, 1875-10-02

would, after losing a valuable snip through the
negligence Of the captain, at once intrust
another fine vessel to the same commander
But if the same owner was aware that his
captain, though he had lost the ship, had acted
with distinguished presence of mind in the
hour of danger, then be would certainly reward
bis servant with another responsible post.
The Assembly might have done likewise if the
right man had been before its eyes. Had a
Napoleon or a Turenne come into notice during
the war no one can doubt but that he would
have been iutrusted with full powers to
re-organize the Army as he willed, but the
sturdy resistance of the Army of the Rhine,
the victory of COulmiers, and the campaign
in the East did not reveal a single man whom
France could employ to carry out this impor-
tant mission. The Assembly was therefore
forced to undertake the work itself and to sum-
mon to the Committee of Forty-fve all the
competent men who were to be found among
the Deputies The labours Of this Committee
have not been sufficiently appreciated, because
dne allowance has not been made for the
diff entities Of all kinds created by the p~artisans
Of the old rsgime. From the moment that
there was a certainty Of Parliamentary inter-
ference in the affairs of the Army all the old
generals. the commissarie9, and the clerks in
fhe War Office, who objected to any light
bring thrown on their incapacity, put countless
stumbling blocks in the way of the progressive
march of the Committee. Was any official
information needed, the Committee had to
wait months before receiving the S~cantlest and
often in Inaccurate answers. Were officers about
70 he summoned as independent witnesses,
thew were either DESPATCHED to Algeria or
threatened with retarded promotion should
they dare to divulge their innOyating projects.
AS TO the Generals, they were made to under
stand that their advancement depended upon
the discretion which they exercised. The cid
military school, although apparently defeated,
began by these means once more to lnsenslbly
Get the upper hand, and it was fayoured, more
over, by circumstances. N. Theirs imagined
that he himself could re-0rganize the Army with
out any assistance. 1t would, perhaps, have been
we'll had he played the same role as did Louvols
and LIE Teller in the 18th century, but be
was absorbed by politics He could not at the
same time govern the State and regenerate
the Army. He tried to do both, and the faults
Of the Recruitment Bill are mainly due to this
cause. 1t is said that when the President Of
the Republic was about to select a War Minis
ter after, the Commune, he asked General
Valeze, Under. Secretary for War, to give his
opinion as TO a sound Minister to place at the
head of military affairs. General de Cissey
is the only man who will suit you replied
General Va]eze. C'eSt IN S0ldat." M.
HERS 6Skeu no luIlueE 4uVHuOHo' u w
a great opinion of General Valeze's judgment
and perception, having visited all the principal
battIefelds Of Europe with him during the
reign of Louis Philippe. I may mention that
had NJ. THEIRS continued in office he would
have made ROuen, then under General Valeze's
command, the head quarters of the artillery.
The events of the gath of May, 1873, prevented
the project from being carried out, and the
Arsenal is now established at Tarbes. To
resume, General de Cissey was appointed War
Minister. The enconium passed upon the
new Director of Military Affairs by General
de. Valeze was perfectly just. General de
Cissey is a soldier in the %strictest sense Of the
word. He is, however, no organizer and has
no claim to be considered as such. Despite
bis good will and wish to serve the Common
wealth, General de Cissey was soon attracted
to the side of those who opposed Parliamentary
Interference. From the end of 1871 he became
the determined opponent Of all the measures
proposed by the Committee of Forty five.
Hence he assumed all responsibility for the
concessions which resulted in the inadequate
laws passed by the Assembly. Every one
should be prepared to bear the responsibility
of his actions. The criticisms of Blackacood,
of the letter which appeared in The Times on
the 10Th of last month. and of the French
General in the Hour have not been denied.
Who, then, is to blame for the state of the
Army ? The Assembly alone reply the up
holders of military autocracy. They especially
$50 -