The Artillery regiments are composed of 1,300 men and 12 batteries, 3 horse artillery and 9 foot, having sixty-six field guns, and four howitzers. The effective strength of each Ordu is conse The first Ordu, or the Guards (Khassa Ordussi), has its permanent head-quarters at Scutari and Smyrna. The second Ordu, or division of Constantinople (Der-I-Skadet-Ordussi), has its head-quarters at Constantinople and Angora. The third Ordu, or division of Rumelia (Rumili Ordussi), has its head-quarters at Monastir. The fourth, or division of Anatolia (Andolu Ordussi), head-quarters, Charprut. The fifth, or division of Arabistan (Arabistan Ordussi), head-quarters, Damascus and Aleppo. The sixth, or division of Irak (Irak Ordussi), head-quarters, Bagdad and El Hedjaz. In addition to the six Ordus, there are three detached corps; a brigade in the Island of Crete, of 4,000 men with 3,000 to 3,500 irregulars, and 600 artillery militia-altogether, about 8,000 men; a brigade in the Eyalet of Tripoli, composed of one regiment of infantry, and one of cavalry of about 4,000 men, and another of the same strength at Tunis-altogether amounting to about 16,000 men, infantry and cavalry. The special corps, under the command of the Grand Master of the Ordnance, must also be taken into account, exclusively of the Ordus. They are composed of : The central corps of artillery, consisting of four regiments-one of reserve, and three distributed through the various fortresses in the Dardanelles, Servia, on the banks of the Danube, in the Archipelago, and on the littoral of Asia Minor and the Black Sea; and, secondly, the brigade of engineers, formed of two regiments, each 800 strong. The Ottoman Army, therefore, is made up as follows:-- THE REDIF. The decree of 1843 fixed the duration of active. service at five years, at the expiration of which time the soldiers are sent home to be incorporated in the redif, in which they remain for seven years longer. The redif is, in fact, a second army, and contains an equivalent number of regiments with those in active service, in all the branches. These regiments are locally divided into squadrons or battalions and companies, with the complete staff of officers and subalterns. The latter receive a regular and permanent pay from the State; they are bound to reside in the towns or villages, in the centre of the soldiers on furlough, and to exercise them once a week. During a month of each year, the redifs assemble at the headquarters of the Ordu to which they belong, for a general inspection. During the whole time the redifs are called out, they receive garrison pay and rations. Each Ordu has its own redifs, who, in peace, are under the command of a Liva, residing at the headquarters of the Ordu. The redif of the four first Ordus is composed of eleven regiments, on the same establishment as those of the active army, that issix regiments of infantry, four of cavalry, and one of artillery, having their distinct canton. The redifs of the first Ordu are quartered: Infantry, at Izmid, Brussa, Smyrna, Aidin, Kutayèh, Isparta; Cavalry, at Isnik, Tyre, Kara Hissar, Is. parta; Artillery, in detachments in all these provinces. The redifs of the second Ordu are quartered: Infantry, Adrianople, Schumla, Boli, Anjora, Koniah, Kaisarièh ; Cavalry, Babadagh, Juzgat, Angora, Koniah; Artillery, Tshorum. The redifs of the third Ordu: Infantry, Monastir, Tirhala, Salonichi, Uskup, Sophia, Widdin; Cavalry, Yanina, Prezrina, Sophia; Artillery, Monastir. The redifs of the fourth Ordu: Infantry, Siwas, Tokat, Kharbrut, Erzrum, Kars, Diarbekr; Cavalry, Tokat, Van, Mardin; Artillery, Kharbrut. The redifs of the fifth and sixth Ordus have not yet been formed. It is, however, estimated that, in case of war, they could furnish two corps, each of 20,000 to 25,000 men. In each place of cantonment there are depôts of arms, used in the manoeuvres, and ready, if necessary, for immediate service. By means of these arrangements, the government has always at its command a military force through the whole extent of its territory, equal to the active army, and capable of being directed, with an interval of a few weeks, either on the Balkan line, or any other point of the country. The following tabular statement, which has been compiled principally from Mr Skene's valuable little work, will enable the reader to see, at a glance, at what places the different active and reserve regiments, composing the Turkish arms, are recruited. |