A GREAT ARTILLERIST.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 270, 31 October 1916, Page 5

A GREAT ARTILLERIST.

For what post he is really designated both by his admirers and public opinion appeared a few months, when General Zotto, the Chief of the General Staff, reached the age limit and passed into tiie reserves. It was then generally expected that General Iliesco would be appointed his successor, and it caused general surprise when General Zotto was charged with the further conduct of affairs. Nevertheless, even to-day, General Iliesco is regarded—not in military quarters alone—as the future Chief of the General Staff. This has }>een clearly expressed by an eminent •Liberal in the following words:—"ln view of his great achievements it is the desire, not only of professional men, hut of all patriots who place their love for the country above the political passions, that the father of modern Rumanian artillery should be given that great and responsible post, for which his studies, his experience, and hia entire career have qualified him better than anybody else. Would it not be a piece of lunacy to search for a man with such intellectual and professional qualifications elsewhere?” According to the views prevalent here, General Iliesco gained a special distinction in the years between 191*2 and 1904, when the Rumanian artillery was armed with quick-firing guns supplied by Krupp. It is stated here also that he even introduced very useful improvements in the model, aud that Krupp’s later customers —Argentine. Turkey, Italy, and othersr—derived therefrom considerable advantages. The French military administration, too, has paid attention to these improvemontj in the course of tho present

war. Sine© th© outbreak of the present war General Iliesco has concentrated his efforts upon tho increase of the Rumanian artillery. He found as Secretary-General only half a regiment of this arm. and increased it to four complete regiments, which will be followed by three more now in the course of formation. The field artillery has been increased by him by five regiments, and the five howitzer half-regi-ments are now full regiments. Out of a half-regiment of mountain artillery he has made a complete one, and to the old guns have been fixed quick-firing arrangements. WORK AMONG THE INFANTRY. The peace footing of the iufantry General Iliesco has increased from 85,000 to 119,000 men, the reserve halfregiments have become complete regiments, and a new tenth battalion of chasseurs has been created. The cav-

' airy has been increased by two new di- ■ visions with mounted artillery which, in Rumanian opinion, surpasses all European models. The weak point of the Rumanian military administration , formerly was always the lack of muni- ; tions. According to assurances of persons in touch with the war administration, all necessary measures have been ' taken during the war to provide the ! Rumanian army in case of a war with ; all the requisite production of munitions. Tho factory at Dudert, which has recently been the scene of an explosion : another at Kotrotecheni, which I was also visited a short time ago by an accident; and the arsenal are the ' greatest providers of munitions in the country. The correspondent concludes by saying:—“ It is a fact that the Rumanian army has since 1913 made great progress, and that the chief merit in this belongs undoubted!v to General Iliesco.’