The next on the list is Germany’s powerful neighbour, friend, and ally on her southern frontier, Austria-Hungary.

There is in the Austro-Hungarian Army a varied assemblage of different races: the honest Austrian, the proud and fiery Hungarian, the smart Czech, the true-hearted Tyrolese, the thin onion-eating Wallachian, the hot-blooded Croat, the nomad Slowak, the homeless gipsy, etc., etc., are all represented in its ranks. All these have been welded together by the iron bands of discipline into the “Imperial and Royal” Army. The Emperor is Commander-in-Chief, and with him rests the decision for peace or war.

After the disastrous campaign of 1866 the Austrian Army was entirely reorganised. The reorganisation is now almost completed, and the Army now takes its place as one of the foremost in the world. The division of the Empire into Cis- and Trans-Leithania—i.e. this side, the Austrian, and that side, i.e. the Hungarian, of the Leitha, a tributary of the Danube, is only partially carried out in the military system.

Terms of Service.

According to the conscription law of December, 1868, universal conscription is now the rule; in the whole Austro-Hungarian Empire, and exemption by purchase, formerly allowed, is now abolished. The forces are divided into the Standing Army, the Ersatz Reserve, the Landwehr, and the Landsturm.

About 103,000 recruits are yearly admitted into the Standing Army, of which Cis-Leithania contributes 54,000. Those able-bodied young men who are not taken into the Standing or Active Army are sent for ten years to the Ersatz Reserve, which is intended, as in Germany, to provide reinforcements for the Active Army. Service in the latter is for three years with the Colours and seven years in the Active Reserve. Service in the Landwehr is for two years for those who have served ten years in the Active Army and Reserve or in the Ersatz Reserve, and for twelve years for those who have been sent straight thither, for various reasons, on conscription. After the Landwehr service, the soldier is sent for five years to the 1st Class Landsturm, and for five years more to the 2nd Class Landsturm. By this time he is forty-two years of age. The one-year Volunteers are enlisted in the same manner as in Germany (q. v.).

Organisa­tion.

The whole Empire is, for military purposes, divided into fifteen Territorial Districts; these are of various sizes, so that the Austrian Army Corps are not all of the same strength. In case of war, the whole “Imperial and Royal” Army would be grouped into three armies, under one supreme command, each army consisting of three or more Army Corps. The Army Corps consists of 2 Infantry Divisions, each of 2 brigades. The division is commanded by a “field-marshal-lieutenant,” corresponding to our lieutenant-general, and the brigade by a major-general.

Each Infantry brigade has as a rule 2 regiments, and 1 battalion of Rifles. Besides the 2 Infantry brigades, each Division has in addition 2 to 4 squadrons of Cavalry, 1 battery division (2 to 3 batteries of Field Artillery), and 1 company of Engineers.