The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-03

tspecial Correspondents of Tho 1imss- =
Dispatch) # L
PANAMA. r. p, Dec. q The army
ana navy Of the Republic of Panama ~ are
institutions that belong to the modern
comic opera stage. They. have inherent /
ma tural fighting qualities; but no q man
ager, III his strivings afterS the grotesque X,
ever produced on that mimic world which II
lies back of the footllghts aggregationa n
better calculated to excite the disabilities
OF those who come from the haunts OF
Northern civilization and progress than
are these which are supposed to uphold
by; force OF arms the dignity OF this new
lnattonitAs # 3& ffas. rs u
Tho army OF Panama. with one smal Il
battalion stationed here and B separaet te e /
sco,npan les distributed III other centers
Of population throughout the 1sthmuls',
is one Of the most rem a.rka BILE organize AZ as
itiofis with which any man ever came IN 4
contact. It's equal can be found nowher re
unless II Is in some other Latin erican an
republic, and even among these 3coun-s5
tiles it would be impossible to match 9 all|S W.
Its bud "a S details. i 435{{ " s3$5i3i
Ask at tho government building. and
they Will tell you that they have y ..oo
superior men In their army. Go investtr8
eating on your own account, and you
will discover that this army consists
OF about 100 officers and men, the num-
Der OF officers being out OF all proper
ton to the number of men. Pursue your
Investigation little farther. and you
VIII be assured by those In authority that
Unnecessary the Republic Of Panama,
could put from 10000 to 5000 men IN
tho field to resist an Invasion or put down
an lnsurrectlon. Apply yourself to an an
effort to gauge this populace and you I
will como squarely In contact with the
fact that it would tax the resources OF
tho republic to the utmost to arm and
equip 1900 men for active service; and and
that even this number would have to 90
into tho field without uniform and With
\ q most varied assortment Of arms.
h a JUVENILE FIGHTING FORCE
The long ana sllort&of the matter is /
that the army OF the republic is little
more than a name. The Colombian bat 4
,talion-for by this name 1t Is stil known
which, under tho command Of General
Huertas, effected tho arrest Of Generals
Tovar and Amaya and gave substantial
form to tho revolution, was, during the
old regime. n really effective organl1a-i
ton. 1T was recruited principally IN the 4
province Of Cauca, where the men Grow
a ei, uyho fu1 "a
rally to tho profession OF arms. It was
wel-uniformed well-equipped and fairly
He: drilled. Although 1t numbered only
90 men, 1t was able, when turaed out on
parade In gaudy yellow, blue and gold
uniforms, with It's multiplicity OF gem
erals. colol.als and captains, each one
da.zlins In his gold-lace and resplendent
accoutrements, to impart a snowy effect
to any scene. But since the birth OF
tho republic Of the Isthmus 1t has lost
much OF Its identity 81
In the hurry of setting up the new
government there was natural eager
ness to recruit the strength Of the army,
Little Judgment was exercised In enlist y
int, men for service. and to-day the Pan
high school cadet corps. It is not exas-
gornting fact In the least to say that ~ !
this army there are to be found q large
number OF boys under Fifteen years OF
age than there are persons over that ags
a visit to the barracks OF the sColom-
blan battalion, or to the Quartet, the
new barracks opened under the republic,
imrarts the same impression as would =
Visit to a juvenile institute. Before Gen.
oral Huertas' offices at the barracks,
when I called there the other day. I. j
..G of ten years OF age was standing
sentry duty The little fellow was barr.
footed, as Is the rule In the ranks. ana
the only resemblance to uniform ~ hla
upparel was a worn and solled cap. Il
about three sizes too large for him.
About his waist was strapped bolt,
the point Of the bayonet scabbard clear \
tne the ground by not more than two \
inches. As lie brought his rlfle-an OBJ.
"nlete sprlngfleld-to the Order ana
saiuted the crown OF hts cap was sew
sros inches lower than the second sight
ON she gun. whiLs tho bayonet foWefsd q
- - BOYS FIGHT WELL. \
There are men--full grown, Yell deYet,
oped. hs1Sy isthssIsn pssaIsfs s-to -