sitions to which they are called, but occasionally, also, of furlough officers of the permanent army. The districts are the centres of formation for the active militia battalions, or companies of infantry, artillery, and engineers, while the Alpine battalions of the permanent army

LIGHT CAVALRY.

A glance at this table will suffice to show that the national army of Italy is far from having the proportions of cavalry and horse batteries that the armies of Germany, France, and Austro-Hungary give to the same arms. This comparative deficiency, however, is account

ed for and justified by the nature of the frontiers, as well as by the international position of the Italian Kingdom in respect to the neighboring states, excluding on its part any aggressive intention. The relative scarcity of cavalry in particular would in any case be justified by the actual scarcity of horses fit for military purposes (220,000 in all, fully one-half of which number would be required for the needs of a general mobilization), as well as by the state of the national finances, which hardly allows the maintenance of such an expensive arm on a large scale. Nevertheless, Italy is unquestionably able to check with her army any offensive movement from either the west or the east. The above table shows that no less than 12 active army corps, each 30,000 strong, can be formed, preceded by 36,000 Alpine infantry, and followed up by 12

militia, giving a grand total of 540,000 men, all ready to take the field, the local militia amply sufficing for all garrison purposes.

The law of conscription makes every able-bodied Italian liable to military service from the age of 20 to 39. There are, consequently, 19 classes to feed the army. The men on the conscription lists found fit for service are enrolled, and divided by lot into three distinct categories, first, second, third. The first category contingent is determined annually by law. The men in excess of the first category contingent are assigned to the second cate

gory; those who find themselves in such family circumstances as are stated by the law of conscription are passed into the third. In determining these circumstances the legislator has conciliated the needs of the military defence of the state with the other interests of civil society and the principles of humanity. In this respect, of the laws of conscription of all the great states of Europe, the Italian is the most liberal. The former, in fact, extend the period of liability to military service to 25 years, and restrict the cases of exemption within the narrowest limits.

Another feature of the Italian law is this: it allows all conscripts wishing to finish their studies to postpone military service till the age of 25, and grants clergymen the right to serve in the sanitary department.

The period of active service in the army is of 3 years for the first category men, if they are in the infantry, artillery, or engineer corps, and of 4 if they are in the cavalry. Sublieutenants must serve 5 years.

After 3 years spent with the colors, the great mass of the first category are sent home on unlimited furlough, remain ing, however, liable to service for 6 years, at the expiration of which they pass for a term of 4 years to the active militia, and then for 6 years to the local militia.

The second category are, in peace time, liable to service in one of the several arms during a period of 9 years in the permanent army, another of 4 years in the active militia, and a third one of 6 years in the local militia; but they are considered as on furlough, and only subjected to some months' military training.

The furlough classes of the first cate

CAVALRY OFFICERS.

gory being sufficient to put the permanent army on the war footing, and the four classes of the active militia being sufficient to complete the cadres of the same militia, the second categories are really complementary troops serving to replace casualties in the field army.

The men of the third category are not in peace time called to service, except for a few weeks' training. All the third category classes concur with the six older classes of the first and the second categories to form the local militia. This is very numerous, and although its technical worth is of very little importance, except in that portion of it which is formed of first category men, it can, nevertheless, in case of protracted war, be used for garrison service and the maintenance of public peace, thereby affording means of resistance to the last extremity.

To estimate correctly the real worth of this enormous number of men it is necessary to give some facts showing the amount and kind of instruction received by them. Of the permanent army about 250,000 are kept under arms 3 years, and their instruction and military training extend over the whole of that period. About 384,000 are on furlough, but have also received 3 years' instruction. The remaining 170,000 belong to the second category; that is, they have received 2 months' instruction, and constitute the complementary troops. Therefore the army of the first line consists of only 634,000 men. These, however, can be constantly kept to their full total, even during a protracted war.

Active Militia

Local Militia.

Total.

Officers on furlough.

Troops on furlough.

Officers.

Troops.

Of the 370,000 men of the active militia, about 200,000 have received 3 years' instruction, and these, formed into cadres commanded by officers mostly from the active army, constitute a very solid body, available for any war operation, the other 170,000 men from the complementary troops being soldiers of the second category, with only a few weeks' instruction. Lastly, about 300,000 of the local militia are of the first category, with the regular 3 years' training, and have about 170,000 second category men as complement. Italy, therefore, is able to oppose against her enemies fully 1,444,000 men, perfectly trained, armed, and equipped. This number can be maintained by 500,000 complementary troops.

The districts provide for the receiving, equipping, and forwarding of these complementary troops to their respective corps.

interesting than the sight of the grave and exact Piedmontese, the serious and good-natured Lombard, the sceptical and alert Ligurian. Next to them one might see the witty and talkative Venetian or Tuscan, and the jovial Emilian or Romagnese, and contrast them with the proud and ardent Sicilian, or the melancholy and pensive Sardinian. Then he might be struck with the intellectual acuteness of the lazy native of Campania Felice or of sunny Puglia standing by the side of a stalwart comrade from Calabria, the Abruzzi, or Lucania. But he would probably notice, above all others, the sons of Rome, of the Sabina, of the Marches, and of Umbria, in whom are still reflected the manly beauty of the Italic type, and the genuine Italic spirit, which still shines in the artistic cities of those provinces.

If the recruitment were made on the principle of localization, this diversity of types and characters would become apparent only through a comparison of entire regiments from the several regions; but being on a national basis, men from all parts of the kingdom are brought together, and their special characteristics are observable in each and every regiment.

The existence of such diversities may at first appear as tending to hinder or weaken that harmony and cohesion of all elements which is essential to the efficiency of an army. But thirty years' experience has proved that there exists unity in the army, and that through it the union of all the provinces has been