Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-12
TURKS IMPROVE IN
MILITARY AFFAIRS
Grand Maneuyers of 10000
Soldiers Show Ottoman En-
pire's Fighting Ability
AUTOMOBILES ARE UTILIZED
Sultan Reviews Troops Massed
in Vast ParaIIeIogram More
Than Mile in Depth
AUTOMOBILES ARE UTILIZED

ADRIANOPLE, Dec. 1.-THE first
experience of the Turkish army in
grand maneuvers, just finished, DEM
onstrated that the two years of new
rule have not been idle or Intellectual
from the military standpoint
The army has forged ahead. Inc
fortnights maneuVers of the first
(Constantinople) and second (Adrian-
ople) army corps demonstrated this.
over 10000 men were in the field. The
maneuYers took place in the vast
rolling prairie that stretches from
Adrianople a hundred and fifty miles
up to the very walls of Stamboul.
There is no more dreary, lonely spot
near important civilization than this
Thracian plain, which even Baron
Hirsch's sinuous railroad cannot dot
with life.
The first corps, from Constantlnople,
was called the army of the east, or
the REDS" The soldiers somewhat
advertised the latter name by their
red fezes which were pleasing re-
lief to the dark mustard or olive-green
suits and putties of the new Turkish
army. The second corps, from Adrian
ople, the army of the west, was styled
the "Blues." Their fezes were of the
same businesslike color as the rest
of their clothing, and this, though
few shades darker than the unrelieyed
tones of the dried up prairie landscape.
gave a certain sense of harmony and
unity with the soil.
Infantry, cavalry, artillery, mountain
batteries and baggage trains all be-
hayed remarkably we'll in these days
of warfare. The nights were cold and
rainy, some OF the daylight hours were
hot, the exposure was severe, but the
men showed splendid endurance and
excellent spirit. The infantry carried
knapsacks and luggage weighing 70
pounds, besides their Mausers.
A feature of the maneuvers was the
automobile service of dozen ma
chimes. French and German, which,
with officers, attaches, and correspon-
dents, fled over the prairie roads and
bounced across cornfields and thistle
brakes. A large yellow car, with glass
on ali sides, was especially conspicu-
Gus as II rushed Mahmoud Shevket
Pasha, generalissimo of the Turkish
army, with his suite from one part of
the conflict to another.
SULTAN REVIEWS TROOPS
Azziz Pasha, the Egytian prince who
commands a cavalry brigade in the
Turkish army, was likewise conspicu-
Gus in large red car which his
EgyptiaYl chauffeur drove at unham-
pered speed from point to point. There
are villagers IL the vicinity of the
maneuvers who will, to their dying
day, tell of the wonder of that car
At 3 o'clock on the morning OF the
grand review the sultan and his party,
which included the heir-apparent,
Prince Youssouf Zeddn, and Prince
Vahdeddiu, brother of the sultan, left
Constantinople. The party arrived at
Seidler, a station 122 miles from the
city, shortly before o'clock.
The review was two hours late. But
it was a great show, not at all OF
brilliant coloring, but of downright
fighting strength.
nuarter of mile broad and massed
for over a mile in depth the two army
corps presented dark sea with crests
q fsteel. There was no sunshine to
light up the scene, but 1t appeared all
the more serious for that. The sultan,
in "a carriage with Mahmoud Shevket
Pasha and the Grand Vizier Hakki
Pasha, drove around TINS vast pdIaiT
telegram.
AT the close of the drive the defile
i'm front of the sultan's tent began. 1t
lasted an hour and twenty minutes to
the monotonous music of the German
army march.
Late in the afternoon banquet for
some 900 guests, presided over by the
sultan, was given in a superb open
tent near the railroad station of Seid-
Ter. The sensation of the day came
when Mahmoud Shevket Pasha, Great
ing a precedent, addressed his majesty.
A part of his speech was as follows:
"Glorious sultan! Since the blessed
day of your ascent to the throne you
have followed the lines of your noble
ancestors by the high and magnani-
nous favor of your constant contact
with the imperial troops, by your visit
to the drill grounds and by your pres
ence at the maneuvers."
The sultan manifested great appre-
citation of the generals remarks, but
made no verbal reply.
At 6 o'clock the sultan was seated in
q brilliantly lighted compartment at
the very rear of his special train. For
an hour the train waited, and he walt
ed.
When the train finally pulled away
the sultan made the most amiable
salaams to the crowd, a lot of people
waiting to go on to Constantihople.
They had to wait for several hours
longer, though it was a crowd which
included Ahmed Ria Bey, president
of the chamber Of deputies, the mill
tary attaches of all nations, and vari-
Gus high officers.