The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-07
ARMY.
It's Fighting Strength Ii Nearly 3OO,-
600 WeIl-Armed Men.

The Bulgarian army may be regarded as
one of the best organized and most efficient
amongst those of the second rate powers,
and its rank and file, at least. is considered
by experts to be superior to that OF any
other Balkan state. the Bulgarian army is.
however, of comparatively recent origin,
in that it sprang from the battalions of
Bulgarian volunteers which were organized
in 1877 by the Russian staff and co-operated
with the Russian army during the cam
paign of lS77-78. Military service is OBJ
ligatory in Bulgaria, and even extends TO
all foreigners who have been residents IN
the country for a period of three years.
In time of peace the Bulgarian youth Is
called up to the colors when in his twen-
tieth year, but in time or war the age
limit is put back two years, and though
ne serves only twenty-one months with the
colors, the duration of military obligation
extends for twenty-five years, through the
reserves and militia bans.
The Bulgarian forces consist of the ac-
tive or field army, divided into the active
army and the active army reserve, the re-
serve army, and the militia, comprising
two bans. In time OF peace the active
army, but not its reserve, Is on a perma-
nent cadres. while the two bans of the
militia have neither a permanent footing
nor cadres; for no actual service or train
ing OF the men OF the two pans ans takes place
militia may be used exceptionally TO
strengthen the field and reserve 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 a small transport squad. and a war
establishment of four battalions and one
transport company. Each battalion con-
sists of four companies, whose war strength
is three officers and 265 noncommissioned
officers and men.
They are armed with the .315-inch Mann
ficher magazine rifle and short bayonet of
the 1896 pattern. This rifle gives an initial
velocity of 2,043 feet-seconds, and Is sighted
up to 2,133 yards, while the magazine holds
five cartridges, which are discharged by
The cavalry. which was reorganized i'm
1901. now comprises the princes b~odyguard,
of one squadron; four regiments. each of
four squadrons; and six regiments. each
of w squadrons. The Lifeguard squadron
is always kept at war strength, even with
regard to horses, and numbers fourteen
officers and 800 noncommissioned officers
and men. The peace footing of the re-
naming squadrons consists of five officers,
137 noncommissioned officers and men, and
100 horses, which in time of war is in
creased TO 1913 noncommissioned officers and
men and 1874 horses. The cavalry is armed
with Mannlicher carbine of the 1885 pattern
and sword.
nine batteries each, giving a total of 324
fell guns, nine six-gun mountain batteries,
three battalions of garrison artillery of five
companies each, and five howitzer batteries.
The wal strength of a field battery Is given
as five officers, 1S2 noncommissioned officers
and men, and $50 horses: but details are
lacking with regard to the war strength of
the mountain and howitzer batteries and
garrison artillery companies. The field gun
Is a fifteen FOUNDER b. ]. krupp gun of 3.42-
inch caliber, dating from 1875, with a muz-
ze velocity of 1.562 feet-seconus and a maxi
mum range of 1900 yards. Within the last
two years, however, the government has
placed orders abroad for up-to-date equip
,,anf tie infanfinn helnU fn ra1rm Tho R.ll
and mountain batteries with 2.95 q. 4.
Creusot-Canet guns, throwing respectively
a fourteen and a seven-pound proJectile. and
to give the new howitzer batteries 4.7-inch
b. 1. Krupp ordnance of the 1894 pattern. AT
present the mountain batteries have a sew
%en-pounder b. l. Krupp gun. The recent
orders also include twenty-four 4.7-inch a.
f. Canet guns. mounted on mobile travelling
carriages, and twenty-four 5.9-inch Canet
field mortars. 1t is understood tina several
batteries of the new q. Z. field and mountain
equipment have already been delivered
The reserve army comprises twelve re-
serve regiments of infantry Of five COM
panies each. the nth company being for
frontier duty. and four companies which
are mere cadres; and six reserve divisions
of field artillery, providing eighteen bat
teries. In time of peace the cadres for the
reserve army muster only 5000 men. who
are oficered mainly by OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
~officers of the field army. The militia hans
which have no cadres In peace time, mobll-
;ze only in infantry battalions.
ON mobilization the field army will con-
sist of six infantry and one cavalry d.
visions. Each infantry division will com
prise two brigades. each of twelve bal
talions-that Is. eight of the active and four
of the reserve army. The mobilization of
the first line will be able to be completed
in ten days. and will place IA battalions.
each 1000 strong. In the fed.
Finally. should Bulgaria he threatened
with INVASION. II is estimated that the
mobilization OF the reserve army and the
two militia bans would give the principalitv
n grand armed strength OF 5.4si officers.
2s0.677 noncommissioned officers and men,
a.77G horses, an 4S6 guns.