Part 5
The first unit composed of all three arms is the Infantry division. It consists of usually two brigades of Infantry and one regiment of Cavalry; and, in the field, has in addition 6 batteries of Artillery and 1 company of Engineers, the whole under the command of a lieutenant-general. A Cavalry Division varies in strength, but has always, if possible, one or two batteries of Horse Artillery attached.
Two, or three, Infantry Divisions, with a brigade (2 regiments) of Field Artillery, Engineers and Train, constitute an Army Corps, under the command of a full general. The Army Corps therefore comprises all branches of the service, and is thoroughly independent.
The 12th (Saxon) and 13th (Württemberg) Corps have a slightly different composition. They each number 4 Infantry, 2 Cavalry and 1 Field Artillery Brigades (each brigade consisting of 2 regiments), besides one battalion of Field Engineers and one of the Train. The Guard Corps also is constituted rather differently from any other.
[Sidenote: +Size of Army.+]
On the 1st April, 1890, the entire German Army consisted of 20 Army Corps, quartered as follows:—
The Guard Corps, in Berlin, Potsdam, Charlottenburg, and Spandau (with the exception of the 4th Guard Grenadier Regiment, which is quartered at Coblenz).
+-------------------------+------------ Corps. | District. | Head | | Quarters. ---------------+-------------------------+------------ I. | East Prussia | Königsberg II. | Pomerania | Stettin III. | Brandenburg | Berlin IV. | Province of Saxony | Magdeburg V. | Posen | Posen VI. | Silesia | Breslau VII. | Westphalia | Münster VIII. | Rhine Provinces | Coblenz IX. | Schleswig-Holstein | Altona X. | Hanover | Hanover XI. | Hesse-Nassau[16] | Cassel XII. | Kingdom of Saxony | Dresden XIII. | Kingdom of Württemberg | Stuttgart XIV. | Grand Duchy of Baden | Carlsruhe XV. | Alsace | Strasburg XVI. | Lorraine | Metz XVII. | West Prussia | Danzig 1st Bavarian } | | Corps. } | Bavaria | Munich 2nd Bavarian } | | Corps. } | ” | Würzburg ---------------+-------------------------+------------
The nineteen Territorial Districts of the Army correspond to the nineteen Army Corps Districts. The recruits, however, of the XVth and XVIth Corps districts are not allowed to serve there, but are distributed amongst other corps. The Guard Corps draws its recruits from the different districts of Prussia, and from Alsace-Lorraine.
The main idea which directed the above recent apportioning of troops was to distribute them so as to be immediately available in case of war in any quarter. Formerly, the tendency was to group the forces where they could be most conveniently trained and worked, without reference to the possibilities of war.
Now that the new distribution of Army Corps has placed three Corps (XIVth, XVth, and XVIth) on the western, and four Corps (Ist, IInd, Vth, XVIIth) on the eastern frontier, it will be possible at the first declaration of war with either France or Russia to combine large masses of Cavalry and throw them at once into the enemy’s territory. One or two battalions of Jäger are also to be sent shortly into Alsace, in order to watch the passes over the Vosges.
The peace-strength of the German Army is reckoned at—
534 Battalions of Infantry, 465 Squadrons of Cavalry, 364 Batteries of Artillery with 1,500 fully-horsed guns. Total, 19,457 officers and 468,400 men.
In consequence of the extension of the Landwehr and Landsturm, it is difficult to arrive at an exact estimate of the German war-strength.[17] In the event of war, different Army Corps and Cavalry Divisions will be combined into Armies, but their number and strength will necessarily depend on the theatre in which they are to be utilised, on the plan of campaign, and on the strength of the enemy. The resources of the Empire will not, however, come to an end with the 20 Army Corps whose strength we have just been describing. Behind the men doing their seven years of service, who compose the Active Army, come those of the 1st and 2nd Class Landwehr, and behind these again come the Ersatz Reserve and the Landsturm.
Although this tremendous Army of close on two million of well-trained and well-armed men may at first sight appear a menace to the peace of the world, still we must remember that Germany is absolutely obliged, for the preservation of her very existence, to keep up these huge forces, and that she has no intention of using them except for that purpose. As an old national proverb has it: “He who wants to come to grief in war had better try a fall with Germany.”
ADDENDUM TO GERMANY.
P. 25. The German Infantry now numbers 173 regiments and 19 Rifle battalions—total 538 battalions.
P. 31. The Artillery has lately been increased to 387 batteries of Field, and 47 batteries of Horse Artillery, the whole forming 43 regiments.
P. 32. The Engineers number 20 battalions.
P. 34. The peace strength of the German Army now numbers
538 battalions of Infantry, 465 squadrons of Cavalry, 434 batteries of Artillery, with over 1700 guns.
The latest estimate of the German Army at war-strength, _i.e._ Active Army, Active Reserve, and 1st class Landwehr, is as follows—
48,635 officers, 2,253,841 men, 445,104 horses, 3,982 guns.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 11: Or in the Navy and Naval Reserve respectively as required.]
[Footnote 12: “Beurlaubtenstand.”]
[Footnote 13: Corresponding somewhat to our University Degree.]
[Footnote 14: Or rather, will be in the near future.—_Tr._]
[Footnote 15: The word Uhlan means “belonging to the hoof,” in the language of that region.]
[Footnote 16: Including the independent (25th) Hesse-Darmstadt Division.]
[Footnote 17: It may be taken as 36,582 officers, 1,493,690 combatants, 27,000 non-combatants, 331,904 horses, 2,952 guns.—_Tr._]
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.
The next on the list is Germany’s powerful neighbour, friend, and ally on her southern frontier, Austria-Hungary.
There is in the Austro-Hungarian Army a varied assemblage of different races: the honest Austrian, the proud and fiery Hungarian, the smart Czech, the true-hearted Tyrolese, the thin onion-eating Wallachian, the hot-blooded Croat, the nomad Slowak, the homeless gipsy, etc., etc., are all represented in its ranks. All these have been welded together by the iron bands of discipline into the “Imperial and Royal” Army. The Emperor is Commander-in-Chief, and with him rests the decision for peace or war.
After the disastrous campaign of 1866 the Austrian Army was entirely reorganised. The reorganisation is now almost completed, and the Army now takes its place as one of the foremost in the world. The division of the Empire into Cis- and Trans-Leithania—_i.e._ this side, the Austrian, and that side, _i.e._ the Hungarian, of the Leitha, a tributary of the Danube, is only partially carried out in the military system.
[Sidenote: +Terms of Service.+]
According to the conscription law of December, 1868, universal conscription is now the rule; in the whole Austro-Hungarian Empire, and exemption by purchase, formerly allowed, is now abolished. The forces are divided into the Standing Army, the Ersatz Reserve, the Landwehr, and the Landsturm.
About 103,000 recruits are yearly admitted into the Standing Army, of which Cis-Leithania contributes 54,000. Those able-bodied young men who are not taken into the Standing or Active Army are sent for ten years to the Ersatz Reserve, which is intended, as in Germany, to provide reinforcements for the Active Army. Service in the latter is for three years with the Colours and seven years in the Active Reserve. Service in the Landwehr is for two years for those who have served ten years in the Active Army and Reserve or in the Ersatz Reserve, and for twelve years for those who have been sent straight thither, for various reasons, on conscription. After the Landwehr service, the soldier is sent for five years to the 1st Class Landsturm, and for five years more to the 2nd Class Landsturm. By this time he is forty-two years of age. The one-year Volunteers are enlisted in the same manner as in Germany (q. v.).
[Sidenote: +Organisation.+]
The whole Empire is, for military purposes, divided into fifteen Territorial Districts; these are of various sizes, so that the Austrian Army Corps are not all of the same strength. In case of war, the whole “Imperial and Royal” Army would be grouped into three armies, under one supreme command, each army consisting of three or more Army Corps. The Army Corps consists of 2 Infantry Divisions, each of 2 brigades. The division is commanded by a “field-marshal-lieutenant,” corresponding to our lieutenant-general, and the brigade by a major-general.
Each Infantry brigade has as a rule 2 regiments, and 1 battalion of Rifles. Besides the 2 Infantry brigades, each Division has in addition 2 to 4 squadrons of Cavalry, 1 battery division (2 to 3 batteries of Field Artillery), and 1 company of Engineers.
[Sidenote: +Infantry.+]
The Infantry of the Active Army comprises 102 regiments, each of 4 Field and 1 Ersatz battalions; the latter is in peace-time represented by a cadre only. The 4th Field battalions, so-called “Mobile” battalions, have mostly a stronger peace-establishment than the others, and are used to garrison Bosnia, Herzegovina, and the Sanjak of Novi-Bazar; _i.e._ they are completely separated from their regiments.
The Rifles comprise the Tyrolese Rifle Regiment of 10 Active and 2 Ersatz battalions, and 32 independent battalions of Rifles, each of 4 Field and 1 Ersatz companies.
The Infantry has (since 1868) laid aside its historical white uniform, and is now clothed in dark blue tunics or loose jackets, and light blue trousers, the latter in the Hungarian regiments being ornamented with embroidery and fitting like tights. The Hungarian regiments wear lace-boots, the remainder Wellingtons. The usual head-dress is the fatigue-cap, and, on great occasions, the shako. The Rifles are dressed in blue-grey.
After 1866 the Austrian Infantry was armed with an excellent breech-loader, the Werndl rifle. Since the German Infantry have attained a certain moral superiority by being armed with a magazine-rifle, the authorities have introduced a magazine-rifle for the Infantry and Rifles.
So quickly has the work of manufacturing and issuing them proceeded, that by the autumn of this year (1890) it is expected that they will all be thus armed, and will have overtaken the German Infantry. The new Austrian magazine-rifle, called after its inventor, Colonel Männlicher, is of ·315-inch bore, and can fire 30 to 40 shots in the minute.
Austria possesses an excellent Rifle Regiment in the Tyrolese, the so-called Emperor Rifles, mentioned above, which is composed of men accustomed from their youth up to the use of the rifle. They are recruited in the Tyrol and Vorarlberg.
[Sidenote: +Cavalry.+]
The Cavalry of the Active Army consists of—
14 Regiments of Dragoons (Austrians and Bohemians), 16 Regiments of Hussars (Hungarians), and 11 Regiments of Lancers (with Polish Reserve).
Each regiment consists of 6 squadrons and a depôt-cadre. In case of mobilisation the latter develops into one Ersatz squadron (in which are trained the Ersatz men and the extra horses required), one Reserve squadron for supply purposes, and two sections of Staff Cavalry for service at the headquarters of Corps and at Field-Supply stores. The peace establishment of the Austro-Hungarian Cavalry accordingly comes to 246 squadrons, and the war-establishment to 246 Field, 41 Reserve, and 41 Ersatz squadrons, besides the Staff Cavalry.
The Cavalry Regiments are clothed according to their nationality. The Dragoons wear a light-blue tunic, the Uhlans their tunic of peculiar cut, and the Hussars the jacket and attila, the latter as a rule suspended by yellow cords from the shoulder. The whole Cavalry wear red breeches, tight in the Hussar regiments, and loose in the others.
The Hungarian Hussars, on their small but swift horses, are a peculiarly national institution. These Hussars (from a Magyar word “husz,” meaning “twenty,” from the fact that every twenty houses in Hungary had to provide one horseman in days gone by) have always been particularly prominent in the Austrian Army and were long held to be pre-eminent in their mode of fighting, until Frederick II. formed some regiments after their pattern. These were afterwards increased to ten in number, and, under celebrated leaders like Zieten, soon won for themselves renown equal to that of their Hungarian cousins.
The whole of the Cavalry is armed alike, with sword and Werndl carbine. The Uhlans’ lances have been done away with since 1884, but there is a question of the re-introduction of this old Polish weapon. After the Infantry has been fully armed with the magazine-rifle, the Cavalry will, it is said, be armed with repeating-carbines, which will have been served out by next spring (1891). This is an example which, it is to be hoped, other armies will soon follow.[18]
[Sidenote: +Artillery.+]
The Artillery comprises Field and Garrison Artillery. The Field Artillery consists of 14 regiments of Corps Artillery, numbered according to their Army Corps and each of 5 batteries; and of 28 independent Heavy Battery Divisions, each of 3 batteries. Several Corps Artillery Regiments have in addition a couple of Horse Artillery Batteries, or a Mountain Battery.
The batteries have each in peace-time 4, and in war-time 8, fully-horsed guns. An exception to this are the Horse Artillery batteries, which always have 6 guns in the battery.
The Mountain Batteries, which have been found most useful in campaigns in Dalmatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, are a peculiar feature of the Austrian Artillery. Their guns can be dismounted and packed on the backs of mules, and in this way they can be transported along narrow mountain-paths.
The Corps Artillery Regiments are to have their number of batteries increased by one each, but this will barely be completed before 1892.
The Austrian Field Artillery has an excellent weapon in the shape of the 2·95-inch Uchatius steel bronze gun, and also that of the 3·43-inch bronze gun for the heavy batteries, both equal in worth to the Krupp gun. The shells are of the German pattern, but the shrapnel have fewer bullets than the German ones. Besides these projectiles, case-shot, fire-shells, and so-called high-angle shells, for bursting among troops behind cover, are carried with the battery.
The Garrison Artillery numbers 12 battalions, each of 5 Field and 1 Depôt-cadre companies. Eighteen more battalions have been projected, and will be formed in the course of the next few years according to the amount of money in hand.
The uniform of the Artillery is dark-brown. The men are armed with sword and revolver, those of the Garrison Artillery carrying the Werndl rifle instead.
[Sidenote: +Engineers.+]
The Corps of Engineers is composed of the Engineer Staff and Engineer troops. The former is exclusively composed of officers; the latter of 2 regiments of 5 battalions each. Each battalion has 4 Field, 1 Reserve, and 1 Depôt-cadre companies. The Pioneer Regiment, not considered as Engineers, consists of 5 battalions, similarly constituted to the Engineer battalions.
The Railway and Telegraph Regiment, which has but recently been formed, after the German model, consists of 2 Field and 1 Depôt-cadre battalions.
The Train consists of 3 regiments of 5 squadrons each and a Depôt-cadre.
There is no Guard Corps in the Austrian Army, so several bodies of troops have been formed for the honour of protecting the Emperor person and guarding his palaces. These are the Arcieren squadron of Life-Guards, the Hungarian Body-Guard, the Trabanten Body-Guard, the squadron of Horse-Guards, and the Infantry Company of the Guard. These troops are richly dressed in peculiar uniforms.
[Sidenote: +Reserve Troops.+]
The Landwehr is formed into two distinct bodies, which are also quite distinct from the Active Army; each Landwehr is under its own ministry of defence. In peace-time only the cadres exist; that is to say, that of 92 Infantry battalions and 6 Cavalry regiments (24 squadrons) of Cis-Leithanian Landwehr, only 1 strong company per battalion and 1 strong squadron per Cavalry Regiment are kept up.
The Native Rifles (Landesschützen) of the Tyrol and Vorarlberg consist of 10 battalions in time of peace, which are in war-time increased by ten Reserve battalions.
[Sidenote: +The Honvéd.+]
In Trans-Leithania the Landwehr forms a peculiar national Hungarian Army, the so-called Honvéd Army, which is subject in war-time only to the commander-in-chief, and in peace-time only to the Royal Hungarian jurisdiction, _i.e._ the Ministry of Defence and the Landwehr Ministry. It forms in peace-time the Cadres for 92 battalions of Infantry and 15 regiments of Honvéd Hussars (60 squadrons). The officers of this force are trained in the Honvéd Ludovica Academy at Buda Pesth. It is on this Army, whose standards and badges are of the Hungarian colours, and which in time of war reaches nearly 200,000 men, that the pride of Hungary rests. It is this Army whose predecessors saved the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy from destruction a century and a half ago. On the 21st of September, 1741, the Empress Queen, Maria Theresa, came to her Parliament at Presburg in dire distress. Dressed in the national Hungarian dress, with her newly born son (destined to become Joseph II.) in her arms, pain and courage depicted on her noble countenance, she advanced towards the Hungarian nobles, and in a powerful Latin speech asked for the National Army to be called out, to protect her and her country from her many foes. Then the Hungarian magnates tore their crooked swords from their scabbards, clashed them wildly together, and shouted: “Moriamur pro rege nostro Maria Theresa!” With the help of her brave Hungarians, Maria Theresa, after making peace with Frederick II. of Prussia, succeeded in beating off her numerous enemies.
[Sidenote: +Conclusions.+]
If we consider that the total strength (on a war establishment) of the Austro-Hungarian Army, Line and Landwehr included, exceeds one million of trained men, of which 778,889 belong to the 1st Line, and we remember that the Cis-Leithanians are in no way inferior in warlike spirit, that inheritance of their forefathers, to their brethren on the far side of the Leitha, we shall come to the conclusion that in the Austrian Army, with its excellent Corps of officers and excellent material in the shape of men and horses, any State in Europe would find either a powerful adversary or a most desirable ally.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 18: Turkey set this example long ago.—_Tr._]
ITALY.
In Italy we have the third of the Powers who have formed the Triple Alliance in order to maintain the peace of Europe and to make common cause against any disturber thereof. The history of this country has been very similar to that of Germany. In this instance also, an energetic Prince, King Victor Emmanuel of Sardinia (died 1878), supported by an active statesman, Count Cavour, placed himself at the head of the national movement in favour of unity, and formed the various States of the Peninsula into one kingdom under his rule.
The kingdom of Italy appears thenceforth as the last formed among the European Powers, and it has raised an excellent Army in order to maintain its position as such. The development of the latter has since that time progressed considerably, and especially so during the last decade, when a distinct advance has been apparent.
Constituted on the principle of Universal Conscription, the land forces of Italy are formed, similarly to those of the German Empire, into a Standing Army, a Landwehr (Milizia mobile), and a Landsturm (Milizia territoriale).
[Sidenote: +Terms of Service.+]
The liability to serve commences with the twentieth year, and continues till the thirty-ninth. It consists of eight years in the Standing Army (three with the Colours and five in the Reserve); four years in the Landwehr, and seven years in the Landsturm. Those who have been exempted from service by ballot are sent straight to the Landsturm for nineteen years.
When the young men attain the age rendering them liable to serve, those physically unfit are “cast,” and some are put back who are ill or excused for domestic reasons. The remainder of the men draw lots and are placed according to their lottery number in the 1st or 2nd class, those excused being placed in the 3rd class. The 1st class conscripts are distributed throughout the Standing Army. The 2nd class go through three months’ training, to form an Ersatz (or reinforcing) Reserve, and the 3rd class men are called out every four years for a few days at a time for instruction in the use and manipulation of their arms.
The Standing Army consists accordingly of eight yearly batches of the 1st class and eight of the 2nd class; the Landwehr of four yearly batches of men who have served their time in the Standing Army, and four batches of the 2nd class; and the Landsturm comprises seven batches of the 1st, seven of the 2nd, and nineteen of the 3rd class.
[Sidenote: +Infantry.+]
The Infantry of the Standing Army consists of 96 regiments (including 2 Grenadier regiments), each of 3 battalions and 1 Ersatz company. Besides these, there are the special Corps d’Élite, the Bersaglieri (“marksmen”—from bersaglia = a target), and the Alpini (Alpine Rifles).
The Bersaglieri, in 12 regiments, each of 3 battalions and 1 Ersatz company, are Light Infantry, trained to execute all movements at the “double,” exceedingly good shots, and looking very smart in their neat uniforms, the large hats of which are ornamented with a waving bunch of cock feathers.
The Alpine Troops consist of 7 regiments (forming 75 companies), to which are attached 9 mountain batteries. These are also considered Corps d’Élite.
Composed of herdsmen and gamekeepers, familiar with every footpath in the Alps, never fatigued, quick of sight and hearing, and excellent shots, they are equally valuable in reconnoitring work or on the field of battle, although their original rôle is that of acting in defence of their mountain passes. The Alpine companies are placed in summer as near as possible to the particular mountain passes whose defence is assigned to them, and are stationed for only half the year in the towns as winter quarters.
Their duty is carried out with a particular object in view, and consists mostly in shooting, skirmishing, constant marches over mountain paths, reconnaissance duty and patrolling, and in minor tactics.