253 2.— The Spanish Army.

Spain, like all the powers of the European Continent, recruits its army by conscription. At the age of nineteen every Spaniard becomes liable to military service. Exemption mate does not include the Spanish volunteers and guerillas inCuba, who are believed to have numbered at least 50,000 at this date; their military value, however,was very doubtful. can, however, oe purchased hv the payment of about -Qbo sterling, and there are other conditions which lighten the burden of universal service. In peace time, after three years with the colours, most of the men pass into the reserve. Besides the home army, there were also local troops raised in Cuba and the Philippines. In the colonial armies the term of service was fixed at eight The following estimate of the land forces of Spain is based on official documents dating from September, iSn-7 ■ The Spanish infantry was armed with a Mauser repeating rifle, and the guns of the field artillery were from Krupp's factories. The transport andadministrative services were badly organised,and the pay of the men i tierally in arrear. In the West Indies the infantry wore a light white uniform, and carriedvery little except their rifle, cartridges, and a blanket rolled bandolier fashion across the left shoulder. Many of the officers seem to have had a very defectivemilitary training, but no one doubted their pei ■ i urage and the readiness of their men to follow them. The civil GENERAL BLANCO.

Home Army, Infantry ... ... . . 64,314 Cavalry ... ... ... 14.314 Artillery .. ... ... 11,605 Engineers and Train ... 5,102 Total,Home Army 95 335 Hospitalcorps. Custom House guards, Gendarmerie, etc ... 28,790 West Indian Army 201,312* Philippines 37.760 ist Reserves 160,000 523.'97 The figures for Cuba are probably an exaggeration; they are apparently based on the numbers despatched from Spain, and due allowance has not been made for the heavy losses resulting from three years of warfare in an unhealthy climate. On the other hand, the esti-Chiefly in Cuba— about 6,000in Puerto Rico.

wars at home and in the colonies had given a rough kind of training and experience ot the battlefield to most ol the leaders, and mauv of the company officers and the rank and file. The strong point of the Spanish soldier is the dogged courage with which, even against desperate odds and with no hope of victory, he has again and again fought to thedeath,refusing to surrender. Most of the rank and tile in Cuba were youngmen doing their first termof service, but those whosaw them seem to have been \cry favourablyimpressed with their soldierlyqualities. Before the war there was in the UnitedSi .1 tendency to speak lightly of the Spanish troops as possible adversaries. But Mr.MuratHalstead, one of the correspondents of the Neiv York Journal in Cuba, wrote a timely protest against this dangerous undervaluation of the enemy.

"I wish," he said," to speak with respect of