The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-08
Tactics in Defense

In tactics or the defensive the Turkish soldier has few equals. He showed it in a most striking manner and nn many oe- casions during the Russo-Tulkish war His defense of Plevna, for instance will forever remain the most glorious page in the annals of ottoman warfare. AS will be remembered. this town was finally taken by the Russians only after long and desperate siege, and due entirely to the enormously superior number of the besiegers.
 Tn 1s77-ls7s the Turkish soldier was guilty of one especially fatal strateglcal defect His movements, namely. and his whole mode of progression were rather slow. This hampered military operations in a very serious degree making the of
 fensive of doubtful weight and conse- quence. Since then however, the Turkish soldier has learned very much in this line of strategies. Due to the excellent train ing Turkish officers received in Germany and to the influx of German officers into Turkey. he has become more vigilant. more agile and alert, has gained greatly
 in insight and comprehenslyeness con corning matters of attack and assault, and is now able to sustain vigorous az gression for very long period of time,
 The intelligent reformation of the Turk ish soldier on modern lines of military progress began long before the Young
 uthisfl itHlIHt. AiHD 'lhT1HE ADuhi i1dfn-
 i'd much attention had been paid to the thorough development of the army, and even as far back a 70 years ago serious efforts had been initiated to render the latter more efficient and more adequate. The Imperial SeraRlio of the Padishah was a conspicuous center where the art of army organization and the modern science of active warfare were continu- ally attended to.
 A Warlike Disposition
 The merit of the former Young Turk ish war minister, Mahmoud skefket Pasha, consisted in giving the present soldier an excellent equipment. which even in it's minute details of trim and garb deserves every possible praise. He was always proud to speak Of his arm ies' and not merely army. 'I have to reorganize not three army corps with two divisions in each" he used to say, but three armies. each containing 16 d. visions. Apart however, from these three armies concentrated chiefly at Con stantinople, Adrianople and Saioniki my attention is also absorbed by the army at Erzindjlan and by the fifth army at Damascus. They all cost me many a sleepless night"
 In estimating the worth of a Turkish soldier, one must not forget that all the tribes of Asiatic Turkey whence come the principal contingents of recruits, are pos sessed of warlike dispositions. For many century they have all lived on terms of conflict and war with one another and with non-Ottoman elements in Turkey. From almost immemorial times Kurds fought the Lazes, Arabs lived at enmity with the Turks ,etc. This fact, though in itself detrimental to the general Ottoman created among the tribes admirable elements of intrepid warriors.
 The life of a soldier exercises on the Asiatic benencent influence. Ordinarily indolent, he becomes strong. coura geous, a lover of order and discipline teachable and intelligent The Turkish soldier is religious withal, and almost venerates his Imam priest.
 In the use of bayonet the Turkish sol dier excels. His strong, sturdy arm never fails. Should there be in the pres ent war any hand-to-hand fights, what ever may be the issue, he will be sure to uphold his own reputation of an admir- able combatant