The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-05
SPANS FIGHTING MEN.
Pay % Cents . Day-Bvery Man Must Take
Up Arms At 10.

FTOW tne ChtcopO heoOTo.
WARRINGTON, May 31.-The army Of Spain
is divided into these classes: A permanent army
of 9,3l5 officers and TO- 29 men, an active re-
serve of 1873. S72 mon. and a second or sedentary
reserve, which on Jan. /, 1898, was estimated
at 1888, 595 men.
Observation-Disclosures the.ages Of 10 and As
are numbered in the second reserve. and are
liable to be called upon for active service at any
time they may be needed. All of them are
supposed to have served at least three years in
the first, or active reserve, which corresponds
to our militia. Every boy. upon attaining the
age of 10. must enter either the permanent army
or the first reserve, and serve three years. About
100000 como within the provisions OF that law
annually, 80 that there Is q constant change
from the permanent army TO the first reserve.
Then, after six years, when tho citizen has
reached the age of 25. he goes into the second
reserve. and is subject to military duty only
in time Of war and after CONSUMPTION. 1t may
be said. therefore. that $50. 600 men are con-
stantly under arms in Spain and its colonies.
The first reserves are used for coast guards,
customs inspectors. and for police duty In tho
service in the guarda civil. which corresponds
TO our city police and the gendarmes Of France.
age. but the pay is SO small. only 20 cents q
day, that very few spaniards ever think of en-
listing until they are compelled to do so. By
the payment of $500 any person, may purchase
exemption from military duty.
Cudb N du uGiio0o the IUsu1 lsst T tbpea aa year pe1 Say SEM bes TO
drawn mostly from the first reserve, although
the permanent army has furnished the larger
part of the skilled artillerists whit have been
handling the big guns upon the Notifications.
While it II impossible to get, accurate stats
lished statements showing that 10 Generals,
815 field and staff officers. &. 222 reginental Of
Cuba up to Nov. I, 1857, Since then reinforc e.
ments have been received twice, IL, 900 at one
time and 10000 at another.
In IN March I 1919 I GAnaral 2 held nf1-
GERS. 30 regimental officers and l.3l4 men had
been killed in battle during the present insur-
eral. 8 field officers, 55 regimental oticers and
7O4 men have died of wounds received in bat
GERS. ios regimentai officers. and 2.ols mon.
Upward of 10000 men had returned TO Spain.
1890 mon have died Of yellow fever and 1877
officers and ,4,065 men of other diseases, max
ing the total mortality on the Spanish side dur
96.2s7, Spanish soldiers under arms. with 3d..
a total OF $4,000. o I these. when the last
official reports were made, $4,000 were in the
hospitals. Leaving an effective nghting force on
These statistics are made up from the official
sGSpT psb Sfs6 d tSe the Ma rea aSRaiEt%ds orEa IN M of the
Minister Of War. which correspond to the Army
and Navy journal and the Army and Navy
by Gen. Miles and Secretary Alger as;9ficial.
o ~ LIDOpb ia Suuus uCH. lLio nhb uA0u III
army of invasion at not less than l00,0 900 mon.
The Spanish reports. however. are not to be
relied upon. Their army is largely mythical.
Nobody knows how many poor fellows have died
in the field resisting insurgents. and the rRvaRes
of disease are still more difficult to ascertain;
first, because Spanish statistics in all branches
OF the Government. are VIGOROUSLY incomplete
and inaccuracies; and, second, because 1t Is for
the pecuniary interest of the officers TO conceal
the mortality of heir men. There Is no regular
pay department. The soldiers receive their
miserable stipend OF three or four silver dollars
a month from their regimental officers. The
Colonel of a regiment sends in a rcquisition at
the beginning of every month for compensation
for so many men, and he makes the pay roll az
long as possible. When tho money comes he
divides 1t among tho Captains OF companies,
and the Captains divide II among the men. 1t
is one OF the easiest and most popular methods
of robbing tho Government for the officers 10
double The number of men on duty and divide
the money that is forwarded for their pay. II
is a favorite saying In Cuba that when an Off.
Ger makes reports OF a battle he represents that
most of his troops have been shot while gal
lantly charging the enemy, but they all come
alive again before he makes up his pay roll. II
Is well known that since the blockade began
Gen. Blanco has impressed In the army every
able-bodied citizen within reach OF his conscripi
officer, and the insurRent sympathizers have
enlisted In greaL numbers with the expectation
OF being able TO serve their cause more elfec'
lively inside than outside of the breaches. This
class of people, however, are not to be depended
upon by either side.