The New York herald., 1871-01-14
FRANCE.
Sn0mur-Organizing Cavalry Force-Num-
ber Of Horses-TrOops and Dlscipline-Had
Officers Old GeneraIs-Miserable Manage
ment of the COmmissnrint.


ment Of the Commissnrint.
SAUMUR, Dec. 27, 1870.
This city has from time immemoral constituted
the largest cavalry depot Of the French army. Under
Louis XIV. military college. or school for the in
sructlon Of cavalry officers, established Sau-
mur in about 1868. The institution has, ever since
Its formation maintained world wide reputation,
and from what have been enabled to witness
during the DAY am inclined to think that even at
tins uncture be proved that has lost nothing
OF its former prestige AT early hour this morn
ing l saw regiment OF curassers passing
under my window. Neither the men nor the
horses seemed inferior to anything I have
seen IN the French service. 1t consisted Of fine
troop, well found in everything; good strong horses,
furnished am told mostly from Switzerland, at
prices varying from 700 to 800 francs each $l4O to
$780, The regiment seemed about 900 strong, fully
equipped, In good marching order and destined to
JOIN the army now forming at lie Mans. In the
course Of the morniDgI
VISITED THE BARRACKS AND THE STABLES
and endeavored to gather information regarding
the regiments stationed, or, rather about to be
formed, here i could not, however, ascertain any
thing reliable beyond what could see with my own
eyes. ana knowing how dangerous IL would be to
appear lnqusitiye. | desisted from inquirlng into
details Had attempted to ask questions relating
attracted immediate attention. They are perfectly
Juny on the subject OF spies The most trivial ques-
tion If it has the tendency TO elicit Information on
military matters, or otherwise the question OF sup
plies or provisions, Is liable to be misconstrued. II
your French betrays the foreigner it will attract i'm
mediate attention. Somebody is sure TO cross-aues
ton you as to the object of your travels how long
you have been In the country and so forth. Under
the circumstances 1t would appear sheer folly to
go about with inquiring looks, and although 1t may
be difficult to ascertain with degree OF reliability
what Is going on assure you tnat saw enough to
convince me that 1t must be easy matter to turn
out a iorce Of between 5000 and 1900
CAVALRY,
well mounted, at a very short notice. The class OF
horses, It strikes me, even superior in size and
condition TO what have heretofore seen in France,
and for the recruits, need only to say that they
are mostly taken from among the peasantry. All OF
them can mount horse. and surely It cannot take
many weeks to put them efficiently through the
drill manual The losses sustained at Sedan and
before Metz are about to be repaired, and the Army
Of the Lore can now be provided with cavalry
force, the absence OF which has SO far acted as
number Of horses which l have seen exercised
on the open ground fronting the barracks may be
pretty closely with the estimate formed Of the ca
pacity OF stabling accommodation. have walked
around the WlOle range OF Dulldlng6 and made my
calculations from the outside. III addition to those
buildings temporary wooden sheds have been
erected to put up heYses, and the new, capacious
riding school has likewise been converted into sta
bes From the window OF my room overlook one
OF the large bridges across the LOire-a bridge OF
twelve arches, spanning about 800 yards-and while
am writing
LARGE BODIES OF RECRUITS
are covering its whole length marching In military
order from the railroad depot to the barracks. All
are clad Ia bl0uses men OF strong build and healthy
appearance. Their number was certainly not less
than 1,20o ] had already seen another troop this
morning, numbering about 400, and / could net
refrain from contrasting this movement with
the scenes l had Witnessed In Germany
during the latter part OF the month OF July.
In recalling that period 1t struck me that,
while we now IN the month OF December nearly
six months had elapsed until these men could have
been brought to sense OF duty In defending their
country True, the Frenchmen now coming for
ward must be considered more or less as body OF
volunteers; their movement ts apontaneous; they