"ملخص للأحداث الرئيسية. ١٩٠٨" [و‎‎١‎٤] (١٥٦/٣٢)

Signal rockets appear to have been retained as part of the equipment of
field artillery and parks (ammunition columns) up to this year when by
Army Order 220 they were abolished for all hut fortress artillery.
Army Order 11, in amendment of 197 of 1901, fixes the establishment Adminlsf . rtttio
of non-commissioned officers per squadron and company at 1 Sergeant-Major
to each, 1 senior non-commissioned officer per troop or section, and 10 junior
non-commissioned officers per squadron or company, making normally a total
of 15 non-commissioned officers.
Army Order 95 changes the names of the Sir Darya and Ferghana recruit
ing districts, into the Tashkent and Skobelef respectively.
Army Order 468 introduces new regulations for the mobilization of reservists*
The chief feature is the substitution of public notices of recall in place of
the notices which, were formerly addressed and handed to each individual reser
vist. It is hoped by this change to accelerate the procedure of mobilization
which, however, must still be slow, as compared with the Western Powers, owing
to the defective communication by rail, road and telegraph throughout Pussia.
The greater portion of the work connected with the calling out of reservists rests,
as heretofore, with the civil and police authorities, while that of their reception
and distribution to units devolves on ttie commanders of recruiting districts,
or “ Voyenniye Nachalniki”.
An important change in the administration in peace of regimental hospitals,
including those which are on a higher establishment than the normal of 84 beds,
has been made by Army Order 51 wTiich transfers the entire charge of
the hospital, subject to the supervision of the Commanding Officer, to the
senior regimental officer who was formally responsible for the professional
charge only. Thereby a combatant officer, the “supervisor of ^ the regimental
hospital ” is restored to his proper sphere, while also the officer in charge of the
regimental administration is relieved of some of his work. To assist the medical
officer in his administrative work he is to be given a hospital assistant ranking
as an official. The change brings the peace system into harmony with that
which has existed since 1888 for war.
In nearly every military district a special committee is considering the dis
continuance or reduction of such duties as those of town guards required by the
civil authorities, and of orderlies and messengers.
The report that Lieutenant-General Kartsef, Commanding the 2nd Turkis- Appointment*,
tan Army Corps, who retired in December 1907, was to be succeeded^ by Lieu
tenant-General Tikhmenyef proved to be incorrect, as in March Lieutenant-
General M. D. Yevreinef, from the Caucasian Grenadier Division, assumed
command. During the interregnum Major-General Shatilof commanded the
Army Corps with Major-General Voikovnikof as Chief of the Staff. Lieuten
ant-General Yevreinof, p. s. c., has had a wude experience of Turkis-
tan, having served there on the Staff continuously since 1879, with the
exception of 7 years (1889-96) during which he was employed in the
Asiatic Section at Army Head Quarters and as Chief of the Staff of the 84th and
80th Infantry Divisions. From November 1904 to April 1903 he w r as Chief of
the Staff of the Turkistan Military District.
In March General Grodekof was relieved from the post of Governor-Gen
eral of Turkistan, nominally on account of ill health, but a more likely reason
appears to be his failure to restore discipline in the army or law and order in
the towns of Turkistan. It was reported from more than one source that
General Kuropatkin would succeed him and his appointment would have been
exceedingly popular both with Russians and natives in Turkistan. 11 is atti
tude at the Stoessel Court Martial, however, appears to have brought him into
disfavour and in May it was announced that the Governor-Generalship had
been given to General Mishcbenko. He arrived at Tashkent on the lltb July.
Of Caucasian extraction, Lieutenant-General Mishchenko began his career as
an artillery officer and has bad some experience in handling that arm. Subse
quently he commanded a section of the Frontier Guard and there became
acquainted with the employment of infantry and mounted infantry. Dur
ing the w ar in Manchuria he displayed energy, skill and dash in handling
a small mixed command of cavalry. He did not, however, subsequently