, 1866-11-28
The Reorganization Of the French
Army.
Paris (Novcmber y Correspondence Of the Lott
don Times


Anarticle which appeared in the last num-
Der Of the lonierir de fArnte merits some
noticc, for It touches on sukjcct which Is
prc-emincntly interesting and Important
the reorganization Of the Frctch army, now
before the Commission Of Marshals. Some
Of the papers had lazarded conjcctu turcs as to
the divers projects Under consideration, with.
out. however, knowing muc4 Of tuc details,
OF anything Whstcver Of the decision that
Ei,l ,I S, Se Ultimately adopted On @ this polat
edged organ, without having an otisciz
character, Of the army. The Journals stated
that q movable National Guard was to be
substituted for the regular standing asmy.
and they counted mp the savings which
would result from such q measure to the war
budget. The -No.i:eur de FIruaee declares
this to be GROSS errnr, which 1t were veil
10 lose not moment 10 contraaicting. The
thing bu.a reserve. Vow, before having
reserve II Is necessary to hare an army, and
If the schcmcs advocated by the papers in
question we're carried out. France would
have neither an aE1ny nor reserve. Ger
n.cniaus as those Eaich have lately oc-
fernsh fee1sa eosean@sat a R1 ss pG9 ap'1 'es 81
raising the military force to an equalitE
with that OF ne'snbotiug Powers that the
i,ea Of reducing the ar1ny could for an in
slant be entertained. So little is It the case
ttat one OF the very FIRST resolutions the
Commission presided oser by the Emperor
will adult Is to maintain the principle laid
down long ago-that the army. in lime of
ard the object OF the Commission will be 10
devise the best mcans ct forming reserve
strong enough IN case Of need to rs1se the
war establishment TO "a respectable
strength" Ii, down to the present
date the %a1inrm nno Of this var etahlIsa a1ss
| that this force would be insufficient low,
! and that the Government would not be IN
| position to meet all emergencies otherwise
ihan by means Of reserve more consider
alva%e dislpsntlc- The -Nan1tur points out
tbr absurdity Of enpposing that such impor-
tant results can be obtained II the war
budgets are reduced. l: hints, on the con.
tra.y, at the probability OF an tne1ease, and
that if some sacrifices are requirsd every
/ Indispensable for the honor and security Of
| tie coantt,. In my case and Waatcrcf be
| thc combinations which the Government
uay deem fit to cdopt. the public may rest
assured that the interests OF the treasury as
well as the interests Of the conntrF will be
scru1,riousIy cared for II would appear,
| i'm frum the note In the -RoafiFar de
rir,ner that II Is the Intention Of the Gov
| rnn,cut not to Introduce in Ffance the Prus-
Sian system Of the Landwehr, as 1t would
a!nItnish The effective strength of the reserve
subject to military service; that the Ma
/ floral guard will neither be suppressed nor
trsn.(,ymed. but will remain as 1t now IS. to
uct as reserve In the extreme case provided
ior BY the law Of the ID Of March, 1881.
The law prescriLes Tart. 1Ssl th1t
Tie National Guard shall furnish detach-
mCrts Tor the defence OF the fortified towns,
I coasts LEd fInntiers OF the Kingdom MS nux-
iliarIes TO the active aEmy. The war service
OF the detached corps Of the National Guard