National Republican., 1886-08-11
MEx1co's WAR STRENGTH.
Able TO Keep 100000 Men in the
Field = Her Army Organized in IA
Method Analogous TO That OF France.
New York ITcrald.1


Method Analogous to That OF France.
New York Hcrald.l
Should the United States be compelled to
whip Mexico into compliance with her in
ternatlonal obligations, we would find the
task n much moro di fllcult one than people
appear to suppose. Some Of our military
men and others who may be looked upon
as leaders Of public opinion laugh to scorn
the idea that the sister republic could offer
any considerable resistance to an American
armed force, and in support OF their opin-
ions they are fond OF repeating the fact that
Gen. Scott captured the City OF Mexico
with field force OF about 1900 men.
People who think that such an undertaking
could be successfully attempted now are
quite astray In their calculations. When
the American army occupied Mexico 1t had
only to deal with the thoroughly unpopu-
lar, corrupt, and tyrannical Dictator Gen
eral Antonio Lopez dc Santa Ana. So very
much disgusted were the Mexcans with the
ruinous rule of this despot that the ma
jority Of them looked upon the invading
Americans rather in the light OF friends aud
deliverers from bondage than OF national
enemies. This condition ia now. changed
altogether Mexico has fought her way to
federal constitution. She defeated the
French invading army OF about 4S 900 men.
She speedily put down the monarchcal
conspiracy to establish an empire within
her borders and has succeeded wonder
fully during the last ten or fifteen years in
consolidating her political Institutions and
In organizing most efficient, well
equipped army.
Mexico contains at the present time
population or over eleven millions. IL is
true that seven.tenths of this population
are composed OF docile Indians or half
breeds, but It must not be forgotten that
this same class Of people furnishes most ex-
cellent fighting material. They can live on
the smell Of an oil rag, march almost in-
credible distances, suffer all sorts OF hard
ships uncomplainingly, and are, as a gen
eral rule, fearless OF death. IL Mexico
could apply to her people the same prlnci-
pies Of military organization that are ap-
piled in Germany, France, and some other
European nations, she could place In line
an army Of not less than 100000 fighting
men. The financial resources OF the coun-
try would not, however, admit OF the call
ing to arms Of morn than one half OF this
number of men at one time. Thus, while
the resisting power OF Mexico might be set
down at about 100000 men, to be en-
ployed successfully, as occasion might re-
quire, she could hardly by her greatest
effort place In campaign at any one period
over 250,000 soldiers. During the wars
with Franceland with Maximilian the gov
ernment Of Juarez had under arms $4,000
poorly equipped troops but this was at
period when the old church party had at least
$4,000 Mexican men under arms In the SER
vice of France and Of the Archduke Maxi
milan. This shows that even In those
days, when scarcity OF arms, and not lack
Of men, afforded an inadequate measure OF
Mexico's fighting power, she had arrayed
under one or the other Of the contendlng
parties an aggregate OF lS2, 600 men.
method analogous to that Of France. It is
IN four divisions, each under the command
OF O general OF division, a rank that corre-
spends TO that OF major general in the
American service, the highest grade that
can be attained in the Mexican army. Some
OF the best known generals OF division are
Porflrio Diaz, president OF the republic;
Mariana Escobedo, the conqueror Of Maxi
milan; Ramon Corona, Felipe B. Berrloza-
ba, Sostenes Rocha, Pedro Hinojosa, the
minister Of war; Manuel Gonzalez, ex-presi-
dent; Geronimo Trevino, Jose Justo AL
varez, Ignatio Antillo, and a dozen of
Others, more or less; Some OF these general
officers, such as Sostenes Rocha, Jose Justo
Alvarez, and Ignacio Antlllon, are gradu-
ates Of the Chapultepec National Military
Academy, while the others attained their
rank through long continued and distin.
guished services. Escobedo is now on the
retired list, and Corona and Gonzalez are
not on very cordial terms with the present
government. Porario Dlaz is by Far the
most brilliant and successful commander
that his country can boast Of. He is a revo
lutionist by profession and predilection
and somewhat OF tyrant by nature. Somt
of his operations in and around the city o.
Pueblo during the last days Of Maxlmilian'
reign were Of such q character, although or
smaller scale, as to entitle them to b,
compared with those of Bonaparte's frs
Italian campaipn.