The French Army.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3616, 29 July 1880, Page 3

The French Army.

Military life in France from the time of the first Napoleon has been a bona fide profession, carefully guarded and protected by the reigning power of the realm, as well as by the superintendence of able war ministers, wlio invariably hare the supreme control of every branch of the service. In these duties he is now assisted by what the French Republic call consultative committees, the members of which are selected from the general staff. For several years Marshal McMahoo, in addition to bis position of President of the Republic, was the con* stant adviser of the Military Council. Marshal McMahon's merit was scarcely sufficiently appreciated by his country; but the services he has rendered in remodelling the army must necessarily entitle him to the ultimate gratitude of his countrymen. The late Franco-German war served to illustrate the rottenness and laxity of the army administration under the imperial regime, and after the inauguration of the Republic, reorganization was instituted throughout all branches of the service. Marshall McMahon established several consultative committees of eminent officers. The infantry commission is perhaps the most important, there is another for the cavalry, another for the artillery, the engineers and fortifications, another for the general administration of the army, including everything connected with the commissariat department, and so on down to the least details regarding' the health, clothing, food, drill, and general welfare of the troops. Besides 150 regiments of infantry. France possesses 20 battalions of foot chasseurs, five regiments of Zouaves, six of discipline fusiliers (made up of the " roughs " of all regiments) three battalions of the Foreign Legion, made up of adventurous and m rollicsome Englishmen, Poles, Austrians, Swedes, and Spaniards, three battalions of Algerine Rifles, a battalion of veteran fusileers (all having been previously noncommissioned officers) who are principally employed as gensdarmes (police); sixteen battalions of artillery, each battalion containing ten batteries of 10 guns in each; three battalions of engineers, five troops of pontoniers, two troops of artillery train . 10 regiments of horse guards, two of carabineers, six lancer regiments, twelve regiments of dragoons, twentyfive regiments of light drapoons (hussars), 3 regiments of Spahis. Other ■ ' consultative, committees besides those we

hare mentioned are likewise presided over ilaj general officers special of course to each ; it is no wonder therefore that with such ways and means of arriving at the beat possible results, perfection inasmuch as mortal efforts can reach it, should crown the labors of those committees whose bureaux are all situated in Rue St. Dominique. It is now considered by English military authorities that the army of France, will when called upon prove themselves worthier descendants of the grandc armee than the conscripts of 1570. When a conscript joins his allotted regiment he must spend six months as a private; during that time he is schooled daily, practice first and theory afterwards. At the end of six months he is perchance promoted to be corporal in the infantry, or a brigadier in the calvary. This grade he must fill for six months before he can aspire to the next step—that of sergeant in the infantry, or of mare*chal dcs logis in the cavalry. Sergeants-major and mareohaux dcs logis chefs are the next ranks. From this the conscripts may aspire to the rank of adjutant, which is the highest non-commissioned rank in the French service. Once promoted to adjutant a sous-lieutenancy is n pretty sure to follow. Each sous-lieutenant on promotion from the ranks receives the sum of 600 frances to provide hia outfit. In 1865 a young man only twenty years of age, was quartered at La Fleche, as sergeant-major in an infantry regiment. He was a dashing youug man, of first* rate education, and had won every grade from that of a private up to the rank he then held. Having published some military articles in the only journal of the

town, commenting on abases, he attracted public attention, a»d General , hearing of him, and judging favourably of his military efficiency, had him appointed to the National Military College, at that time the Prytanee Imperials. There ho remained for two years, when he obtained his sous-lieutenancy in a fine regiment, he served through the FrancoGerman campaign with fortune and honour. In 1875 he had risen to the rank of major at the age of thirty.