The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-03
THE TURKISH ARMY.
Soldiers who Can light but Who Don
Know Right from Len.

Know i-iknt mum h'''
Turkish soldiers are recruited rom
lie half starved peasants, whose lives
Of perpetual privadon have trained
them for Just the kind Of soldiers Iur,
kew wants-men who can live on next
in nothing. who care little what they
wear and who, never having had any
money, don't expect 1t SIMPLY ioi
FIGHTING. Sometimes they are mol
maid for months at time, and Their
food is poor and insufficient II Is al
WAYS a puzzle how they are equipped.
The system by which military serv'
ice i'm Turkey is recruited Is tins:
There are about :, 900, 600 OF 100000
Mussulmans who are eligible for mill
tarv service between tho ages Of ~
and 40. The law mentions Mussul-
mans only, but Christians, If Turkish
subjects. must also serve, though the
latter can buy themselves out Of the
land service on paying about 500 oil
our money.
There are four classes in the regular
armv-the acting or standing army,
called Nlzams; the Ichtyat, or reserve
Of the MANS; the first army OF the
Redifs or reserve, the second army OF
the Rcdif5 and the Mustaphiz or terri
torial army
On entering the army as q recruit
the new arrival stays from one TO three
years in the standing army, the next
four i'm the Ichtyat then seven with
the Redifs and six with the territorial
army. Il a recruit has "a horse Of ms
own and keeps it at his own expense
he gets promoted at once TO the first
class Of Redif cavalry, without active
service.
Tho Turkish empire is divided into
seven military districts, and each ct
these is divided again into eight re
cruiting districts, these districts com
prising the whole dominion OF Turkey
In Asia. Europe and Africa.
There are nineteen army corps IN
vided into brigades regiments, bat
talions and companies all full with
cavalry and artillery and engineers.
While peace exists the Mans alone
ARE kept. the rest being disbanded &c
return 10 their usual avocaiiOns.
The troops are armed with rifles OF
modern make, many Of them from
America, and the artillery Is also Of
the best
The Turks make good soldiers-obe
dent and courageous. Promotion is
once in long while the result of per
sonal merit. but more often It Is Oh
tanned by intrigue OF actual purchase
All the generals and staff officers an
appointed by the sultan himself on th'
Recommendation of the minister OF
war. bat that functionary, no matter
who ho may be, is never above ing
reach Of proper arguments, and AL
vancements are obtained nine times
out Of ten by the influence Of women
There is q military school which
was fouhded by a French gentleman
whoraljo introduced percussion cap
I int>lL.s->ey, under the reign OF Sniim
Mahmoud. modelled after that OF sam
Cvr. in France Now at least on
officer I'm hundred can read anC
write. but tine rank and file are M tl'
densest ignorance and absolutely dc
not know their right hand from thcl
left. There is also school OF artillery
/ and those schools have done much u
raise the standard Of the army.
In civil government the sultan
chief and his power is absolute unit
7 his enemies want q change and he /
induced TO resign, or, in other words
is put 10 death. Butwhile he lives IN
power is limited only by the laws o
nature. Next 10 the sultan In nationa
importance Is the grand vizleri ate
him is the scrasllir pacha, or lninlsl ..
Of war; then the minister OF pu0ll
works; then tho captain p9cna, o
minister of marine, and after hum d.
minister of justice.-Cor. New 1or
Herald.