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  exist-
ing 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  experi-
ence 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  Yischer)  who  was
engaged  from  Germany  especially  to  impart  military
education  to  the  Salvadorean  troops.
