THE RELATIVE MILITARY STRENGTH OF FRANCE AND PRUSSIA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 224, 22 September 1870, Page 4

THE RELATIVE MILITARY STRENGTH OF FRANCE AND PRUSSIA.

Now tbat these two great Nations are arrayed against each other in deadly conflict, it is well to know approximately their relative military strength, both by land and sea. According to the law of February lst, 1868, the French army is composed of the Active army and the Reserve. The Active army comprises the staff, gensdarmerie, infantry, cavalry, artillery, engineers, military equipage, and administration. The Reserve consists of the National Guard, aud the Mobile Guard. The minimum nutnber pf each division is fixed by law at four linndred thousand meu. The National Guard, however, wliich is placed under the control of the Minister of War, comprises 250 battalions, haviDg each eight companies of 2.000 men and 125 batteries. " The Mobile Guard," which is to cooperate for the defence of ihe fortresses, coasts and frontiers, is estimated at 500,000. Hence the aggregate number of the land forces of France, both active and reserve, i 3 in the neighborhood of 1,300,000 men. The French Blue Book, (an official journal), published in January, 1869, puts down the total available forces of France at that period to 1,028,980. Referring to the Active army, it says " that there were then at home 378,852 soldiers ; in Algeria, 64,531, and in Italy 5,328." Now, turning to the military power of the North Germany, an official report published at Berlin, in 1868, gives the effective strength of the German army then, as follows : Number of officers, including infantry, cavalry, artillery, engineers, staff, etc., 16,696 ; sub-officers, of all classes, 39,1.77 ; non-commissioned officers and men, 249,544 ; hospital assistants, 2,180 ; artizans, 9,100; accountants, 493 ; veterinary surgeons, 533; armorers, 440; saddlers 176; Total, 314,238, Horses for artillery, cavalry, infantry, train, aud staff, 73,313. Adding to this, the annual contingent of troops to be raised, namely, 81,204, we have a grand total of 395,442 men in active service iv the German army in 1868. But these are the numbers of the array when on a peace footing. Ia time of war, the battalions of the guard and the line, which in peace reach only 686, and 534 men, respectively, must be raised to their full ftrength of 1000 men each, making, according to the official report, a grand total of 977,000 meu. The number of horses used in the war establishment is 150,000, or more than double the peace uumber.