STRENGTH OF SWISS ARMY

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 265, 5 April 1917, Page 1 (Supplement)

STRENGTH OF SWISS ARMY

Tho three new divisions of the Swiss army, writes Mr A. Beaumont in the London "Daily Telegraph," are closely connected with the forthcoming winter and spring campaigns, and deserve special notice. Information received from Berne by various Italian papers, and tlio comments of Swiss papers, suggest that the mobilisation is due entiivly to great military preparations in Germany. The French press recently contained a warning in frequent references to the possibility of Germany making r.n attack on 8.-lfort from Switzerland. Tho Swiss papers first tried to interpret tlieso reports as a financial manoeuvre with a view to inducing the withdrawal of French deposits from Swiss hanks, but the Swiss Federal Council instituted an inquiry, and Lamed that Germany was transporting numerous reserv< s to the French iront. Tho Council was convinced that the Allies would moot this by similar movements, and that great and perhaps decisive battles weiv imminent. It was resolved, at all events, to lie fully prepared to defend Swi>s neutrality, and as during the past 12 months the Swi*s army had considerably rediuvd, ii was found nei'essary to return to tho mobilisation of 191-1 and 191"», when nearly tho whole Swiss force of the first line was under arms. Tho Swiss army, as at present constituted, consists of six divisions, each of which has a minimum strength of :>0.(X)0. The effective of each division Ims probably Ikymi increased since tho war, and the four divisions to be under arms will certainly represent about 100.000 men.