The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-13 00:00:00

REOIZGANISATION OF THE FRENCH
ARMY.

'lhe following is the new draft of the bill for the
reorganisation of the army, as adopted by the Com-
mittee of the Chamber and the Council of State,
under the reserve of the amendments maintained by
the former :
" Chap. I The Active Army and the Reserve.
" Art. 1. The army consists of the active body
and the reserve ; their effective is increased to
800,000 men. They are recruited :-1. By voluntary
enlistments and re-engagements ; 2. By the annual
raising of a contingent.
" Art. 2. The strength of the contingent to be
summoned annually for the recruitment of the
army is determined each year by the Legislative
Body in a special law. The same measure also
divides the contingent into two portions, one of
which is incorporated in the active army, and the
other left in the reserve.
" Art. 3. The duration of service of the young
men incorporated in the active army is five years,
at the expiration of which time they serve four
years in the reserve. The period of service of the
young men left in the reserve is five years. Those
left in the reserve can only be called into active ser-
vice by a decree of the Emperor. The soldiers who
enter the reserve after the completion of five years
service can only be again called under the flag by'
a decree of the Emperor, and by classes, com-
mencing with the most recent. They may marry
without authorisation during the last two years of
their service. This faculty is suspended by a de-
cree recalling them to the active army. Married
men of the reserve remain subject to all the obliga-
tions of military service.
" Art. 4. The length of service in the active army
and in the reserve dates from the Ist July of the
year of the conscription. In time of peace the sol-
diers who will have completed their time of service
receive their liberation on the 30th June of each
year. In time of war they only receive it on the
arrival of the corps of the contingentdestined to re-
place them.
" Art. 5. Are repealed Chaps. IL, 111., and V.
of the laws of the 26th April, 1855, and the laws of
the 24th July, 1860, and 4th June, 1864. The sub-
stitution of men on the list of the same canton and
their replacement are authorised in conformity with
Arts. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 21, 28, and 29, of
thelaws of the 21st March, 1832, which are revised.
Chap. 111. of the same law is also re-established ;
the duration of the voluntary eng,agements is, how-
ever, for two years at least. Voluntary enrolments
do not, however, confer the exemption pronounced
by Sec. 6 of Art. 13 of the law of the 21st March,
1832, only when contracted for a period of nine
years, in conformity with Par. 1 of the above-
mentioned Art 13.
" Art. 6. The causes of exemption mentioned in
secs. 3,4, 5,6, and 7 of Art. 13 of the law of the
21st March, 1832, must, to produce their legal
effect, exist on the day on which the council of re-
vision is called on to decide. Those which arise be-
tween the decision of that council and the Ist July
—the starting point of the period of service—do not
modify the legal position of the young men desig-
nated to form definitely part of the contingent.
" Art. 7. The young soldiers who shall not
have accomplished their period of service on the Ist
January, 1868, may, at the expiration of their fifth
year, obtain permission to pass from the active ser-
vice into the reserve, on condition of contracting an
engagement to serve in it four years.
" CHAP. lI.—TIIE NATIONAL GUARD MOBILE.
" Sec. I.—lts Composition,- Object, and Duration
of Service.

" Art. 8. A national guard mobile shall be con-
stituted,with the object of co-operating as an auxi-
liary to the active army in the defence of the forti-
fied places, coasts, and frontier of the empire, and in
the maintenance of order at home. It can only be
called into active service by a special law. The bat-
talions which compose it may, however, be assem-
bled at the chief town, or any point of the depart-
ment, by a decree of the Emperor within 20 days
preceding the presentation of a bill calling them into
active service. In that case the Minister of War
provides for the lodging and board of the officers,
sub-officers, corporals, and soldiers.
" Art 9. The national guard mobile is composed
—l. Of the young men of the class of the years 1867
and following who have not been included in the
contingent on drawing lots ; 2, of those of the same
class to whom application has been made of the ex-
emptions mentioned in Nos. 3,4, 5,6, and 7 of
Art. 13 of the law of the 21st March, 1832 ; 3, of
the soldiers of the second portion of the contingent
who have accomplished five years' service in the re-
serve. Also, all those can be admitted who, libe-
rated from military service, ask to form part of this
force. The councils of revision exempt from this
service the young men comprised in Pars. 1 and 2 of
Art. 13 of the law of 1832, or in one of the cases for
dispensation provided in Art. 14 of the same act.
They can also exempt as support of the family as far
as 10 per cent. those who would have been liable to
service, selecting those who have the best claim.
" Art. 10. The duration of the service in the
national guard mobile is five years for the young
men who have not been included in the con-
tingent. The time counts from the Ist of
July of the year in which the drawing takes
place. It is four years for the young men of the
second part of the contingent, and counts from the
day they have accomplished five years in the re-
serve.

" Art. 11. The young men composing the na-
tional guard mobile can contract marriage without
authorisation at any period of the service. They
can be replaced by a Frenchman aged less than 40,
who fulfils the other conditions required by Art.
19, 20, and 21 of the law of the 21st March, 1832.
The substitute is received by the council of admi-
nistration of the battalion to which the national
guard belongs. In case of desertion the man re-
placed is responsible for his substitute. Every na-
tional guard mobile can be admitted to replace a
soldier in the active army or in the reserve, if he
fulfils the conditions of Art. 19, 20, and 21 above
mentioned ; the man replaced serves in the national
guard mobile for a time equal to that which was due
by his substitute ; he is bound to clothe and equip
himself at his own cost.

" Sec. ll.—Of the Organisation of the National
Guard Mobile, its instructions, Disciplinary
Punishments.
" Art. 12. This force is organised by departments,
in battalions, companies, and batteries. The offi-
cers are named by the Emperor, and the non-com-
missioned officers by the military authorities. 'Thep
receive no pay except when the guard is called on
duty. From this provision are alone excepted—the
officer specially charged with the administration, and
the officers and non-commissioned officers in-
structing.
" Art. 13 (1). The young men are liable : 1. To
drills taking place in the canton where they re-
side ; and, 2. Meetings by company, half battalion,
or battalion which are held in the circumscription
to which they belong. The duratipn of the drill or
the meetings cannot exceed two months and a half
in the five years, or 25 days in any one year. The
days and periods for these exercises will be fixed
in a manner to interfere as little as possible with
business. If the length of the drills or meetings
requires an absence from home of more than
twelve hours the Minister of War provides
lodging and food for both officers and men.
Those who can prove a sufficient knowledge of the
management of arms and the duties of a soldier are
exempt from these exercises
" Art. 14. While the drills and meetings continue
the men are subjected to the discipline regulated by
Arts. 113, 111, and 116 of Sec. 11., cap. V. of the
law of June 13, 1851, on the National Guard, as
well Arts. 5, 81, and 83 on the same act. The
penalties enacted by Art. 113 are applicable, ac-
cording to the gravity of the case, to the offences
enumerated in Arts. 73, 74, and 76 of Sec. 1., Cap.
IV. Deprivation of grade is incurred in the cases
provided in Arts. 7a and 79 ; it is pronounced—for
officers by the Emperor, on the report of the Minis-
ter of War; and for non-commissioned officers by
the military authorities The officers or non•com-
missioned officers employed in the administration
or in instruction are subjected to military discipline
during their functions. -
" See. lII.—On Placing the Guard in Activity.
" Art. 15. From the tizae of the promulgation of