Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1417

 DEFENCE 1295

to 251,885/. (of which 138,000^. was for redemption of debt). At the same date the ' Federal Fortune, ' or State property, was : -real property, 2,695,295Z. ; stock, &c., 1,309,460/. ; works producing interest, 1,868,990/. ; stores not producing interest, 938,580/.; various debts, 73,670/.; inventory, 2,145,740/. ; Swiss National Bank, 425,740/. ; cash, 15,820/.; total, 9,463,310/.; the net Fortune being thus 4,977,190/.

Defence.

There are fortifications on the south frontier for the defence of the St. Gothard pass ; others have been constrcicted at St. Maurice and Martigny in the Rhone Valley.

Switzerland depends for defence upon a national militia. Service in this force is compulsory and universal, with few exemptions except for ]>hysical disability. Those excused or rejected pay certain taxes in lieu. Liability extends from the 17th to the end of the 48th year, actual service commencing at the age of 20. The first 12 years are spent in the first line, called the ' Auszug, ' or * Elite ' ; the next 8 in the Landwehr ; and the remaining 8 in the Landsturm. For cavalry, however, service is 11 years in the Auszug, and 12 in the Landwehr, The Landsturm only includes men who have undergone some training. The unarmed Landsturm comprises all other males between 20 and 50 whose services can be made available for non-combatant duties of any description.

The initial training of the Swiss militia soldier is carried out in recruits' schools, and the periods are 65 days for infantry, engineers, and foot artillery, 75 days for field artillery, and 90 days for cavalry. The subsequent trainings, called ' repetition courses, ' are 1 1 days annually : but after going through seven courses (8 in the case of the cavalry) further attendance is excused for all under the rank of sergeant. The Landwehr men are only called out once for training, also for 11 days.

The country is divided into 6 divisional districts. The field army, formed of the Elite, is to consist of 6 divisions, 3 cavalry brigades, and 3 mountain brigades. A division consists of 3 brigades each of 2 regiments consisting of 2 or 3 battalions, 1 cyclist company, 6 batteries of field artillery, 2 howitzer batteries, 2 squadrons of guides, and 1 battalion of sappers. A cavalry brigade consists of 2 regiments. A mountain brigade consists of 2 or 3 battalions, 2 mountain batteries, and 1 company of sappers. Altogether there are 106 battalions, 40 field batteries, 12 howitzer batteries, 6 mountain batteries, and 8 cavalry regiments (each of 3 squadrons), besides 12 squadrons of guides. There is a staff organisation on paper for three army corps. There are the usual departmental troops, pontoon and railway corps, telegraph troops, &c.

The total number of combatants in the field army may be taken at 140,000. There are also separate forces, mostly Landwehr, for manning the fortifications which close the St. Gothard Pass and the Rhone Valley to a possible invader from the south. They amount to about 21,000 men. The Landwehr is organised in 60 battalions and 24 squadrons. Altogether Switzerland can mobilise nearly 200,000 men (combatants), irrespective of the organised Landsturm, who may amount to another 60,000.

The administration of the Swiss army is partly in the hands of the Cantonal authorities, who promote officers up to the rank of captain. But the Federal Government is concerned with all general questions, and makes all the higher appointments.