Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 02.djvu/54

ARMIES. cavalry, and artillery; a regiment being stationed in the capital of each province.

Military service is compulsory from the age of 21 years; two years being spent in the army, eight in the reserve, and twenty in the national nnlitia. In 1902, the total strength of the mobilized regular army and reserve was given as 160,751. Theoretically, the war strength of Servia, including the militia, is about 354,000 men, but it is probably only 300,000.

There is no armed militia, every man being liable for service as required. The standing army consists of about 5000 men, but between 10,000 and 12,000 could be mobilized in a very short time.

Every Spaniard past the age of 19 is liable for service; although exemption may be purchased by patient of 1500 pesetas. The army strength in 1901-02 was as follows:

For a period of five years from 1902, the Swedish Army is to consist of three distinct classes of troops: (1) The Varfvade, or enlisted troops, who serve either two or three years; (2) The Indelta, training in which consists of from 200 to 400 days in two years, and annually afterwards for 22 or 23 days' drill; (3) The Varnpligtige, or conscription troops, who are secured by annual levy. The total peace strength, exclusive of the conscripted troops, is 37,200 officers and men.— The army of the country is secured largely by conscription, although a small proportion voluntarily enlist. Conscription is from the twenty-second year of age, service being in either the line, the Landvaern, or the Landstorm, or final levy. In time of war nearly 82,000 trained men would be available; but the number actually under arms can never exceed 18,000 men without the consent of the Storthing.

The Army of Switzerland is practically a militia, every citizen being liable to military service and receiving occasional training. The following table gives the divisions and numbers of the armed forces of the country for 1901-02:

Every Mussulman over 20 years of age is liable to military service for a period of twenty years. Non-Mohammedans are exempted on payment of a tax, the equivalent of about $1.50. The army is divided into seven districts, with which are associated seven army corps. The entire Turkish Army organization is defective and exceedingly corrupt. The troops are scantily fed and clothed, badly equipped; and with pay invariably in arrears, discipline is naturally at a discount. Yet the natural qualities of the Turk as a fighting man have become proverbial, and are historically justified. His racial characteristics are greatly reinforced by the militant features of the religion he professes, the head of which is the Sultan. Should the latter in his religious capacity proclaim a holy war, he could command millions of subjects of other empires, which fact, in addition to his own forces, gives him a power that more than anything else has contributed to his present European security. The war strength of the army, permanent, territorial, and reserve, for the year 1901, was stated to be 1,500,000 men, and the peace establishment 700,620.

The establishment of the United States Army, according to the reorganization of February 2, 1901, consists of 30 regiments of infantry, 15 of cavalry, and an artillery corps of 126 companies of coast-artillery and 30 batteries of field-artillery; 3 battalions of engineers, hospital corps, signal corps, ordnance department, medical department, quartermaster's department, adjutant-general's department, inspector-general's department, pay department, and subsistence department. The interior organization of units is as follows: Infantry regiments have an enlisted strength, including band and staff, of 1284 men; 4 companies constitute a battalion, and 3 battalions a regiment. Cavalry regiments contain, with band and staff, 12 troops of 85 men each, making a total of 1056. Coast-artillery companies contain 109, and batteries 160 men each. Engineer companies contain 104 men, 4 companies constituting a battalion, which, with staff, numbers 418 enlisted men. According to statistics published by the Adjutant-General, October 1, 1901, the strength of the Regular Army consisted of 3278 officers and 81,235 enlisted men, a total of 84,513, distributed as follows:

This includes 4336 men of the hospital corps and 25 officers and 815 men of the Porto Rican Provisional Regiment. There were also in the Philippines, on the above date, 172 volunteer surgeons, and 73 officers, 4973 men, native scouts. Under the Constitution of the United States, the President is commander-in-chief of the army, the administration of which is in the hands of the secretary of war and of the department of which he is the head. The military establishment is under the orders of the commanding general of the army, so far as pertains to army discipline and control. Fiscal matters are conducted by the secretary of war, through the several staff departments. The commanding general promulgates orders from the President or secretary of war, if relating to military operations, or concerning the military control and discipline of the army.

The Regular Army may be reinforced by additional volunteer regiments at any time, on the authorization of Congress. During and after the Spanish War of 1898, many volunteer regiments of cavalry and infantry were organized, and after being used on more or less active service were mustered out as the circumstances warranted. The period of enlistment for enlisted men is three years. Every able-bodied