New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-04-23

duces 70 about 900 mes, wsich is the average
figure low adopted in most Europe,n armies.
Tss formation Of the fourth bsttsioas is
therefore necessarily preliminary step TO
placing the Fresch army on the wsr f,os
iss, AID is slene capsule of furnishing the
organizations requisite to receive the syailsoe
number of trained men This crcumstAnce gives
a peculiar significance to tee formation Of thess
fourth bsttaliobs; tasy moan readiness for war.
The mode in which they are created very simple:
the 5tt and 9th companies Of the three existing
bsttahons leach having SIX ccmp,nies) are CON-
bined into fourth battalion, while from the re-
naming four companies the necessary officers and
men are drafted TO form two new Companies for
each battalion. The new battalion gOe. into dsPO!
while the third battalion is transformed into an act
i've one. Together with guards, chs,seurs, and
otter special corps the number of bstt,Ons in the
French army will then be about $50, number suf-
flcient to absorb about 800, 900 men; and if this
should not suffice, the fourth battslious may be
formed into active ones, and be replaced in the de-
pots by rewIy formed fifth b..talions. Thi, pro.
cess was actually in course Of execution Of tne
close of the Russian war, when the army counted
545 tattaons
That the step taken by the French Government
has indeed no sienfcation, except immediate
readiness for war, is proved by anothsr measure
which has closely followed it. SIX divisions bsve re-
ceyed orders to place Themselves on the war foot
iDgthst 10 to say to call in their men on fdrlough.
A French division of infantry consists Of four regi
ments OF two brigades Of the line, and one bit-
talon OF foot chssseurs, or thirteen battsons IN
eIl-mskiog about IA, coo men. Although the six
divisions are not designatei it is not difficult to
gue,s to which of them the order applies. There
are, 10 the first instance, the four divisions now
already ON the RhoDe, among which is the division
of Gen. Rensud, just returned from Algeria;
then the Bourtaki ovision, now under orders OF
embsIkstion in Aeetia; and finally dlyhon of
the army Of Paris, which, it is reported, hes re.
ceived orders TO hold Itself in readiness TO marsh
at a moments notice These six dsi,ions include
about o5 900 infantry, which, with the requisite
artillery, cavalry and train, would form an army of
rttber more than 100, 900 men, and may be c)nsid-
cred as the main body of what is TO be in the ap-
preaching csmpsgn the army of Italy.
Now, considering the universal clsmor for pss,6
in France the violent national and anti French
agitation in Germany, and the attitude Of Eog land,
Louis Napoleon seems 70 have hestated to take
such step as the mobilization of his army, With
out at the same time, doing something to make
pe ope believe that be had not revOc ably resolved
on war, bat would be content with aoy improve
ment in the situation Of Italy which could be oh.
tanned by means Of q Congress. A glance at the
history of the military preparations will confirm
this view, and develop new reasons why such
sham was an element in bis plans.
No sooner had the reception of New
Years Day at the Tuieries shown that bis
were to provoke difficulties with
Auitria, then what we might call race
Of ornaments began between France and Sardinia
on one side and Austria on the other. This latter
power, however, at opce proved that she had
the best Of it. With astonishing rapdity
a whole army. corps was in fpw days
thrown into Italy, and when the reports OF
French and Sandman concentrations OF troops
took still more menaeing character, the men on
leave belonging to the army of Italy we're IN three
weeks collected and reincOrporsted with their
regiments, while the men nfurloughan the recruits
belonging to the italian Provinces were also called
in and sent 10 the garrsOns of their respective corps
in The interior. The quietness and rspidity with
which all this was done, afford the best possible
proof Of the perfection of the Austrian military
system, and Of the thorough efficiency of the Aus
TRAN army. The old reputation of the Austrians
for slowness, pedantry and unwieldiness had GER
tany been very effectively reversed BY the way the
troops were handled by Rsdetzky In loi5 Az but
such smooth working of the mechanism and such
readiness at the shortest notice could scarcely have
been expected. Here no new formations
we're required; the active bsttaliOns in Italy had
but to receive their complement of men, to
be raised to their full strength, while the
transformation of depot bsttaliOns into active
bsttsons, and the organization OF fresh depo"
are going On far away in the interior Of the mon
srcby and without in any way delaying the COM
pletion Of the active army.
1t is also true that Sardinia did cot require any
new formations; her organization wss tuHicient.
But with the French it was different. Inc
process Of mobilization required good deal
of time. The creation Of the fourth bAttaions
had to precede the calling in of the men
on furlough. Then Louis NapolsOn had to keep
in view the probability Of war witA
the German confederation, in case OF al sItack
upon Austria. While Austria, therefore, open TO
attack Cd her Italian or southern frontier only, ana
covered by Germany toward the west, could tarow
q very large portion of her forces into Italy, and