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Height of parabola, 54 miles. Weight of projectile, 2,370 pounds.
Powder charge, 576 pounds.

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ARMIES OF THE LEADING POWERS.

Information on the above points concerning the Armies of Leading Powers is given in the following table.

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* A=

Active Army.

R=Reserve. L‡ Landwehr, or Territorial Army.

L= Landsturm, or Territorial Reserves.

†The war strength of the various armies can only be given in round numbers as official figures are not published. Estimates of 1903-4. This total includes the British forces in this country, India, and the Colonies (excluding colored men). include volunteers, militia, etc., at home.

§ Subject to modification by very severe losses.

Does not

-Daily Mail Year Book.

FOREIGN ARMIES.

The latest particulars relating to the military power of the countries of Europe, Abyssinia, China, Egypt, Japan, Mexico, etc., from Hazell's Annual for 1904, will be found below.

ABYSSINIA.

The organization is feudal in character, and the constitution is by provinces, each governor or Ras having a standing force as garrison and at call in case of war, and a considerable number of retainers not embodied. The garrison forces united constitute the new army of Menelik, and are estimated at 70,000 men. The central control is weak, and there are no organized divisions into the three arms, as in Europe; but the forces are readily grouped, the mounted men forming an irregular cavalry, and have great mobility. Practically every man has a sword and a rifle, but the firearms are extraordinarily varied, and the mounted troops also carry a javelin or spear. They do not exceed 5,000 altogether. The guns are mostly adapted for mountain work, there being about 50 modern and 30 old ones. The unembodied retainers, who may be likened to a militia, number about 140,000 men.

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The active army of the Dual Monarchy is an organization common to both kingdoms, and has its Ersatz, or supplementary Reserve, with local forces for Bosnia and Herzegovina attached. There are fifteen army corps, and certain troops in the military districts of Zara in Dalmatia. In addition are the Austrian Landwehr and Landsturm and the Hungarian (or Transleithan) Landwehr and Landsturm, known as the Honved.

During 1903 the army question rose to great prominence between the national parties in Austria and Hungary, and certain concessions were made to the latter in regard to the language of command, regimental colors, and other matters, but these do not affect the unity of the army.

The fifteen army corps comprise 5 cavalry divisions and 31 infantry divisions of the active army, and on mobilization a Landwehr division would be attached to each. There are 466 battalions of infantry (102 regiments of the line, 4 of Tyrolese rifles and 4 Bosnian, and 26 battalions regular rifles. The cavalry on a peace footing comprises 252 squadrons (15 regiments of Dragoons, 11 of Uhlans, and 16 of Hussars), and the artillery 251 batteries,

exclusive of 18 battalions of fortress artillery and 15 of pioneers. The field artillery is formed in 14 brigades, and a group of 3 mountain batteries in the Tyrol. On a peace footing there are 224 field batteries, 16 horse batteries, 11 mountain batteries, 56 ammunition columns (in skeleton), and 56 depots. The war strength would give a total of 328 batteries (exclusive of fortress units), with a total of 2,464 guns. The Austrian and Hungarian cavalry have won the admiration of European soldiers, and the Empire unquestionably possesses a thoroughly practical mounted arm fit for service at a moment's notice.

The following table shows the total strength of the forces in 1903; but it is believed that by embodying all classes of the Landsturm the dual monarchy could put 3,000,000 men in the field.

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Transport Staff, etc Landsturm..

16,000

393,000

346,000 1,540,000

The Honved (national Hungarian army) is subject in war time only to the commanderin-chief, and in peace time only to the Royal Hungarian jurisdiction.

BELGIUM.

The Belgian army was recently reorganized as the outcome of a popular agitation, leading to the appointment of a mixed commission which prepared a scheme. The main feature was the adoption of volunteer enlistment, with the purpose of bringing about a progressive decrease in the annular levy by subscription. Special advantages were offered, but the result has been very disappointing.

The establishment on Oct. 1st, 1903, when the recruits were embodied, was 42,000 men, but there was a deficiency of 7,000, owing to substitutes not having been found for men who had been absolved from service. The regiments were in some places so weak that training was impossible. The nominal liability is eight years with the colors and five in the reserve, and the recruit contingent is 13,300, the volunteers being in addition.

The composition is as follows: Cavalry2 regiments of chasseurs, 2 of guides, and 4 of lancers. Each regiment consists of 4 squadrons active and 1 reserve. To the above have to be added the gendarmerie (over 1,700

Copyright, 1904, by Munn

Co.

PEACE AND WAR FOOTING OF THE ARMIES OF THE WORLD.

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men). Artillery--4 field and 4 fortress regiments (in all 204 guns). Engineers-1 regiment of 3 battalions, a reserve battalion, and 5 special technical companies. Infantry14 regiments of the line, of 4 battalions of 4 companies each, 3 active and 1 reserve battalion; 1 regiment of grenadiers, similarly organized; 1 regiment of carbineers of 6 battalions (4 active and 2 reserve), and 3 regiments of chasseurs-à-pied.

The Civic or National Guard is under the Minister of the Interior in peace time, and numbers approximately 45,000 men reckoned as "active," and 100,000 "non-active." The effect of the new law cannot yet be estimated fully.

BRAZIL.

Gradual progress is being made in the reorganization of the army, but much remains yet to be done. The strength and organization, given in the official Revista Militar, is as follows: staff, 28; engineer corps, 66; general staff corps, 124; medical staff, 163; artillery staff, 62; 6 regiments of artillery, 2,562; 6 battalions of artillery, 2,100; 2 battalions of engineers, 862; 14 cavalry regiments, 6,020; 1 transport corps, 292; 40 infantry battalions, 17,840; total, 30,119. The troops are divided into seven military districts, the most important being Rio Grande do Sul (11,226 men).

BULGARIA.

Military service is popular, and the peasantry have a great deal of excellent military spirit. The officer is also efficient, and the Government has taken very great care in selection and training, the Russian army being the pattern.

The forces are divided into three categories: the regular army, the reserve and the militia, and all Bulgarians are liable for personal service, with few exceptions, from the age of 20 to 45, substitution not being permitted. The country is divided into six divisional districts, and the annual contingent is about 18,000 men.

men;

The peace strength is: infantry, 1,300 officers and 28,550 men; cavalry, 200 officers and 3,850 field artillery, 280 officers and 5,020 men; mountain artillery, 45 officers and 900 men; fortress artillery, 65 officers and 950 men; engineers, 18 officers and 1,900 men; transport, 20 officers and 160 men: total, 1900 officers and 41,330 men.

The total war strength is 3,810 officers, 202,500 men, and 29,200 horses. In addition Bulgaria can count upon at least 20,000 Komitajis, a force of semi-trained and experienced guerillas. The infantry arm is the 8 mm, Mannlicher rifle.

CHILE.

The army does not exceed 6,000 men, in accordance with the law of Feb. 2d, 1892, and the formations are: 7 regiments of in

fantry, 4 of cavalry, 3 of artillery, and a corps of engineers. The National Guard numbers over 50,000 men.

CHINA.

The Chinese army came under close observation during the Boxer Rebellion, and, although in many ways it gave proof of want of organization, it was recognized that in armament, training, and the things that go to make up the efficiency of the army, remarkable progress had been made. General Frey who commanded the French forces in China, says it is a mistake to hold that the Chinese Government has any repugnance to the creation of military forces. The Emperor is said to have issued an order extolling military discipline and disavowing any purpose of disarmament, and training is going on under Japanese officers. The Black Flags are now a force of real value.

It was never easy to ascertain facts concerning the Chinese forces. They may be divided into the old armies, comprising the Imperial or Banner troops; the new armies, composed of troops of comparatively recent formation (since the war with Japan); and the Mongolian and Thibetan Militias, which in peace time only exist on paper.

The elite of the old armies is composed of the Shen-Che-Ying or Black Flag troops, and the Pa-Ki or Eight-Banner men. The former are said to number 50,000 men with the colors. Next in importance to the Black Flags come the Banner men of the army of Manchuria, composed of soldier-like troops, but some of them still armed with bows and arrows, or with the old jingal. The Banner men have been estimated at something like 300,000. Service with the Manchus is hereditary, and the Banner men are still the chief support of the Ta-tsing dynasty. The army of Manchuria must be profoundly affected by the Russian occupation of the country. The Luh-Ying or Green Flags, with a paper strength of 500,000 men, scattered through the empire, possess little military value, and as now organized can be of no real service.

The new armies consist of enrolled or conscript armies (irregulars), strength about 100,000 men, raised at the initiative of the viceroys and governors of provinces in the event of revolution or of war with Europeans; and the active armies, dressed like Europeans, and formed of the best men drawn from the Green Flag Army-strength 210,000 men. These troops occupy important strategic points, and are under the orders of the provincial authorities. The best of them are in the province of Chi-Li, where the army was reorganized by Yun-Hu and Lu-Chang.

Before the Boxer troubles, Major A. E. J. Marshall, of the British Army, one of the best authorities, summed up the number and disposition of the whole available force of China thus:

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