Armies -- Europe -- History -- 19th century; Europe -- Armed Forces -- History -- 19th century
The Spaniard combines the liveliness and hot blood of the southerner
with the determination and endurance of the northerner, and would now
count as one of the best soldiers in Europe if it were not that, in
consequence of the long civil wars and disturbances in the country, he
had become somewhat less amenable to discipline than formerly. If an
instance is required of what Spaniards can do when fighting for their
land and freedom, we have only to look at the guerilla and mountain
warfare waged by this plucky nation against the old campaigners of
Napoleon at the beginning of this century, before the English troops
came to their assistance.
PORTUGAL.
[Sidenote: +Terms of Service.+]
Universal Conscription is the rule in Portugal as well as in most other
countries, but there are numerous exemptions and sendings on “unlimited
furlough with the Colours” (in order to save the national exchequer),
so that the Army does not by any means comprise as many men as would
appear from the strength as laid down on paper. With a nominal peace
strength of 37,000, the actual strength is only about 18,000.
The terms of service are three years with the Colours, five years in
the 1st Class, and four in the 2nd Class Reserves.
[Sidenote: +Organisation.+]
The Infantry consists of 24 Line and 12 Rifle regiments, each of 2
Active and 1 Depôt battalions, altogether 72 battalions, the Depôt
battalions being skeleton ones.
Cavalry—10 regiments, of which the first two are Lancers, and the
remainder Light Dragoons (Caçadores a Cavallo). Each regiment consists
of 3 Active and 1 Depôt squadrons.
Artillery—3 Regiments of Field Artillery of 12 batteries each, 2
Regiments of Garrison Artillery of 12 companies each, 1 Mountain
Brigade of 6 batteries.—Total, 32 Active and 10 Reserve batteries with
132 guns.
Engineers—2 Active and 1 Reserve battalions, and 1 Torpedo Company.
Portugal has, besides this Army, a Colonial Force of 9,600 men, chiefly
natives.
The Infantry is now armed with the Kropatschek repeating-rifle; till
quite recently, they had the Enfield rifle. The Field Artillery is
chiefly armed with 3·54-inch steel Krupp guns.
More attention appears to be paid in Portugal to the Navy than to the
Army, and it seems unlikely that the latter will be engaged in war, at
all events for some time to come.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 21: Out of four.]
SWITZERLAND.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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