Germany. On the other hand, a machine gun similar to the Danish Rekyl (Madsen type), which does not weigh more than eight kilogrammes (about 17 lbs.) could be carried by one man who, with his accompanying ammunition carriers, could not be distinguished from a group of skirmishers. On account of over-heating, the Danish weapon cannot fire more than 300 shots in succession, and in order to be fit for use again requires a rest of from 10 to 15 minutes. This inconvenience which, at any rate in the defence, might be minimised by using artifical means of cooling, does not seem very serious to the German journal if the number of these weapons is so increased that they could not only fire successively during the first phases of the fight, but also be held ready to intervene simultaneously at the decisive moment. The Militär-Wochenblatt adds that some of these weapons might be given to artillery to protect its flanks and to keep small hostile patrols at a distance; they would also permit the abolition or reduction in the armament of carbines which it is proposed to give artillery. Finally these weapons might be used by cavalry patrols to force the evacuation of a defile or of a point weakly held, or to allow them to themselves hold positions of that nature for a certain time. The weapon could be slung from the saddle, its coming into action, which is simply a matter of placing the tripod in position, would not attract attention, and could be effected, as could also its departure, with a rapidity suitable to the method of action of the cavalry arm. With regard to the creation of cyclist units attached to cavalry divisions, a creation advocated in certain military quarters, the Kölnische Zeitung observes that machine gun detachments may be advantageously substituted for them. Their effective in men, with equal fire-power, would not exceed a tenth of that of a cyclist unit, their mobility would be vastly superior, and they would not be stopped or greatly checked in their movement by broken ground; their ammunition supply, too, would present less difficulties. Finally, machine gun detachments would escape the serious defects of cyclist units, viz., immoderate length in column of route (1.100 kilometres, or about 1,122 yards, for a battalion), and the considerable time necessary for their deployment.-Bulletin de la Presse et de la Bibliographie Militaires, Revue du Cercle Militaire. Japan. Reorganisation of the Army.-It is well known that on the outbreak of the recent war the Japanese Army consisted of altogether 13 divisions (1 guard and 12 line), which were each reinforced by a reserve brigade. During the war four more divisions were formed, the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th, which after the war remained, the 13th and 15th in Corea, and the 14th and 16th in Manchuria. Since then the 13th and 14th Divisions have been brought home, and will be followed by the other two divisions as soon as the new corps of occupation have been formed. These latter will, as are the Formosa troops, and the brigade of occupation in China, be taken from specially selected men of the divisions, who are discharged yearly. To the total number of 17 divisions then in Japan, two more, the 17th and 18th, will then be raised, so that the Japanese Army will then have in all 19 divisions as against 13 she had before the war, which will be an increase of about 46 per cent. According to the Treaty of Portsmouth, Japan has the right to maintain 15 men per kilometre, or about 15,000 men in all, along the Eastern Chinese Railway. For this purpose six infantry Japan. battalions, with artillery and machine-guns, from the reserve of the regular army, will be used. This will make up a force of only about 7,000 men. It would appear that in peace-time the present divisional distribution of the Army will be maintained, and that army corps will not be formed. The division, then, will be the largest unit in peace-time. In war these will be formed into four armies of from five to four divisions of the regular army. Cavalry. It seems probable that the independent cavalry, hitherto two brigades, will be increased by a new brigade of two regiments of four squadrons each, and the divisional cavalry regiments will be increased from three to four squadrons. As the cavalry for the new infantry divisions has also to be formed, the proposed changes indicate an increase in cavalry of more than 50 per cent. For budgetary reasons these changes will be carried out gradually. The poor horse matériel will be improved by horse-breeding, by the purchase of stallions from abroad, by the reorganisation of the stud farms, etc. It is worthy of note that the creation of mounted infantry seems to have been abandoned. Horse Artillery. On the other hand, six horse artillery batteries will be gradually formed, every two of which will be grouped together, so that each of the three independent cavalry brigades will be able to have a group of two batteries. The events of the war must have very clearly demonstrated the absolute necessity for attaching horse artillery to the independent cavalry, for Japan had no horse artillery before the war, and that improvised during its course did not fulfil expectations. Heavy Field Artillery. The creation of two heavy field artillery brigades of from two to three regiments of six batteries of four guns each appears to have been decided upon in principle. This year only one brigade of two regiments will be formed; one regiment of 15-cm. Q.F., and the other of 12-cm. Q.F. howitzers. The matériel will be provided by the Creusot works, which have recently received an order for forty 15-cm. and thirty 12-cm. guns. Trials are being made of a 10-5-cm. Q.F. howitzer, constructed in the Osaka arsenal. If this gun is finally adopted the 12-cm. howitzer will probably disappear from the armament of the heavy field artillery, which will then only consist of a fixed proportion of 15-cm. and 10.5-cm. howitzers. Engineers.-There is no question about increasing the proportion of this arm, as the experiences of the war proved that the present distribution of three companies to each division was ample, provided they were only employed on work which the infantry was not capable of performing with the means at their disposal. The four railways' companies will, however, be increased to 16, so that on mobilisation it will be possible to give one battalion of four companies to each army. The recent campaign in Manchuria, where roads were infrequent and very bad, except when the ground was frozen, proved the incontestable advantage of railways for the supply of ammunition and food pushed up immediately behind the troops and keeping pace with their advance. Balloonists.-There appears to be no hurry with regard to the organisation of balloon sections. At the present time there is a provisional detachment of 170 men, whose commander is at present going through a course in Germany with the balloon battalion. The detachment itself is attached to a telegraph instruction battalion, and is carrying out experiments with two German models. When the experiments have been concluded it is probable that four detachments, one for each army, will be formed. Japan. Telegraphists.-The three telegraph companies will be increased to eight, so that each army may have two. There is already an experimental company for wireless telegraphy. Bridging Matériel.-In order to be able to transport the heavy field artillery, etc., over rivers, heavy bridging matériel for a length of bridge of 300 metres will be provided. The divisions will retain their present light matériel, but their length for bridge will be reduced from 144 to from 40 to 50 metres. New Rifle.-A considerable number of rifles having been condemned after the war, it has been necessary to consider of renewing the small arms; at any rate, partially. It was at first intended to give an automatic rifle to the Japanese infantry, and a number of inconclusive trials were made of various known types. Under these conditions, and temporarily shelving the question of an automatic rifle, it has been decided to manufacture an Arisaka rifle in accordance with the experiences of the recent campaign. This weapon will commence to be distributed during the present year, the reserves still using the old rifle, model 1897. New Gun.-As regards the field artillery, it has been decided to re-arm it with a Krupp barrel recoiling gun of greater execution and range than was possessed by the former Arisaka gun. Details of the construction of this gun are not yet forthcoming. It is, however, believed to be of the same type as that furnished to the Swiss Army by the same firm. Mountain Artillery.--As soon as the changes in the organisation of the mountain artillery have been carried out, a modern re-armament of the same must be considered. During the late war the field and mountain guns had the same calibre and the same projectiles, only the amount of the powder contained was necessarily different. It is probable that the mountain artillery will be given a 75-cm. barrel recoiling gun, such as has recently been constructed in the Krupp works. The batteries will be grouped into two or three independent brigades, which on mobilisation will be distributed amongst the units in the armies, according to the nature of the country in which they are operating. Machine Guns.-Although the Hotchkiss machine gun rendered good service in the late war, their use on the battle-field itself is about to be abandoned, and they will be reserved for the defence of works only. The Rexer machine gun will take its place on the battle-field, as that gun can accompany the infantry in the attack and move with the firing line itself. Two Years' Service.-Excellent results having been obtained at depôts during the war, for the rapid preparation of recruits to take the place of casualties, when in six, four, and even three months, infantry recruits were trained who behaved excellently under fire, the present draft of the budget submitted to Parliament contains a request for the credits necessary to put in force a two years' service for the infantry alone, the period of service for all the other arms remaining three years. This measure will increase by about one-third the number of men who pass annually under the colours, and will ultimately allow the organisation on mobilisation of the kobi (reserve army) divisions, replacing the brigades laid down in the present mobilisation plan. The present recruiting regulations will have but a few small changes of detail made. The number of young men who reach the age of 20 in 1907 amounts to more than 520,000. From 110,000 to 120,000 will probably be enrolled. Discharges take place from the 20th to the 25th November, and the calling out of the recruits from the 10th to the 15th December. Japan's resources in men are already considerable, and are increasing. At the last Official Census in 1903, the population, without including Japan. the island of Formosa, amounted to 46,732,138 souls, of whom 23,600,931 were males.-Précis from Jahrbücher für die deutsche Armee und Marine and Revue Militaire des Armées Etrangères. Military Training of Youth.-A law, laying down the military Roumania. training of youth, has been in force since April last in Roumania, and it is hoped that this Government organisation will materially lighten the training of the troops. The chief provisions of this law are the following: 1. There will be a special corps of military school instructors, who will be responsible for the corporal and moral training of youths in the schools. The instruction must consist of practical exercises, the teaching of patriotic and military matters and target practice. 2. Military training is obligatory for elementary, middle and professional schools. The results will influence the placing in the upper classes. 3. The kingdom will be divided into school districts similar to the territorial districts. 4. An infantry officer of field rank will be at the head of the military instructions, with the rank of Chief Military Instructor of Roumanian State and Private Schools. He will conduct the military training of youth according to the programme laid down by Ministry of Public Education. 5. The Chief Military Instructor will have under him a civilian school inspector, called Chief School Inspector of the Corps of Military Instructors. He, further, has under him: 1 captain as assistant, 1 administration officer, 5 captains as managers of school districts, 38 captains or first lieutenants as sub-district managers, and 120 non-commissioned officers and a number of privates to assist in the military training of youth. 6. The Chief Military Instructor and his assistant must be officers 7. There will be a Military Instructor for each of the elementary 8. Military School Instructor will attend a training course of from A committee consisting of officers and of members of the Education Department were entrusted with the drafting of a programme for the carrying out of According take place the training of youths. Roumania. to this scheme the military training will from the ages of ten to twenty years, viz., until their entry into the army. As regards physical training, the requirements are gradually increased, and consist of gymnastics, games and simple drills and fencing. For target practice the cross-bow and saloon pistol and later a shortened military rifle will be used. Moral training, especially as regards the awakening of patriotic sentiment, will be carried out by means of national songs, instruction in patriotism and in the heroic feats of arms of their countrymen, national festivals, etc. The committee on the programme of training are further of opinion that every member of a shooting or drilling society who is over 15 years of age shall be excused from attending the Government training course. They must, however, give satisfactory proof of sufficient military training by undergoing an annual examination.---Militär-Wochenblatt. CORRESPONDENCE. THE MAN WHO MUST SHOOT. To the Editor of the JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL UNITED SERVICE INSTITUTION. Sir,-Some people say that every able-bodied man in the British Isles should know how to use a rifle; others appear to think differently. It is a question that concerns the Nation at large, whether the public choose to recognise the fact or not. However important we, as soldiers, may consider this dream of the future, I think it more profitable at present to devote our energies to the man who must shoot, without quibble or contradiction, as he is within our grasp, and no dream. Our Regular Army, cavalry and infantry, shoots well, but might, I am convinced, be made one of the best, if not the finest, of the shooting armies of the world. There are difficulties to overcome before reaching this point, but we can surmount them if we really mean to and our hearts are in the work. I will refer to them later. Some years ago rifle shooting was possibly looked upon, not only as the special role of infantry, which it was and is, but almost as a prerogative which cavalry had neither the wish nor the right to question. That day has passed. Shooting may be the raison d'être of infantry, but it is the standby and finish of cavalry. The Russo-Japanese war teems with evidence to this effect, and we find such comments on that campaign as: "In battle the Japanese employed their cavalry in a logical manner; that is as a force of which fire is the essential mode of action, and which is capable of moving to any given spot with rapidity." I suppose it is allowed that we want, in the Regular Army, with which I am now dealing, uniformity and consistency, rather than a mixture of excellence and weakness. But good, and even brilliant, shots we always have in some proportion; if, then, we can eliminate the weak and doubtful, we at least go one better. In other words, our worst shots will be useful. The expression, "eliminate," must, of course, be read to mean the raising up, not the weeding out. |