The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-01
TURKEYS STRONG ARMY.
An Organization That Can Turn Over
1,OOO,OOO Men Into the Field.

An Organization That Can Turn Over
100000 Men Into the Field.
st. Jamess Gazette.
AT the time of writing, when the Balkan
peninsula is virtually an armed camp, and
the dispatch of Turkish troops. including
many Asiatfc battalions, to guard the from
tier. continues without cessation. the de-
fensive and offensive capabilities of the OF
toman Empire may fifty be considered. Dur
ing the war with Greece in 1897 the Sultan
modified 100000 men without any great ef-
fort; but while that campaign brought out
the rapidity of mobilization and the devo-
ton and endurance of the Turkish soldier,
it also revealed in high commands indeci-
sion and lethargy. and in organization not
few weak points. Since then new laws and
sweeping reforms have been put into opera
ton, with the view to perfecting the Or
ganization according to the most approved
German methods: while the Sultan has de-
clared 1t his resolve to increase the war
footing of his armies to a total of and
half millions. The organization OF the
Turkish army only takes Mussulmans into
trary laid down in 1886, Christians are still
excluded from the Ottoman military serv-
ice and are compelled to the payment of
1t is only in the medical corps that nom
MuSsulman officers, usually ArmenianS or
Jews, are found. Certain Mussulmans, such
as natives OF ConStantinoDle, the north of
Albania, Arabia and Tripoli, are also eX-
empt from military service: while large
number of the Asiatic tribes, Kurds and
Arabs, representing population of over
million and half, escape regular recruiting
either by legal exemption from their own
refusal to submit to il.
For Ottoman subjects military service is
obligatory for twenty years, viz, from the
follows: Six years with the Nizam, or ac-
tive army; eight years with the Redif re-
serve army, and six years with the Musta-
fiz, or Landsterm. The service with the
colors is according to regulation three
years, the remaining three years of active
service being spent in the Nizam reserve,
but the former period is frequently extend
ed to four, five or even more years. The
registration list of recruits shows that
about 10000 men are liable to service each
year, but as matter OF fact, only about
$4,000 are incorporated into the army. A
| few years back the leakage was consider
ably more.
| The Nizam troops have a peace strength
| Of 216,53O and a war strength of 34, 800,
while in peace or war the number of guns is
| the same-viz., 1,494. The Nizam comprize
800 infantry battalions, 200 squadrons, 255
| horse, field, howitzer and mountain bat
| teries, las siege and fortress artillery COM
| panies, Sc companies of engineers, eight
| railway and five telegraph companies, "a
companies of military train troops and 63
| companies of artificers and workmen. There
are 374 battalions of Redif infantry and AZ
| squadrons of Redif cavalry. In addition
| there are distributed through the whole
empire 1S6 battalions of gendarmerie and
| 200 squadrons of mounted gendarmes.
Since 1891 endeavors have been made to
| utilize the most warlike of the kurd tribes
| by forming them into special militia on
| the CosSack model. This militia, called the
| Handle, after the reigning Sultan, their
bs SS
mount and is armed with lance. So far
| the Handle have only succeeded in earn
| ing for themselves an unenviable notoriety
| on account OF their outrages in Armenia
| and they form dangerous element in the
| army at large.
Lastly, there is-on paper at least-a
| large local reserve called the Ilawe. The
latter are composed of men, principally
Asiatics, exempt hitherto from military
service, together with the overflow Of the
There are said to be 666 battalions OF
1lawe. but in peace times each battalion
consists only or a permanent cadre of nine
officers and twelve noncommissioned Off
| GERS. The MuStafiz have no organization
| of any kind except in time of war; never
| thless they are far from being a negligible
quantity, for two divisions were mustered
with ease toward the end of the recent wal
| with Greece.
The Nizam are splendid soldiers, their
long term Of service adding greatly to their
their equals, indeed, the portion most
worthy of note in the Turkish military
| organization is the Redif. These troops
| possess permanent cadres, composed of al
| the officers necessary for the mobilization
| of the units, and Turkish officers consider
| it a distinction to be appointed to the Redif
Each of the seven military districts is di
| vided into four divisional areas, these agar
| being partitioned into subdivisions CORE
| spending to the different units of the Redi
down to and including the company. TIL,
! captains reside I'm the midst of their com
| pany, and attend to the training of the
| men, who are called out usually for on,
| month every two years.
AT the present day the Ottoman empir,
can mobilize nineteen army corps, twelv,
Of which are Redif. while the total armed
strength excluding the gendarmerie anS
the Mustafiz, is as follows: