30 OCTOBER 1886, Page 2

A kind of military coup d'egat has been struck in

Spain. It appears that the superior non-commissioned officers, called" First Sergeants," are usually the chiefs in mutinies, they having the authority of officers without their privileges, or pay, or education,, There are 1,300 of them, and they are distributed through every division of the Army. On October 28th, therefore, the Minister of War telegraphed orders to despatch all such sergeants to the depots of the Reserve—which are spread all over Spain—with the rank of Ensigns and the right of entering the officers' school. Their places will not be filled up, and the rank is, in fact, abolished. The order was obeyed on the same night without disturbance, and, it is believed, will materially and per- manently improve the discipline of the Spanish Army.