THE BALKAN ARMIES.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14475, 2 October 1912, Page 9

THE BALKAN ARMIES.

A COMPARISON OF STRENGTHS. The strength of the Bulgarian Army in peace is given in the latest refcrenco book at 3800 officers and 54.000 men, but it is stated that the field army should amount to about 235,C00 combatants. A cable message, however, gives tho strength nt 400,000. Service is universal and ccmpulsory, beginning at the ago of twenty and going on until forty (for tho infantry). The Bulgarian Army is believed by English experts to bo very efficient For years tho Bulgarian Government has been faced with the prospect of war with Turkey at any moment,, nnd great pains have been taken with tho training of officers and men. A military correspondent of "The Times" who inspected it a few years ago, praised its morale, training, and equipment. The peace strength of tho Servian Army is put down at 35,600 officers and men, and tho war strength at 110,000. Here, also, service is compulsory and universal. Tho Army was reported by tlie correspondent just mentioned as somewhat deficient in morale, the effect of the defeats at the hands of Bulgaria in tho 'eighties, and of«the infamous murder of King Alexander and the Queen. Ho also said that tho field training was not so good as it might be. Greece has a peace army of 23,000. and a war force of about 50,000. Tho total forces of these three countries arrayed ngainst tho Turks would amount to 500,000 men. It is impossible to say how many men Turkey could put into the field against these armies. The Regular Army probably numbers 2G0,000 men. with a reserve of 130.000, and tho auxiliary forces would probably bring tho total to over 1.000,000, but a largo proportion of these may be eliminated as of little fighting value, except as reinforcements in a long campaign. Moreover, the Army is scattered over tho Empire, large being in Asia Minor, some in ~ and somo in Tripoli.