to take the field. And Italy had a lower proportion of machine-guns than any of the Great Powers. All these deficiencies had been realized and pointed out. To make them good cost too much money.

Between August, 1914, and Italy's intervention all the gaps had been filled, and every additional weapon or item of equipment that experience had shown to be necessary had been supplied. In addition, there were a great number of new formations-the strength of the first line must have been increased by nearly 50 per cent. Details of the remarkable work that had been done cannot be given here. Only a few items of the completed programme could be made known, and it was laid down by the Italian Government that no further details were to be published. In what follows, therefore, we confine ourselves in the main to the information about the Italian Army that was available before the war, noting certain alterations and additions that had become public property.

Every Italian citizen fit to bear arms was liable to military service. Liability began in the year in which the recruits completed their twentieth year, when the levy of each class was held, but service began on the first of January of the following year. In the event of an emergency recruits could be called earlier, and a case in point occurred towards the end of 1914, when the 1895 class (of recruits born in that year) was called to the colours more than a year before its time. Volunteers were accepted who had completed their eighteenth, or exceptionally, their seventeenth year.

The annual contingent was divided into three categories. The first category consisted of the number of men required each year to fill the peace establishment of the Army. The second category consisted of those over and above this number who could claim no exemption from service. The third category consisted of those who were exempt by law from military service, such as only sons of widows. Various family reasons still allowed exemption, but the law had been narrowed of late years, and if the levy of 1911 were compared with that of 1900, it would be seen that the third category of the later year numbered only a little over 26 per cent. of that in the earlier levy.

The terms of service in the three categories were as follows:

First Category. Two years with the colours; six with the reserve; four in the Mobile Militia; seven in the Territorial Militia.

Second Category.-A period of training not to exceed six months with the colours; seven and a half years or more with the reserve; the rest as above. Third Category.-Nineteen years in the Territorial Militia. Third category men as a rule receive no training, but are inscribed as belonging to the Territorial Militia, and are liable to service if required.

Men with a certain educational qualification were permitted to serve in the first category as one-year volunteers," on payment of £64 in the cavalry and £48 in the other arms.

The actual number of men joining the colours was considerably less than that assigned. A good number failed to present themselves, others were already in the Army or the Customs Guards, others obtained leave to put off their service. In all 122,852 men were actually posted to one or another branch of the Service.

Officers of the first line were recruited from the Military School at Modena (for infantry and cavalry), the Military Academy at Turin (for artillery and engineers), and from complement officers (ufficiali di complemento). Twenty-five per cent. of the commissions vacant each year were reserved for under-officers (sergeants and upwards) who had had at least four years' service, and had completed a prescribed course at the Military School.

Complement (or reserve) officers were recruited from under-officers, qualified one-year volunteers, and officers of the active army who had retired before the age of 40. Classes of instruction were formed for under-officers and one-year volunteers who wished to qualify for commissions.

Auxiliary officers were those who were unfit for active service, but were considered able to undertake certain special duties.

The permanent army of Italy was organized in 12 army corps, 25 divisions and 3 cavalry

divisions, with a peace strength of some 14,000 officers and 250,000 men. The details were as follows:

12 legions of Carabinieri or Military Police;

2 regiments of Grenadiers (24 companies and 2 depôts); 94 regiments of the line (1,225 companies, 94 depôts, and 85 " nuclei " of Mobile Militia);

12 regiments Bersaglieri (153 companies and 12 depôts); 8 regiments Alpini (78 companies, 8 depôts, and 25 "nuclei" of Mobile Militia);

88 recruiting districts (6 of them double);

29 regiments of cavalry (150 squadrons and 29 depôts); 36 regiments of field artillery (289 batteries, 36 companies of train and 36 depôts);

2 regiments of heavy field artillery (20 batteries, 2 depôts);

1 regiment of horse artillery (8 batteries, 4 train companies and 1 depôt);

3 regiments of mountain artillery (39 batteries and 3 depôts);

10 regiments of fortress artillery (110 companies and 10 depôts);

6 regiments of engineers (75 companies and 6 depôts); 10 companies of train troops;

2 aviation "commands" (1 airship battalion, 1 aeroplane battalion, an unknown number of air squad. rons, and an aviation schoo!);

12 companies medical corps;

12 companies commissariat;

Various special services.

The army corps and divisions had their headquarters as follows:

1st Army Corps, Turin.-1st Div., Turin; 2nd, Novara. 2nd Army Corps, Alessandria.-3rd Div., Alessandria ;4th, Coni.

3rd Army Corps, Milan.-5th Div., Milan; 6th, Brescia. 4th Army Corps, Genoa.-7th Div., Piacenza; 8th, Genoa. 5th Army Corps, Verona.-9th Div., Verona; 10th. Padua.

6th Army Corps, Bologna.-11th Div., Bologna; 12th, Ravenna.

7th Army Corps, Ancona.-13th Div., Ancona; 14th, Chieti.

Sth Army Corps, Florence.-15th Div., Florence; 16th, Leghorn.

9th Army Corps, Rome.-17th Div., Rome; 18th, Perugia.

10th Army Corps, Naples.-19th Div., Naples; 20th, Salerno.

11th Army Corps, Bari.-21st Div., Bari; 22nd, Catan.

zaro.

12th Army Corps, Palermo.-23rd Div., Palermo; 24th, Messina.

The 25th Division, stationed at Cagliari, Sardinia formerly attached to the Rome Army Corps, had been attached to the 12th (Palermo) corps. The army corps consisted of:

2 divisions of infantry (division = 2 brigades of 2 regi ments, 6 battalions);

I regiment of Bersaglieri (3 battalions and a cyclist battalion);

1 regiment of cavalry;

1 section of carabinieri;

36 field guns (1 regiment of 8 batteries);

2 to 3 heavy howitzer batteries.

with ammunition column, telegraph and engineer parks, ambulance section, supply section, supply column, reserve supply park, reserve store, section of army cattle park, section of field bakery.

The division consisted of 12 battalions of infantry, 24 to 36 field guns, pontoon section, engineer company, divisional ammunition column, ambulance and supply sections, reserve store, section of carabinieri.

Comparing these figures with the totals given earlier, it will be seen that there was a considerable surplus of first line troops outside the corps organization. In 1912, in order to garrison Libya without weakening the permanent army at home, 24 line regiments were given a fourth battalion and 3 Bersaglieri regiments a fifth. There were in addition the Alpine troops and the mountain artillery, which were not within the organization of the 12 permanent army corps.

The Alpini consisted of 8 regiments in first line (26 battalions, 78 companies). Each Alpine battalion had a "nucleus" of Mobile Militia attached to serve as a centre of formation on mobilization. There were three regiments of mountain artillery, each containing four" groups" of three batteries. A thirteenth group of mountain artillery was attached to the Messina division, in lieu of a similar unit of field artillery.

Behind the formations of the active army and their reserves came the organized Mobile Militia, consisting of about 320,000 men. These were made up of four classes of 1st and 2nd category men-from 29 to 32 years of age. The Mobile Militia formations were as follows: 51 regiments of the line, of 3 battalions each. Three of these were detailed for service in Sardinia. The other 48 were attached to the 48 brigades of the first line army.

20 battalions of Bersaglieri, and 38 companies of Alpini.

These were attached to the Bersaglieri and Alpini depôts.

3.1 squadrons of cavalry.

These were not properly

Mobile Militia, but were used to make new forma. tions in time of war.

63 batteries of field artillery.

15 mountain batteries.

78 companies of coast and fortress artillery.

24 companies of artillery train.

These were attached to the artillery regimental depôts.

54 companies of engineers and 1 companies of train, who were similarly attached to their depôts.

Commanding officers and squadron and company commanders were supplied from regimental officers on the active list. The rest came from reserve officers or officers on the auxiliary list.

The Alpini were used to swell the battalions or regiments of the first line. The rest of the Mobile Militia was organized for war in brigades or divisions. Certain army corps took in a division of Mobile Militia on mobilization. The brigades were attached to first line divisions in other cases.

Behind the Mobile Militia came the Territorial Militia, consisting of seven classes each of

AN ITALIAN SOLDIER Wearing a respirator as a protection against poisonous gas.

1st and 2nd category men, and all the 19 classes of the 3rd category. The organization

for war was as follows:

324 battalions of infantry of the line.
26 battalions of Alpini.

100 companies of fortress artillery.
30 companies of engineers.

The Territorial Militia was primarily designed for garrison duty, guarding railways, bridges, etc., but it was liable for any service. It was embodied in time of war, and new formations were made for training purposes. There was a certain proportion of active officers, but the greater number were reserve officers or new appointments.