Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1473

 DEFENCE — PKODUCTION AND INDUSTRY

1351

Defence.

The army of Uruguay consists of a small standing, or active, army, and the National Guard. Service in the active army is from 2 to 5 years, with re-engagement up to the age of 44. The recruitment of this army is, theoretically at least, on the voluntary princij)le ; in practice it appears to be compulsory, and to be carried on after the method of the press-gang. It consists of 5 battalions of rifles, 9 cavalry regiments, 2 field batteries and some fortress artillery, with a peace strength of about 4,000.

The National Guard is a militia, service in which is compulsory. It is divided into three classes, or 'bans.' The first 'ban,' or 'mobile' national guard contains all the young men fit for military duty between the ages of 17 and 30, and forms a more or less organised force of 15,000 to 20,000 men. It would take the field with the active army. The second ban, consisting of those between 30 and 45, is the 'departmental,' or provincial, national guard. Its units do not move out of their own departments, but the men can be drafted to make good the losses of the mobile units in time of war. The third ban, containing all the men between 45 and 60, is the ' territorial ' force, and is only liable to garrison duty in its own districts. The total strength of the National Guard (all three bans) is, nominally, about 100,000 men.

The total strength of the field army may amount to three divisions of about 12,000 men each. There is also a police force, with an establishment of 5,000.

The infantry of the active army is armed with the Mauser rifle, the 2 field batteries have the 7 '5 cm. Krupp. The National Guard is mainly armed Avith the Remington rifle and old de Bange guns.

The fleet consists of the cruiser Montevidio, 2,300 tons (formerly the Italian Dogali), armed with 6 6-inch guns ; the yacht 18 de Julio, and the "scout-destroyer" Uruguay, 1,400 tons, speed 23 knots, launched at Kiel in 1910.

Production and Industry.

In Uruguay the agricultural industries are extending. The principal crops and their yield for two years were as follows : —

Wheat , Rye

Barley- Oats Linseed

Area

-1911-1912

Acres

808,110

165

6,307

86,640

142,575

1910-1911

Yield

1911-1912

Acres

644,022

145

2,367

29,307

94,780

Cwts.

4,766,460

1,102

36,576

529,872

446.340

1910-1911

Cwts.

8,250,876

430

10,716

171,366

In 1900 the land devoted to pastoral purposes covered about 37,000,000 acres, Avhile the cultivated area was about 1,383,800 acres. In 1908 there were within the Republic 8,192,602 head of cattle, 566,307 horses, 26,286,296 sheep, 60,000 mules, 40,000 goats, and 180,099 pigs. In 1907 breeding stock was introduced from Europe and Argentina to the extent of 540 cattle, 2,282 sheep, and 181 horses. The cattle industry is followed in all the departments, but most extensively in Salto, Paysandu, and Rio Negro. From Fray Bentos in 1911 there were shipped about 15,000 tons of animal products valued at 26,399,678 dollars, about 112,500 head of cattle having been slaiightered in the year. The principal sheep-breeding departments are Durazno, with 2,796,168 sheep on runs covering 2,571,600 acres, and Soriano, with >1, 699,736 sheep on 1,876,700 acres.