The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-28
MIR. FORBES ACCOUNT.

The strength, Discipline, Reforms and
Martial Appearance Of the Troops ut
the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Criticism and
Prophecy.
PARIS, July IL, 1873.
Most reviews are things of pure formality, and
have, in military sense, little significance for pro-
fessional men. What is there. for instance, in a
grand review in Hyde Park Of the British house.
hold troops before the British Queen some august
visitor-not that sovereign, but to the realm of
which she is the monarch Absolutely nothing OF
novel military meaning. The Grenadier Guards
march as we have seen them march any day since
we knew or cared any thing about marching the
Blues powder past with their characteristic mas
sive grandeur. so it is on the Tempehofer Field OF
Berlin, the Schmerl Of Vienna, the parade ground
Of st. Petersburg The armies OF Europe have each
their individual conventional characteristics, with
which the student OF military systems is perfectly
well acquainted, to whom, therefore, review, no
matter however imposing. tells nothing new-pre-
sents no field for speculation. II an exceptionally
large number OF men have been got together, the
circumstance means simply an exceptional EFFORT.
The expert knows OF the existence OF the material
that each nationality possesses-has in bank, If the
expression is justifabe; and when he sees an ex-
ceptienaly large muster it has for him the signif.
canoe simply that an exceptionally large check has
been drawn upon the resources in hand
But the review OF the French army on the Long.
champs race course on Thursday last had an inten-
sity OF interest and weight of import that were
altogether unique. Two years and four months
ago. where and what were the French armiese
Scattered over the South about Orleans, Tours and
Bourges was halfdisorganized congeres OF regi-
ments an army only in name. II IN its ranks there
were still men who had conquered in the Crimea
and in Italy they deteriorated by the vicious
grown rottener with every day that lie BGuf had
held the portfolio OF Minister OF War. But the old
fighting men with medals on their breasts were but
a handful in comparison with the hordes of raw
levies, hurriedy dragged unwilling from their cot
tages, hastily instructed in the rudiments Of the
art OF firing musket, and hustled into the battle
neld, destitute OF any training such as alone
enables q man to be anything save o danger, In
obstruction useless and mlschievous n0nentity on
the battle field.
THE OFFICERS
were for the most part as useless as their COM
mands. Everywhere the military spirit had de-
Perforated into effeteness-mean, selfseeking and
trumpery jealousy NO attendance deserving Of
the name existed, and contractors pulaged at once
the treasury and the troops. In the North Faid-
herbe's command was in scarcely better plight.
The vast garrison Of Paris had little eaven In It OF
learned the OF arms only to employ them In the
crazy rebellion OF the Commune. or Bourbaks
army, smashed at vilersexe by Won werder, the
fragments had crumbled into dust In the Wintry
passes OF the Jura, and the wretched debris had
drfted over the frontier into Switzerland, there
to be informed by the hardy mtiamen of the can
TONS From the outset 1t had chiefly consisted OF
raw leves and atoms OF divers nstionalities. As
for the regular soldiers OF France-the troops IN
reliance on whose prowess her ruler had dared to
declare war-they were languishing as prisoners Of
war on German soil. Defeat alter defeat, alter
mated by no single ray of victory had resulted
in the capitulations OF Sedan and Metz and
men already demoralized by lost battles by
retreats that resembled routs, BY disorgani-
zation, by relaxed discipline, by tacit license
to plumber by q lack Of regular supplies were
marched in herds OF prisoners from prisoner
bivouacs to prison quarters in Germany there to
live for months that idle, listless, objectess pris-
onerlife that more than anything rots the martial
ism OF soldiers. TWO years and four months ago
this was the state OF France as military Power.
Her soldiers, armed with what was then the best
weapon OF the world, had been beaten on every
Geld. Their system of fighting, that had been
praised as the finest imaginable, their mobility,
their nonchaant defiance OF rigid formations their
attributed adaptability to circumstances--all had
avsiled them nothing; rather. indeed had turned