ITALIAN ARMY FACTS. Plan of Conscription and Division of the Permanent Force

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 106, 13 June 1885, Page 5

ITALIAN ARMY FACTS. Plan of Conscription and Division of the Permanent Force

Tub present organisation of the Italian army was decreed by laws passed in June, 1882, and July, 1883, which added considerably to the war effective available under the Act of 1873. On the 1st of January, 1885, the total numbor of soldiers on the roll of the permanent army was set down at 750,765, the numbers in the mobile militia, or first class of the reservo, were 341,250, and those intho lerritoriai militia, 1,021,994— which ( made a grand total of 2,113,969 soldiers. The Italian army, like the French, is raised by annual conscription among young men having comploted their twentioth year, but fchoso who wish to finish their term of service oarly may volunteer for three years at the ago of 18. The draft for 1884 was of 75,000 mon, for 1882 it will be 80,000. Conscripts drawn for the permanont army have to serve throe years in the infantry or four in the cavalry, after which they pass into the reserve and then into the territorial militia, their liability to service terminating only at the age of 40. Young men who are not wan tod for tho rogular draft sorve six months with the colours and then enter the mobile militia, where they may bo called out for six weeks' training a year during four yoars and for lesser poriods subsequently. Exemptions are grantod, however, to conscripts of auporior education. Those, after passing an examination, are enrolled for a twelvemonth, then re-examined and consigned to tho territorial militia. The carabiniori (gendarmes), the artillery, engineers, the Alpino companies, and the picked companies of borsagliori (riflemen) are recruited for the most part with soldati d'orclinanza, or long service mon, who enlist for eight years and are then discharged without further liability to arms. To attract recruits of this kind oxtra pay is offered, with promise of ernploymont in tho civil service aftor discharge.—" London Timos."