Page:Mexico of the Mexicans.djvu/72

56 perhaps the larger portion were on half-pay. The infantry establishment consisted of 28 battalions and 4 skeleton battalions, 1 section, and the Yucatan Guard of 20 officers and 400 men. There were 14 regiments of cavalry and 4 other skeleton regiments of horse; 2 regiments of mounted artillery; 1 of excellent horse artillery (perhaps the best in America); a corps of mountain gunners, garrison artillery, and other ordnance units. A battalion of sappers and miners with engineers, transports, and hospital corps, made up the tale of Mexican military resources.

The scale of pay in the Mexican Army is extremely modest, but it must be remembered that most of the officers are men of private means belonging to the older families. In the cavalry, a first lieutenant receives about 5s. 6d. a day and a captain from 6s. to 7s., a major about 9s., a lieutenant-colonel about half a guinea, and a colonel about 15s. The infantry scale runs as follows: First lieutenant, 5s.; captain, 5s. to 6s.; major, 8s.; lieutenant-colonel, 9s. 6d.; colonel, 14s. A general of brigade receives about 25s., and a general of division about 33s. These scales apply, of course, to pay on active service.

Besides the standing army, the war strength of the Mexican forces was given in 1907 as 120,000 infantry, 20,000 cavalry, and 6,000 artillery.

In 1900 it was enacted that the army should be reorganised, and a second reserve was formed consisting of volunteer officers, round whom volunteer civilians might rally in time of war. These officers belong for the most part to the commercial and professional classes, and are placed on precisely the same footing as those commanding the regular corps.

The arm with which the Mexican infantry is supplied is the Mauser rifle (pattern 1901), 7 mm. calibre. The artillery is furnished with Krupp cannon, and a special design of gun which is the invention of Colonel Mondragon, a Mexican officer of