TBdUBLE AT SAMOS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2848, 14 October 1908, Page 26

TBdUBLE AT SAMOS.

LONPON, October 9. The speeches made by Mr Asquith and Sir Edward Grey- have had a disquieting effect on the Berlin Bours*e, and prices haVe fallen heavily. j , PARIS, October 9. Mr Asquith's and Sir Edward Grey's speeches have made a favourable impression in Paris. . ST. PETERSBURG, October 9." . . It is rumoured at St. Petersburg that the Black -Sea fleet is mobolising CONSTANTINOPLE, October 9. Turkish -warships have been sent to Samos (an island near Crete), where revolutionary pretensions are being asserted.

AUSTRIA-HUNGARY'S ARMY. The active army of the Dual Monarchy is an organisation common to both kingdoms, and has its supplementary reserve, with forces for Bosnia and Herzegovniaattached. There are 15 army corps, and certain troops in the military districts of Zara and Dalraatia. In addition are the Austrian Landwehr and Landsturm, and the Hungarian Landwehr and Landsturm, known as th© Honved, by which the army is brought up to war strength. The 15 army corps comprise fhe cavalry divisions and 30 infantry divisions of the active army, with a Landwehr division attached to each. The active army comprises 466 battalions of infantry (102 regiments of the line, four of Tyrolese Rifles, and four 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 bussars), and the artillery 251 batteries, exclusive of 18 battalions of fortress artillery and 15 of pioneers. The field artillery is formed in H.origadea and a group of three 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 wa.r strength would give ,&. total of 328 batteries (exclusive of fortress unite), with a total of 4264 guns. In 1907 a beginning was made in the formation of eight regiments of divisional artillery, each of four batteries. The-" following table shows the total strength of the forces. It ' ] is believed that by embodying all classes 400-gallon water tanks, ooiy 60s.— At Niromo and Blair '»-

THE B.ULGAKIAK ARMY AND ITS ORGANISATION. Writing in 1905 in the Fortnightly, Captain yon Herbert mentions four points to be- borne in mind in forming an opinion on the Bulgarian army. 1. The army is young [then established 25 years], and the Bulgarians have not borne arms for nearly five osnruries. 2. The nation lias" not fought for her independence, but has had it won for. her by others. 3. Tie army .was organised by Russiane, on Russian models, and in Kussian interests. * 4.:.Tne nation has inherited from Turkey qualities which are in conflict with tho conditions superimposed by Russia. Every male who is, a Bulgarian by birth, and' physically capable, is liable to 25 years* .military earvice, commencing at hie twentieth year in time of peace and eighteenth in time of war. No exceptions are made in favour of Turks, or Jews, or, men of Roumaiiia or- Servian parentage, as is done in Turkey, nor /Ices Bulgaria ackno#€dge the Turkish principle tha* one responsible and wage-earning male must be left in each family. Tho army is divided into: — The active army, with his own reserve. The reserve army. , The militia * y The first is permanent, even in peace (but not its reserve); the second has permanent cadres; the militia has no cadres, a ?d -n° organisation, and is the weak point of the Bulgarian system. Privates cf all arms are paid one franc (lOd) per month. Tho country is divided into 6ix divisional, 12 brigade, and 24 regimental dis- • triots; to the latter have been added, since the commencement of the Macedonian troubles, 12 regimental reserve districts Kecruitihg is territoriaJ, and the infantry regiments are territorial regiments. Non-commissioned officers are' obtain^ by promotion iroin the ranks, and servetill disqualified by age. They, furnish the cadres for the reserve of the active army (now fully mobilised), and for the reserve army (partially mobilised). At Sofia there is a email training school for non-com-missioned offioers. Commissioned offioers are obtained by education and examination at the Military College at- Sofia. Military service is popular with all elates, and Turkish subjects make excsllent Bulgarian soldiers. COMPARISON WITH TURKEY. Comparing the armies of Bulgaria and Turuev, Captain yon .Herbert believes that the latter would have » total of 65Q,000 men available to^-throw against- Bulgaria, while the war strength of the latter would be only 250,000 men. The following table shows the strength of the two armies at a glance : — -

The war strength of the Bulgarian battalion is 14 officers and 1063 N.C.O.'s and men; of the squadron, 5 offioers and 163 N.C.O.'s and men. The Turkish battalion on a war footing is 24 officers 900 N.C.O.'s and men; the squadron, 6 officers and 150 N.C.O.'s and men. Samos, which is situated off the coast of Asia Minor, has been* a principality under the sovereignty of Turkey, under the - guarantee of France. Great Britain, and Russia., since 1832. Its area is about 180 square niles, and its population over^ 53,000. Comparatively little is known of Bulgaria, and those who are desirous of making thew&elves acquainted with what has been \ going on in that part of rhe world are advised to reajß a book just published by T. Fisher Unwin, entitled "Washed by Four Seas: An/English Officer's Travels in the Near East." The author is H. C. Woods, F.R.G.S., formerly of the Grenadier Guards. The book is an interesting record of gravels by this adventurous ypung officer through the Balkan Peninsula. *The modern State of Bulgaria, made up of the principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Bournelia, is ♦bounded on tho /north by the Danube ajwlthe kingdom of Rumania, on "fee east by tfi» Black Sea y on the couth by Turkey, whilst on the western frontier Servie borders its whole length, The State is nominally subject to Tiwkey, anil a representative of tiie Suhlrme Porte reeides at Sofia, In 1896,", Ferdinand of SaxeOoburg was accepted Prince of Bulgaria and Governor-General of Eaatern Roumelia by the Sultan., with the consent of the Powers. The legislative power is vested in the Prince, and the Sobranje, or National Assembly, acting jointly. The Prince is supreme head of the urmy, and he repr«' sents the* nation in its international relations. The royal dignity is hereditary, and descends in the direct male line. The civil • list of the Prince is fixed at about £40,000 a year. There are eight Ministers, nominated by the Prince. The Bulgarian nation exercises its control over the Government of the country by means of the nepre- ( sentatives which it elects by manhood • suffrage, to the National Assembly, or ' Sobraoje. This Assembly (the members of ' which arc paid a sum varying from 12e to> 16a per day during the session) meets every , year, and sits from October to December at • Sofia; if an emergency arises it is especially convoked at other" times. The population of ''Bulgaria, according to j the latest Census (1905), was roughly i 4,035,000. There are 73 towns, varying in I population from $2,000 to -5000, Tihe j people are reserved, quiet, pleasant, and I cheerful, and alf classes are extremely hard- j working. Every village is provided with a j national elementary school, and 4>here »-» | university at Sofia. Many of the upp^r ' classes are educated abroad, and the prin- j cipality is deeply indebted to the Robert College at Constantinople, where a large number of its public men, of the present i day have been educated. This Robert Coir ' ' lego is an American institution, and it 's , j therefore no uncommon thing to meet a ■ I Bulgarian who speaks English like && j Englishman,.

Peasant proprietorship is universal, and small he<?hoid<s averaging about 20 acres each. There are scarcely any iarjje estates owned by 'ndividuals, but some of the monastries possess considerable domains. Tha principal crops are wheat, maize, rye, .barley, and cirts. The country also pro duces grapes, tobacco, and attar of roses. Hie principal neighbourhood for the cultivation of ruses is th 9 plains lying round P'hiiippopoli.i. The naval force of the principality consists of a royal yacht and a few email gun and torpedo boats, which are "stationed at Varna and Pusee. Prince Ferdinand's reign has been marked by great improvement in the material condition of the country. The completion of a network of railways has considerably benefited the agricultural population, on whos-3 welfare axid prosperity the nation reaHy depends. '" Th© Bulgarians — a laborious, Thrifty, orderly, and persevering people — p-cesces many qualities which will jet qualify them feu- occupying an important position in the future political system of the Balkan Peninsula." We ar© given an interesting chapter on the subject of the Bulgarian axiny. Tihe author, who writes authoritatively on military topifa. says: — " From the earliest years of her existence the rapid development of Bulgaria as a military Power lias attracted the attention not only of military men, but, of outside Observers, who must realise that tr o youngest army irr'Eprope naay still become a factor of no Jittle imporsaiyfte in the Near Eastern question. In South-eastern, Europe two important armies have arisen during the lost quarter of a century — or? the south of the Danube that of Bulgaria, organised on Russian principles ; ' on. the north tlwst of Rumania, framed on a German , basis. If Rumania and Bulgaria- should ever agree to throw in their lot together, their combined forces would certainly be equal to thoie of some of the great Powers of Europe. The army of "Bulgaria may be classed a<s one of the most efficient, if not the best, of the armies belonging to* the smaller European countries. It surpasses all expectations, and I feel sure is vastly superior to what it is believed to be' by those who have never seen it. ... Service is universal and compulsory. The liability for military duty begins at the age of 18, and lasts till <6, but recruits usually join at the age of 20. There are the \reual exemptions from service — Mohammedans, whose numbers are yearly decreasing, may claim exemption on payment of £20, which they can but seldom afford. The period of continuous service' for the infantry is two years, and for other arms three years. The Reserve Service has been extended from riant years to 18 in the infantry and 16 years in other aims, bringing' the affe for service in the infantry up to 40, and in other arms up to 39. This is, I believe, the longest Reserve Service in Europe. It therefore creates an enormous reserve for use in time of war, and thus enables the Bulgarians to turn out a very large army when necessity arises for a , comparatively "fcmaty. standing , army in peace time. After completion' of service in the -activo army the Bulgarian passes into the Territorial Force, . -where- he serves until he" is 46 years .of age." • ' The peace strength of the army" ie estimated at about 53,000 of all ranks, but the _w.ar strength is about 375,000. The author, who witnessed .some important manoeuvres, in 1906. when the- relationship between Turkey and Bulgie.»ia._waajßtreined.. says the general impression produced by ■\ the army under service conditions is quite excellent. "Tn Bulgaria manoeuvres are carried out in a proper and warlike, manner. Troops sleep where the operations of the day' imply that they would sleep -in actual warfare, and operations are not carried out in order that they may rest at prearranged camps. The spirit which pervades the ranks is splendid; every man i« cheerful^ and seems to desire to perfect- himself in th art of war to enable him to play his part in the great struggle to maintain the invincibility of Bulgaria, which cannot now be long westroried. On the whole, it is conceivable that the Bulgarian army i-3, for, its size, vastly superior to any other force it is likely to "hare to encounter. ' Turning to an important chapter dealing with the railways of what the author calls the " Near East," we find that the main line in the Balkan Peninsula, which is followed by the Orient express, runs in a south-easterly direction from Belgrade, to Constantinople. Of the total distance of 659 miles, ,212 miles are in Servia and belong to the Servian State railways; 110 miles are in the Principality of Bulgaria, •nd baking to tbe Bulgarian State railways; of -the remaining. 337 miles, which belong to the Oriental Railway Company, 116 are in . Eastern Rumelia, and 221 in Turkey. "The importance of this through line is apparent to the lea3t-informed person in JSssterir* matters. It at present connects Constantinople and the middle East with Europe,' and may in -the future • connect the Persian Gulf, or even India, with London." Several new railways are now contemplated in the' peninsula. One of these provides for a. line from the Danube through Bulgaria, and supplying a through route to. Uskub and SalonikaTurkey has formally agreed to this -me, but ehre still retards its construction. Crete (Italian, Candia) is one of tho largest islands of the Mediterranean, and is about one-tenth the size of Ireland. It has figured much in history, and even in mythology. Tiie population is given at 310,000. It was conquered by tho Turks in 1669, but never i-ealfy submitted. The language of the whole country is Greek, but only about tuo-thirds of the people are adherents of the Greek Church, the remainder being Mohammedans, and this is the oau c ,c of much disturbance. Crete- comes ; nfo the present conflict because it was involved in the Treaty of Berlin. That congress recommended the granting to the 'eland of a certain amount of self-government, though 'the arrangement has never * been guaranteed by the Powers, nor has it brought' internal peace. The existing arrangement is that there is a suzerainty without tribute to the Sultan, Prince George of Greece being . first High Commissioner. Since 1904 Greece lias appointed the High Commissioner, the present incumbent of the office being Alexander A. Zaimfc (formerly Prime Minister of Greece). . He *waa ap-po-nted in' 1906 for five yeare. Th© executjve power rests with „ihe High Commissioner and a council of four members. " All th.3 European countries which were once under Turkish rule, and which have Christian populations (inolud'ng Bulgaria, Servia, and Greece), have (eaye Mr John Fojjter. Fra&eil broken iron) Mustulman,

i control, except, iis.cc-.oma. Macedonia ha* i Bulgaria and Servia on tIJ3 north, and i Greece on the south. There is no distinct Macedonian rac-s The people there ari> mostly Bulgarians, though tiie Greeks run. th-sm clcse, and there arc also a good many Servians ano some Roumanians aud Turks. But in broad description it may be said ■ that Macedonia is occupied by Bulgarians on the Bulgarian si-dc, and by Greeks on > the Greek side. They are Christian races. ! but belong to different churches, and hate i etch other with more bitterness than do s Protestants and Catholics in Ireland. Tho • Turks treated Greek Ohri«r"«ns and Bul- • garian Christians very badly ; and in tho i beginning Greek bands cam-?' over from tho • 6outh and Bulgarian bands from the north, l possibly witti the honest intention of prot testing - thsir respective Christian coui- , patriots trom the Mussulman. But soon : motives of territorial aggrandisement enf tered into the Bulgarian as well as tho Greek calculations, and they began to i quarrel witn each other as to their respective shares of the prospective (and still i prospective) pnej'. And the Turk speedily ! saw the wisdom c-f encouraging Bulgarian aga-nst Greek and Orieek against Bulgarian, so that they should* not combine against ) himself. . t "Bulgaria proceeded to stake out what L would Jbs her pciticn — a very large slice, > especially as the majority of the people ( were Bulgarians.: Greek viUages, epresdt ing up from the south, .were in tha Bul- , garian area, and roanv of them belonged to the Bulgarian Church.. 'We count you , as Bulgarian villages,\ said tke Bulgare." . ' Grapes proceeded to stake out her section — [ and it considerably overlapped the staked 1 area of Bulgaria. Besides, there were Bul- • garian villages "within the Greek inhere," bus' belonging- to 'the Greek Church. ' '"You are Greeks,' proclaimed the Hellenes. ' When the two countries, with the aid of I officially unauthorised ' bands,' began to capture each other's villages on tho .ground of religion, the fat was \rn the fire. The Bulgarians insisted thai Bulgarian-speaking ■ villages were Bulgarian, whatever their- . religion anight be, buj that Greek-speaking • villages, being Bulgarian in religion, were) , of course, iSuigurian! 'No,' said the i Greeks, 'Greek villages arc really Greek. , never mind- their religion, but Bulgarian vijlagea, which' have adopted the Greek L— faith, must be reekonecE tt reeks i' So rival ' bands ' went out to convert and re-oonvert viLages. .Men who resisted one' side or the otner were killed. They are being killed to-day. . .. The "Turk, knows [ that, while fchey arc- so birter against eagh 1 other, they have less tixaa to devote (o him. Besides, it delays the day when Bulgaria ' wHI force war on Turkey— Bulgaria being a. sturdy little nation which has thought ! much recently of 'how Japan crippled .Russia, and has drawn a moral. And there is always the possibility that tho Bulgarians. io precipitate matters, believing the erne: justincs the means, will deliberately provoke the Turks- to a tremendous massacre of Bulgar-Macedonian Christians, and force Europe to intervene aod add mesfc oL- Macaetonia to Bulgaria. That is the interaa. mess. ' ,f,, f , Bosnia. -«Bd Herzegovina (incliidinff Her. zogoyin.a awl Novi Bazar, all three baying a joint, administration) vrcse .formerly tho ruost north- westerly .provinca of* Turkey-in-Europe, bui Jiav<B t>sen under Austrian . occupation sinoe the Treaty of Berlin,' 1876. Novi'Bwar, where- the railway trouble arose earlier in the year, has been described as the gafcaway of the JEgenn. It was in connestida»with tlie-» rival railway schemes that tba breach -between Russia and Austria bscame apparent. Austria's proposal that the ' Bosnian railway should be prolonged led to a counter-proposal on the part of Russia, who suggested a railway that would cut at right angles across the proposed Austrian line. In the words of ono writer : " The Austrian and Ottoman railway systems would be linked by tha construction of a short railway through the^sanjak of Novi Bazar. The, anomalous position held by that little district since the Treaty of Berlin, is well known. Strategically, the sanjak is the key of the Balkans. It is a diplomatic hybrid. It is under the civil administration of the Turks. It is under tho military occupation of the Austrians. It may be' regarded, as has been said,- either as a wedge or 'as an opening. As a wedge, it is driven in • between Montenegro and Servia to split the Serb race and to show that the unity of that stock never can be achieved unless all Ha branches become subjects or vassals of the Hapsburg Crown. As an opening, however, Novi Bazar is the dooi'way to the JEg-cwn. Tho new live has behind it an attempt by Austria to obtain control of the Balkans. By way of a counter stroke, Russia -propose a lirxt which cuts clean across the vital line of Teutonic enterprise in tho Balkans.

cf the Landstturm 3,500,000 could be put in the field: — Peace. War. Field Army 329,500 900,000 Laixhrehr and Honved ... 67,200 160,000 Bosnia and He/zegovina Troops 7.200 7,200 Second Reserve — 500,000 Landsturm — 2.000,000 Totals 403,900 3,567,000