New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-27
The New Army OF France.

IN order - assure the French armv a,
ample and constant supply Of recruits ant
gradually tOexpand it TO the full strength
which 10 is 20 possess in the course of time
Chs law Of general military service--th,
eOnscriptiOn. an . wOrd.-of the first repu b
lie IL ~ be restored in it's fullest vigOr; al
permanent exemptions are to be abolished
&nds suffice only to dispensatiOns Of ten
bOfary kind and strictly determined, every
Erenchma capable OF bearing arms is "a
Do liable to serve in the ranks for periods
deemed sufficient 20 make the national
forces OF adequate power. The elements OF
an enormous military array will. by euch
means. be fully secured: and care is taken
that these shall form the component
parts Of finished product. not rude
and almost worthless material. For
this purpose the liability 60 serve il
to be real in all cases. Every Frenchman
who is enrolled as q soldier is to join the
ermy for = specified time. depending on
certain and fixed rules. and all those who
have left the ranks are to be held in readi-
ness to return 10 them during the whole
Sias Of sheir prescribed service. IN this
way two Of the worst vices Of the old
t'sench system are TO be got rid of; the
whole mass OF the forces of France will be
composed, in the main, OF trained men. and
eh immepse reserve will be formed by de.
Grees, made up Of troops nearly az efficient.
Finally. the methods are 70 be- detinitivelv
given up by which the French army was
marshalled for war: it is no longer TO have
Its elements scattered, and therefore slowly
collected and moved: it IL to be kept to
Eethef in organized units. at all times pre-
pared tor speedy action and capable Of
being quickly enlarged to their fullest
otreDgth, and its whole mechanism is to be
60 csntrived that celebrity of ''mobilization'
and readiness for the field shall be certain
and easy result,
Let US now sec how these leading prin-
clples are TO be embodied in actual facts
The gule OF general military service, the
eonscription without lasting exemptions.
~ll give France every year n contingent of
about $4,000 young men. without counting
the "dispensed with" class. liable to be !
called cut on important occasions. Every !
insn enrolled IN each yearly contingent will |
be obliged 20 serve for twelve months at |
Ieasts emitting certain exceptions made I
In favor ut aptitude and educatOn; and |
= large number. TO be selected by lot. will |
have to serve much longer time. in
order to supply the special arms-artillery,
engineers and cavalry-which require a
long professional training. The yearly con.
tingents SO distributed will be liable TO
Serve five years in the first main divisions
ut the armies of France: and though !
tho period Of actual service for great
part OF the mer, will. as rule. be shorter,
they will be all held ready to join the ranks
ht y summons from the minister Of war.
when the term OF five years shall have
passed. each contingent will fall into the
first reserve; and here every man will
hgain be liable to serve q further period Of
Jour years. and to be recalled to the army |
At , moments notice. After an actual or |
potential service for the two terms of five
end Jour years. each contingent will be
drafted in turn to the second reserve of the |
I'M dI md 49,
|ce log i've or six years-that is, during
eleven years-in the two divisions |
of what is meant TO be the last great
support OF the French army. Zach
contingent will thus. in different WAYS.
be subject 70 serve for twenty years. and
at the end of that full De.
rod, the forces OF France raised by con.
'crlptlon Will amount to the immense aggre.
gate of twenty contingepts of 80. 900 men |
zach. all, or nearly SO. trained and effective
with deductions, OF course. for
leaths and casualties. and even in ten
ears they will be formidable in no mean | 8
egree. The age OF service. it should pe I
dded, will be from twenty to forty, and i
hus the flower of the youth and manhood h
France will be all enrolled in the national d
anks. $
This immense mass of military forces will, h
OF, however. represent the whole of the o
over and resources of France for war, ! h
! addition to the consumption ievies, she j.
ill have a"permanent army of 10000 o
len, composed of ''otficers. staff. admins. s;
ative corps, gendarmes. veteran and re. Il
,gaged soldiers" and besides these. of the Il
Oreign auxiliaries.' The legion e!ranqe,s.
I'd similar bodies, who have often added | 81
the renown of her arms This per. +
anent army. we need not say, will be
extremely valuable force. i. will s,
rgely contain the most precious and III
lportant elements of military strength:
will be animated by high Il,
OCCASIONAL feeling; and it will give e,
and force 70 the arrays Of con- or
lgents. Taken altogether. the forces OF III
ance, after making allowance for all da
'ses and nOuetfectiveness of various hi
ads. would ultimately. under the intend. or
scheme, reach the enormous total of ep
OO. 600 men, according to calculations by II
means saDguine: and far the greater hy
s vi the warlike multitude would, we