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

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[PRICT 4D. STAMPED 4/13

civic guard is about to be formed iu Neuchatel,
that the Federal troops may be withdrawn.
With regard to the condition of the prisoners
themselves an officer of the garrison writes on the
9th inst.: "We have had beautiful weather here for
some days past, and the prisoners themselves ap-
pear to enjoy it, fir on Saturday afternoon,andag,aiu
yesterday, they were out in the gardens and upon
the terraces which adjoin their prison, and which
command a splendid view of the lake and the neigh-
bouring scenery. Beneath them, in the road which
passes directly in front of the terraces towards Ser-
rieces, they could see a stream of passengers go by, 1
and many a friend or relative of those confined lie,:e
might be observed in passing to look up eagerly
towards them. Sunday was the great visiting day, '
and the prisoners, therefore, instead of taking the
air in the gardens,. remained in their cells during
the afternoon to receive their friends, who were
admitted without exception, and without any ticket
or special order bein.., requird. They came in
crowds from 2 o'clock till 4, each bringing a little
parcel, a basket, a flask, or a bundle of cigars to
comfort his imprisoned friend."

MILITARY STATISTICS OF SIVITZga.

LAND.

We read in the Monitettr de l' Armee :
' The strong interest which seems to have been
awakebed in the affair of Neuchatel. renders it very
desirable that, at the present time, the situation of
that part of Switzerland, in a military point of view,
shduld be correctly understood.
" The canton of Neuchatel has formed, since
1815, the 22d canton of the Helvetic Confedera-
tion. It is situated between France, the-canton of
Vaud, and that of Berne. Its population amounts
to about 60,000 souls, and itsLarea to 725 square
kilometres. It consists of the so-called Principality
of Neuchatel proper, and of the county of Valan-
gin. The public are now acquainted with its poli-
tical organisation, and with the causes that have
given rise to the present difficulties, upon which it
would be needless for us to enlarge.
"By the terms of the federal compact, each canto'
of Switzerland is bound to furnish to the army a
contingent proportioned to its population. In case
of war, the aggregate numerical strength of these
contingents is 33,758 men, who form part of the
first levy ; in this particular instance, the quota
due from the canton of Neuchatel 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 event of a
serious emorpncy, would raise the forces of the
Confederation to 67,515 combatants, not including
the landwehr or militia, which consists of all the
men capable of bearing arms, who belong neither
to the contingent nor the reserve.
" The Swiss are brave and intelligent, but, not-
withstanding their merits, we must not shut our
eyes to what is the real strength of an army con-
stituted 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 per-
manent and regular armies, the instruction or the
habits acquired in military life.
"Nevertheless, it is necessary to take into
account the patriotic sentiment, the profound de-
votion to the independence of his native land, to
which the Swiss in every age has been indebted for
successes otherwise hopeless. "
In fine, looking at its actual condition, the
Helvetic army is fully adequate to maintain order
within the sphere of the Confederation, and to
cause the federal pact and the laws of the country
to be everywhere respected.; but, abandoned to
itself, it would 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 au-
thority. 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 quartermaster-
general, and the commissary-general. It presides
over the instruction of both officers and men, as
well as the purchase and custody of-the munitions
of war.

" The general commanding in chief receives from
the Diet his instructions and powers, and he alone.
is responsible for his acts. His office may in no
case continue longer I han the duration of the term
for which the forces are embodied.

" Tile canton of Neuchatel, protected by the lake
of the same name, which extends from Yverdun
towards the north-east as far as Saint Raise, over
an extent of nearly 32 kilometres, with an average
breadth of 7 kilometres, is accessible through the
canton of Vaud and that of Borne, and the moult
tains of the Jura chain, which traverse these dis-
tricts, contain many defiles of a nature greatly to
assist the defence.

" The city of Neuchatel, the chief town of the
principality and, the seat of its government, lies
close to the Seyou, where it debouches into the
lake ; its inhabitants number about 6,000 souls.
It is incapable of defence and could not stand a
siege. The other towns in the principality are
Boudry, Travers, Motiers, Valangin, Le Locle'
and Le Chaux de-Fonds. The soil of Neuchatel
is generally rich and well cultivated, and the
inhabitants who dwell in it are laborious and peace-
able."

The following is from Le Nord :
" According to a recent statistical work of Ste •
phen Franseini, councillor of the Confederation,
Switzerland possesses, with a territorial extent of
718 square miles, a population of 2,391,478 citizens,
the majority of whom are of the Protestant faith.
The finances of the Confederation, as exhibited in
the budget for the year 1357, amount to a revenue
of 16,200,000 francs, against an ordinary expendi-
ture of 15,760,000 francs. The public debt was
covered in 1815 by the share allotted to Switzer•
land out of the contribution exacted from France
by the Allied Powers to defray the expenses of the
great continental war. The Federal army, the
chief command of which since 1847 has been vested
in General Dufour, with 91 colonels and lieutenant-
colonels, and 132 commissioned officers of inferior
rank, comprises, taking the regular troops and the
reserve together, an effective force of 108,000 sol-
diers, of all arms. It will be seen, therefore, that
Switzerland is a power of some consideration."