MONTENEGRO’S ARMY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 38, 8 October 1912, Page 4

MONTENEGRO’S ARMY.

Tho .Montenegrin army is peculiar in tlie tact tliat it is raised and based on a social system. Each unit is a tribal institution and is raised and maintained in its own district. The

heads of villages and superior classes furnish the oflieers and non-commis-sioned officers. Commanders ol units are local magnates, and the generals are tribal heads and leaders. Service is compulsory. Every able-bodied Montenegrin must serve lor four months after reaching the age of ‘25. Every male between the ages ol ■ sixteen and sixty belongs to the national militia. There is no permanent army. There exists just one permanent instructional unit, which trains and passes about 2000 recruits annually. This unit has a permanent staff ol instruction officers and non-conunis-sioned officers. There is, however, a guard battalion for palace duties composed of men enlisted for three years. On mobilisation the national militia can produce over fifty bat-

talions of 500 men apiece and six batteries of artillery. It is probable that Montenegro could, if really pressed, put between 40,000 and 15,000 men into the field. A very large percentage of the fighting strength of the nation, however it is stated, is abroad. The men migrate in thousands to Aiinerica, and they are also in request throughout the Levant as kavas&os and janitors. Though tlie men go into the world, they always return to

the Black Mountain, and it is a common thiijig to find a village headman who can speak American pigeon-Eng-lish. It is stated by one writer that the Montenegrins have a traditional ferocity to live up to and they have been in the 'habit of letting off .steam in this direction by little border raids

on Turkish territory. King Nicholas ' is reported to have been able in the past to keep Ids fiery subjects moderately in check, but he is now a very old man and it may be that his per- . sonal power is waning.