The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-09-07
soId,crinr I'm AMMAN.
COMPOSITION OF THY ASSAxITE ARMY AID IT'S
DISCIPLINE.

CONFOslTI0N w IHf ASNAAtiE AhMt avn 80
DISCIPLINE.
The ST. james Gazette gives an interest
ing description OF the army at the disposal
OF the King OF AMMAN. II Is reckoned OIL
cialy at 200, 900 men. OF these, 10000 gar
rison the capital, and half that number Is
assigned to Hanoi and the surrounding
fortresses. Nam Dinh, Mini Binh, bacii
Mini, and other places in Tonquln. The rest
are ordinarily disguised IN civilian attire,
and are not to be distinguished from harm
less agricultirists. When man Is dressed IN
the customary vestments OF Madras coast
coolie-a handkerchief and bitof string
II Is difficult at the first blush to determine
his profession. In AMMAN, however, the
matter is rendered comparatively simple.
The law Is from every three men one re-
cruit. Except. however, In cases OF extra
ordinary public necessity this rule Is not
acted up to-; one man from every seven or
eight Is much nearer the average. The So
lection OF the recruits is left entirely 10 tue
local authorities. and the village manda..
rims make a good thing out OF the annual
leyies.
THE pETLL.
In default OF squad drill the Annamese
recruits are put through variety OF un-
pleasant experiences designed to test their
courage. Physical courage and endurance
are supposed TO be the primary requisites
OF soldier, and, after that, the KNOWLEDGE
OF how to load and let of a gun. IL Is
pleasantly assumed by The military officers
| that the men chosen for the army are the
worst OF the population. The mandarins
are supposed to keep their districts quiet
by drafting all their m0urdiS SyetS INTO
the annual levy. There is, accordingly.
the less compunction in putting them
through the prescribed tests. The first OF
these is to assault the raw recruit violently
with sabre. The sabre is wooden one,
certainly; but the drill-sergeant hits hard.
and knows from personal experience where
il hurts most. Operations commence on
the back and end with blows on the head.
The recruit who stands batterng about the
head for matter OF five minutes without
uttering a groan or flinchng, even invol-
unfairly, Is hailed as a finished soldier and
excused further "drlll." To shrink, or
even TO moan, when beaten on the head
with the wooden sabre is considered par
donabe. and the victim is noted down as
an ordinary" soldier instead OF IN sable
bodied " one.
PUNIsIMENTs.
But the recruit who crIes out when he is
hit on the body, or confcsses by wriggle
that the exercise is painful, is reported for
punishment, and then put through new
course OF instruction. The punishment
usually consists in n certain number OF
blows from bamboo on the upper part 81
the thighs, so that, except for the dignity
of the thing, there is close resemblance
between punishment and military discip-
line. The military mandarins defend the
system on the ground that it is very an
Gent. and that it is unique in the military
exercises OF the world--the latter assertion
being incontrovertble. Energetic officers
of the army frequently invent fantastic tests
Of similar character in addition to the
regulation exercises. 4 story at Hue is re-
lated OF beau saJreur Of the Tay-son re-
bellion who had ditch dug and filed the
bottom with swords and pixies stuck into
the ground point upward. lie then called
upon his men to engage in drill. They
were to fling themselves into the ditch.
The most stoical Of the "able-bodied' y
shrunk from this novel addition to the
manual of exercises. Only one man was
found to do it. He went IN with a rush.
and the swords and pixies collapsed before
him. They had been kept in position by
the most slender OF threads.