604

ARGENTINE REPUBLIC

Defence.

Army.

The army of the Argentine Republic is a National Militia, service in which is now compulsory for all citizeus from their 20th to their 4 5th year. For the first 10 years the men belong to the ' active ' army, or first line. After completing 10 years in the first line, the men pass to the Katioual Guard and serve in it for another 10 years, finishing their service with 5 years in the Territorial Guard. The period of continuous service, or training in the ranks, is for the greater proportion of the annual contingent only 3 months ; the remainder serve for 1 year. The reservists can be called out for training periodically.

The territor}^ of the Republic is divided into 5 military districts, each of which provides on mobilisation a com[)lete division of the first line, and also a reserve division, irrespective of the National Guard and Territorial troops. The strength of the ' active ' divisions will be about 12,000 men each. The ' active ' army comprises 9 regiments of cavalry, 5 regiments of field artillery of 4 batteries each, 2 batteries of field howitzers and 6 mountain batteries, 5 battalions of engineers and a railway battalion, 10 regiments of infantry of 2 battalions each and 10 separate battalions. Batteries have 6 guns.

The total peace strength of the army is about 215,000 ofiicers and men. There is a reserve numbering 150,000.

The weapon of the Argentine infantry is at present the Mauser magazine rifle. The cavalry have a carbine of the same system. The artillery are armed with a Krupp 7 '5 cm. gun.

Military expenditure is somewhat less than 2,000,000Z. per annum.

Navy.

1910

1879 1889

1804 189G

1889 1891 1894

Armour

Dreadnoughts Moreno .... Rivadavia . . .

Pre-Dreadnoughts Almirante Brown . /Tndependeneia . . (Libertad ....

}

ARMOOREn Cruisers

/Garibaldi

(San Martin . . . .

/Pueyrredon . . . . \Belyrano

P. Cruisers 25 de Male . 9 de Julio . . .

Buenos Aires

26,500

4,267 2,336

6,840 7,000

3,200 3,500 4,500

in. 10

Principal Armament

12 1212-in., 12 fi-in. 7-in.

8 10 6-in., 4 4-7-in. . 8 2 9-4-in., 4 4-7-in. .

TO ^ CC

tr « ^

K

(2 10-in. l4 8-in.,

/2 10-in., 12 10-in.,

,10 6-in., 6 4-7-in 10 6-in., 6 4-7-in

10 6-in., 6 4-7 in. 14 6-in. . . .

}

2 8-2 in., 8 4-7 in. . . 4 G-in., 8 4-7 in. . . 2 8 in., 4 6 in., 6 4-7 in.

39,500

4,500 2,780

13,000 13,000

13,000 14,500 17,000

knots. 22-5

14 14

20 20

22

22-5

24

There are also 2 armoured gunboats, 2 torpedo gunboats, 15 destroyers. 8 torpedo boats, and some miscellaneous craft.

The personnel of the navy includes 321 executive and 158 engineer officers, and 14 electrical engineers. The total personnel varies from 5,000

to 6,000 men, these numbers including 2,000 conscripts annually who have