The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1916-09-21

war are set forth in the following bull.
letin issued by the National Geo.
graphic Society:
Unlike Roumania, Greece will not
prove to be a food resource of the
Entent Allies. On the contrary, this
the most southerly of the Balkan ma.
lions does not produce enough cereals
to feed her own people. Its chief
agricultural products-currants the
vine and the olive-are to be classed
among the Injuries rather than the
necessities.
Intending the territory acquired
through the treaties of the First and
Second Balkan wars, Greece has an
area about equal to the combined
areas of Belgium, Holland and Den
mark. With the Albanian territory
of North Epirus, which the Entente
Allies permitted her to occupy in No
vember, 1914, her total area now ex-
ceeds $4,000 square miles, being about
as large as the State of Mississippi
but with a population (5,OO0OO0) two
and threofourths as great, nearly ap
proximating that of Illinois.
Although Greece is in 'straitened
financial circumstances her eXpendi-
lures in 1914 exceeding her revenues
by S31, 100000, she maintains an army
of 10000 officers and men in peace
times and it is estimated that by call
ing out her reserves of all classes she
can put 100000 men in the field, while
her total available unorganized
strength adds a half million to that
Military service in Greece, as
among practically all her neighbor ma
lions, is compulsory, and parliament
has fixed upon $4,000 recruits as tn,
annual contingent. The period OF
active Service required in the army
is three years for cavalary and artiI-
lery and two years for infantry. For
For Il years after his active training,
which begins in his 10th year, the
Greek citizen belongs TO the first re
serves and for eight years thereafter
he is listed among the second re
serves-a total of 81 years liablIit!
to military service. The equipment
of the infantry is. the Mannlicher-
Schonauer rife, similar to the Rou-
manian small arms The field artil
lery is the French Schneider Canet
quick firer.
America has an especial senti-
mental interest in Greeces small
navy as two of her strongest fighting
units are the Kinks and the Lemnos,
$4,000 ton warships which were re.
named after having been purchased
from our own government in 1914 for
Sl2 800, 900. Launched as sister
ships in 1904 they were known in the
American navy as the Mississippi and
the Idaho. Another Greek warship
With an interesting history is the 49,
300 ton AYeroff, which bears the name
Of Greek millionaire who, by a pro-
vision of his will, left the bulk of his
fortune to his country for the i'm
proVement of its navy. The two
modern warships are the George |,
(19,5O0 tons) and the Admiral Coun-
dourietis $500 tons), both launched
in 1914. A powerful battleship of
23,500 tons displacement is now I'M
lec construction.
"On the north and northwest
Greece adults on Bulgaria, Serbia and
the frontier touching each
If these countries being about the
same length. In all other directions |.
he peninsula is waterbound. So in |.
Tented are it's shores that few places |
n the country, save in Thessaly and /
Macedonia, are as much as 80 miles |
rom the sea, and although it has only !
bout One-tifth the area of the Spain
Portugal peninsula II has a longer
cast line. With the iong-range IS
nch rifles of the odern battleship al,
most every part of the historic nation l.
'ould be vulnerable to the lombard /,
lent OF French, English or Italian t.
eet." \