The Express.
London, England, 1856-12-23 00:00:00

MILITARY STATISTICS OF SWITZERLAND.

We read in the Monitorr de l'Armle
"The strong interest which seems to have been
awakened in the affair of Neufchatel renders it very
desirable that, at the present time, the situation of
that part of Switzerland, in a military point of view,
should be correctly understood.
"The canton of Neufchatel has formed, since 1815,
the 22nd canton of the Helvetic Confederation. It is
situated between France, the canton of Vaud, and
that of Berne. Its population amounts to about
60,000 souls, and its area to 725 square kilometres. It
consists of the so-called Principality of Neufchatel
proper, and of the county of Valangin. The public
are now acquainted with its political organisation,
and with the causes that have given rite to the present
difficulties, upon which it would be needless for us to
▪ large.
"By the term' of the federal compact, each canton
of Switzerland is bound to furnish to the army
contingent proportioned to its population. In case
of war, the aggregate numerical strength of these
erowtingents is 33,75 S men, who form part of the first
levy ; in this particular instance, the quota due from
the canton of Neufchatel is 960 men, of whom 734
are for the infantry.
"Independently of the troops composing the first
levy, the federal army has a reserve of the same
numerical strength, which, in the crest of a serious
emergency, would raise the forces of the Confedera-
tion to 67,515 combatants, non including the lied wehr
or militia, which coneiete of all the men capable of
bearing arms, who belong neither to the contingent
nor the reserve.
"The Swiss are brave and intelligent, be t, notwith•
standing their merits, we must not shut our eyes to
what is the real strength of an army constituted like
theirs, comprising as it does men with families, men
taken from their business or work, and who do not
possess, like the soldiers of permanent and regular
armies, the instruction or the habits acquired le mile
tary life.
"Nevertheless, it is necessary to take into account
the patriotic sentiment, the profound devotion to the
independence of his native land, to which the Swiss
in every age has been indebted for seceders other.
wise hopeless.
"In fine, looking at its actual condit:on, the Ileb
eetic army it fully adequate to maintain otd:.l;iiiaia
the sphere of the Confederation, and to cause the
federal pact and the laws of the country to be every-
where respected ; but, abandoned to itself, it wcuid
evidently not be able to sustain a serious contest
against one of the great military powers of Europe.
" When Switzerland is engaged in any military
contest, the Diet forms the supreme military attar).
city. It is that body which publishes military
orders, determines the general organisation of the
army, calls the citizens to arms, and appoints the
general commanding in chief, the quartermseer
general, and the commissary -general. It presides
over the instruction of both cfficers and men, as well
as the purchase and custody of the munitions of
war.
I " The general commanding in chief rencives from
the Diet his instructions and powers, and lie &Ia:YU
responsible for his acts. Ilia etfice may in no cue
eontiuue longer than the dorsi ion of the term for
which the forces are embodied.
"The canton of Neufchatel, protected by the lab
of the same name, which extends from Yverdon
towards the north east aster as Saint Baia, over ati
extent of nearly 32 kilometres, with an war
breadth of 7 kilometre a, is accessible tbrouith thi
canton of Vaud and that of Berne, and the inotia•
tains of the J era chain, which tri.versc thkee district..
contain many defiles of a t acre gree:y to sea
the defence.
" The city of Nenrcliecl, the chief town of is
principality ana the seat of :its governur.,t, lies clan

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