Groningen, 85; Delfzye, 68;
semicolon ; after “85” invisible
PART V.
MILITARY SYSTEM AND SCHOOLS IN ITALY.
[MILITARY SYSTEM AND INSTRUCTION IN ITALY.]
[I. MILITARY SYSTEM.]
As the provinces, duchies, kingdoms, and dominions into which the territory and population of old Italia, in the progress of centuries after the utter destruction of the Western Empire, were divided by conquests, alliance and cessions of reigning families (brought and kept in power by force of armies), were merged, one after another, under the government of the House of Savoy, the military system of Sardinia was extended over the entire kingdom of Italy as now recognized.
The actual strength of the Italian army as constituted in 1869, was as follows:
| Peace Footing. | War Footing. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men. | Horses. | Men. | Horses. | |
| Infantry of the line (80 regiments, 8 of which are grenadiers, | 128,020 | 245,680 | ||
| Bersaglieri (40 battal’ns) riflem’n, | 16,165 | — | 26,495 | — |
| Cavalry (4 regiments of the line, 7 of lancers, 7 light horse, and 1of guides—115 squadrons) | 18,167 | 13,569 | 19,000 | 14,102 |
| Artillery (1 regiment of pontonniers, 3 foot, 5 mounted, with 80batteries) | 9,646 | 4,260 | 16,086 | 11,234 |
| Six artisan companies, also attached to the artillery | 1,174 | — | 1,589 | — |
| Two regiments of sappers of the engineers (36 companies) | 4,132 | 48 | 6,793 | 396 |
| Three regiments of train corps (24 companies) | 2,460 | 960 | 9,240 | 11,340 |
| One administrative corps (7 companies) | 3,173 | — | —— | |
| Total | 189,541 | 19,027 | 335,870 | 37,562 |
The time of service in the standing army is 10 years, on the implied condition of the men being sent on furlough, in time of peace, for one-half the period. A certain number, distinguished as “soldati d’ordinanza,” to which class belong the Carabinieri and some of the Administrative troops, have to serve eight years complete, and are then liberated. In the army of reserve, the time of service is 5 years. Every native of the kingdom is liable to the conscription, and to be enrolled either in the standing army or the reserve. An exemption in favor of young men studying for the priesthood, was repealed by a law which passed both houses of parliament in May, 1869.