The following table shows the interest (including premiums) and sinking fund of the Public Debt on July 1, 1886:

If the interest on the debt were capitalised, it would amount to about 11,467,185,000 lire, or 458,687,4001.

The burden of the debt per head of population is 15l. 15s., and of the interest 14s. 8d. The value per head of the special exports in 1885 was 11. 12s.

The total revenue of the communes of Italy in 1884 amounted, according to official reports, to 526,292,069 lire. In 1884 the revenue and expenditure of the provinces balanced at +112,829,860 lire. The debts of the communes in 1883 (January 1) amounted to 784,922,141 lire; of the provinces to 136,953,567 lire.

Army and Navy.

Universal liability to arms forms the basis of the military organisation of Italy. A certain portion of all the young men of the age of twenty-one, the number amounting to 80,000, is levied annually for the standing army, while the rest are entered in a second category, and serve only six months with the colours.

The time of service in the standing army for the first category of recruits is three years in the infantry and four years in the cavalry. In the army of reserve, the time of service is generally five years, and four years in the Mobile militia, for infantry, while the cavalry have only five years, passed in the reserve. The second category, after their six months' service, are passed to the reserve and Mobile militia. After completion of time in Mobile militia, both categories are drafted into the territorial militia, where they remain till their 39th year. Into this last body also are drafted the conscripts whose services in the active army have been dispensed with in time of peace. As in the German army, young men of superior education are permitted under certain conditions to serve as one-year volunThe different arms of the Italian army have the following organisation:

teers.

I. PERMANENT ARMY.

Infantry-96 regiments of the line and 12 regiments of bersaglieri, each regiment of 3 battalions of 4 companies and 1 depot; 6 regiments of Alpine troops, of 20 battalions, in all 72 companies; 87 military districts with 98 companies.

Cavalry-22 regiments of 6 squadrons and 1 depot; 6 depots for remounts.

Artillery-12 regiments of field artillery, each of 10 batteries; 3 companies of train, and 1 depot; 2 brigades of horse artillery of 2 batteries; 5 regiments of fortress artillery, of 12 fortress or coast companies and 1 depot; 2 brigades of mountain artillery, of 4 batteries; 5 companies of artillery workmen, and 1 company of veterans.

Engineers:-4 engineer regiments, two of which are sappers, of 14 companies; 2 companies of train and 1 depot; 1 regiment of pontooners, of 8 companies; 1 brigade for lagoons, of 2 companies; 1 brigade of train, of 4 companies and 1 depot; 1 regiment comprising 1 railway brigade of 4 companies, 2 telegraph brigades of 6 companies, 1 brigade of sappers of 4 companies, 2 companies of train, and 1 depot.

Carabineers:-11 territorial legions, and 1 legion of cadets.

Invalids and veterans, 4 companies; sanitary corps, 12 companies; commissariat, 12 companies; veterinary corps; administrative corps; establishments and institutes of instruction; disciplinary establishments, 15 companies; 2 houses of correction.

II. MOBILE MILITIA.

Infantry-41 regiments of the line of 3 battalions of 4 companies; 20 battalions of bersaglieri of 4 companies; 36 companies of Alpine troops.

Artillery-13 brigades of field artillery of 4 batteries and 1 company of train; 32 companies of fortress and coast artillery; 4 batteries of mountain artillery.

Engineers:-5 brigades of sappers, with 16 companies; 1 brigade of pontooners of 4 companies; 1 railway brigade of 2 companies; 1 telegraph brigade of 3 companies; 5 companies of train.

Sanitary corps of 12 companies, and commissariat corps of 12 companies.

Special militia of Sardinia :-3 regiments of the line, each of 3 battalions of 4 companies; 1 battalion of Bersaglieri of 4 companies; 1 squadron of cavalry; 1 brigade of field artillery of 2 batteries, and 1 company of train; 1 company of fortress artillery; 1 section of mountain artillery; 1 company of engineers; 1 sanitary company; and 1 commissariat company.

III. TERRITORIAL MILITIA.

320 battalions of infantry of 4 companies; 30 battalions of Alpine troops with 72 companies; 100 companies of fortress artillery; 30 companies of engineers; 13 sanitary companies; 13 commissariat companies. In time of peace the territorial militia is called out every four years for 30 days' drill, which may be divided into two, three, or four years.

There are 12 army corps. The following is the official statement of the strength of the Italian army for January 1, 1886:—

=

The following table contains the official data as to the strength of the Italian navy on January 1, 1886. I iron; S = steel; W = wood; B = breech-loader; M: = muzzle-loader.

A A

Totals

27

27

1,080

13,610

21

309

4,050

5,196

3.013

1,477

8

685

402

379

36

1.556

425

390 6 14 20

66

21

32 60 29 121 148,011 134,203 113 207 320 13,739

There were building at the same time 5 first-class ironclads, a total of 60,300 tons, and two others, the Sicilia and Sardegna, 13,050 tons each, are to be laid down; 3 unarmoured cruisers of G. Bausan type each of 3,475 tons, 2 torpedo vessels or third-class cruisers each of 740 tons, 2 torpedo vessels each of 315 tons and 2,800 horse-power. There has been laid down in 1886 1 cruiser of G. Bausan type, 2 third-class cruisers each of 740 tons, 2 gunboats each of 1,040 tons, and 2 steam schooners each of 775 tons; 38 first-class torpedo-boats were also in construction in 1886, four of which are twin screw of 110 tons, and the others of 85 and 31 tons each.

The table given on next page is a tabular list of the armour-clad ships and some of the principal unarmoured ships of the Italian navy. The Duilio and Dandolo belong to the central-citadel type, of which the Inflexible is the most powerful example in the British Navy, and are superior to the Inflexible in armament and speed, although not quite so strongly protected.

The Italia and Lepanto are the two largest war-ships yet built. They are 400 feet long, 74 feet broad, and will have a mean draught of water exceeding 30 feet. In addition to their monster guns, seven 4-ton 6-inch breech-loading guns are to be mounted on the broadside in one ship and nine in the other. There is no vertical belt-armour protecting the water-line, but instead of it a deck covered with 4 and 3-inch steel plates is built about 6 feet below water. These vessels were laid down in 1877-78, were launched in 1880 and 1883 respectively, and in January 1886 the Italia was completed. The Ruggiero di Lauria was launched in 1884, and the Andrea Doria and the Francesco Morosini in 1885.

The cost of each of the former ships, exclusive of armament, is said to be about 800,000l. sterling.

The Italian Navy is also being strengthened by the addition of 'protected cruisers,' of which four are now in hand, and others are contemplated. The Angelo Emo, a fast protected cruiser of 2,060 tons displacement, 7,500 horse-power, six 6-inch guns, built

* Ships incomplete or in course of construction.

†These ships have no side armour, but inclined armour 19 in. thick on the citadel, and 15 in. thick round the funnel hatchways. Armour on ammuni tion tube 19 in. thick.