New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-24
THE SPANISH ARMY.
1T Is RECRUITED BY CONSCRlflioN'
ACTIVE AND RESERVE FoRcEs-THE TRAINING
OF SPANISH OFFICERS THE MILITIA
FORCES IN CUBA AND THEIR
ARMAMENT.
rr-nr,, Tho 1-nrfnn Morning Post.

From The London Morning Post.
Conscrlptlon f. enforced In Spain. Every spun
thinning twenty years OF age. Apout a "", = /.
thousand men come within me p,OtIsUGI service
annually This number does not lncIunr I'm, -,
portion OF NE pobuaom pS navv nor yet those
engaged the few professions or pursuits IN WIZ, y,
special exemptions are made In favor OF those io
lowing them. The ordinary requirements O. ~
country not such as 10 neSe-slaIt t,id' ,h
their places in the ranks For some time the number
who have actually been drawn mas aFera $500, u'
tween seyenty-hvc thousand and eYn'y tho"S"n'
annually ..,,.. .. -. so,,,sh Army ls ac
ccpt'd at eighteen years 81 aS"' h', me nuiioI' ="
young mon except those who have been trained for
ne commissioner fanks %no EaHHse r sq In ad
iiton 10 the standing army there f. a reserve II
sedentary. man serves ihre" years ~ ,he slana
ing army He is then passed ON 10 The active re
YEAR. Thls active reserve - occasionally called
out Tor training. and would be the first 20 be- re-
being modified. The first reserve WAS called OUT
last yenf for man~uvr,s Service In the inactive,
spanlard e. free ~ his military responsibilities at
The latest returns show that the peace strength
Of me army 3. Y. 49, THIS numhcr includes about
eendarfncr. and I'm tho customs service. The war
strength Of ne army IS 1879 hui this total by no
g. f. ca.culaiei are possible OF producing close on
million of men capable Of barring arms. Indeed
organization whereby. should Il be necessary AZ
So
par'ment VIII he able TO do So
THE ORGANIZATION or THE FORCES
The head ~ tho army IS tho Minister .or War
He "a always a soldier. nut the appointment IL n
political one and f ceases on the resignation
downfall Of ihc Government by which II may have
been made. The peace organization Of the army
f. ~ olghf army corps. each provided with large
md elaborate stan. at the head Of which there Is
a lieutenant general Tn" Peninsula "a grouped
into eight military districts each consisting ~ n
number Of provinces. Tho basis Of the system IL
that - population rather than area. Recruits join.
I'm The districts 10 which they belong. While serv
ing the spanish soldier is not ovorburdencd with
cash. lie receives a pesota a day and free bread
ration. Everything else he has TO provide out OF
n is fortunate that his tastes are simple The
reservisfs receive no pay. except AZ such times
they may bee embodied FOR training or emergency
service
Entrance 10 tho commissioned ranks Is by COM
p"fitlve examination \ young officer who is sue
ccssful IN this is permitted 10 elect FAR ms tho
immediate requirements ~ the army may permit.
which branch OF the service ne will Join. He
then passes into other Of the military acad-
cruics, where hts professional education is begun
The academy for the Infantry is ut Toledo. that
FOR the cavalry at Naladolid. The artillery school
H. AZ Scsovia and that for engineers at tiuadala-
lara. ~ Madrid there IL superior institution.
whore officers are trained for stan duties Ad-
mission 10 this IL also by competitive examination.
must have served fOr n prescribed period In his
regiment Graduates Of the college DO not return
to their regiments. They become members OF the
grand stan corps. and II Is from the ranks OF this
the Spanish Army officer cannot hope for en-
poynient the staff unless ne has passed through
the stan college. The Spanish authorities pride
themselves on the professional attaiumcnts OF their
reserve Is also OF TWO grades: one is paid and the
other IS not.