The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-04-20
ARMIES OF CENTRAL AMERICA.
importance of the "Commandnntc"-rhe
Low Caste Priyatc-Artillcry Practice.

importance of the "Commandnntc"-rhe
Low Caste Privatc-hrtillcry Practice.
Travelling from Panama northwari
along the Pacific coast n Is immediate
" made to feel that each OF the Central
American governments has an army.
The steamer hardly comes to anchor
when a barge rowed by uniformed ma
rines approaches, bringing the com
~mandante." He is a most important III
diyilual, not usually more thLn . feet
high. with very dark curly hair. Ills
little form seems TO have Dsen melted
into his tight fitting blue and red trimmed
uniform, his small feet are crowded into
smaller shoes, with Louis Quin2e heels,
and he fairly reels under the weight 81
enough gold lace to fit out a French field
marshal or a captain of marines IN the
United States.
lie is a very polite little man, and as
he walks the deck he bows to all the
ladies. Then he takes a drink with
the captain, prOnOunces the ships pa
pers correct and passes ashore. But it
is in the interior that you must see the
army to form an idea Of its efficiency.
The private ia q low caste native. he
does not show much Castilian blood, he
wears sandals instead Of shoes, bis forage
cap is two sizes too large and rests on his
ears. and his business seems 70 be to lie
in the sun and TO fire saiutcs to the pres
ident. The officers and non-commi5-
stoned officers hobnob with the men, and
the effect on discipline can be imagined.
The army pays little attention 20 cleanll-
ness: the expense of washing Is perhaps
the cause of the absence OF collars on
white linen. Once. when watching an
army IN San Salvador pass in review he-
fore its chief, | could not help thinking
Of the majors remark to poor Ensign
C~lutterbuck. Ensign Clutterbuck. said
he. IL ain no friend TO extravaganza, but
on the day when SO are 10 pass IN review
before our sovereign. in then9me OF God,
[ would at least show one inch Of clean
linen"
But wait till Sunday. when the city,
militia Il marched through tie streets In
columns of fOur-p!atoon marching is
never attempted. and company front
IS unhcard Of. The militia comprises
everybody, from the who las not
enough money 10 avoid 1t, down - the
Il who Is too low on the social ladder
to carry q gun. Here Won have the
sicklv looking drug clerk, the editor Of
the opposition paper, the fat butcher. and
the STOPPING cobbler marching side by
side. and. Queerly enough, many secm
10 have tcothaches. fox nearly half have
their jaws tied up lu cotton handbcr-
chiefs. This service Is not intended os
punishment. but it is. With guns at 70
right shoulder. and at every angle under
the sum-. they 5tasger over the cJbblc-
s.ones-up bill and d0wn-atter their
lttlo German band. From the size u
the privatcs one would suggest popcuns
/ as appropriate, but instead they are armed
with heavy Remington with The bayonot5
always fixed. When the captains bring
their companies to a rest they leave the
guns at acarry, and the privatcs are fools
enough 10 to think its all right.
Not many DAYS ago. on the arrival Of
the president in town. the artillery
brought out TWO small Fourth of July
looking cannon to fire him a salute Of
two guns. One gunner was in q hurry
10 discharge his piece first, and in bis
haste he blew off the right arm Of No. /
and sent the sponge aud ramme staff
through a German dry goods store on
the other side of the plaza. This was
explained as a mistake ia tactics. There
Is no trouble in Central America about
the three battalion organization or
any other organization, because thearmy
don't know what organization Is. The
slowness Of promotion, that fruitful
theme Of the frontier post and Of the
Letters to the Editor, - IS q thing un-
known; priyates are always prIyates and
generals are always generals on $500 a
month, at a discount Of 80 per cent.
when there IS money in the treasury 10
pay them.-New York Times.