The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-04

In 101 B. C., Cadus Martus defeated and almost annihilated an army of Cambrd and Teutones- ancestors of the Germans Of today-w1ich was try ing to invade Italy from the north west The battle took place at Yer Ioelh, in Piedmont. between what is now Turin and Milan. Marius was hailed as the savior of his country. He had performed g. unique feat Never before nor since has Italy been able to defeat an invading army in the north-from the days of Huns Goths, and Vandals down to the time 1 of Napoleon in 1SO0. The reason is are beyond her frontier, and the Alps form thus a barrier, but not a ram part for her-a gate which opens dn- ward, not outward.
 Every summer Italy holds her man l oeuvres usually in Piedmont or IOrn- bardy. and the invading army has al ways gained the vtctory-that is, an enemy coming from France or Switz- er1and would be likely to win in ac- l tuaI warfare< The same thing hap pened 8 few years ego when the man oeuvres were held eastward in Venetda and an imaginary army coming from the Austrian TI-entino won-
 But behind this obvious display of excellent tactics but useless strategy (which Italy, as a faithful member of l the Triple Alliance, periodically em- ployed, there have been other man oeuvres conducted by small bodies of men. the results of hich have been kept secret from foreign military at taches.
 It is estimated that the total strength Of the Italian army is 3, 3,3O0, POP when the reservissts are utilized to their full strength thus: Standing or permanent army, 600, GOO, peace footing, plus 434.- 1 4o1 reservists, making 734, ,401; mobile militia. 100000 trained men, plus 120,- f ITO reesrvtsts, making 320,d70; territo- rial army of trained and untra1ned men, 2,275, ,S31-
 In ItaIy. as in most Continental countries, military service is compul- Isory and universal. According to the snew regulations the period of liability 1 to service Is 19 years and ends at the age of s9. Every years the young men who reach the age of 20-they number about a round 400, O,oO0-are divided into three categor1es- The first and second are enrolled in the permanent army; but as this army has only 289s5o0 men I in time of peace, the second category receives stnn1fnited leave The men Of the third arc mustered into the ter r1toria1 militia, which may be called upon only in case the country is threatened with invasion The term of service is two years for an arms After that the men are | remain until they have completed a total of eight years service They then pass into the mobile militia, where they remain for four years. Then comes the transfer into the ter ritorial militia, where they remain seven years, or until they are ss years Of age
 For the first eight years of their ser vice the second category recruits are regarded as belonging to the pern1a- neut army and during this period they are supposed to receive from two to six months training, which may be spread over several years. They then pass into the mobile militia and then into the territorial militia under the same conditions and for the same periods as do those of the first cate gory Men of the third category who enter the territorial militia at once re- ceive thirty days training. I Although each regiment annually receives recruits from all parts Of the country the brigades of these regi- ments, change stations every four years, and the vacancies are filled up by reservists from the districts where they happen to be-. A reservist re-
 turning to the army usually joins the
 unit with which he was originally associated.
 Ita1yss field army consists in times
 of peace of twelve army corps and | three cavalry Q1V1S101Ss WY44Cda are now
 raised, respectively to fourteen and l five.
 The commanders of the twelve original army corps, unless there have been recent changes, are:
 Turfn-Lieut. Gen. Brusati RtLerto, 1 A11esandria-Lieut- Gen. Ragni. l Afilan-I1eut. Gen d1 Maio. Genoa@Lfeut. Gen. Masf. 1 Verona-Liet1t. Gen. A1iprindi i BoIogna-Lieut. Gen. Maya.
 Ancona-Lfeut. Gen. Barattieri df S l Pfetro.
 Florence-Lieut. Gen. Della Noce. l Porne-Lieut. Gen. Frugoni. l Naples-Lieut. Gen. Grandi. | Bari-Lieut. Gen. Panizzardi.
 PaIermo-Lieut. Gen. Marini. l Inc Generals in command of the
 twenty-five military divisions are giv.
 en as follows:
 Tur1n-Leut. Gen Escard.
 Novara-Major Gen. Nasa11i Rocca f Al1esandria-Lieut- Gen. Pre11i. Cuneo-Lfeut. Gen. ReisoIi.
 Milan-Lieut. Gen. Porro until
 month ago. when he became sub- Chic
 of Staff
 Brescia-Majori Gen. Rom Placenza-Lieut- Gen. Nico1is q
 Robi1ant.
 Genoa-Lieut. Gen. Riggi Il Verona-Lieut. Gen. Pettitti di Ro } reto.
 Padua- Major Gen. Tettoni. Bo1ogna-Lieut. Gen. RueI1e.