The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-11 00:00:00

TIE FRA'NCII ARMY.

The following is ,'rorn the " Official Situation of
the French Empire : "—•
" MILITARY OPER 'ATIONS. •••—• During the year
1860 France, independently of the forces stationed
in her 22 territorial d ivisions, has furnished active
armies in Algeria, in 8 lyric, in China, and finally in
the Roman States, in o irder to catise the domain and
inviolability of the Sove reign Pontiff to be respected ;
she has sustained glorio ns conflicts wherever an im-
perious duty made appeal to the valour of her sol-
diers To carry on .simultaneously such enter-
prises, the ordinary bud gets could not suffice ; but
there is only one sacrifice which our country will
never submit to—that of resting cold and inactive
in presence of a great idea—of a great social inte-
rest.
" THE RESERVE.—The formation of the reserve
of the army is one of the most considerable facts
which mark the year 186(7. This important mea-
sure places the military force of France on wider
bases, without adding any thing to the obliga-
tions imposed by the law of March, 1832, in
the recruitment of the army ; if, indeed, a com-
parison is drawn between the method fol-
lowed for some years, which consisted in sum-
moning the whole of an annual contingent, and
sending back a part of it after a service under
flag of two or three years, it will be recognised
that, far from being an aggravation, the present,
system of reserve is rather a rea 1 relief to the popu-
lation. In fact, by this system, the first portion of
the contingent is destined every bvear to recruit the
army in active service; the other portion is sent
home in time of peace, and is only summoned for
instruction to the departmental depots during six
months, distributed over the three first years fol-
lowing its matriculation.
" These dispositions, combined with those of the
la wof April 2(1, 1855, on engagements and re
engagements after liberative or administrative dis-
piacesments, will endow the army with the most
precious constitutive elements.
RE_,F.NGAGEMENTS.—The law of July 24,
1860, protOundly modifying, in many points, that
leBdssth(edoetxatpieoentedof
rethsueltsa;rmthyu),s,
of April 26,
already produC has
to subalterns and soldiers to con-
faculty accorded
tract a new engagement in their fourth instead of
their seventh year of service only has given such an
impulse to re-engagernentsl, that they amounted, in
two months to 14,000.
" MILITARY SCHOOLS.—The organisation of the
military school of cavalry has been seriously modi-
fied.
" The Imperial Military Pryianeum, the decay of
which was revealed by serious disorders in 1859, is
recovering itself under the influence of regulations
more suited to the spirit of its institution.
" GENDARMERY.—New brigades have been esta-
blished where the necessities of the service required.
it ; the organisation of certain legions of gendar-
merie, stationed in Corsica and Algeria, has under-
gone changes required by the special nature of the
service.
" ARTILLERY.—The personnel of the Artillery
has been completely re-organised. The arsenals
are pursuing the fabric of the new material destined
for the armament of our strongholds and coasts.
" ENGINEERS.—The service of the Engineering
department has provided for the works of coast
defence—has vigorously pushed on the enlargement
of Lille and Toulon—has established, on a large
base, the barracking of the city of Marseilles ;
and will soon terminate the finest field for ma-
neeuvres possessed by any European Power—the
Camp of Chalons.
" ADMINISTRATION.—New regulations destined
to complete our administrative system are elabo-
rated by the permanent committee of administra-
tion of war.
" MILITARY SCHOOL OF. MEDICINE AT STRAS.
BOURG.—A. military school of medicine is opened
at Strasbourg, taking for the elements of its
instruction tr,,e lectures of the Faculty of Medicine in
this city; its organisation has been put in harmony
with that of other military schools. The train of
military equipages has received useful ameliora-
tions; the system hitherto adopted for the trains is
radically changed ; the parks of equipment com-
plete, and keep on their premises the carriages
necessary for the tray: sport of the baggage of etats-
majors and officers of all arms. This measure
recalls to the ranks many men employed in the
conduct of horses and peck-mules, and suppresses
inutilities for the benefit of active service. The
same advantage will result from the organisation,
on a large scale, of civil ateliers destined to ' co-
operate in the fabric of articles of uniform. These
ateliers will insure supplies of reserve, will give ali-
ment to central magazines of clothing established
in each great military district, and will thus render
possible, in case of need, the equipment of army
resnrveg iu a few days. Such are the principal dis-
positions token in 1860, by the war administration
to provide for present wants, and to be able to wait
in security fo; the events of the future."

COUNTRY MABRETS.

LEICESTER-FEB. 9.

The supply of wheat to-day was hardly so abundant as
last week, with a firm demand. White wheat, 71s to 78s
—red, 64s to 70s per 36 stone; a very moderate sale for
barley, grinding, 32s to 345; malting, 37s to 43e per qr.;
oats, 24s to 38s per 24 stone. Beans—old, 56s to 58e,
now, 38s to 40s per 38 stone.
Fine flour, 60s I Seconds, 47s I Thirds, 45s per 20 stone.