New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-22
TEN CAPTAIN-GENERALS
THOSE WHO HOLD THE HIGHEST RAMP
IN THE SPANISH ARMY.
CHARACTERISTICS OF DOMINIQUE. DE RIVERA
AND CASSOLA-NEARLY NINE HUNDRED
GENERALS ON THE ROLLS.

However deficient Spain may be in naval o.
Gccrs. OF whom she does not possess sf.
fcicnt number to equip the feet Of auxiliary
cruisers which she proposes to put into com.
mission she is certainly not lacking In field
officers for her land forces There are nearly
| nine hundred generals, some OF them belonging
! 10 the reserve forces, but most Of them on the
active list and drawing full pay. In fact, Spain
| possesses a sufficient number OF generals 10
command the combined armies Of all Europe
There are coonels majors and captains In pro-
portion. and in fact, there is no Power In the
world lot even Germany. that possesses such
an extraordinary number Of commissioned OF.
fccrs I'm relation to the size OF the army.
! At the head OF the list are ten captaln-gen.
erals. whose rank is equivalent to that Of field
marshal in other foreign armies. In several In.
stances this grade is Of 4 purely honorary char.
acter 1t is held by the young King who Is a
boy only twelve years old. and likewise by his
grandfather The old eX-King, Don Francis O,
Assist the husband OF Queen Isabella. He Is
a dwarf In stature. and only lit;le taller than
his grandson. King Alfonso XIII. Indeed It Is
difficult II conceive anything less warlikc than
the spectacle presented by King Francis, when
arrayed in the gorgeous gold embroidered uni
form OF a captain general, his squeaky falsetto
voice being quite az Nlucn out q! Keeping Win
the military profession is his appearance
As regards the boy King. the Queen Regent,
who is a sensible woman has turned deaf ear
10 all the suggestions 10 the effect that he
should appear on state occasions in the uniform
OF a captain-general and. instead. she has him
always CARRIED in the trim. natty and exceed
ingly simple Uniform OF cadet OF the Military
School Of San Idalfonso. which has not an atom
OF gold lace about II. the only emblem Of his
roval rank being the insignia OK the order Of the
Golden Fleece. which peeps forth from the
collar Of his tunic. Among the other captain
generals are General Blanco. Marquis Of Peha
Plata. who is now IN chief command in Cuba,
and who Is too well known TO need more than
passing MENTION Martinez Campos, who as one
OF his predecessors at Havana, Is equally
familiar to people in this country, General
Primo de Rivera and General Lopez Dominique
SPANS FOREMOST CAPTAIN-GENERALs.
II Il General Domlnguez who Is generally re-
garded at Berlin. Paris, Vienna and other mill
tary centres AZ the clcverest and strongest OF
all SPANS generals. and who In any grave
emergency is likely 10 be invested with the
chief command OF the Spanish Army or else
with the portfolio Of Minister OF War he has
been Justly described as a mixture Of the cele.
bratcd Russian General SkobeleH and OF the
French General Chanzy. and like them he is the
idol OF the rank and file OF the army to which
he belongs. He IL n nephew OF the late Marshal
ScrranO who rose from the humblest beginning
to be Dictator. Regent and President OF The Re
public OF Spain. He has been the author OF
nearly all the reforms that have taken place N
the las, twenty years, and In consequence has
come 20 DC looked upon as the soldier friena
II ~ has been kept in the background OF la's
years 1, is because Ministers and even the Court
Dire al his popularity and his ambition and fear
that the latter in a moment OF crisis mgn'
lead him to avail himself Of the former to secure
for himself some such dic,atorial power as tn@
repeatedly possessed by his uncle. Serrano.
THE INTRIGUING PRIMO DE RIy ERA.
Infinitely less popular In the army, but mofe
liked at Court. Is Captain General Primo de
Rivera the very type OF the polished scoundreL
who by his smooth tongue and talent for 10
trlguc has managed to win 10 "A marked degree
the confidence OF the Queen. Indeed, she hS
apparently forgotten the circumstances which
led him 10 be shot at some eight years ago an"
severely wounded by one Of his officers. a major
who had been subjected 10 persecution OF INC
most incredible character at the hands Of the
General ut the instigation OF a demi-nonda'hs
whose anger the major had incurred. ana WI"
had the General completely under her sway
The major. who was driven by desperation !"
the act, was sentenced 10 death and execute"
leaving a wife and children in penniIess con'
dtion while the Queen seems to think that '"e
General shot at and severely wouhueN
while in the performance Of his duty. ana thefe'
fore possesses claim upon her goodwill Eve"
Weyler with his brutality is preferable to ff'inV
de Rivera, for while Weylcr will have HAL