Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-09-18
tHE BULGARIAN ARMY.
Entire Fighting Strength is
Nearly 100000 Men.
MILITARY SERVICE OBLIGATORY.


,ila nj least Is considered by experts
10 be superior TO that OF an! olne'
Balkan state. says the Chicago IT'D
une. The Bulgarian army Is, ho"e'yi'
of comparatively recent origin IN .ha'
il sprang from the battalions OF bui-
gurian volunteers which were organ
lied in 1877 by the Russian stan anu
co-operated with the Russian army our
ing the campaign Of lsI7-IS. Military
service is obligatory In Bulgaria anu
even extends to all foreigners VINO
have been resident In the country TOT
u period of three years.
The Bulgarian forces consist OF tne
active or field army, divided into the
active army and the active army re-
serve, the reserve army and the miiua'
comprising two bans. In time oil peace
the active army, but not its reserve, Is
on a permanent footing, ana the re-
serve army has permanent caures'
while the two bans Of the militia nave
neither 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 nrst pan
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 IA peace establishment OF
two battalions and small transport
squad and Il war establishment of four
battalions and one transport company
Each battalion consists of four COM
panies, whose war strength Is three Of
ficers and 265 noncommissioned officers
and men. They are armed with the
.3l5 inch Munnlicher magazine rifle
and short bayonet of the 1899 pat
tern. This rifle gives an initial velocl-
ty of 2O43 feet seconds and is sighted
I'D to 2,l33 yards, while the magazine
holds five cartridges, which are charged
by means Of 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 field battery is CIV
en- as FIVE officers, 1872 noncommiSsioned
officers and men and 159 horses. but
details are lacking with regard to the
war strength Of the mountain and how
itzer batteries and garrison artillery
companies.
The field gun is fifteen FOUNDER
breech loading Krupp gun of 3.42 inch
caliber, dating from 1875, with muz-
zle velocity of 1,562 feet seconds and
maximum range Of 1000 yards. With
In the last two years, however, the gov
eminent has placed orders abroad for
up to date equipment, Its 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
Al inch breech loading Krupp ordnance
of the 1894 pattern. At present the
mountain batteries have seven pound
er breech loading Krupp gun. The re-
cent orders also include twenty four
Al inch quick firing Canet guns, mount
ed on mobile travelling carriages, and
twentyfour 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
hc leSclNC uAhS SOLlpTlSeS 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 GLITTER
ed mainly by x-noncommissioned Of
ficers Of the field army The militia
bans, which have no cadres in peace
time, mobilize only in infantry bat
talions.
On mobilization the field army will
consist of six infantry and one cavalry
divisions Each infantry division will
comprise two brigades, each of twelve
battallons-that is, eight Of the active
and four of the reserve army. The
mobilization of the first line will b,
hble to be completed in ten days ant
will place Ia battalions, each 1,OO(
strong, in the field
Finally, should Bulgaria be threaten
ed with invasion, 1t is estimated tina
the mobilization Of the reserve army
and the two militia bans would Civ,
the principality grand armed strength
of 5,431 officers. 29O,677 noncommis
, stoned officers and men, 41,776 horse,
and 4SG guns