American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1823-04-01
FRENCH ARMY.
From the London Morning Herald, Jan

EFOM Tue l-OHHOH SuOFHthsS iieTutu, cub' SSf'
The French army is at present almost entirely
composed oil conscrps. These young men, doubt
less, possess the instructive bravery OF Frenchmen,
but they have never seen fire 1t may be said with
oa exaggeration that the line does not contain one
of the old imperial soldiers and not sub officer
has served in the old campaigns, and obtained ex-
perisnce in war The army therefore, is destitute
of good sub-oicers and good soldiers, which are in
in a war of partisans where every thing
depends upon individual contests. Many OF the Of
hcers have seen the service, and among them only
can be found some of those intrepid warriors who
have fought their way all the continent. The
superior officers are anxious to give the govern
Iment every proof OF devotion that is required from
them, and to merit by humility favours which in
times OF intrigue they cannot hope to obtain or pre-
serve by their conduct in the 6eld--The inferior Of
fcers such as majors, captains and lieutenants, do
not expect or desire any thing but the preservation
of their commission. They say nothing and il
they are hurt sometimes when their old opinions
are attacked, they do not allow it to be perceived
the young officers who have received their commits
sions by favor, carry themselves very high, aid fiat
ter themselves that in the expected war they will
eclipse twenty Eve years OF military operations -
This makes the veterans smile. AS TO the soldiers,
who have not conquered at Austerltz or Wagram,
nor even been beaten at Waterloo, and during Int
asst -four years have only learned TO make soup, they
are Indifferent; to all insinuations, and await impa
tienty the expiration of their period OF service"
France still possesses great engineers, and men
eminent for military administration, but they are no
longer employed besides, every thing connected
with the army Is resolved upon without reflection,
or according to any fixed principles. At one point
there are many cannon and very few stores at an
other great number OF carriages, and no horses !;
there is no organized company Of transports, which
would be indispensable in Spanish war; and final
y 1t is FACT although difficult to believe, that the
corps OF observation, from Perpignan TO Bayonne,
consists at the utmost Of twenty thousand men, and
the period OF service Of eight thousand oil this mum.
Der will soon expire The Notifications at Perpig-
nan are carried on with great activity so much So
indeed, that recently it appeared though the town
were about to be besieged All the rampars have
been repaired the towers have been changed into
bastions. Half moons and covered ways have been
formed in all directions The citadel has been rem
dered very strong by the eXertons oil very sklltu
engineer the batteries are all mounted. and The
provisioning OF the town is far advanced. The ma
king OF cartridges goes on wnh extreme rapidly i
sixty thousand have been made in day This canl
be accounted for by the fact, that cartridges can bel
more easily transported 10 Urgel than cannon. All
Bayonne the works absolutely at stand the
citadel alone is placed in state Of defence. NoneI
oil the artillery which arrived from Brest has yet
been disposed Of and the guns still lying ON the
borders of the Adour. There is only park of field
artillery, whichis very complete, and is fit for con
siderable army, but horses are wanting On all sides
'ne sees nothing but irregular preparations which
10 not indicate any definite object and the French
people, upon behodng all this hustle, say that il
would be wiser to repair Notifications in the north
han in the south, for they will continue obstinaely
o see enemies beyond the Rhine rather than beyond
he Pyrennees"