The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-07-18
SALVADOR STRONG
REPUBLIC MOST wARLrKE OF GEN.
 TRAIL AMERICA.
Country Has Comparatively We'll Trained and Equipped Army and Her Internal Dissensions
 Have Been.

Washington, July 17.--Mflitary ex- perts in this city on the basis of the best available Information covering the relative military resources oe the several republics involved in war in Central America, pronounced tho army of Salvador superior in equipment. training and discipline to the armies of other republics.
 Thickiy populated, with one hundred persons per square mile, over its lim- ited total area of 7,255 square miles. Salvador can muster forty thousand armed with armament equal to the best in Central America. Though Guatema- Ia is seven times larger in territory and has a population of 2.0O00 0O0, the Salvadorean army is considered to be more than a match for it.
 The standing troops of Salvador number four thousand, with a regular militia of 16,000. The thorough or- ganization of her government Is car ried to such point that the governors of each province are also military chiefs of the troops recruited thore- from.
 With an external debt of only 254,- 900 pesos, its finances are the best in Central America It has foreign population of 10000 Europeans, plan ters and traders. The advantages of Salvado rover the other republics arise from the thorough blending of her pop ulation. belonging to the Ladino tyne, pure Spanish or Spanish Indian biOd. with practically no aborigines.
 The republic possesses rich and well developed resources. On the Pacific side 1t has an outlet in Fonseca Bay, avowed to be the finest port on the entire Western coast of America. Though the republic has not been free from internal troubles, It's people have shown themselves faithful to theie government wheneve.' Involved in cOil- tests with foreign states.
 Guatemala's army numbers 1000 on peace footing, with an unorganibzed nll- litia of 57,000. The republic relies for It's military forces largely upon tho military training imposed on all schools, public and private.
 Altogether 24,000 pupils were under military drill in the Gnatemalan schools in 1904. Honduras has for a population of SC, 900 spread over LOGO suuare miles, an army of 399 chiefs, 2.395 officers, 32,520 militiamen of the first class. and 14,59l militiamen of the second class Its actual standing army, however, consists of 1884 sol- diers and 71s officers.
 A feature of the military establish ment of Honduras is the compulsory military drill laid upon the whole male population during the Sundays of the dry season." Every able bodied man between the ages Of 20 and 45 Is oblig- ed to take part in these Sunday drills and parades. if his abode Is not more than twenty miles distant from the point where they are held.
 Fourteen thousand troops are thus trained. The army of Honduras is sunnIied with modern ordnance arffi iery and rifles Having territory ex actly equal to that of Honduras. with population of seo,ooo. of whom only ing republic of Nicarauga maintains an army of 700 soldiers. Its reserves and national guard bring this total on war footing of 25,O0O Of ages from 20 to 55.
 The only navy in Central America is that of Honduras. It consists oel two They are inc ..TatuibIo" of a displace- ment of iOs tons and the 'Febrero 22" of a displacement of twelve tons.