The army—Division of forces—Active reserve—Auxiliary—Republic\'s fighting strength—Military education—Strict training—Excellent discipline—Schools and polytechnics—Manual training—Workshops and output—Economies in equipments—Garrison services—Barracks—Destruction of Zapote Barracks—New constructions at Capital, Santa Ana, Santa Tecla, Sitio del Ni?o, Ahuachapán, Cojutepeque, San Miguel—Annual expenditure.

The National Army of the Republic of Salvador is divided into three main sections, each of which is under the orders of a Departmental Commander, the only superior to whom is the Minister of War. In the Department of San Salvador, which comprises the Capital, the command of the troops is vested in the hands of the Minister, and special commissions are held in connection with this command. The first of these commissions covers the Attached and Reserve Forces of the whole Department; the second relates to the Active Forces of the Department quartered outside the Capital; and the third deals with the two military zones into which the Military District of San Salvador is divided.

The entire strength of the Salvadorean Army is, approximately, as follows:

    Active Force consists of 78 Staff Officers, 512 Officers, 15,554 Troops, or, approximately, 26 Battalions.

    Auxiliary Force consists of 49 Staff Officers, 356 Officers, 11,176 Troops, or 181?2 Battalions.

    Reserve Force amounts to 251 Senior Officers, 1,743 Officers, 56,151 Troops, or 931?2 Battalions.

Colonel

Colonel, Adjutant, and Captains of Company.
cadets

Cadet Corps, School of Sergeants.
 
This gives the total strength of the Effective Army as—378 Senior Officers, 2,611 Officers, and 82,881 Troops, or 138 Battalions, more or less.

The Government, on the advice of the late President, General Figueroa, have devoted the closest care and attention to the question of military instruction, and the system at present in force is the outcome of the intelligent study of similar systems in force in other countries, and the adaptation of the best features existing in each. A very high esprit de corps exists among the Salvadorean troops, and, for the most part, they enter upon their schooling and training with both zeal and interest. It must be remembered that a great proportion of the troops are merely Indians; and it speaks well for them that they should take so kindly to a course of what really amounts to mental and physical restriction, which, after all, is an experience somewhat different to what they and their ancestors have been accustomed, except when serving as serfs under a brutal Spanish dominion.

Conspicuous success has attended these courses of military instruction, especially in regard to the 1st Infantry Regiment, which is quartered at San Salvador, and to the 1st Artillery, which is quartered at Santa Ana. Here the men punctiliously attend the lectures upon military subjects which are delivered by the regular officers, as well as by means of ordinary instruction classes. In other garrison towns night classes are held regularly each evening of the week, the instructors in these cases being the officers quartered with the garrison, as well as an eminent German Professor (Herr Alfred Vischer) who was engaged from Germany especially to impart military education to the Salvadorean troops.
 
A School for Sergeants and Corporals has also been established, with the idea of training these non-commissioned officers for appointments to higher rank in the army. This school was some time ago joined to the Polytechnic Institute, and placed under the command of the Director and Sub-Director of the latter institution; but subsequently, owing to a disastrous fire which broke out and destroyed a portion of the Zapote Barracks, in which the classes were customarily held, the two schools had to be separated and conducted in separate establishments.

It is characteristic of the broad-mindedness of the Salvadorean Government that among the instructors engaged was Colonel Armando Llanos, of the Chilian Mission, who for a considerable time had been Instructor of the Polytechnic, and later was appointed Director and Commandant of that school. In addition to the Director and Sub-Director, the School for Sergeants and Corporals has a Doctor, a Paymaster, two Captain Instructors, eight official Company Ensigns, and two Civilian Professors. All of the officers who serve in this corps have to enter through the Polytechnic School, and among them have been many distinguished cadets.

For the use of the officers there exists a very agreeable Club, at which they can procure their full meals and all kinds of light refreshments at moderate prices; while the usual amusements, such as drafts, cards, billiards, etc., are provided for them. So comfortable is this Club made that the officers, as a rule, find very little inducement to visit the larger towns in search of their amusements; a matter of great importance is this to them, in view of the fact that the barracks are, as a rule, situated at some distance from the City, and[89] railway travelling is, under any circumstances, rather expensive.

In addition, this school has a number of workshops attached, where shoemaking, blacksmithing, tailoring, beltmaking, etc., are carried on, the output providing the principal requirements of the garrison, including the supply of uniforms for the officers.

The staff of officers and cadets of this school, together with the troops who occupy the annex, take part in periodical reviews and man?uvres; and even severe military critics have been obliged to admit that the smartness and orderliness of the troops are in the highest sense of the word praiseworthy.

The course of instruction which is followed appears, indeed, to be very thorough, while the examinations through which officers have to pass are in every way drastic and thoroughly "stiff." The Polytechnic has turned out some very smart officers, the supply being fully equal to the demand.

Of late the Polytechnic School has been provided with a first-class physical and chemical laboratory, equipped with most modern apparatus. The annual expenditure upon this establishment may be put at between $65,000 and $70,000, which includes all the salaries paid to the Professors and the fees to the officers who deliver lectures, the maintenance of the cadets and troops, forage for their horses, and all general expenses.

It is the practice at these schools to have field-days, when the troops, as well as the cadets undergoing instruction, take part. Upon these occasions they go through most of the features of an ordinary campaign, including embarking and disembarking upon the various lakes and inland watercourses, shooting and camp-pitching,[90] bridge-building, and a thorough training in the evolutions of field artillery. The various cadets who are attached to the Engineers Corps, Telephone and Telegraph Sections, and Medical Staff, have to go through courses in the duties of these particular branches of the army; and it is, therefore, quite easy to understand—when one considers the thoroughness of the training in all branches of its service—why the Salvadorean Army should stand first among the five Central American Republics for military efficiency. That such training is thoroughly effective and conducted with the best morale results was proved in connection with the earlier unfortunate trouble, when many of the officers from the Polytechnic Schools distinguished themselves not only by fighting gallantly, and in some cases meeting their death with bravery, on the field of battle, but also in regard to the skill and ability with which they handled their troops, both in defence and in attack.

In regard to the garrison services, the infantry and cavalry are almost exclusively employed, the artillery being quartered both in the Capital and the City of Santa Ana. The officers serve for one year certain, and they are thus afforded every opportunity of acquiring a sound and finished instruction, and of becoming thoroughly disciplined. The 1st Infantry Regiment occupy commodious and suitable quarters, and they are generally noticeable for their smartness and soldierly appearance, when both on and off duty. Santa Ana is garrisoned by the 1st Artillery Regiment; an............