The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1903-09-18
the BULGARIAN ARMY.
Entire Fighting Strength Is
Nearly 100000 Men.
MILITARY SERVICE OBLIGATORY,

Even Foreigners who Fave Resided
In Bulgaria For Three Years Are
h. Compelled to Serve - The Forces
3 Arc Armed With Rifles ana Field
Guns Of Modern Make.
The Bulgarian army may be regard
ed as one of tie best organized and
most efficient among. those Of the Sec
ond rate powers, and its rank and
file, at least, is considered by experts
to be superior to that Of any other
Balkan state, says the Chicago crib
unc The Bulgarian army is, however,
of comparatively recent origin. in that
it sprang from the battalions of Bull
garian volunteers which We're organ
lied in 1877 by the Russian staff and
co-operated with the Russian army dur
ing the campaign Of 1S77-IS., 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 mllltla,
comprising two bans. In time Of peace
the active army, but not it's 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
4b<> fx,-o no, tol,Iac nlsl 20
| 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 twenty-four regiments, each OF
which has a peace establishment of
two battalions and small transport
squad and war ablishment Of four
battalions and one transport company
Each battalion consists Of four COM
panies, whose war strength is three Of
ticers and 26o noncommissioned officers
and men. They are armed with the
.3l5 inch Mannlicher magazine rifle
and a short bayonet Of the 1895 pat
tern. This rifle gives an initial veloci
\ ty of 2,O43 feet seconds and is sighted
4 up to 2.133 yards. while the magazine
| holds five cartridges, which are charged
!. fDy ineafis Of a cfiif -.
. The cavalry, which was reorganizet
,, in 1901. now comprises the princes
bodyguard OF one squadron; four regl
ments, each Of -four squadrons, and 81,
regiments. each Of two sQuadrons. Th'
! life guard squadron is always kept a
$ war strength. even with. regard It
, horses. and numbers fourteen Off
g and 800 noncommissioned ofHcerss ant
} men. The peace footing of the remain
ing sQuadrons consists Of five officers
1871 noncommissoned officers and mel
and 100 horses, which in time of wa
q is increased to 1853 noncomnissionet
; officers and men and 1G4 horses. Th
: cavalry is armed with Mannlichcr cal
. bines Of the. 1895 pattern and sword.
:, The artillery consists of six regi
\ ments Of nine batteries each, giving
q total of 324 field guns, nine six gu
mountain batteries, three battalions o
k garrison artillery OF five companie
r each and five howitzer batteries. Th
war strength of field battery is civ
Il en- as five officers. 1872 noncommissione
officers and men and 159 horses. bu
details are lacking with regard to tn
war strength of the mountain and how
!. itzer batteries and garrison artiller
j. companies.
n The field gun is fifteen pounde
e breech loading Krupp gun of 3.42 inc
e caliber, dating from 1875, with a mu.
II zle velocity OF 1862 feet seconds an
Il n maximum range OF 1000 yards. Will
in the last two years, however. the go
ernment has placed orders abroad fc
up to date equipment, its intention b.
y ing to rearm the field and mountal
!, batteries with 2.9o quick firing Creuso
q Canet guns, throwing respectively
n fourteen and a seven pound projectll
and to give the new hoWitzer ba tterit