The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1862-09-02
HOW THEY DRAFT IN FRANCE

A French paper gives the following description
of the method of drafting to raise army in
| France:
To illustrate the mode in which the drawing
takes place, we will suppose that particular
| cOnantuHe is required to furnish 100 conscrpts,
the total number of eligible young men being say
| 500 Five hundred bits OF paper are placed in
an urn, Of which 400 are blanks, and the re-
mainder marked from one to one hundred oblige
their holders to ''fall in" The four hundred who
have escaped now exempted from military
| service, unless extraordinary event, such as
an invasion of France, should demand the callin g
out of the entire arms bearing population.
| The mode of raising recruits, as has been seen,
| is simple enough AS regards exemptions, the
French system is scarcely less simple. In the
first place, the conscrpts undergo q rigid medical
examination, and if any are found laborng under
physical disability, they are at once discharged.
| Next in order the exemptions of SOuticns de
| JdmWe, or individuals with families dependent
upon them Thus the only son Of widowed
mother is exempted So also is the brother of an
orphan sister. Brothers Of soldier still serving
| in the army are exempted, also the sons Of
father until the fathers term shall expire, only
one of family being drawn at one time.
| A wife cannot exempt her husband, even if
| there be children, as the law holds that young
men ought not to marry until they have fulfilled
| class of exemptions has pccuniary feature In
former years-that Is to say up to lS5o-no con-
script not exempted by physical disability, or by
| the other causes above enumerated, could escape
service except by procuring a substitute. This
had given rise to degrading species Of trade or
| speculation, in which a large number Of man.
sellers and buyers were engaged But, under the
system referred to, the cOnscrip pit who bought a
substitute Was responsible for his substitute, and if
| /
the seven years. TERMS was liable to be forced
back into the ranks. This system was abolished
in 1855 by order of the Emperor, and the Gov
eminent itself now accepts pecuniary indemnity
for the withdrawal Of conscript and practically
pays for his substitute by offering ample bounty
to volunteers. It is arranged that the sum re-
ceived and paid by government shall vary accord
ing to the military exigencies Of the country, but
the present basis is as follows: \ conscript is ex
empted for 2 400 francs (SiS0) and the Govern
ment pays bounty to volunteers amounting to
2,2OO francs, (S44O) making profit of 200 francs
by the exchange
ARTIFICIAL ICE.-For some months past an
ice making machine has been in operation in
, Westminster, London, which effects its purpose
cheaply and quickly by an ingenious process
Sea water, most persons know, does
not freeze at the temperature of 81 degrees, as
fresh water does. Advantage is taken of this fact
in the following way: y number Of fiat, square
metal boxes, filled with fresh water, are placed
within an tight chamber, around which con-
stant circulation of sea water goes on, which by
the evaporation of ether, has been reduced in
temperature below the freezing point. This cir
cuaton chils all the boxes, and freezes the fresh
water into hard solid squares, fit for any use to
which ice is usually applied. A small steam en-
gine connected with the apparatus maintains the
Vaonnm in he chamber and cOndenSPS the ether,
which is thus made to do its work of refrigeration
over and over again with but little loss: not more
than about eight pence day.