Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 1.djvu/337

Rh it is, it has only served to introduce a system of privateering, which will increase the irritation of the Mother country, and probably lead to reprisals upon the Mexican coasts, without producing any one good effect.

A little time will, however, convince the Mexicans that a few light vessels, to check smuggling, and keep up the communication between the different points of the coast, is all that they require; and the country will then be saved a very considerable, and a very useless expense.

The Republic of Mexico is divided into eighteen Comandancias Generales, or districts, each under the orders of a Military Commandant, who receives his instructions, not from the Government of the State in which he resides, but from the Minister of War.

The army for the present year consists of 58,955 men, of whom 32,161 are actually under arms; the remainder are ready to be called out should their services be required.

The troops of the line are composed of Twelve Battalions of Infantry, each of 823 men (full war complement 1,223); Twelve Regiments of Cavalry, each of 559 men, (war complement 815); and three Brigades of Artillery of 1,767 men in all.

In addition to these, there are thirty-four Presidial Companies, consisting entirely of Cavalry, and employed, principally, in the protection of the