THE FRENCH TROOPS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 208, 10 February 1915, Page 5

THE FRENCH TROOPS.

GERMANY LOSING ADVANTAGE IN . NUMBERS. Since tlic beginning of the war Germany- Ims possessed one superiority c-vtr Fiuiumj—that of numbers (writes t'lie Paris correspondent of th L - New Yolk Tribune on Member J2th). GerU'.any, witii pegee, has an active army of 7(00.000 men, and passed each' year 350,000 into the reserve, while France, with peace, lias an active army of baivlv half a million, and was able only to accumulate reserves at the rate of 250.000 men a year. As a consequence, Germany was ablo to put a large number of young reservists in the field.. In order to put an array of equal numbers in the field tlic French Government would 'have had to send-to the front men four or five years older than th,H German contingents, men who lad in that.time lost to a corresponding degree. Wifh the army tilie.-e men are in no way inferior to the men of the active army. They, however, require a irtinth or two of stiff training to bring Vack their military efficiency. JGFFRE WANTED QUALITY. Geaeral Joli'ie showed his conlideuce iu. his amy by resolutely undertaking the struggle with inferior numbers on his side. He relied on tihe superiority of quality over mere quantity, anu the tioops under Jus command completely iustilied iJs confidence, but at the same time the French War Office was working night -ind day for a numerical equality. Germany knew this and hurled over fresh levies into the fighting line, Thsi reserves and landvvehr, were mobilised, and four \v<jeks ago tiha landsrarm, or levee en masse, composed of boys from 1J to 20, and men from 45 to CO was incorporated. Germany lias snot her bolt. Shq baa realised the Kaiser's phrase: "The last man," in his proclamation at the beginning of the war. 'His majesty also added "last horso." This may come,. too, if all the stories oi the condition of the German cavalry, artillery and bag- . gage train are true. Now the tables) are being turned, and France is pro-, ducing trained soldiers by the hundreds of thousands with a precision ar.d legularity that would inspire respect even in a Pomeranian unterot'lizicr. A Million and a half men of the territorials who have been in training since the declaration, of war are now fit ;ind ready to take their places in tilie lighting line. In addition to the younger clement, men without family ties, as the middle-aged territorials, who 'can ba depended on for a bayonet charge and who bring into the grim work of war the enthusiasm of youth, have been incorporated.

A contingent of 1914, 250,000 strong, which should have joined the colour-Tin November, but was prematurely called out in August, last week completed its training, and loft for the fighting line. Their places in the training depots were at once taken by a contingent of 1915, which has been called out one year, before its time, as many men of that contingent volunteered for service as soon as war was declared. It numbers' only 230,000, as compared with 250.000 of the class of 1014. It will be ready foj tlie field in March, when it will be succeeded by the class of 1910.

. With the territorials and the new con-: tingent.i 1 ranee is therefore in a po3ii tion to pour 2.000,000 fresh troops, whicli have not yet fired a shot, into the fight-, iug line. England is pouring hundreds of thousands of men into France, and has 1:500,000 under training. The Allies aro thus increasing their strength every day, while Germany has mobilised her last man, and is now fighting a desperato' defensive battle. Every town in France, from Marseilles to Dunkirk, is gorged with troops, either training or awaiting; orders to leave for the front. In tlwl last fortnigilit I have visited tlia principal centres on the French frontier ajid on the fighting line. At Chatiffit Thierry, Bonuaus, Rlieims, EpornHy, Montchonot, Chalons-sur-Jfarne, V itry-* le-Frnneois, Riv-lc-Due, Toul, and Nancy, the same spirit prevails. The men ofl every category, young and old, arc equally desirous of being sent to tiho 1 front, i