Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/551

* MILITARY TERRITOIIIES. 497 MILITIA. trade in ^uiu^. l;ul)l)ei- is thi' otiicr leading ar- ticle of trallic. The railway, whiuli has been building for many years from Senegal west tlirough Kays and Kita to Bammaku to con- nect the Niger with the ocean, is now expected to reach this destination about lOOG. Only almut 150 miles remain to be constructed. The first French e.xpedition entered the region of the ter- ritories in 18G0. The French began an active conquest in 1880. In 18!U Timbuktu fell into their hands. French control of the district was ratified by a treaty with Great Britain in 1898. MILITCHEVITCH, me'le-chev'ich, Milan (lft;!l — ). A Servian writer, born near Bel- grade. Having studied theology and done some teaching, he obtained, in 1852, a State cillice, and was made secretary to the Servian Minister of Education in 1801. Among his geo- graphical and ethnological writings are an ex- haustive topographical work. The Principality of Servia (1876); Servian Peasant Life (1867 and 1873) ; The Kingdom of Servia (1884) ; Let- ters on the History of the Servians and Bul- garians (1858-59); Education in America (1863); Letters of a Tourist (1865); Schools in Servia (1868): the pedagogical jjeriodieal The School (1868-76), and the short .sketches Jurmus and Fatinui (1879) and Winter Even- ings (1879). ililitchevitch is one of the most learned as well as talented Servian authors. MILITELLO, me'le-tel'16, IN V.L DI Cat.- KiA. A town in the Province of Catania, Sicily, situated about 25 miles southwest of C!atania, with which it is connected by rail (Map: Italy, J 10). It trades in wine, fruit, and silk. Popu- lation, in 1901 (commune), 11,539. MILITIA (Lat. militia, military service, sol- dier, from miles, OLat. meilcs, soldier). An organized military force. Originally organized for national defense, it has, since the advent of .standing armies, become practically the second line of defense in England ami in the United States, representing the entire able-bodied part of the population. Specifically the title applies to the purely defensive branch of the national military system of the countries referred to, the mobile and territorial militia of Italy and the opoltchenie of Russia closely resembling it. The Landuehr and Landsturm of (Germany and Austria, and the territorial army of France, may also be regarded as the militia etpiivalcnt. In the I'nited States the system differs somewhat from the English in that it is not a Federal or national force, vmless called into the service of the Federal Government, it being normally a State organization. From 1775 to 1783 the bulk of the Federal armies consisted of State troops, a condition which continued to exist long after the Revolution itself. The United States militia consists of every able-bodied male citizen of the respective States, Territories, ami the District of Columbia, and every able-bodied citizen of foreign Idrth who has declared his intention to become a citizen, who is more than eighteen and less than forty-five years of age. It is divided into two classes — the organized militia, known as the National Guards of the State, Territory, or District of Columbia, or by such other desig- nation as may be given them by the laws of the respective States or Territories, and the re- mainder known as the reserve militia. The or- ganization, armament, and discipline are the same as those prescribed for the regular and volunteer armies of the United States. The President may call out, for a period not c.cecding nine months, such numbeVs of the militia of the States. Ter- ritories, or District of Columbia as he may deem necessary. During their peiiod of service they become subject to the same rules and articles of war as the regular forces. Eacli Stiite and Ter- ritory and the District of Columbiii has an adju- tant-general, who is charged with the duties as prescribed by the State, and the rendering of regular reports to the Secretary of War regard- ing the strength, condition, etc., of the organized militia of the State to which he belongs. See United States in the article Armif-s. The table on the following page is an abstract of the militia force of the United States (organ- ized), according to the returns of the Adjutant- General for 1902. The militia of Great Britain is a constitutional force raised under authority of Parliament for national defeu.se only. It cannot be used on foreign service without its consent and the au- thority of ParlianEcnt. Before the Norman Con- quest "rents for land were paid in body service, the able-bodied men of each family bearing arms in numbers proportionate to the land held by the familv. This system is attributed to the Saxon King" Alfred. The country was organized into dukedoms, hundreds, tithings (ten tithings mak- ing the hundred), and families, the number of families in a tithing varying with the necessities of the times. After the decisive battle of Hast- ings (1006) the fyrd, as the militia was then called, ceased to exist officially, although continu- ing to give the Normans considerable troulile. The national exigencies during the Seven Years' War rendered imperative the reorganization of 1757, since which period more attention has been devoted to it. In 1871 the War Office assumed control, and the county authorities ceased to have any active interest in it other than the right to nominate officers. It is now (1903) a part of the military territorial system, two or more local militia battalions being attached to each territorial district, and forming the third, fourth, or fifth battalions (as the ease may be) of the regular regiments to which they are attached. See liritish Empire in the article Ahmies. In Russia, what is now the opoltchenie was originally a simple militia, w^hich was reor- ganized 'in 1888 and again in 1891, -when the period of service was changed from forty to forty-five years for the soldiers and from fifty to tifty-fiv'e for officers. The opoltchenie is now- divided into two parts. The first, pycrri ra^ryad — which is practically a reserve, and includes all who have passed or" served the active term or period — is intended princiiially as a source of supply for the filling up of regiments. In time of war or national need cadres (q.v.) are formed in connection, so that when the opoltchenie is mobilized the organization is com- plete. The rtoroyi razryad, or second part, in- cludes all who have ser-ed in the first iiart. men excused from other services for ithysical reasons, or those who have been excused as being the sole support of their families. This division can only be called out for the organization of militia corps, and then only by Imperial manifesto. In Italy the militia is largely a reserve of the regu- lar army. The annual levies are in three divi-