THE REVOLT IN MADRID.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7773, 20 October 1886, Page 5

THE REVOLT IN MADRID.

AN ABORTIVE RISING. Madrid, September 20—A revolution was attempted last evening by a number of Spanish troops quartered in thie city. The uprising was ill-planned and ill managed, and practically amounted to little more than a mutiny. The trouble was inaugurated by a regiment of infantry quartered in the Gil Bias barracks. The soldiers revolted, broke down the partition wall that separated them from the quarters occupied by the cavalry, and intermingled with the men of the two cavalry regiments, a number of whom joined in the revolution. The officers of all three regiments did all in their power to dissuade the men from revolting, but 300 soldiers, after beating a number of officers and wounding three, deserted the barracks, and marched in two bodies through the town. One body went to the Prado, the principal park and promenade of Madrid. Two thousand troops were quartered in the Prado at the time, and the revolutionists expected to be joined by them. The ether body went hurrahing through the centre of Madrid calling on the people to join in the revolution, crying, " Live the Republic ! " and making all kinds of threats againit the monarchy. At this time the theatres and other places of amusement were crowded. The populace were taken by surprise. In most of the publio places the peokle flocked in a pauio and all entertainments were abrnptly terminated. The streets were crowded with people, nearly all of whom were terror stricken because of exaggerated ideas of what was transpiring. The insurgents attempted, among their first exploits, to secure possession of the arsenals and barracks, which they attacked with open fire, but all these places were well and successfully defended, and the rebels were repulsed. Finally their reverses drawing them together, the insurgents attacked and got possession of the southern railway. By this time the authorities had taken in the situation and had fully prepared to master it. The loyal troops were marched to the railway, and after a short fight they completely dislodged the revolutionists, who dispersed into the country, General Pavia pursuing them. During the fighting in the city one of the officers leading the insurgents was shot and killed; The rebels shot General Velardi for refusing to join them. They also mortally wouaded Count Merasol, and killed a colonel of artillery. Martial law was proclaimed throughout the city as soon as the condition of affairs was clearly perceived by the Government. The emeute was a complete eurprieo to Madrid. Quiet was soon restored after the revolutionists were driven from the southern railway. A number of insurgents were taken prisoners. This morning there is no appearance of a revolution or even of disorder. When the insurgents fled from town, forty of them compelled the stationmaster to place at their disposal a special train, with which they made their flight to Alcala de Henares. The Government troops were soon in pursuit on another special train. Additional particulars of last night's revolt show that the insurgents also shouted " Long live the Republic, the Army and Spain." A large number of civilians joined their ranks. When the authorities summoned the military to put down the insurrection the rebels made a stand for a while against the loyal troops, and it was in the fa'ret brush between the opposing forces that General Velardi and the artillery colonel were killed. When the revolutionists realised that the other troops were making no response to their appeals they abandoned the fight in town and scampered for the country, most of them in the direction of Aloala de Henares, a walled oity in New Castille, and bnt seventeen miles from Madrid. Many rebels gave up the fight long before the general retreat of their comrades and made their escape in the darkness. The authorities are making many arrests for complicity in the revolution, and a large proportion of the prisoners are officers. It is learned to-day that the revolution was led by Brigadier-General Vallacampa. He escaped on the special train which left the city from the southern railway.