The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-02-11

expense of the Swiss Confederation
by a special instruction corps. Re-
cruiting schools are established In
different cities throughout the land
and, while there is no choice in the
service, each man is at liberty to de-
eide whether he would like to belong
to the infantry or cavalry. Cavalry
soldiers generally have to provide
their own horses.
men intended for the infantry
have to serve for sixty-five days in a
school for recruits; cavalrymen have
to serve for ninety days; field and
mountain artillerymen seventy-flve
days; transport men, forty-two days,
and ambulance men, sixty days.
Swiss Military Law.
According to the new Swiss mill
tary law. passed in 1907. the caval-
ry and all to forces of the Aszug
have to take yearly repetition
course lasting eleven days. Previous
to 1907 the cavalry only had to at
tend yearly exercises and the other
services had their repetition courses
every other year. The Landwehr
forces now have their exercises every
four years.
Especial courses and training nat
urally are required in the cases Of
soldiers who are desirious Of advanc-
ing to higher grades. officers of the
general staff receive their instruc-
ttion in Berne and regimental officers
have their courses in the military
college in Thun, while training
school in Basic undertakes the tut
tion of the sanitary troops.
Position as Crack Shots.
These rigid rules and the natural
enthusiasm of the Swiss for rifle
shooting. are responsible for the un-
rivaled position they hold in the
world as crack shots. There is hard
ly a village which has not its rife
club and local, cantonal and federal
shooting matches are held at regular
intervals.
1T Is interesting to note that In
the year 1900 on the occasion of the
Federal shooting match in Lucerne,
there were four champions; in 1904.
at st. Gall, there were thirteen; in
1907, at Zurich, there we're twenty
seven, and in 1910. at Berne. there
were 12S. And these are just few
Of the nations best shots. for many
men who could produce equally high
results do not possess the necessary
means to take part in Federal
match.
"The extent of interest in these
Federal matches can be imagined
from the fact that Berne, in 1910,
gallery stands numbering 800 were
in use. At every stand were from
thirty to forty men waiting their
turns. Some of them waited ten or
twelve hours. In the same year the
Rhenische Schutzenfest took place in
Karlsruhe. Germany, for a district
FIVE times the size of Switzerland,
and there only fifty gallery stands
were erected and rarely more then
three men waited at time for their
turns to shoot.
Great At Rifle Practice.
'In the same year, 1910, there
were a total Of $4,000, 900 shots fired
in rifle practice in Switzerland with
its population of 100000. In Ger
many, with population of $1,000
900, there were only 100000
practice shots fired. and in France.
with population of AZ, 900, 900, only
20. 10000 shots.
"These facts explain why the Swiss
marksmen show a well-nigh infalli-
BILE accuracy and why Switzerland
was able to retain for the seven
teenth time out of eighteen the world
championship on the occasion of the
rife shooting contest in Viborg. Hol-
land, in 1914. 1t may be remember
ed that, in 1918. the Swiss were vic
tors at Camp Perry. Ohio. The one
worlds contest they have lost was
held in Turin, Italy, In 1885,"
zone Of the noteworthy features
of the Swiss army" the article goes
on, sis its mountain force, chiefly
consisting of seasoned and exper-
fenced mountaineers. The annual
maneuvers performed by these men
receive worldwide attention, as they
call for feats of endurance which are
far beyond average human strength.
For instance battalion of 900 AL
pinists had to deliver an attack on
an imaginary enemy in occupation
of the Eggishorn. q mountain 9.s25
feet high"
How Swiss Solve Problems.
Special attention is called by the
American Defense Society to the in
II