Resumen

IBARROLA, Bernardo. Mexico and the french artillery: merit and corruption in the porfirian army, 1879-19088. Tzintzun. Rev. estud. históricos [online]. 2025, n.81, pp.213-242.  Epub 25-Abr-2025. ISSN 2007-963X.  https://doi.org/10.35830/treh.vi81.1804.

Using French and Mexican unpublished documentary sources, this article explores the acquisition of artillery by the Federal Army during the presidency of Porfirio Díaz. The article explains the special relationship that the Mexican government established with only one company –Saint-Chamond–, thanks to the formation of a connection that allowed mid-term financing without resorting to loans in the financial markets.

This article also shows how the relationship with this company is further strengthened with the participation of a Mexican military engineer –Manuel Mondragón– who started to develop adaptations and inventions of military equipment with the support of the company’s design units and workshops. Finally, it addresses and explains the terms under which two French companies –Saint-Chamond and Le Creusot– competed for the obtention of Mexican orders of cannons and how the constant participation of Mondragón, who had private interest in one of them, distorted the mechanisms of merit –technical opinions of the involved government offices, technical committees, studies, tenders, competitions– to favor the said company.

Palabras llave : Mexico; History; Army; Artillery; Manuel Mondragon; Saint-Chamond; Le Creusot.

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