The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-03-27


the frontiers. continues without cessa-
tion, the defensive and offensive capa-
biIities OF the Ottoman Empire may
| fifty be considered. During the war
with Greece in 1897 the Sultan mobil-
lied 1000 men without any great ef-
fort: but while that campaign brought
out the rapidity Of the mobilization and
the devotion and endurance Of the
Turkish soldier, it also revealed in high
commands indecision and lethargy, and
in organization not few weak points.
/ Since then new laws and sweeping re-
forms have been put into operation,
with the view to perfecting the organi-
zation according to the most approved
German methods; while the Sultan
has declared it his resolve to increase
the war footing Of his armies to one
and a half millions. The organization
Of the Turkish Army only takes Mus
sulmans into account. In spite of pro-
visions to the contrary laid down in
1886, Christians are still excluded from
the Ottoman military service and are
compelled to the payment Of substi-
tuition tax.
1t is only in the medical corps that
non n-lfussulman officers. usually Ar
menians or Jews, are found. Certain
Mussulmans, such as natives Of Con-
stantinople. the north Of Albania,
Arabia and Tripoli, are also exempt
from military service; while large
number Of the Asiatic tribes. Kurds
and Arabs, representing population Of
over a million and half. escape reg
ular recruiting. either by legal exemp-
| ton or from their own refusal to sub
NIT to it.
| For Ottoman subjects military ser
vice is obligatory for twenty years.
viz... from the age Of twenty to forty,
and it is divided as follows: Six years
with the Nizam, or active army; eight
wears with the Redif, or reserve army,
and six years with the Mustnfiz or
Landsturm. The service with the col
ors is according to regulation three
years. the remaining three years Of ac-
tive service being spent In the Nizam
reserve, but the former period Is IRE
ouently extended to four. five or even
more years. The registration lists 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 216,530 and war strength
of S74,3OO. while in peace or war the
number of guns is the same-viz., 1894.
The Nizam comprise 800 infantry bat
talions, 200 squadrons, 255 horse. field,
howitzer and mountain batteries. 145
siege and fortress artillery companies.
thirty-sfx companies of engineers, eight
railway and five telegraph companies,
twenty-four companies Of military
train troops and sixty-three companies
of artifcers and vorkmen. There are
374 battalions of Redif infantry and
forty eight squadrons of Redif cavalry.
In addition there are distributed
through the whole empire 1856 bat
talions of gendarmerie and 200 squad
rons of mounted gendarmes-
Since 1891 endeavors nave 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 organizer, COM
prises 266 sQuadrons- Every man fur
nfshes his own equipment and mount
and is armed with a lance So far the
Handle have only succeeded In earn
| ing for themselves an unenyiable noto-
riety 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 HGwe.
The latter are composed Of men, prin-
cipally Asiatics. exempt hitherto from
military service, together with the over
flow of the annual contingent Of Os-
manli tribes. There are said to be
666 battali0ns of Ilawe. but in peace
time each battalion consists only Of
permanent cadre Of nine officers and
twelve non-commissioned officers. The
Mustafiz have no organization Of any
kind except in time of war: neverthe-
! less they are very far from being neg
Iigible quantity. for two divisions were
mustered with ease toward the end
Of the recent war with Greece.
The Nizam are splendid soldiers,
their long term Of service adding great
" to their effectiveness. and the Redif
are almost their equals. Indeed the
portion most wotthy Of note in the
Turkish military organization is the
Redif. These troops possess permanent
cadres, composed Of all the officers nee
essary for the mobilization Of the units,
and Turkish officers consider it dis
tincfdon to be appointed to the Redif.
Each Of the seven military districts is
divided into four divisional areas, these
again being partitioned into subdivis-
ions corresponding to the different
units Of the Redif. down to and includ- |
ing the company. The captains reside
in the midst Of their company district. |
and attend 70 the training Of the men.
who are called out usually for one
month every two years.
At the present time the Ottoman En-