Daily globe., 1879-07-29
TURKEYS sTENGTH.

A'sS - AsSsS~s0 Sss1~ A's~O~S "s~Os W "sO VttUs
man Empire.
Some interesting information concerning
the present state of the Turkish army ind
navy is given in the last number of the Ber
lin Reports on Altercations and Improve
ments in Military Afairs.'' The writer says
that the total number of regular, irregular
md reserve troops raised by Turkey during
the campaigns Of 1876 to 1873 was about
$4,000, including 666,25O infantry, 81 900
cavalry, 41,00' artillery, and 1000 scientific
corps. A considerable percentage of these
troops we're over 40 years o: age. There were
employed in Europe 527 bsttalions of in
fantry, "a batteries of artillery and 81 ,regi-
ments of cavalry: and in Asia, including
the garrisOns in Crete, Arabia, Saria and
Bagdad, about 28O batallions, 81 batterie.
and II cavalry re, iments. About $50 battal.
ions and upward OF one-half the artillery
we're captured ON the battle field, besides
which upward of 400, 900 men were killed or
wounded, deserted, or died of disease, 80
that at the end of the war the army had
dwindled down to 1000 men. OF these
10000 were employed for the defense of Con
stantinoplc, 1000" for that of the Darda-
nelles, 10000 on the Servian, Montenegrin.
and Greek frontiers, and 10000 in Asia.
Such was the state of the army when Osman
Pasha was called upon to reorgabize it. The
gradual return of the 10000 troops who had
been in captivity in Russia added cousidera-
bly, both to the numbers and tho quality OF
the army; but the want of funds for tn.
clothing, arms, equipment and maintenance
of the soldiers made 1t necessary to send th
older men to their homes; 80 thlt the total
forces which Turkey nov has in the fielu
do not exceed 10000 men, inoludin.
$4,000 in and around Constantinople, 10, 600
at Tchataldja, 30, 900 in the districts evacuat
ed by the Russians 25,OOO at Salonica, IT,
OW in Albania, 10000 on the Servian from
tier, and 10000 in Asia. According to thu
reorganization which is now being carried
out the present division into seven army
corps is to be maintained, with headquarters
at Coustantinople, Adrianople, Monastir.
Ersindjan, Damascus, Bagdad, and Sana.
The peace establishment is to consist OF
134, 600 infantry, 22,4OO cavalry, $500 ar
tilery, $500 pioneers, and 10000 gendarms.
making in all 100000 men, with SIG
guns, or reduction of 26,5OO men and
~ guus b.low the peace estab-
lishment as it existed before the war. For
the war establishment there is to be q re
serve of 200, 600 men and 80 guns, so that
in time of war Turkey would have at her
disposal 100000 men Gncluding Egyptisn
troops and irregulars) and 888 guns. This
force. however, would, In the writer's opin-
ion, for the next ten years or SO can only exs
ist on paper, since Turkey has lost so many
men and 80 much war material that 1t will
be impossible for her to place an army of
more than 100000 men in the
field, even if all the reserves are called In.
As to the Turkish feet, it has also been con-
s'derably weakened by losses in war, and
also by sales of ships to the British govern
ment. Eight line Of battle ships the
Lugdjelil, Self, Semendire, Ischkodra, Dol
gorica, Sunne, Merz,na, and Siyaret, includ-
ing five ironclads-have been either sunk OF
captured, and nine ships Of the Danubian
fotllla, with screw frigate, an aviso, and
four steam transports of the Black sea fleet
are no longer recorded in the last official
navy list, though whether they have be-
come unfit for service or have teen sold
does not appear. Five other vessels of the
Black sea feet have been injured by tor.
pedoes or the fire OF Russian batteries.
Finally, three ships-the ironclalb frigate
Handle, and the ironclsd corvettes Bridjt
Sheriff and Peik-i-Shevket-hsve been sole
to England.