The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-07

OF some intermediary IunctiOnafies Ihat Couisc
Is entirely in keeping with the traditional method
OF wasting and pllfering to which the Spanish ad-
ministration has always been exposed. At the
utmost there are at present l0O, 900 who still
wear the Spanish uniform and draw pay. their I'M
Willingness to fight notwithstanding. 1t has been
given ont, on what is termed Official authority,
that out OF III battafons Of infantry only
twelve or fourteen had mutinied II the word
be taken in q literal sense the assertion
has probably grain Of truth, since open mutiny
has been confined to a few localities But If actual
facts of negative resistance to order and discipline
are taken into account. 1t viii be found that only
twelve or fourteen regiments, at the utmost, re-
main faithful to their colors, and the remainder
have committed-if not open mutiny-acts Of gross
INSTRUMENTATION. Less than q month ago BARGE
Iona had garrison numbering upwards Of ten
thousand men OF all arms; yet 1t was with great
difficulty that two thousand or two thousand five
hundred were found willing TO take the
neld against the Carlists. 1t required great
Efforts much coaxing and the promise
OF increased pay to move these forces.
On two distinct occasions We have seen regi-
ment paraded through the main streets OF BARGE
Iona, accompanied by large crowds, headed Dy
band playing the "Marseillaise" and other rev0lu-
tlonary music When these troops were placed on
board the cars they departed with apparent good
VIII; but on disembarking at Granollers station
distant about twenty-five miles from Barcelona,
the men refused to go any further. These facts
not attributed to q mutinous spirit; but, on the
contrary, 1t has been alleged that, seeing they
were ineniciently o1icered the men preferred
TO return to their barracks rather than
give the Carsts the chance OF gain
ing victory over them. Since this occurred
large numbers of soldiers have gone to their
homes; others have joined the Carlist forces, but
pu1u nall haxa hoan
enrolled in the ranks Of the volunteers OF the re-
public. There remain about two thousand men
lettering about this city, either for the purpose Of
awaiting better times or owing to o want of funds
to reach their homes.
GROWTH or THE cARLIsT ARMIES.
When all these facts are taken into con-
sideration, it cannot surprise any one that
the Carsts nave made enormous progress.
The Diari0, Barcelona daily paper, re-
ferred to the fact that just twelve months
ago the first Carlist band was heard of near this
city. That band comprised ct that date about
eighty men, and II proper measures had then been
| taken the entire band might then have been cap
tured, and probably no more would have been
heard Of renewed Carst raids That insignificant
band has since then grown into an army and it is
estimated that the Carlist forces in Catalonia num-
Der at present no less than six thousand men, Yet
the same inanity which prevailed twelve months
ago marks the present day.
Meanwhile the government at Madrid announces
with great pomp the progress made in organizing
volunteer forces. During the period OF the Paris
Commune there was at least sembance-if not
the reality-of military organization but in Cata
lonia we have nothing but an armed mob, and
there seems little doubt that the organization IN
other parts OF Spain has no better chances than at
Barcelona. The call for volunteers was responded
IN mainly nv the working caSsaa who OWinp
to the general stagnation OF business, were
out Of employment, with starvation staring them
in the face. Few If any, enlisted from motives OF
| patriotism. None OF the men have been clothed
by the authorities, and for the most part they
poorly armed and equipped. The corps are CON-
| manded by men who have no military experience
| as officers, but who, mpeled by political consd-
erations, may lead the volunteers into mischief.
AS home guards the volunteers might be Of SERVICE
but the idea OF using them to cope with the Carlists
| is utterly absurd
THE WAR IN THE MOUNTAINS
Thus for the Carsts confne operations to a
guerilla warfare; and, while adhering to such tao.
tics, they remain invincble To attack the Carlsts
in their hiding places in the mountains is entirely
1 out of the question: and, whenever they have left
| those hiding Places the government troops, by
some unaccountable coincidence, happened to be
| sent in another direction, The rural population
throughout the northern province is favoraby dis
posed towards the Carlists, and thus the volunteer
| forces are placed from the outset at a
disadvantage. l have seen detachments OF voun-
| teers, accompanied by squad OF carabineros,
leave village at early hour in the morning for
the purpose Of surprising Carst encampment,
supposed to be six eight miles distant. In wild
enthusiasm they scanpered over the country to
return late at night, hungry and wearied, without
| having seen Carlist. The peasants on such occa
| sions act invariably in concert with the Carists
and very ngeniously contrive to put the troops on
| the wrong track. On another OCCASION when 1
hoped to fighting, the volunteers on return
ing to their quarters much surprised to learn
! that during their absence o Carst band had been
in the village to purchase supplies. Moreover, the
Carlists pay cash for what they want, while the
/ volunteers and government troops live on the
country. Under the circumstances the latter are
| less welcome than the Carlists.
| DECEIvING THE PUBLIC.
| Meanwhile the public in and out OF Spain are
| constantly mystlfed by narratives Of imaginary
| fights, which are assumed to have taken place in
various parts OF the country. few almost
| boodlcss skirmishes have taken place here
and there; but there has been very lit
tie serious fighting, and certainly there
| has been no battle. In the same manner
the various acts Of cruelty alleged to have been
committed by SaDalls turn out to have been pure
inventions. The very officers said to have been
murdered at Ripoll are now in Barcelona, and are
utterly astonished at what they hear about their
| slaughter.
| POPULAR SYMPATHY.
| While the Carsts are daily gaining advantages
the people of Barcelona look apparently with
surprising degree Of indifference on the isolation
| to which the city is exposed by reason
of all telegraphic communication hav-
ing ceased. Railroad communication Is inter-
rupted in every direction, and the Carlists
have given notice that they will hereafter interfere
with the transportation OF newspapers to and from
Madrid This is meant as measure Of retaliation,
since the government has interdlcted the circula-
/ ton OF any other than rennhlican anrnals