IF ROUMANIA COMES IN!

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 25 July 1916, Page 3

IF ROUMANIA COMES IN!

A SPLENDID ARMY READY FOR THE FRAY.

engaged in fighting. She can put be

Eoumania has the finest army on tlie Continent outside the armies actually tween 600,000 and 700,000 troqps in the field; all well trained and all born fighters, like most of the men in the Balkans. Eoumania has the advantage over the other Balkan\ States of not having been seriously engaged in the disastrous wars of .1911 and 1912. All the time that Bulgaria, Servia, Greece and Turkey were smashing against one another, Eoumania stood out, waiting. The result was that, when she did move her troops in the last Balkan war they were so overwhelming that the other Balkan States had to give in, for they were exhausted while Eoumania was fresh.

There is compulsory service in the great Balkan State, all men from 21 to 42 being called on to serve. Their uniforms are a mixture of Russian, Italian and French. Before the war the soldiers were armed with Krupp guns but it is very unlikely that they havp decreased in efficiency. Already, indeed they have come to an agreement with Russia to supply them with munitions.

Ronmania has ar Navy which will prove very useful to her if she goes to war with Austria, for the ships are constructed for fighting on the Danube, which runs through Ronmania and Austroa.