The weekly sun. (New York [N.Y.]) 1851-1869, 1861-12-14
The French Army aud Navy.

The Paris correspondent OF tho Boston IRAN-
scIIrr gives the following information respect.
ing the French army and navy;
All the cannon now used by tho French arc
litod. The equipment secures rapid movement
over heavy grounds and plenty Of spare men,
uuItos ahd material mako up for casu lics and
preserve efficiency in action.
Tie Emp, rOr does not occupy him3clI much
with new AIMS, hut gives much attention to
ri~ modes OF doing things, new drlls, now tie-
tss, new cvolutioGs, now corps organized Tor
'cinl work III the field, tho siego, the trenches,
in tscaadts, new ways Of crossing rivers,
, ,chcs, ma shes, climbing walls or houses
,hd suimounting obstacles Oi all eorts-much
q. aclicc in mnnuuvring large bodies ms ed,
much athletic PRACTICE with arms, with stickI
sd without oither--a great deal ul target Il ing
vi II guns, Iiilc, aGd muskets at various ranges
md over variable grounds, rapid marchcs and
| new PAGES, square, short, quick-a return in
| some degree TO tho athletic drill and physical
| discipline Of the Roman Lcgions. The contral
| IDEAS being tho development of athletic endd'
| rance, rapdity Of movement, accuracy Of firing
| and by the division Of labor, speciality Of en-
| plOym mt and perfection Of evolutionary drill
| to produce the highest combined olFect, with
| given force.
| 1t Is cloar that tho Emperor docs not conside
| the number Of mon ~ any Ruago of the strength
| of an army. Small armies have generally don,
| tho greatest work. Tho Russian army on IL
present footing is about $50, 900; the Austrian,
1000 the Prussian, 10000; tho French
G2G, 900; the English pretend 10 muster 53i, 900
but this includes 2ls 900 blas in India, iS, OOC
| Colonists and 81, 600 militia and yeomlnry,
1000 volunteers II, 900 pensioners and II ,OOI
| corstahles.
There are no hrccch. loading guns in the army
| The Emperor thinks them too Liable to blow Ou
or get out of order aud too expensive; h al oNpe
ricnce Of the Arm'trongs in the China war along
| side his own, and, on the whole, prefers the lat
| ter. Tho arillery arm ,i tho French army, 90
| field work. consists of % batteries Oi horse artl
terry @ guns) l92 guns; 10 batteries foot artil
| lcry, 90 guns; q squadrons trains pOntoonor
| and 100 batteries mounted artillery; IN all, Sjl
| guns. -, 600 mcR, and about as many horses
| TIE mounted artillery, 100 batteries, is the
great arm; each gun, in marching order is n
| iullow-: lst, gun, horses and j positions
| (nomen on the clisson); 3D. 3 mounted gun
| ners; 81, | caisson, horses and pOstil Ons
4th, X mounted ammunition mon; 9th, . spare
| whoels--thAt is TO say, tho fore wheels OF Ru'
carriage, with gun Gals on AM spare whee
| (making D with horses and position; 6h
| Z snare horses and positions. Tho rack gu
has 10 mo n,ed mon, q positions and spar
JOstilions, & spare horses spare wheels and
sparc gun caissop; ia ALL 20 men and 26horso'
| Six of these form "A battery.
Itis difficult TO arrive at a fair comparison q
| the naval forces Of England and France but
| make it that the French arc superior in stear
and inferior in sails, and that, IL the two cn'ir
| nayies wero ranged In line Of battle, tho force
| would be 80 nearly equal that II would bo dill
| ul, to say which would win and judge iror
| ipccch Of Lord Peterborough, at an al,ricultu
| -al meeting that h. arrives at similar cOncll
| ion, ns he says, 1T is useless TO deny that "
| 81 not rely ON it, that We have any superiort
| If naval force