The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-25 00:00:00

THE FRENCH ARMY AID NAVY.

During recent debates in the Haise of Commons
reference has been repeatedly mad: to the military
and naval forces of France, as well as to their cost
in comparison with the sums votedunder the Army
and Navy Estimates in England. On a late occa-
sion Mr. Monsell stated that " the French Estimates
for 400,000 men were £14,000,000 " and, contrast-
ing it with the strength and cost of the British land
forces, drew a conclusion very unsatisfactory to the
British taxpayer. But the hen. member for
Limerick presented a very onesidec and altogether
inaccurate view of the question ; ler, although he
quoted the sum appropriated to the Minister of
War in the French Budget for 1362, he omitted
items of military expenditure whirl: are included in
votes for other Ministries—Finance,State, Colonies,
Interior, and Public Works, and tie counterparts
whereof are comprehended in the British Army
Estimates. Evidently these ought rot to have been
left aside, and above all things there should have
been taken into consideration the value of compul-
sory servitude in the army and navy of France—
that is to say, the value between tFe market price
of labour and the price paid for it ly Government,
which represents a portion of the tax paid by the
nation towards its defences—a tai which is em-
phatically and truthfully called l'iinpot du sang.
The total land forces of France amount to 400,000
of all ranks, with 85,705 horses, and 5,657 enfans
de troupe, indepently of troops in French colonies
(besides Algeria), whose numbers are not given,
but whose cost is charged to the Navy and
Colonial Budget, and of 2,894 men, 663 horses,
in the Garde de Paris. Classing all ranks, ac-
cording to arms, in France and Algeria, and
comparing them with a similar classification of
the English forces, there will he :
England, Colo-
nie's, and India,
France and England and exclusive of
Algeria. Colonies. late Company's
Troops.
Staff .. 4,607 1,222 1,222
Infantry 259,841 101,230 150,128

Cavalry . 76,903 13,194 18 210
Artillery
Engineers
Train .. 5,655 1,909 1,909

Administrative
8,737 1,51 1,561
Services
Indian Depots in 1
Er o;land - f

- 6,G88

Angland ..
Total 400,000 146,014 212,773
Horses .. 85,705 8,262 21,901

The most remarkable features resulting from the
comparison of the above figures are the enormous
proportionate superiority of the French in cavalry,
staff, train, and administrative services. With only
twice and a half the number of foot soldiers, they
have, speaking in round numbers, five times as
many in the administrative services—if we take as
their equivalent our hospital and commissariat staff
corps—three times as many in the train, four times
as many in the staff, and six times the cavalry that
we have, besides ten times as many horses, while
they have but one-third more in the Engineers, and
about one-half more in the Artillery. Again, i❑
the French service, the proportion of officers to men
is as one to 16, and in the English service as one to
19. It may be doubted if economy could be plished
farther with prudence in this respect, for to reduce
the number of officers would be to impair the effi-
ciency and mobility of the army. They are the
pivots on which the machine turns; while, whatever
changes may be destined to take place in conse-
quence of the introduction of Armstrong guns and
Enfield rifles, there is no proof that cavalry will
play a less important part in future wars than it has
hitherto done. Such being the case, the propriety
of a further reduction of cavalry, as was proposed
in the House of Commons, may be reasonably
questioned.

The number of men that will be required to be
taken by conscription to keep up this force is 40,000
—for the infantry, 22,180; for the cavalry, 9,200;
for the Artillery, 6,720; for the Engineers, 1,400;
and for the Train, 1,500.
The army is distributed--334,310 men, with
69,809 horses in France, and 65,690 men with
15,896 horses in Algeria—namely, in France—
Staff, 4,181; Cent Gardes, 221; Imperial Guard,
including all arms, 29,890 ; Gendarmerie, 20,042 ;
Infantry, 190,669 ; Cavalry, 4-5,809 ; Artillery,
30,831 ; Engineers, 4,249; Train, 2,348; Veterans,
648 ; and administrative services, 6,148. In
Algeria,—Staff, 423; Infantry, 40,762; Cavalry,
9,996 ; Artillery, 4,057 ; Engineers, 1,826 ; Train,
2,374; and administrative services, 2,589.
lbo tatt is composed of 10 marshals, 90 gene-
rals of division in activite, and 77 in reserve; 160
generals of brigade, and 172 in reserve, 39 colonels,
37 lieutenant-colonels, 147 majors, 150 first-cap-
tains and 161 second captains, 8 intendants-gene-
ral, 26 military intendants, and 36 in reserve, 150
sub-intendants, and 80 adjuncts. The Staff of forti-
fied places consists of 27 colonels, 19 lieutenant-
colonels, 47 majors, and 63 captains commanding,
13 majors (majors de place), 5 chaplains, 101 cap-
tains-adjutant, and 49 lieutenants-adjutant, 12
captains, 12 lieutenants, and 4 sub-lieutenants,
secretaries of archives • and 367 porters. The
Artillery Staff consists of 33 colonels, directors of
artillery and inspectors of arms' factories, forges,
foundries, &c. ; 39 lieutenant-colonels, directors and
sub-directors, commanding artillery in • fortified
places ; 84 majors, 120 first captains, aide-de-camps;
and 15 second captains, in the central depot, mili-
tary schools, factories, &c. ; 80 captains, per-
manently attached; 120 sub-lieutenants, pupils at
Metz ; 18 professors in artillery schools, besides
various subordinates. The Engineers' Staff consists
of 29 colonels, directors of fortifications ; 29 lieu-
tenant-colonels ; 108 majors, aide-de-camps, and in
military schools ; 150 first captains of whom eight
are in the colonies; 130 second captains, of whom
four are in the colonies; 20 lieutenants; 50 sub-
lieutenants, pupils at Metz ; 1 examiner, and 9 pro-
fessors, besides subordinates.

The Emperor's Household troops are the Cent
Gardes—a squadron of 221 strong, with 179 horses.
The Imperial Guard, composed of picked and well
trained men, is an army corps complete in itself,
numbering 29.190 all ranks, with 7,938 horses and
571 enfans de troupe. It is divided into—
Infantry.-3 regiments of Grenadiers and 4 of
Voltigeurs, or light infantry, the regiment consist-
ing of 4 battalions, each of 6 companies, and 2,200
strong ; 1 regiment of Zouaves, of 2 battalions, each
of 7 companies; and 1 battalion of Foot Chasseurs
of 10 companies. A company is composed of 3
officers, 6 non-commissioned officers, 8 corporals, 2
drummers forming the cadre, and 66 privates, or
85 in all.

Cavalry.-2 regiments of Cuirassiers, lof Dra-
goons, 1 of Lancers, 1 of Guides, and 1 of Chas-
seurs. The regiment consists of 6 squadrons, 1,047
of all ranks, and 801 horses. The squadron is com-
posed of 8 officers, 10 non-commissioned officers, 31
brigadiers and farriers, and 4 trumpeters forming
the cadre, and 11l privates, giving a total of 154
officers and privates, with 120 horses.
Gendarmerie.-1 regiment of 2 battalions, each
of 8 companies, 1,461 of all ranks, and 1 squadron
of horse, 135 of alfranks, and 141 horses.
Artillery.-1 division on foot, of 2 batteries ; 1
regiment of Field Artillery (monte) of 8 batteries,
1,412 of all ranks, and 90 horses; 1 regiment of
Horse Artillery of 6 batteries, 1,114 of all ranks,
and 1,045 horses ; and 1 squadron of Artillery
Train of 2 companies, together with 210 all ranks,
with 162 horses.

Engineers.-1 division of 2 companies, 309 of al
ranks and 822 horses.

Train.-1 squadron of 4 companies, 933 of al
ranks and 26 horses.

The proportion of arms therefore in the Imperial
Guard is 19,245 infantry, 6,418 cavalry, 2,985
artillery, and 16 batteries, 209 engineers, and -933
train.

The Gendarmerie, in France-27 legions, or 92
companies, besides 1 company of veterans and 1
legion in Algeria, or 4 companies—consists of
20,042 of all ranks, of which 660 are officers,
13,235 are cavalry, and 6,147 are foot.
The Army of the Line consists of—lnfantry, 103
regiments of the Line, 20 battalions of Foot Chas-
sears, 3 regiments of Zouaves, 3 battalions of Afri-
can Light Infantry, 2 regiments of the Foreign
Legion, and 3 regiments of Algerian Rifles—in all
357 battalions and 7 discipline companies. 95 re-
giments of the Line are stationed in France.
Each consists of 1,823 officers and privates, divided
into 3 battalions of 8 companies each. The company
is composed of 3 officers, 6 non-commissioned officers,
8 corporals, and 2 drummers or buglers, forming
the cadre, and 51 privates, or 70 in all. Eight Line
regiments have 9 depot battalions in France, and
each two battalions in Algeria, where the regiment
of 2 battalions consists of 1,974 of all ranks. A bat-
talion of Foot Chasseurs has 8 companies, each
containing 3 officers, 7 non-commissioned officers, 8
corporals, forming the cadre, and 53 privates, mak-
ing a total of 75 of all ranks. A regiment of Zouaves
has 2,7E6 of all ranks, divided into 3 battalions,
each of 9 companies. A battalion of African Light
Infantry has 5 companies, and musters 755 of all
ranks. A regiment of the Foreign Legion has 3
battalions, each of 8 companies ; and a regiment of
African Rifles has 2,563 of all ranks, dividd into 3
battalions, each of 7 companies.
Cavalry.-58 regiments And 10 companies of