The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-10-13
THE BULGARIAN ARMY.
Entire Fighting Strength Is
Nearly 100000 Men.
MILITARY SERVICE OBLIGATORY.


Compelled t Q Serve The Forces
Are Armed with Rifles and Field
Gums of Modern Make.
: The Bulgarian army may be regard
cd as one Of the best organized and
most efficient among those of the Sec
ond rate powers, and it's rank and
file, at least, is considered by experts
to be superior to that of any other
Balkan state, says the Chicago Trib-
une. The Bulgarian army is, however,
Of comparatively recent origin, in that
it sprang from the battalions of Bull
garian volunteers which were organ
lied in 1877 by the Russian staff and
co-operated with the Russian army dur
ing the campaign of 1S77-7S. Military
service is obligatory in Bulgaria and
even extends to all foreigners who
have been resident in the country for
a period of three years.
The Bulgarian forces consist of the
active or field army, divided into the
active army and the active army re-
serve, the reserve army and the militia,
comprising two bans. In time of peace
the active army, but not its reserve, is
on a permanent footing. and the re-
serve army has permanent cadres,
while the two bans of the militia have
neither a permanent footing nor ca
dres; for NO actual service or training
of the men of the two bans takes place
except in time of war. The first ban
of the militia may be used exception
ally to strengthen the field and re-
serve armies, but the second ban can
only be employed for home defense.
The composition of the field army is
as follows: The infantry. 'pekhota,"
number t%wenty-four regiments, each of
which has a peace establishment OF
two b%attalions and a small transport
squad and a wal establishment of four
battalions and n transport company.
Each battalion consists of four com-
panies, whose wal strength is three Of
ficers and 265 noncommissioned officers
and men. They are armed with the
1916 inch Mannlicher magazine rife
and a short bayonet of the 1895 pat
tern. This rife gives an initial veloci-
ty of 2.O43 feet seconds and is sighted
up to 2.133 yards. while the magazine
holds five cartridges, which are charged
by means of a clip.
The cavalry, which was reorganized
in 1901, now comprises the princes
bodyguard of one squadron; -four regi-
ments, each Of four squadrons, and six
regiments, each of two squadrons. The
life guard squadron is always kept at
war strength, even with regard to
horses, and numbers fourteen officers
and 300 noncommissioned officers and
men The peace footing Of the remain
ing squadrons consists of five officers.
1877 noncommissioned officers and men
and 100 horses. which in time Of war
is increased to 1853 noncommissioned
officers and men and 1874 horses. The
cavalry is armed with Mannlicher car
bines of the 1895 pattern and sword.
The artillery consists of six regi-
ments of nine batteries each. giving a
total of 324 field guns. nine six gun
mountain batteries, three battalions of
garrison artillery of five companies
each and five howitzer batteries. The
war strength of a field battery is CIV
en- as five officers. 1872 noncommissioned
officers and men and 1853 horses. but
details are lacking with regard to the
var strength of the mountain and how
itzer batteries and garrison artillery
companies.
The field gun is a fifteen FOUNDER
breech loading Krupp gun of 3.42 inch
caliber. dating from 1875, with a muz-
zle velocity of 1852 feet seconds and
a maximum range of 1000 yards. With
in the last two years, however. the gov
eminent has placed orders abroad for
up to date equipment, it's intention be-
ing to rearm the field and mountain
batteries with 2.95 quick firing Creusot-
Canet guns. throwing respectively a
fourteen and a seven pound projectile.
and to give the new howitzer batteries
~ inch breech loading Krupp ordnance
of the 1894 pattern. At present the
mountain batteries have a seven pound
er breech loading Krupp gun. The re-
cent orders also include twenty-four
~ inch quick firing Canet guns, mount
ed on mobile travelling carriages, and
twenty-four So inch Canet field NOR
tars. 1t is understood that several bat
teries of the new quick firing field and
mountain equipment have already been
delivered.
The reserve army comprises twelve
reserve regiments of infantry of five
companies each, the fifth company be-
ing for frontier duty. and four compa-
MES which are mere cadres and six re-
serve divisions of field artillery, provid-
ing eighteen batteries. In time of
peace the cadres for the reserve army
muster only 5000 men. who are officer.
ed mainly by ex-noncommiss;oned Of
ficers of the field army. The militia
bans. which have no cadres in peace
dime. mobilize only in infantry bat
talions.
On mobilization the field army will