The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-29 00:00:00

FRANCE.

The Liberte says that there is again a rumour of Minis-
terial changes. The renewed intervention of France has
led the Marquis de La Valetta to consider his position un-
tenable, and he will, in all probability, retire from the
Ministry of the Interior in favour of M. Chevreau, at
present Prefect of Lyons. It is also rumoured that M.
Fremy, of the Credit Foncier, will relieve M. Rouher of
one of his joint offices, and assume the portfolio of
Finance.

The review in the Bols de Itonlogn; essilselsth appears
to have been a particularly brilliant affair. It is believed
that no fewer than 55,000 troops were on the ground, with
96 guns. This splendid pageant was prepared without the
smallest difficulty at the time that Napoleon was sending a
large force to Italy. This fact it is well that we—who
require months to organise an expedition of 10,000 men to
Abyssinia, and who find it impossible to hold a review
of 5,000 men in Hyde Park—would do well to ponder,
There were several celebrities present, including, besides
the Emperor of Austria and his brothers, the Queen of
Holland, the Empress Eugenie, and the Duchess of
Cambridge. The Kaiser, who rode by the side of the
Emperor, was dressed in the Austrian cocked hat, with its
enormous waving crest of light green feathers, .a white
tunic crossed by the broad red riband of the Legion, scarlet
pantaloons, with broad gold stripe, and was mounted on a
fine charger, which he sat, it need not be said, well and
nobly, if somewhat stiffly. The Emperor Napoleon was on
his favourite chestnut, and wore over his uniform the broad
riband of the Austrian order of St. Stephen. Marshals,
generals, and officers—French, Austrian, and Italian—
and great personages followed the line behind Prince
Napoleon and the Archdukes Charles and Louis Victor.
There was one red coat in the midst of the gay cavalcade
—a red coat with silver epaulettes and buttons, surmounted
by a cocked hat with white plumes, and supplemented by
blue trousers with silver stripe. The wearer of this won-
derful costume was no other than the peaceful Lord
Houghton, who had for the occasion doffea the peer's
ermine and the " poet's singing robe," whatever that may
be, and donned the dress of a deputy-lieutenant. The
marching past of the troops did not please the special cor-
respondent of the Times, who was astonished at their want
of regularity.
Many a Frenchman has reckoned himself fortunate in
being, like Zacchsaus, short of stature—just little enough
to escape military service. It would seem as if the
average stature of Frenchmen is really less than it used
to be. The difficulty of recruiting has been greatly
increased of late on account of so many candidates being
below the minimum height. By the decree of 1854 this
was fixed at 5 feet 71 inches. By a recent order it has
been reduced to 5 feet 61 inches for cavalry, and
5 feet 6 inches for infantry. Where candidates possess a
good constitution they have been rendered admissible to
the cavalry at 5 feet 6 2-5 inches. The French military
system, by withdrawing the manhood of France at its
prime for military service, by preventing marriage and
thereby indirectly encouraging vice, has largely contri-
buted to this physical deterioration.