Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-14
SOME by GENERALS.
III, Yepns King as. 'aln Has a Small
Boy Rssin. IT.
IT IS SIX HUNDRED STRONG
,,,,,. Oman wnb.,,r, ~ of Holland Made
Colonel-Princes C""e' 40"
Years OF High "suk'
Sphiladelphia preqsJ

comprises. by the by. the shadow us
nity OF King Of Jerusalem, IA tpal Vi
Maior-Generai. and his Most Cathoiic Hi"-
1esty has a military uniform adofhs'i "''i
the gold lace and insignia Oh ua' ram
which he IL very fond or Wea'ihs'
youth and diminutive stature are Nv"
ever. calculated to debar him FOR Some
tina TO come from following the ex'
annie OF his brother sovereign EN-
peror william, who spends me HaIo'
mart OF his existence in drilling ana re-
viewing the various regiments OF MS
army: for the spectacle OF gcberai ho'
vet In his teens engaged in extrcls'hs
troops. composed for the most part OF
grizzled warriors and veterans CT SPAN
many sanguinary conflicts at home ana
abroad. would be more likely 20 excite
Amusement and even ridcule than to in
crease that popular respect for the semi
sacred character Of the Amounted OF the
Iori which constitutes In the Old World
the principal basis Of the mOnarchical
system.
Alive 10 these considerations and anx-
ious nevertheless TO foster and develop
that taste for soldering which seems
Unborn In every child, no matter whether
OF royal. noble. or plebian birth. the Span
iards have now provided their young
ruler with a costly toy IN the shape OF
complete regiment Of infantry-of in
fantry in more senses than one; for there
Is not a soldier in its ranks nor an officer
whose age exceeds 9, while most OF them
are between and s years old. They are
COO in number. and are recruited from
every class OF society at San Sebastian.
from the sons Of General Polayeija, the
Governor OF the province down 70 the
children Of day-laborers and of the steve
dores OF the port.
UNIFORM AND EQUIPMENT.
Their uniform consists of blue tunic
with scarlet facing, loose blue ZouaYe
pantaloons, and the national and pic
turesque red beret. or cap. OF the Basque
provinces of Spain. They have been
equipped with real miniature rifles suited
10 their size. and turned out by the royal
small-arms factory al Elba. The band
consists Of fifty pieces. and, notwith-
standing the in.xpefience of the mu-
scians, manages TO play inspiriting
marches and pasos dobles.
Having been drilled throughout the en-
tre winter by officers Of the garrison
the regiment Is now astonishingly pro-
brItHl IN us nldnutuNftS. ana quite ready
f3r inspection by the little King when
he arrives at San Sebastian next week
for the autumn months. The good peo-
PIE Of the place already picture to them
selves their GimnutiVe ruler arrayed In
his uniform Of ma jor- general. riding on
his small white pony at the head Of his
youthful guard through the streets Of
their ancient city.
King Alfonso, although the only mai Or-
L..
means the only officer of such tender
years. Indeed. there are any number OF
colonies, captains. and leutenants. who
are not even as old as Alfonso Kill, the
only monarch on record who was born
King. and who commenced his reign
rom the moment Of his birth.
Thus, when Prince Boris. Of Bulgaria
@as born few months ago at Sofia
1is father sisnalized the event by con-
'erring upon tho infant the colonelcIes
~ three regiments-One Of cavalry, one Of
infantry, and one Of artillery-a piece Of
parental enthusiasm that aroused good
teal Of ridiCulc in the press. not only
# the New World bat also Of the Old
though why II should have been done so
= difficult To understand. seeing that the
practice IS in vogue at every court OF
Europe. save that Of England
cur ousiy enough. no one seemed to
fnd IL odd when few weeks earlier. the
King OF kOumania invested the little son
OF the Crown Prince Of that country with
a coionelcy Of cavalry. the officers club
az Bucharest presenting their youngest
comTade with a miniature cavalry sword
OF jewclled gold and silver. by way Of a
christening present Yet another youthful
commander of a regiment whose name
occurs 10 me at this moment is the 3
year-Od Grand Duke Demetrius Of Rus
at Moscow. was INFESTED by his uncle
the car. with the Grand Cross of the
Order of st. Andrew and with the colo
nolcy Of the Eleventh Regiment of Grena-
dicrs.
Queen WilhelnIina of Holland, who is
barely - years Of age. is colonel Of the
Fifteenth Regiment Of infantry i'm the
German army, an honor conferred upon
her by Emperor William on the occa-
son of her visit TO the court of Berlin
and In order that she might be well posted
In Prussian military matters he dispatch
ed to her on her return TO The Hague a
magnificent cabinet filled with lead sol
diers an inch and half in height repre-
senting in the most perfect way every
uniform worn by the German soldiers.
The little Crown Prince of Portugal,
who bears the title of Duke Of Bra
ganza, and who is about two years
younger than the King Of Spain. was In
vested by the latter Il short time ago
with the Spanish Order of the Golden
Fleece. which the infant Duke now wears
on his uniform OF lieutenant of Portu-
guese cavalry. The late Prince Imperial
Of France commenced his military career
at the age of as a corporal OF the Gren-
adiers of the Guard, and i have still
somewhere or other picture represent
g,,.r IL,
corps, wearing a bearskin almost as
large as himself
PRINCE LOUIS'S FIRST BATTLE.
BY the time that the war broke out
he had been advanced to the rank OF
lieutenant and ii was as such that ne
accompanied his father Napoleon, to the
seat OF war and took part in the battle
OF Saarbruck and the other small battles
which inaugurated that historic conflict.
The son Of the Crown Prince Of Sweden
and Norway is a lieutenant of Swedish
infantry, and l have no doubt that some
similar rank Will shortly be conferred
upon the 1-year-old son OF Duke Albert
OF Wurtemberg and of his Austrian wife,
who will eventually succeed TO the crown
OF Wurtenberg.
Throughout Germany 1t Is the invarl-
able custom that each male child OF iahi-
lies that are relBnitS OF tIldl nave iVAS"
cd should receive a commission of lieu
tenant in the army at the age of 10. This
rank remains for the most part honorary
in SO far that the youngsters mercy
take part in the reviews and don the
uniform of their corps on state occasions,
and IL Is not until they attain their 18th
year that they are forced TO so through
q course Of regular military training and
serve In the ordinary way. In the case
OF the chndren OF the Emperor OF Ger
many their enrolment is made the occa-
sion of an elaborate function, the mon
arch himself presenting his boy to the
officers and men of the regiment on whose
roster his name is to be borne
Until the other day she Prussian
Princes had 10 remain content with com
missions In the army. But the Emperor
made an exception in the case Of hts son.
Prince Adalbert. who Is not Yet 20 years
of age. and who is the most piischievous
romp In the royal family. For he has
just appointed him to the rank Of lieu
tenant in the Imperial navy and taken
him with him 10 Klel for the purpose OF
presenting him there 10 the leading naval
officers as well as 10 the sailors. Al
though his father destines him for the