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The “Kingdom of the Netherlands,” instituted by the Vienna Congress in 1815, was, after the revolt of the southern provinces, divided into two kingdoms, Holland and Belgium, the former extending from the mouth of the Ems to those of the Rhine, Maas, and Scheldt, and the latter from these mouths to the north-eastern frontier of France. The neutrality of these two States, recognised by the other Great Powers of Europe, have so far exempted them from keeping up large standing armies, that their organisation remains very much as it was in 1830.

The Dutch military system is a combination of the old Voluntary Enlistment and the Militia systems. Every able-bodied young man between 20 and 25 years of age is bound to enter the Militia; the number of these not to exceed 11,000 annually. The length of service of these men, nominally one year, is as a matter of fact shortened to nine or even six months.

The Army consists partly of voluntarily-enlisted men, who bind themselves to six years’ service, and partly of Militiamen. Gaps are often caused by the impossibility of filling Volunteer vacancies by Militiamen, and this leads to the disadvantage that the training of the Militiamen is not so thorough as it might be, and also that the troops are not always kept up to their full establishment.

The Standing Dutch Army consists of—

Infantry—1 Grenadier and Rifle Regiment (comprising 3 battalions of Grenadiers and 2 of Rifles), and 8 Line Regiments of 5 battalions each—Grand total, 45 battalions.

Cavalry—3 Regiments of Hussars, each of 5 Field and one DepÔt squadrons.

Artillery—1 Corps of Horse Artillery, 3 regiments Field Artillery, altogether 42 batteries with 252 guns: and 4 regiments of Garrison Artillery.

Engineers—3 Field Companies, 3 Fortress, 1 Railway and Telegraph Company, and 1 Instruction and DepÔt Company.

Besides the above there is a Colonial Army DepÔt of three companies, and the Corps of MarÉchaussÉe, which corresponds to the Gendarmerie in other States, 373 men.

The total strength of the Active Army approaches 64,000 men and 270 guns. The Colonial Army, recruited entirely by voluntary enlistment, comes to about 30,000 men.

In case a necessity should arise for reinforcing the Dutch Army, another body of men has been formed, called the “Schutterij,” of all Dutchmen between their 20th and 30th years not included in the Active Army or Militia. No great expectations can be formed of this body, for the members are only trained for forty to fifty hours annually.

The Landsturm and Rifle Clubs are also destined to increase the strength of the Army in case of emergency.

Since Holland has been declared a neutral State, and her energy is chiefly devoted to the furthering of her commercial and colonial interests, the chief duty of the Army will probably be confined to that of national defence. The numerous sluices and canals, which would offer numerous obstacles to an invading army, would be of great assistance in case of war. It has, in fact, already happened that the country has been saved by letting in the sea through the sluices and forming a general inundation.

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BELGIUM.

Belgium also is not one of the warlike States. She has, however, often served as a theatre of war for other nations, and her neutrality has not been always duly respected. She must therefore possess an Army, if only to watch her frontiers, and to prevent her total dependence on the will of other Powers. Her Army is, however, not numerous, and is considerably behindhand both in organisation and training.

Conscripts are chosen by ballot at the yearly so-called “Appels,” but this is easily evaded by either paying a substitute, or by paying an exemption of £64, in consideration of which the Government provides a substitute of its own finding.

The Belgian Army is formed as follows:

The Infantry numbers 4 Divisions, or 9 Brigades of 2 or 3 regiments each, i.e.:

1	Regiment of Carbineers.
1	Regiment of Grenadiers.
3	Regiments of Rifles.
14	Regiments of Infantry of the Line.

The Carbineer Regiment consists of 4 Active and 2 DepÔt battalions; the remainder of 3 Active and 1 DepÔt battalions, the latter being only skeleton battalions. This makes altogether 58 Active and 20 DepÔt battalions.

The Cavalry numbers 2 Divisions of 2 brigades of 2 regiments each, i.e.:—

2	Regiments of Light Dragoons.
2	Regiments of Guides (similar to Hussars), and
4	Regiments of Lancers,

each regiment numbering 4 Active and 1 DepÔt squadrons—Grand total, 8 regiments, forming 32 Active and 8 DepÔt squadrons.

Artillery—4 Regiments Field Artillery, consisting of 30 Field, 4 Horse and 6 Reserve batteries. The Reserve batteries are skeleton ones and have no guns. The remainder have 6 guns each—total, 34 batteries with 204 guns, besides 3 regiments of Siege Artillery, each of 16 Siege, 1 Reserve, and 1 DepÔt batteries.

Engineers—1 Regiment of 3 battalions, and 5 companies for special work, i.e., pontooning, railway, telegraph, pyrotechnic and general trades.

Train—1 Battalion of 6 companies.

The whole peace-strength numbers about 45,000 men, with 204 guns. Both Dutch and Belgian Infantry are armed with single breech-loaders, the Beaumont and Albini rifles respectively, and there seems no present intention of introducing magazine-rifles.

The Belgian Army is clothed chiefly according to the French model; the tall bearskins of the Grenadiers and Guides are peculiar and striking.

Both Holland and Belgium will have to follow the example of other nations in adopting strict universal conscription. It will be only when this is accomplished that their Armies will represent the armed strength of the nation and satisfy the demands made on a National Army.

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