'File XX/4 Naval and Military Intelligence Queries.' [‎64r] (127/224)

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639-1
2,000-7-08
Under the new scheme there are 7 army corps
in Europe with 3 independent divisions at
Scutari, watching the Montenegrin Frontier ;
at Janina watching that of Greece in
the Epirus ; and at Kotchana in
Albania. The remaining 7 corps have their
headquarters in Asia, and the indepen
dent divisions of the Iledjaz and Tripoli are
retained intact. The Army Corps are much
reduced in size, their normal strength being 21
battalions of infantry. 4 regiments of cavalry
3 squadrons of mounted infantry and 24 field
batteries of 4 guns. The distribution of the
army has for the present been fixed as under
I Corps at Constantinople, II at Rodostoon
the sea of Marmora covering the left flank of
the famous Tchataldja Lines, III Corps at
Adrianople facing the Bulgarian Frontier, IV
Corps Kirk Kilissa facing Eistern Rounielia,
The V Corps has its h eadquarters at
Salonica, and is of course d estined either
as a reserve to the Macedonian Corps or to act
.against Greece in Thessaly, the VI Corps is at
Monastir, the VII at Uskub. These two Corp^
are, of course, the point of the lance so far as
Western Bulgaria, Servia and Montenegro are
concerned, but the Monastir Corps would also
act as a support to any invasion of Greece by way
of Epirus. In Macedonia and Albania are
the three independent divisions, one at Scutari
in Albania one at Kotchana in the centre of
Albania, and one at Janina in the south facing
the Greek Frontier at Arta. The VIII Corps has
jts headquarters at Damascus, the home of the
old oth Corps. The IX Corps is at Erzeroum
facing the Russian Frontier at Kars : it has as its
Western support the X Corps at Erzindjan, and
to the South the XI Corps at Van, the XII is at
Mosul on the Tigris and the XIII at Bagdad. The
XIV follows the old 7th Corps in the Yemen and
the two independent divisions in the Iledjaz
and Tripoli remain untouched. This massing
of troops at Van, Mosul and Bagdad shows very
clearly that the Turco-German Alliance does
not intend to allow Russia a free hand in the
partition of Persia. The grouping of the army
corps is instructive. It will be seen that three,
II, III, and IV, cover the capital and can act
against the Eastern Frontier of Bulgaria. Three,
the V, VI and VII are destined to act against
either the Western Frontiers of Bulgaria or
against Servia or Montenegro. The V and VI
with the Janina Division are a perpetual re-
' minder to Greece to be on her best behaviour.
The IX, X and XI are to act in unison under one
Inspecting General against Russia, whilst the
XI, XII and XIII are enough to ensure respect
| for Turkish rights in Persia.
I have said that the normal war strength of
i a^ army corps has been fixed at 21 battalions
of infantry, 4 regiments of cavalry, 3 squadrons
| of mounted infantry and 24 field batteries. The
coips, however, vary in their composition and
the independent divisions vary in strength.
Ihe I Corps at Constantinople consists of 21
j battalions of infantry, 4 regiments of cavalry
24 field and 2 horse batteries with 38 com
panies of fortress artillery.
The II Corps at Rodosto is of normal strength
with 40 companies of fortress artillery.
I be III Corps at Adrinople has 2 horse, 4
howitzer and 4 mountain batteries with 12
companies of fortress artillery, in additional
to its normal strength.
The IV Corps at Kirk Kilissa ha« been in
creased by 2 horse, 4 howitzer and 4 mountain
batte ies with 8 companies of fortress artil
lery.
The V Corps at Salonica has 2 horse, 6
howitzer, and 4 mountain batteries with 6
garrison companies above its establishment.
The VI Corps at Monastir has an additional
2 horse, 8 howitzer, 8 mountain batteries an<i
12 companies of fortress artillery.
The VII Corps at Uskub has 2 horse, 8 howit
zer and 8 mountain batteries, with 6 companies
of mounted infantry added to its strength.
The Independent Division at Scutari in Albania
comprises 12 battalions of infantry, 4 com
panies of mounted infantry, 6 companies of
fortress artillery and 8 mountain batteries.
The Independent Division at Janina consists
of 12 battalions of infantry, 8 companies of
mounted infantry, 6 companies of fortress
artillery and 6 field and 8 mountain batteries,
> with one regiment of cavalry.
The Independent Division at Kotchana
consists of 0 battalions of infantry, 6 companies
of mounted Infantry and 4 mountain batteries!
We now come to the army in Asia.
The VIII Corps at Damascus is of normal
strength except in the matter of cavalry and
| taking advantage of the horse supply in
Syria it comprises 6 regiments of cavalry and
3 horse batteries and it has 4 companies of
fortress artillery.
The IX Corps at Erzeroum has 6 howitzer and
ft mountain batteries with 32 companies of
fortress artillery to man the important
works, these will shortly be increased and a
commission of German officers is drawing
up plans for the more perfect defence of the
key of Armenia. Its mounted force has been
strengthened by no less than 36 companies of
Kurdish Mounted Infantry.
The. X Corps at Erzindjan has 2 horse, 6 how
itzer and 4 mountain batteries’in addition tO'
the normal strength, ae well as 24 companies
of Kurdish Mounted Infantry.
I he XI Corps at Van has only 4 field batter
ies, but the deficiency is’made good by 12 mount-
tain batteries, and it has no cavalry in its com
position, but in lieu has no less than 24 compan-
uies of Kurds as mounted infantry.
The XII Corps at Mosul like the one at Van
has no cavalry nor horse artillery, the 24 field
batteries 'are reduced to 4, it has in exchange 6
mountain batterieslmd 12 companies of mount
ed infantry raised from the Kurdish tribes in
the vicinity.
The XIII Corps at Baghdad has but 6 field
batteries, but it has an additional horse battery
and 6 regiments of cavalry.
The XIV Corps at Sanaa in the Yemen has
only 4 field and the same number of mountain
batteries. It has no cavalry, but its mounted
infantry has been raised to a strength of 8 com
panies and there are 4 companies of fortress
artillery.
The two independent corps in the Hedjaz
and at Tripoli are of a strength of 6 and 12
battalions respectively.
No change has been made in the terms of
service beyond shortening the period wit*
the colours to 2 years in the case of the '
" s —^ , 1 or Draft.)
case may be, has the charge of their drill, dis^ I
cipline and training in time of peace.
Now let me turn to tho question of reserves. I
The old system still hold good. After having put
in his two years with the colours the men for
Seven years are borne on the active list of the
Army and on mobilisation join the Nizam o r
active battalions, thus bringing them up to war
strength and supplying a large number o f men
in the prime of life to fill up the wastage of w ar.
On the completion of 9 years in the Nizam the
men pass into the liedif of the first class, in j
which they remain for 5 years. In this category
there are 342 battalions and these battalions
have been organised into regiments, and divi
sions complete, so that on mobilisation the
second line is ready to ta ke the field. As a
third line, come the men of the second Redif
who again have been allotted to their respective
battalions and regiments. The organisation
of these 342 battalions into divisions is not yet
complete, and it is difficult to see w r here the
Minister of War will find officers to command
such a large force. In all its wars the lack of i
good, superior officers has been the bar to
success in Turkey. Here by the Yon der Goltz
scheme we find a necessity for 5 Inspecting
Generals qualified to command an army in
time of war ; we next require 13 officers com
petent to command an army corps in the field
S,qd 47 divisional goneralsL
Leaving on one side tll9 question of officers we
«iome to the scarcely less important one of horses
for the mobile troops and for transport. For the
42 regiments of cavalry no less than 32 ,OOq
and for the horse and field 'artillery 43,00
horses are necessary, the greater majo
rity of these certainly, those for the Artillery
must for many years to come be purchased
either from Hungary or from Russia. The studs
in Turkey have been much neglected and consi
derable difficulty is experienced in obtaining
horses for the cavalry of the army corps in
Europe.
Marshal Shefket Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , the Minister of War,
ms a fervent admirer of Von der Goltz and is
determined that the Turkish army shall be put
©n an efficient footing. This side of the Cabinet
has been strengthened by the nomination of my
old friend Mahmoud Moukhtar Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. as ^Minister
of Marine. He is one of the best soldiers in
the Turkish army and I am sure would sooner
find himself Inspecting Officer of one of the mili
tary areas, but the Turkish navy is not likely to
suffer in his hands. The Minister of finance and
the Armenian who rules at the Ministry of (
Public Works would like to curtail the expen
diture on the army. But they are powerless
before the strong support which Shefket
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. can secure in the Chamber. Al
ready a contract has been signed for a
further supply of 350,000 Mauser rifles to
complete the armament of the Redif battalions
with rifles of the same calibre as those carried
by the infantry of the active army and a
Solingen firm has secured an order for 120,000
sabres in face of the opposition of two well-
known English houses. Krupp, too, has secured
an order for 100 field and 60 batteries of
howitzer. Of these the major part are of 8-inch
calibre throwing a shell weighing 200 pounds
and carrying a charge of 34 pounds of a high
'^plosive.
* enlistment of Christians is proceeding