PORTUGAL'S WAR STRENGTH.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 11 December 1914, Page 7

PORTUGAL'S WAR STRENGTH.

As a mobilisation of the Portuguese ;army has been ordered (comments a .London journal) it Avill be interesting .to set forth some particulars regarding that country's military strength. The army of Portugal is a militia raised by conscription. It is in three categories., . the active army, the reserve, and the territorial army. The active army consists of 35 regiments of three battalions, 11 cavalry regiments of four squadrons, aud eight field artillery regiments. The peace establishment of the Active army has been fixed of late years at 30,000 men. The total effective- force on a Avar footing, inclusive of reservists, municipal guards, and fiscal guards, is something about 180,000 men. The reserve army is to consist •of 35 regiments of infantry, eight squadrons of cavalry, and 24 field batteries, Avith other units. Portugal's navy does not make a big •shoAV. It comprised in 1910 11 armored -vessel, 5 protected cruisers, 2 third.olass cruisers, 19 gunboats, 1 torpedo -gunboat, 4 torpedo boats, 16 river gunboats, 4 transports, and 3 training ships.. TAvelve other vessels, including tivo submarines, Avere under construction. The whole fleet Avas manned by about 5000 men. It is said that orders .for the construction of a neAv squadron Avere placed Avith a British syndicate last year, but- have not been proceeded with. . Tiie arm of the Portuguese infantry is the Mauser-Vergueiro, a magazine j -weapon. The field artillery is being re- j --armed with Schneider Canet guns. It •will se seen, hoAvever, that Portugal's j fi"htin<T force is not of overwhelming I

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