New Britain herald., 1915-05-21
|lTALY WAR STRENGTH
 IS 3,l50,OOO MEN
BOO,O0O First Line Troops Await bOldtf to Proceed Against Austria.

New York. May 21.-The Italian Sfmy grew out of the old Piedmontese army with which in the main the un- &6catiOn of Italy was brought about. The high military qualities o of the 7iedmontese preserved the indepen- fence of their small kingdom between Iwo such powerful neighbors as Trance and Austria. When Piedmont Fas temporarily absorbed into the french, republic and empire the 1tal- an troops who fought under Napoleon roved themselves the best of the rench allies. After 1915 Piedmont as at the head of the national move rent which agitated Italy and ended
 her unif1cation. Italy then rose Eainst Austria and the Piedmontese my after many hard fought battles, varia ply relieved by the gallantry of ficers and men even in defeats suc- eeded in uniting the whole peninsula 1der the rule of Victor Emmanuel
 Piedmontese System Inadequate.
 While the Piedm ontese system was dmirably adapted to a compact little rovince it was wholly inadequate to ckingdom with as varied people and kterests as Italy. The strategic, con Itions, forced the concentration of e troops along the northern border d the territorial system of organi- tion as understood in the remainder Continental Europe was impossible. ! en from all over Italy did their ser ce In barracks in the north and ere then returned to their homes, | Id it thus became impossible to Yobiizo by corps except at the max punF Of friction and expense. Be- 8es. these conditions resulted in l kaly being for some months almost 1 bmpletely disarmed.
 Many efforts at reform were made | 1t they were all rejected on account ! fnancial, geographical or social | knditions until the present system | As Introduced by Gen. Spingardi l Fout four years ago. ,Thile this is , from perfect it does away with | me Of the evils of the past, per- | tting the maintenance at all times an approximate peace strength and I more rapid and less expensive Utilization.
 Conse1iption Law in Force.
 E Il The military organization of Italy dciern1ined by the conscrir sion law the Kingdom of Sardinia, W lich &de universal liability to service tine Sis of recruiting. As uniGcati on eant for the army the absorption -contingents from all parts of ly the territorial system 'yas mot epted and the different types If. dierS are blended by causing them i serve together.
 The army consists of 96 three bat ion regiments of infantry Of the and 12 of gs'bersa glier!' (rif1emcn) h<of the latter having | cyciist npany; 26 regiments of avalry, of ch 10 are lancers, each of 6 [adrons; 25 regiments of artillery, |: n of 8 batteries; 1 regiment of
 se artillery of 6 batteries. l Cf L untain artillery of 12 .batte,.ei and ndependent mountain batteries The 1ison artillery consists of 3 coast
 3 fortress regiments, with, q total 72 companies. There are besides egiments (11 battalions) of engin- and nearly 30,000 carabinari
 adarmerie,) recruited from sele-ted
 Hnteers from the army.
 Expenses S55,OO9,OOO a Year.
 |rdinary and extraordinary military enditure amounts to about $55,-
 900 per annum, a slight sum oon-
 ld With the military expenditure
 ther countries, especially consider
 the excellent organization, equip