The Washington times., 1915-05-20
Italy Can Place in Field
$4,000 Men, of Which
100000 Are First Line

With the unification Of Italy under the
impetus Of nationality came efforts at
| reform that re-made from the armies
of the varied Kingdoms a military Or
ganization Of power. The Italian army
grew out of the Piedmontese organiza- =
ton that was the main military factor
Of unification.
1t gives the nation a total war strength
Of S.150.000 men and 100000 first.line
troops In twelve army corps.
The high military qualities Of the
Piedmontese preserved the independence
Of their small kingdom between two
such powerful neighbors as France and
Austria. When Piedmont was temper
arily absorbed into the French republic
and empire the Italian troops who
fought under Napoleon proved them
selves the best of the French allies. Az
ter 1915 Piedmont was at the head of
the national movement which ngitated
Italy and ended In her unification. Italy
then rose against Austria. and the Pied-
moEtese army after many hard fought
battles, invariably relieved by the GAL
lantry OF officers and men even in de-
feats. succeeded in uniting tho whole
peninsula under the rule Of Victor T:m-
While the Piedmontese systsm wss
admirably adapted to a compact little
province It was wholly Inadequate to a
kingdom With as varied people and in
terests as Italy. The strategic condi-
tlon Forced the concentration OF the
troops along the northern border and
the territorial system Of organisation
as understood in the remainder. of con-
tinentai Europe was impossible. Men
from az over Italy did their service in
rs.n barracks IN the north and were then
became impossible to mobilize by corps
except at the maximum OF friction and
expense. Besides, these conditions re-
suited In Italy being for some months
almost completely disarmed.
The present system was Introduced
BY General Spingardi about tour years
The military organization Of italy
Is determined by the conscription law
%, ,n the kingdom Of Sardinia. which
the basis Of recruiting. AS unifica-
tion meant for the army the absorp-
tion or contingenta from all parts Of
LAY adny the territorial system was not
dieI daiopted "a and & tho dierent types OF SOL
to serve together.
The army consists of ss three bat
Talon regiments OF infantry OF the
iint and IL Of riflemen. each Of the
regiments Of cavalry, Of which 10 are
lancers. each Of 8 sauadrons; e. regie
ments Of artillery. each OF batter
les: l regiment OF horse artillery of
batteries; lof mountain artillery OF
~ batteries. and Independent noun
tain batteries. The garrison artii-
lery consists Of 3 coast and 8 fortress
regiments. with a total Of 70 COM
pani. There are besides 8 regiments
nearly 10000 carabinieri (eendar-
merie(. recruited from selected vol
unteeds from the army.
ordinary and extraordinary mill
tary expenditure amounts to about
S55.OO0.0OO per annum, a slight sum
compared with the military expendi-
considering the excellent organiza-
ton, equipment and discipline Of the
Italian army.
Under the new recruiting scheme of
1907 the term OF liability for service in
the army Is divided into nine years in
the active army and reserve two years
with the colors). four in the mobile
militia and six In the territorial militia.
me peace strength Of the army is nom
inally 10000. but actually. IL is lower
since the medical standard of accept
ance Is high and not all the available
contingent of recruits is drafted into
the army. The war strength Is 800, 900
nrst line troops. 1.l50. 900 second line
troops. and over 100000 available in OK
cess or the above. so that Italy's total
y var ar re resources OF all kinds amount to
The Italian army Ia orssnized, into
twelve army corps. each of two divI-
sions. In addition there are twenty
two Alpine battalions and ffteen
mountain batteries stationed on the Al
pine frontiers.