The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-12-03
THE ITALIAN ARMY.


THE ITALIAN ARMY.
a Fine Body ~ Re.r Hsnarsd aaA YHRy
Thesssnd Wsll-Drillsd Men.
Apropos Of the army. It may be worth
while observing that it is on remark
ably good footing indeed. I believe /
am revealing no very confidential secret
by stating that it owes much Of its pro-
ficiency to certain eminent German Off
GERS, whose services were some time sgo
privately taken advantage Of and hand
somely remunerated BY the Italian
authorities. As . result Of such valuable
assistance, / might point to the fact that
the most rigid discipline is now exacted
in every military barracks in the land.
A young Lieutenant of my acquaintance
was only the other dav put under an est
and kept in close confinement for .
week for having been ten seconds too
late for the morning parade. Privates
are often severely punished for forget
ting to salute officers on the streets; and
some of the unfortunate wights who
happen to pass without seeing any of
their hierarchical chiefs are pitilessly
sent to vegetate on bread and water for
several days in order that they may be
taught to keep their eyes open in taking
their daily promenadcs. l have often
seen little beardless pr0upious, as the
French call them. twisting and turning
their heads in all directions, like so many
Punch and Judies, in the large Piazze
del Dumos of this city, in search of some
officer whom they might salute, and
trembling with fear and apprehension
lest at times they may be caught nap
ping. Hence the sly and astute private
who wants to enjoy his stroll saunters
into the by-lanes and alleys, where he
can smoke his cigar in peace without
straining his unfortunate eyes for a
glimpse of a Captain or Colonel. The
regular Italian army numbers some
45O, 600 men. The favorite cOlors in the
battalions are orange and blue. relieved
with gray.
On the whole, the soldiers here are
far better dressed than either the Bel
gians or French. The latter. for in
stance. look far from picturesque in
their bite tunics and red baggy panta-
looms; and As for the Belgians, con-
slider them very slovenly and quite lost
to any prompting of self-respect in the
way of personal appearance and ap-
parel. The Italian troops, however, are
rigidly clean and tasty in their exterior.
and in rank and file produce a very
pleasing effect on the eye. During the
hot summer months they are compelled
to put on white stuffs to protect them
against the suns rays, and to wear caps
of the same color. A private's pay is
one soldo or cent per day; that of cor
poral is two. Sub-Lieutenants, Lieu
tenants and Captains are very poorly
remunerated, and consequently can not
''amuse" themselves to the same extent
as officers of the same grade in other
countries. Italian officers are even
more ticklish than officers usually are
on the point of honor. The exchange
of eguivocal or suspicious glances leads
to a sword or pistol a.fray, and it is
only quite lately that two Generals be-
longing to the garrison in this city
fought duel over some trifling ques-
ton that they happened to be debating.
/ found in the men, as well as in their
officers, an almost chivalrous regard
for King Humbert. No monarch-not
even excepting Wilhelm of Germany
is SO popular with his troops as the
present representative of the House of
Savoy. The reason for this prediction
is obvious to everybody who has fol-
lowed the fate and fortunes of Italy for
the last thirty or forty years. Victor
Emmanuel, Humbert's father, was
never more at home than when he was
at the head of his troops. He had a
passionate liking for the army. He re-
joiced in its joys and sorrowed in its sor-
rows. Besides, he was physically brave
and daring. and never shrank from the
brunt and danger of battle. Where his
troops were there he was himself, en-
couraging them by precept and exam
pie to be true to their colors.-Cor. San
Francisco Chronicle.