New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-02-24
TotAl....... 500, 200

tVtdI.s'... ..'-oUV5'"" N~iV'N
This result! agrees very well with the general ar
IaDsements Of the French army for recruits. Every
year 100, 600 young men are called upon TO Join
the ranks, but formerly in time Of peace 60 900 on,
were actually sent TO their regiments, and as they
were liable to serve seven years, tho army would
not exceed 400, 900 to 400, 900 men. Bat under
Louis Philippe the actual time of service seldom
exceeded from four to five years, so that at that
period the actual strength would not exceed
300 600 men, the remainder being on furlough.,
Since then, however, an extra battalion to each 10
fsntry II gment, al extra squadron to each csyary
re gimenr, and the whole corps of guards having
been added, the frame work of the army has been
so far extended that it can accommodate about
SOC, coo men; and it is Lot likely that France, ex-
cept in a war of national self defense, will ever
have more drilled soldiers at any one time.
II, therefore, We take the numbers which we have
given above, and add to them the 1900 gems
d'armes, muI icpal guards, and nobody knows what
other " miscellaneous corps" the Constitutional
includes TO make up that sum, the grand total VIII
very nearly coLcide With what that journal
But now the difference begins. In our grand total
here are depOts organized in 300 companies and
81 sQuadrons, which are barely sufficient for The
preliminary drill and organization of the 1880
Dfantry and cavalry soldiers which are now 10
hem. SuppOsipg these to be suddenly withdrawn
make room for pew recruits, and to fill up in
be regiments the places of men whose time has
lspsed, what number Of recruits would these de-
pots have to drill The 100 600 men of tho levy
of 1859, and at least 90 coo raw volunteers 10 all
l2O, goo men, or 10000 more than the depots can
accommodate. There is no doubt, then, that be-
tween the st Of April aud the LIST Of june the three
depot companies of each infantry regiment must
be increased to full battalion, and thus for every
cavalry regiment, two instead of one depot squad
rod. must be established. For while now, with
the whole army on mere garrison duty, the depots
are mere stations Of passage for the recruit, from
which as soon possible. undriled or hAlfdred,
he is sent to his regiment there to receive bis edl
cation it is rot TO be forgotten that in war, thu
army being on active duty, the depot has to equip
and drill the soldier thoroughly SO that be m,y
join lis regiment fit for army duty. Thus, if the
Constitutional maintains the French can increase
their strength to 200, 000 men, without new fOrma
tons it devistes very considerably from the truth.
And the formation Of 100 depot b,ttaons out Of 300
COMPARES, end of 81 extra depot squsdrons, will
necessitate the withdrawal from the ranks of the
active army, at the very moment when their ser
vices are most required, of at the very least 1000
commissioned and 10000 nOn.commissiOned Off
cers.
But, supposiDg the 100000 men collected-and
We are far from maintaining that France, at the
onset Of q war, could not collect this number of
young neI-bow many soldiers fl for duty
will there be of the 700000' Not more than
COCO, and Of theae according TO tbs COnshtu-
tionnsl, $1,000 have to defetd Algeria. The
eensd armes ard miscellaneous corps for duty
in the int rior we must lot take a. ,OOO but
stick TO the original estimate OF the Constitutions
mel, viz, $4,000. This leaves residuuu OF
491, coo men. Bot our Imperial cotemperary must
have q very strong faith indeed 10 the stability
of bis dynasty if he thinks that 10000
raw recruits and $4,000 gensd'armes and other
military police can be irirussei with its exclusive
defense. The depots will hardly be sufficient to
garrison the mora important fortresses, except
Paris and Lyons. These two towns Louis NapO-
leon would lever trust 10 the hands of raw re-
creits; and although the Constitutional thinks
10000 troops quite sufficient TO keep them il
check, If is certain that 100000 men vii
Lot he too mary for the purpose. Blu
suppose We deduct lOO,O 900 men for the re
quirements Of the large towns of the interior
and for the Royalist south of France, the who'll
force disposable to be employed abroad
reduced TO 33l, 900 men. OF these, Isl, 90
men, at leaat, would have TO form an army Of oh
seryation on the Belgian, German sna Sgi,s fror
tier, and but 200 600 men would remain a7al.Ol
for an attack upon ltsy. Now, We MAINTAIN
that 10000 Austrians, in ther stro3g position O
the Aiuc!c sad Adige, are eguA to =. e.a! 3)O, %