is the unit of administra- tion as well as of territorial command. Each division is supplied with recruits from its own district, except the Guards, whose infantry recruits are s elected from the whole country ; the other arms of the Guard division are recruited from the large district of the 1st division. Abroad there are the separate division of Formosa, and the small garrisons of Saghalien and Tsu-shima, also some 25,000 to 30,000 men in Korea and Manchuria.

The Emperor is the head and supreme commander of the army, and also of the navy. He nominates the War Minister (always a general officer of high rank), the Chief of the General Stafi", the Director of Military Schools, and the Members of the Military Council.

The arm of the Japanese infantry is the improved Aiisaka rifle ; calibre, 6-5 mm. ( -256"), a Mauser with an altered chamber. The cavalry are armed with a carbine of similar construction. The field gun is a q.-f. shielded Krupp of 7-5 cm. calibre, which fires a shrapnel of 14-3 lb. The mountain artillery has a gun of the same calibre firing a lighter shell. There are a certain number of field howitzer batteries, armed with 4-6" and 5*9 howitzers, firing shells of about 44 lb. and 80 lb. respectively. A 4 gun for heavy field batteries is being introduced.

No returns of the peace strength of the Japanese army are published, but the total apparently amounts to about 225,000 or 230,000 of all ranks.

The military budget for 1912-13 amounts to about 9,660,000?., in- cluding extraordinary expenditure.