THE MILITARY POWER OF FRANCE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5308, 30 March 1878, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE MILITARY POWER OF FRANCE.

Sir Garnet Wolseley contributes to the January number of the “Nineteenth Century” an article on “France as a Military Power,” which lias attracted a great deal of attention, awing to the high military reputation of the author. We make the following extracts : If I am correct in saying that much of the disasters that • befel the French army in 1870 arose from the demoralization in its ranks engendered by the defeats it experienced at the opening of the campaign through insufficiency of numbers, I have given ample reason why it is worth our while to examine what would be the fighring strength of France next spring should her interests require her to appear as a* belligerent in ; Europe. The population of France, which may be taken at 36,000,000, has during the last four years given an average of 292.000 young men who have each year attained the age of twenty. After deducting from that number those taken for the auxiliary services, the annual contingent for military purposes amounts to 133,000, divided into two 'classes, the first of 83,000, who remain with the colors nominally for five years, and the second of 50,000, who from financial reasons are only kept with regiments for periods of from six to twelve months, where they remain cndhponibilite until they pass into the reserve. The men, on completing their army reserve service, pass into the Territorial Army for five years ; they will therefore be twenty-nine or thirty upon joining, and will remain in it until the age of thirty-four or thirty-five. When it has reached its normal strength in 1886, it will consist of 594.000 men, allowance being made for casualties. At the age of thirty-four or thirty-five, the men will pass into the reserve of tho Territorial Army, in which they will remain for six years to complete the full terra of twenty years’ military service, which in future all Frenchmen, not exempted for the reasons already stated, will have to give their country. When this reserve has reached its normal strength in 1892, it will number 638,000 men. In the ’nst-named year, the military strength of France will be in round numbers as follows; Active army 710,000 Reserve of active army .. .. 620,000 Territorial army .. .. .. 604,000 Reserve of territorial army .. .. 638,000

Total .. .. 2,471,000 This grand total does not include officers nor the gendarmerie, nor the non-combatants annually allotted to the auxiliary and administrative services, manufacture of warlike stores, construction of fortifications, railways, telegraphs, &c. As already stated, 23,500 men are each year told off to these auxiliary branches, hut do not serve during peace. There are already about 90,000 of them in existence available if required, which' number will be in-creased-to’about 180,000 in 1881, and to 191,000 In 1892, 1 when the military system will have attained its normal development. Afl regards the present condition of tho territorial army, much has recently been effected to make It a reality, by organising the cadres

of the 145 regiments into which it is divided, appointing officers to it, &c. ; but nothing has yet been done, even on paper, towards forming its reserve. It may, however, safely assumed that in the event of a war this year, the territorial army itself would certainly number 500,000 men, two-thirds of'whom would have previously served either in the regular army or as “ Mobiles ” during the late war, for whom an abundance of officers would be available. Should France take the field in 1878, 1 believe its military forces would be as follows : Active army 710.000 ■ .Reserve of active army .. .. 500,000 Territorial army 500,000 Auxiliary services of workmen, &c.. 90,000

Total .. .. ... 1,809,000 ■ This total does not include officers, gendarmerie (22,000), the Republican Guard (3800), nor the Customs and Forest Guards (13,400).