The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-12 00:00:00

BA CHBLORS OF AGILITY:

When the discovery was made, recently, that
British soldiers in barracks, on home duty, and
protected by all the resources of a perfectly sup-
plied commissariat, die off at the rate of 22 per
1,000, military men were at their wit's end to
supply reasons for so monstrous a mortality. Many
singular hypotheses were broached, with a view of
reconciling all that is tiresome and odious in mili-
tary.discipline with the laws of health ; but liberal
and intelligent soldiers declared that the want of
exercise and amusement for the men, the devouring
the
ennui and indolence, took all life and flavour from
their leisure hours as from their periods of duty.
lowered their spirits, and depressed their health.
Phis
judiLindsaycious
; and in
viewwas
Colonel
nespecially ci a
lell y supported by
analysis
of the evi-
dence which was given in the Lancet at the time,
the necessity for active and out-door exercises and
games to fill the leisure hours was strongly indi-
cated. A recent distribution
th of prizes at Joinville-
le-Pont has revealed to
a gymnastic military school,epublic the existence of
where such exercises
are cultivated to the
highest point, and with the
greatest advantage to the service. An eye-witness
presence of
the
solemnity was graced by the
e Minister of AVar and all
the highest officers of the French army.
"The candidates for distinction are all officers or
subalterns having already served, and the
object of competition is the Monitor,'
or diploma of
or rather the degree of
'Bachelor
of Agility,'
which is conferred upon the most dexterous in
manly sports, with the view of securing tl
ap-
pointment of gymnastic master inone or other
erofthe regiments of the French army. Thei onstitution
of Joinville confines itself entirely to the instruc-
tion of gymnastics and other bodily exercises,
whether imparting strength, skill or grace, accord-
ing to the system here adopted. We are surprised
that every soldier in the French service
is not an Admirable Crichton. The per-
fection of the Zouaves no longer asto-
nishes, and 'we cannot wonder at the clumsy infe-
riority of the British soldier, from whom such in-
struction as imparted at Joinville howtithheold, and
who consequently knows only present
himself before the enemy, and hangs back with
awkward bashfulness when ushered suddenly into
the company of friends, here
we have groowhaven-up
bronzed an-d bearded men, warriors wh
stormed the heights of Alma and rushed on Mala-
koff, competing
together for an ' accessit' in fencing,
boxing, single-stick, and even dancing !"
It is thus the efficiency of the soldiers may be
increased, at the same time that their health is
consulted. We are glad to learn that the Duke of
Cambridge has given orders for the
introduction
of
a somewhat similar system into our army.—The
Lancet.

It is related that 60,000 Russians are to be sent
from the Caspian. to Khiva, from which place they—con-
jointly with a Persian corps—are to march against the
Turcomans.

It is stated that, on the demand of the mob at
Milan, the portraits of the Emperor and Empress of Aus-
tria were thrown to them from a window, and were there
torn to pieces