The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-25
JrRKEr's SUPERIOR ARNs.
Her Modern Repeater Against sinEI--Loaders
Turkish AVID Greek Onhc-r~

\ German officer, who apparently speaks By
the tooS, has made some Interesting co:npar-
isous lately between The Greek and Turkish
military ornaments. Probably ha is one % the
MANI Germans wh0 have bcca reoT--I:ZiIc and
drilling The Turkish army since the RusSo-Tg-k-
ish WAY. At all events. his statements have
been quote! on the Continent a. authoritative.
The Turkish intar;rv. lie says. carries a fire.
arm decidedly superior TO that OF the Greek
soliie-. The best OF the infantry has the small
cplihrc t-.t5 millimc-.c-, Nauser rife. model Of
lS9o. whose magazine holds five cartridges. Ia
1885 more thar 100 0pSut these rites had been
delivered TO the troops. Al present the number
in use is hardly below 10000. About POO. 600
o: the Turkish troops. however. still carr the
M,uscrs Of the lS~7 model C9.5 mll.metrcs
calIhrcI. but even these are reporters. The rest
Of the troops, with few exceptions, have the
Martini.I!eaEy rifle, a sinSle-lolder. However.
all the troops now az the front carry repcatcrs.
The Greeks. on the other hand. have the old.
fashioned large.cAlihre Gras siuglcloader.
What the difference means on he battlefield
one has only TO read the history OF Prussia's
Bohemian campaign against Austria 10 learn.
As regards artillery. the Greeks and Turks are
adiudg.d 10 be more nearly equal, each army
having 4 large number OF krupp guns for Held
and mountain batteries, besides u nondescript
collection OF old guns. As 10 cavalry, an Aus
TRAN officer writes to the .Nsue Freie Prcsse in
Vienn. that the Turks have the advantage
since most of the Greek horses have been bough,
in great haste and are too young 10 endure the
hardshlps of active campaigning. The Turkish
supply OF ammunition wGs said by the German
officer TO to a~Hipie-i.UOO rounds each for the
Martini-iIcnry rifles, I25 each for the Mausers,
model OF 50, ANA 200 each Tor the Mausers
model OF 80. To this supply large additions
doubtless have been made in the last weeks.
At tho beginning OF a campaign. the officer es.
Inmates, Turkey can mobilize 400, 600 men, in
the following three months 100. 600 more
Greece tall war footing he places as hich Is
10000. Rather un~comglimenIary opinions are
held b. HIM regarding tho officers CORPS o. the
two armies. The Greek officers are too Old: the
Turkish too ignorant. The ace limit in E;rey,,,
is 20 for Co!onc!s, lis for Captain, 30 !or MIyr..
ana ~ for LieuIenSnis. Even AT these a-rs. hc
says. the officers may not he forced to retire IN.
less they are completely broken physically ~
are gully o. crimes. ar the Turkish officers he
German officer wrltcs:
',Iheir educational Qualifications are smal!
ana ieW IN . large nuIntet OF cases. There arr
Generals WHO can neither read nor write: in fagt.
among he commissioned Officers u Al! branches
OF the service there ar" G,oou II.!t,rl-ns. 10 ba
sure. many Officers haNL been sent /, fpypi-l
!hr'iE, notably Germany, to study tactics ami
strategy in the hCsi aTIulta !n-,gr world. and
upon heir return have Nreu IL ,dr Instructor. ar
have been assigned 10 stan duty, bur in the gen.
er"i shiltiessncss much of the U"cn!n"as OF ihis
system has been lost to The troops.
ne officer finds The transportation facilities
Of the Turkish army 10 he dCp.urublc. aud tho
lack OF system in the distribution OF Hmmuni-
tiOh ana IA the COmiU!sAtriri 10 Dc appalling,
Ncycrl hcieBG, his rrN iuM Of the BitGntIOn ON
both sihcs OF tho border gives the Impression
mat turkey Is enormously superior to Greece ~
"a lighting power.
Inc same authOrity seems TO believe that cur.
rem reports OF mobilization anOaE tho Balkan
armies are highly significant. and he gives new
Statistics regarding the strength OF Bulgaria,
ii0uinania, and SuryiG. lie says that Suryin
hhs boon advanced unIor tho young KIM: 10
tho position of ~ sucOuG.rIass military power,
l.ttlc II any inferior on land 10 England luYscif.
The regular dr.l5 on a war footing 10 $500
strong; ir8L reserve, l2j,OOO; militia, 81 GOO.
This army has 1000 cavalry and 800 field guns.
Outside OF tho militia II IL well OiiicUrcd.
ROlIInnnia, Sayb the officer, has a war footing
OF l1j 900. including 1000 ca valry and ~ field
guns. Under King Charles, IA German Prince Of
high military education, the officers and privatos
have boon VOL trained in tho modern principles
Of war; in, fuct, are lar better acquainted with
the demand OF warfare to-day than are the
Spanish or English troOps. Bulgaria can put
l75,OOO men In the field. with 1000 cavalry and
Az Held guns, all OF approved modern type.
Thus. the Balkan countries can boast a total
OF 10000 troops. with moro than LOO guns
and $4,000 cavalry.