Part 9

Chapter 93,074 wordsPublic domain

The Turkish soldier is easily satisfied, quiet in his demeanour, unruffled, sparing of words, dignified, obedient, and true to the death. The romantic halo which formerly endowed the Turks with unequalled fighting powers in the assault and unconquerable stubbornness in the defence of strong positions, has faded. In vain does one now look for the Spahis and Delhis on their fiery horses, with crooked swords, flashing turbans and waving garments. With the exception of the red fez, the uniform of the Turkish troops has a distinctly European cut. The “Nizam” wear a dark-blue coat, usually wide in the body, to allow of the growth and alterations of the body, which take place during their six years’ service, and the “Redif” wear jackets or sleeved waistcoats. The most adventurous-looking are the Bashi-Bazouks (_i.e._ “lost heads”), a wild body of Irregular troops who carry on war in their own fashion, and who are little amenable to discipline. These wear bizarre and wild-looking dresses, and are armed with long rifles. The Army is extremely plucky in war, but is sadly deficient in good officers and non-commissioned officers.

* * * * *

The armies of the smaller States of the Balkan Peninsula, organised on the lines of great European Powers, will in future wars probably only act as allies to either Russia or Turkey. We need therefore cast but a hasty glance at them.

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[Sidenote: +GREECE.+]

_Greece_ has, in consequence of her universal conscription—

Infantry—27 battalions of the Line and 9 battalions of Rifles.

Cavalry—12 squadrons.

Artillery—2 Field, and 2 Mountain battalions, and 1 Garrison Artillery battalion, altogether 10 batteries with 64 guns.

The Army (including Engineers and Train, as well as Gendarmerie) consists of about 30,000 in peace-time, which could be reinforced in war-time to 80,000 men.

[Sidenote: +ROUMANIA.+]

_Roumania_ can bring into the 1st Line 4 Army Corps, well-drilled and well-armed (with repeating rifles and Krupp guns), and into the 2nd Line 4 more Divisions. Her peace strength consists of—

Infantry—16 battalions of the Line, 4 battalions of Rifles and 65 battalions of the Dorobanze (a Territorial Militia)—total, 85 battalions.

Cavalry—16 squadrons of Roșiori, (Hussars) and 54 squadrons of Kalaraschi (a species of Gendarmerie)—total, 70 squadrons.

Artillery—54 batteries with 312 guns.

The peace-strength of Roumania numbers over 30,000 men.

The war-strength consists of 120 battalions of Infantry, 80 squadrons of Cavalry, 72 batteries of Artillery, 20 companies of Engineers, and details; altogether 150,000 men and 448 guns.

Besides these there are 32 Local Militia battalions and a body of men corresponding to the German Landsturm.

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[Sidenote: +SERVIA.+]

_Servia_ can put into the field 5 Divisions, namely:—

Field Army—45 battalions, 25 squadrons, 25 batteries, besides Engineers and Train—total, 65,000 men and 100 guns.

Reserve Army—65,000 men, formed similarly to the above.

Landsturm—60 battalions, comprising 30,000 men. Total war-strength 130,000 men and 200 guns.

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[Sidenote: +BULGARIA.+]

_Bulgaria_, although her constitution is as yet not definitely settled, is not at all behindhand in the organisation of her Army. The principality would be able to put into the field an Army of over 30,000 well-trained men, besides 24,000 Landwehr and 7,000 Landsturm.

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[Sidenote: +EASTERN ROUMELIA.+]

The Army of _Eastern Roumelia_ is a species of Militia, which would in war-time amount to 64,000 men. The Standing Army numbers only 3,400 men, and their efficiency is not very great.

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[Sidenote: +MONTENEGRO.+]

_Montenegro._ In the western portion of the Balkan Peninsula, between the Dinaric Mountains and the Adriatic, though not touching the latter, lies a wild and craggy mountain land. According to the inhabitants, “When the Creator was walking over the earth, distributing rocks and plains, the bag in which the rocks were split, and those which remained fell on to Montenegro.”

There can certainly not have been many rocks in the bag, for the land of the Black Mountains (Montenegro or Tzernagora) is a tiny country of only about 2,300 square miles. The inhabitants are as wild as their country. They are a small, liberty-loving nation, of great physical beauty, and born warriors. When the Czar, the other day, called the Prince of Montenegro the best friend he had on earth, his speech probably referred less to the Prince himself than to the people whose merit and determined bravery he so much admired.

This nation has for centuries known how to preserve its independence. Turkey, who tried to exercise a sovereignty, over the people, came to grief when met by their determined opposition. In 1862 the inhabitants of Herzegovina rebelled against the sovereignty of the Crescent, and were supported in their revolt by the Montenegrins. The Turkish Government thereupon recalled their best general, Omar Pasha, from exile, and gave him the chief command of the forces sent against Herzegovina and her ally.

Omar Pasha forced his way into Montenegro at the head of a powerful Army. His forces were so superior to those of the Montenegrins that the latter could not keep up their brave opposition for very long, but the Turkish losses were so considerable, and their enemy so impossible to get at, that the former were glad when the Montenegrins showed themselves willing to treat for peace on easy conditions. Montenegro, therefore, stands to this day a rocky fortress and a bulwark against the advance of the Crescent.

Montenegro requires no law of universal conscription, for every able-bodied man has, as a matter of course, been trained to arms from his youth up. It has also no Standing Army, only a Body-Guard for the Prince, composed of 300 men,[23] of whom 50 are mounted. It is, however, stated that at least 35,000 men and a few mountain-guns could be put in the field in case of war, in order to defend the country against an invader from any quarter.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 22: Numbering 468 battalions Infantry, 432 squadrons Cavalry, 252 batteries Artillery, and 72 companies Engineers.—_Tr._]

[Footnote 23: “Peganicis.”]

APPENDIX.

SKETCH OF THE NAVIES OF EUROPE.

We have now finished with our bird-eye view of the Armies of Europe. A country armed strength does not, however, consist exclusively of her Army; her Navy has to be reckoned with as well. We will, therefore, glance at the naval forces of the chief of the European States.

[Sidenote: +ENGLAND.+]

The first place amongst Naval Powers is undoubtedly still held by Great Britain as queen of the seas, however much other nations may try to overhaul her in ships and material. There have certainly been voices heard lately in Parliament anent the alleged standstill—_i.e._, backsliding, when the race with foreign nations is taken into account—in the naval development of England. The late great Naval Review, however, last August, appeared to disarm all hostile criticism as to the strength and efficiency of the British Fleet. There were at that time, off Portsmouth, several square miles of vessels, altogether 112 fighting-ships. Yet this was but a small portion of England Navy, for the total English Fleet amounts to altogether 763 vessels, as follows:—

Turreted and belted men-of-war 37 Ironclad corvettes and cruisers 80 Sloops and gun-vessels 40 Gunboats 102 Torpedo-boats 120 Torpedo-ships, mine-layers, etc. 43 Despatch-vessels and survey-ships 33 Transports, sailing-vessels, and turret-ships 29 Various, for coast and harbour service 195 Auxiliary ocean steamers 23 --- Total 702 India 28 South Africa 2 Australia 31 --- Grand total 763 ---

[Sidenote: +FRANCE.+]

France possesses now—

Men-of-war 25 Other ironclads 29 Cruisers 58 Gunboats and avisos 82 Gun-sloops (small) 54 Torpedo-vessels, etc. 16 Torpedo-boats 136 Transports and sailing-ships 72 Coast and harbour service, etc. 107 Auxiliary ocean steamers 14 --- Total 593 ---

Besides over 200 small sailing-vessels and hulks.

[Sidenote: +RUSSIA.+]

Russia has of late years considerably increased her fleet, spending her substance chiefly on large ironclads, which appear to be the fashion nowadays. Her biggest ironclads are those in the Black Sea. The Russian Navy should not be, all the same, considered as a very powerful one, for a great many of her ironclads and torpedo-boats are out of date, and not up to the requirements of modern naval warfare.

The Russian fleet numbers altogether—

Men-of-war 21 Monitors and cruisers 44 Torpedo-vessels and gunboats 21 Torpedo-boats (old and new) 140 Sailing-vessels, etc. 50 Transports, etc. 123 Coast and harbour service 50 Boat-flotilla 33 --- Total 482 ---

[Sidenote: +ITALY.+]

The naval forces of Italy have increased very rapidly during the last twelve years. At present they number—

Men-of-war 19 Corvettes 19 Torpedo-vessels and avisos 26 Gunboats 10 Torpedo-boats 122 Transports and survey-ships 19 Harbour and coast service 92 Auxiliary ocean steamers 7 --- Total 314 ---

[Sidenote: +AUSTRIA.+]

Austria also has considerably increased her fleet. It now consists of—

Men-of-war and cruisers 15 Torpedo-vessels and gunboats 15 Corvettes, Transports, and avisos 21 Torpedo-boats 56 Harbour and coast service 19 --- Total 126 ---

[Sidenote: +GERMANY.+]

The latest recruit to the Naval Powers is Germany, “last not least,” of whose naval organisation we will give a few details.

The officers of the German Navy consist of 2 “Station-Chiefs” at Kiel and Wilhelmshaven with 2 flag-lieutenants, 3 vice-admirals, 17 post-captains, 33 corvette-captains, 64 “captain-lieutenants,” 120 lieutenants, and 114 sub-lieutenants. Besides these, there are 100 naval cadets, and engineers, paymasters, and surgeons in proportion.

The men, when on shore, are formed into 2 Divisions of seamen and 2 Divisions of dockyard men, at Kiel and Wilhelmshaven. Besides these, there is a Division of “ship-boys,” a Naval Police Corps, 2 battalions of Marine Infantry at Kiel and Wilhelmshaven, and 2 companies of Marine Artillery at Friedrichsort and Wilhelmshaven, and the Naval Medical Department.

The Marine Reserve and “Seewehr” are formed similarly to the Army Reserve and Landwehr.

The matériel consists of—

Men-of-war and other ironclads 26 Cruisers 26 Torpedo-vessels, gunboats, and avisos 18 Torpedo-boats 93 Various for harbour service 42 --- Total 205 ---

The original plan for forming a fleet, started in 1872–73, has been departed from in several details, gained from the experience of other nations and from the knowledge of German requirements; economy had also something to do with the matter. The building of huge ironclads was not persevered in, and more attention was paid to increasing the torpedo-flotilla for the defence of the coasts and ports.

Although the Imperial Navy is not yet strong enough to compete successfully with those of other great naval powers on the open sea, still one great object has been gained, _i.e._, the protection of trade and the merchant service. Germany is also now enabled to enter into commercial and political relations with distant countries, and to make the German flag respected in all parts of the world in a way which would not otherwise have been possible. The Navy will also be able in the future to defend the German coast-line and make the foreign invasion of her coasts an impossibility. It is difficult to forecast the probable development of the German Navy, for the colonies which the country has recently founded and is still founding will increase its task and may lead to the formation of a much larger fleet.

The recognition which the German Navy has lately won on all sides, especially on the part of England, allows of the hope that it will soon be considered as fit to go hand in hand with the German Army. One thing is certain, and that is, that its successes, whether in the hoisting of the national flag in distant parts of the world, or in the more peaceful task of cementing friendly relations with other Powers, are followed with the greatest interest and appreciation by the whole of the German Empire.

LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.