The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-09
ARMY OF BULGARIA
SOLDIERS OF FERDINAND READY
 FOR WAR.
There are ss0,OO0 of Them and They Are We'll Trnined--Shakes on the Yoke of Tur-
 key.f


 Vienna. Oct. s-tSpecial)-The re- cent developments in the Balkan situ- ation and the probability of war be- tween Bulgaria and Turkey have aroused universal interest in the mill itary conditions and resources of the samll kingdom. bold enough to chal- lenge the mighty Turk.
 Bulgaria was not always small and. comparatively insignlficant. coun- try. From the seventh to the four teen century Bulgaria was one of the strong and prosperous kingdoms of the Balkan peninsula. It comprised large area of fertile land and was densely populated. Its borders touch ed the Black Sea, the Aegean. and the Adriatlc.
 The remembrance of the glory of its czars, Kroom, Asen and Simeon. still lives in every Bulgarian and fills his heart with pride. It was Czar Simeon who led his victorious army to the very walls of Constantinople, and 1t was of his time that Glbbon says: Bulgaria assumed a rank among the civilized powers of the earth"
 But Turkey was determined to ob- tain possession of the Balkan penin- sula. After conquer!ng other nations the Turks subjugated the Bulgarians, whom they kept under their despotjc rule for five hundred years.
 When the intolerable sufferinEs Of this Christian nation under the Moslem oppressors finally attracted the sym pathy of the world, Russia came to it's help in 1877 and forced Turkey, by the Treaty of Berlin to grant Auton- omy to Bulgaria. The latter country Is now only 8 small principality of 4S,500 square miles and a population of 3.S1O.000, yet its military organlza- L. avN-. t.I -.fl lz.t population and It's resources greater than one would expect from SO small country.
 Nearly s0.0O0 young men annually reach the age of twenty-one in Bull garla and of these about 24,000 are taken by conscription for the full period of peace color service, nomi- nally two years for the infantry. and three years for the cavalry and artil- lery. After finishing their color ser vice the men are kept for eigh teen years in the reserve. This unusually long service in the reserve gives the Bulgarian general stan large and ef- fecttve organization of trained men for mobilization purposes
 It IS estimated that Bulgaria has in all about 3s0000 men at its disposal for immediate military use, all of whom are fully trained. After leaving the reserve the men are passed into the "Landwehr" for six years. These men too would be available for mili- tary service. in case of a prolonged war. The strength of the 'Landwehr" is estimated at about s0,000.
 Bulgaria Is divided. into nine dIvis- ional districts with headquarters in the following strategical centres: Sofia first division; Phnippopol second dl- vision; Slivon, third division; Shumla fourth division; Rustchuck, fifth dlvls- on Vraiza, sixth division; Dubnitza seventh division; Eski Zagora. eighth division. and Plevua, ninth division. Each of these. divisions has two bri- gades of infantry and one artillery regiment of nine batteries except the second. sixth and ninth divisions, which have only six batteries A cav airy regiment each Is also allotted to the first six divisions and all have full complement of administrative and technical forces. Every division is prepared to go to field and to begin offensive operations on short notice The war strength of each of the nine divisions Is estimated at about 10000 officers and men, fully armed and well equipped. The total Is estimated at lS0,00O officers and men, with 4.O0O sabres and 430 field guns In addition to these troops there Is a separate cavalry division of about 2.500 sabres anu SSEtdIH ana units Tor the line of communication, bringing the total rnobilized strength of the Bulgarian field army to 210,000 officers and men with 1000 cavalry and 4O0 field guns. It is believed that this en- tire force or any part of 1t could be massed at fixed points of concentra- tion on the frontier witiin ten days of the order to mobilize. There would still remain 170,000 fully trained re- servists available to fill vacancies and form plementary units, besides some 60.0OO trained men of the "Landwher. :"
 This is remarkable state of affairs considering that the population Is less than four millions and the annual mil itary budget only about $5,75O. 900.
 The Bulgarian army is well provid- ed with capable officers. Many of them have received their military training and education at the National Military Academy, which was founded In Sofia In 1878 and has for its director a Rus sian. Major Roblnkin The number of cadets in attendance in former years averaged four hundred. but during re- cent years 1t has increased to five hundred and even more. The course of the sch ool covers four years and the cadets. after graduating and serving for several years In the army. are free to continue their military education in any of the older European academies. selected for this purpose by the Bull garian government.
 In the thirty years of It's existence the Academy has sent out more than 2'5oO graduates, who are now holding | officers rank In the Bulgarian army.