Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-13
ARMY OF MEXICO.
A Peace Footing Of $4,000 and an
Available Fighting Strength Of 10000

Available Fighting Strength OF oo,ooo
From Modern Mexico.
When the progress that Mexico has made
In the last quarter of century along all
lines of modern improvement Is considered,
the remarkable advancement along Indus
trial, social or other lines Is apt to so i'm
press the observer that the development OF
the military force Of the country receives
little consideration The effectiveness of the
force that Is depended upon to preserve law
and order and to maintain the integrity OF
the nation. as well as the ability OF the
master mind that has brought it to the
present condition. however calls for more
than a passing glance, for even IN these
piping times of peace Mexico, as we'll as
her older sisters. depends for security upon
1.-The strong right arm OF the man VINO
fights"
In the quarter Of century that Porfrio
Diaz has been enforcing peace in Mexico
he has constantly strengthened the mill
tary arm Of the country. In the promotion
Of railroad construction, the encouragement
Of agriculture, mining and MANUFACTURING
the establishment Of schools and the I'M
provement of harbors, the question OF ma
tional defense has not been forgotten. Start
ing with the disorganized troops that placed
him in power in 1876. and those that op-
posed him, he has built up an army OF ~
well equipped and well oflcered-and has
perfected arrangements quickly to In
crease the fighting force to at least tO,oOO
in case Of war Crediting the country with
a population Of 100000, Mexico now has
soldier to every $40 inhabitants, and
within short time following declaration
of war against foreign foe the ratio could
be changed to one to every 233.
At the present time the armed men OF
Mexico are not confined to the regular
army. In fact, those constantly carrying
arms and possessing knowledge OF military
organization and discipline, outside the
army almost equal in number the regular
troops. They form what is known as the
First Army Reserve, and include state po.
Guards and the police Of the various cities.
in all about 26.OO0 men. In the event of
war the forces composing the First Army
Reserve would be Immediately mobiiized,
and, in addition, the regular army would be
placed on the war footing provided by the
military law of the republic. This law re-
quires an increase of 80 per cent in infantry
and artillery and % per cent in cavalry.
The Rurales Of Mexico, whose uniforms
correspond to the typical riding costume
of the country, constitute one OF the world
most picturesque cavalry bodies. Ihey are
splendid horsemen, expert in the use of the
carbine and pistol and are the best paid
fighting men in the service OF the Mexican
government. They number $500. The
interior department. and patrol the more
inaccessible highways and mountain trails.
The Fiscal Guards, numbering 1000 mount
ed men, are connected with the custom
various states are divided into infantry and
cavalry forces, and armed, respectively,
with rifles and with carbines and sabers.
The $1,000 officers and men Of the regu-
lar army are divided to form twenty-e1ght
battalions of infantry, one battalion of sap
pers and miners, fourteen regiments Of
cavalry and twenty batteries of artillery.
The infantry are armed with Mauser rifles
of the Spanish model, manufactured in Ger
many. The arms Of the cavalry consist OF
Mauser carbtfes, Of the same model as the
rifles, and sabers manufactured after
French model in the national arms factory
in the City Of Mexico. The artillerymen
also carry Mauser carbines. The guns of
the artillery consist principally Of Bange
Schneider-Canet and Mondragon-Saint
Chamondh patterns, all Of French manufac-
ture. The Mondragon-Sa Saint diamond gun
in the invention of Gen. Manuel Mondrag-
on Of the Mexican army and is built In the
Saint diamond gun factory in France. The
Schneider-Canet cannon are the product of
the Creusot factory, and hydro-pneumatic
breech closing forms q particular feature
of their construction. In addition to field
and mountain pieces, there are a number
Of rapid-fire guns.
Once each month there Is a long practice
march, and several times each month there
are target-shooting tournaments. The in
fantry practice with the rifle up to 1000
meters, or $3.50 feet. and the cavalry and
artillery practice with the carbine up to
800 meters, or 1924 feet. The range of the
Mauser equipment Is 1880 meters, or 5,9O5
feet Mexican officers estimate that 40 per
cent of the Mexican soldiers are excellent
marksmen.