, 1875-02-16
THE FRENCH ARMY.



~ GnNos g,4oqttc it'bcl|o ttoruisse andtrfn1ns"
was the Ecoruful exclamation Of Burko wtIeu tic
first defeate of 1872 revealed tho military weak
ness OF FrAncc, and laid bare the defects of licr
Uniformed armies. Tho political sago did not
1.-Two to Bca tho contnontat tho fcot Of Napoleon;
but boforo his death. iu 1907, hn had bchnld tue
loglons Ut tho Nopubc snarcl, IN triumph oyor
tho nhino and tho Adge, mud boat back the
Franco four years ago wore almost unparalleled
in tho Rnnals Of war, NO mover beloved TINT
they foroshadowod tho permanent and utter COL
lapso Of the nation mud We felt aasurod that
thG eneg'sSi rasS oDn Teh rays ns e o991eoe te
nRcendcncy OF tho House Of A,tAtrie. aud the
League, and the FronAo, and 1793, would
ultimately rcga!n it's position. SELL tho sudden
ness Of tho, French recovery has SURPRISED us
believed that Stnte which Ind suffered the aw-
fui reyorApB Of Scda1, and aIetz. aud Ind been
torn asundor by tile struggle Of tho Commune,
could, within the space OF 10 fow years, have
largely removed its military strength, and have
addressed itso}t to the task Of mnting. ItH re-
sputces Of wnr moro vast and terrible than they
had been ct any time in its history. IheHo how
over, ate the astounding tacta: mud not only is
tho French army ut this snuinont very lmp0s-
ing force, but the changes whlcl nro being
wrought in it will. II completed az they hnyc
been designed, mako 1t far moro NUMEROUS and
bettor prepared, moro ready for tho Hold mud
n W it 's1d' and ens HAT sa s viii p"s Ss
the caso distinctly appears from tho Interest,"
ing publications before uH-tranAtattonH by those
accomplished soldiery Iient.-Col. Home and
Ma}. &. u. 1,rnckcnbnry. Of tho projects OF army
reform in Franco. which tho Nationa! Assembly
haa lately approved. Oh the recommendation OF q
cou,uitteo composed Of distinguished French Of
iicers. ThoHo papers hlow tllat Franco hAs re-
solved, Hike Prussia inter lsot-7, completely to
transform hcr military syBtom; aud they dur
clrso oven in minute detail. tho strength, tho
character, nnl the organization OF tho gigantic
force whch, in part modelled OIL tho German pat
torn and in rart on itn own, ia dostne to rlno on
tho ruins of tho 1oBts that succntnbed In ls70-l.
We mny donht whotlor this immense rororln iB
possible In tho existing condition Of Franco, or
whoshcr-not to speak OF other chances-tlio ar
dent and impatient French temperament will Giyo
cd, the result, wo repent, will make the mil
itary power Of. the nation most, formidable
from eyasy point Of viow. Nor ia tho spirit
which poryadcs these pages Less remarkable
fulnesb will bo found in the discussions and re-
ports ot thu Committee the aotlcioncicH indeod
| of tho Eraneh soldier obtain oven undne prolnl-
nenco and tope Of calm self-rolanca and lii'n
resolve to retrieve misfortune and hlabtlue defeat
| brohthoa In every line Of these earnest records
Of searching inquiry and stern determination.
| In word, Frnnca ID hero Been in her most
serious mood; aud tue opening sentence OF theao
papers conveys their meaning from frat to !ast ::
'1dreat disasters carry with thotn nilieh in-
Courageous to profit by them lar, then, from
allowing itself to be cast down by itn msfor-
| tupea, q ration which rufuses to fall audloa tho
| causoa OF lts defeat, aud reforms everything
that enfoebles 1t, must finally rasne itaelf oven
greater, after those tr1als whiot, Providence In
ltota on nations ~ OH individuals, tho bcstor to
point cut their duties and elevate to hiKhor
| plpCo those who can support trial"
WLatoyor tho uitimate hopen OF their authors,
these reporta cannot BIO fairly regarded ~ Il
msusco TO Germany at tho presont tino: but. "a
| paY bo supposed. they have tho war Ut lh70 cun-
tinually i'll Wow, and oons.uer uerinany 81 2 pes.
lp that war arc, OF coutHe fully and distinctly
noted, for It waH those terrible lossone that
brought to light the vices Of the oil Fthnoh mill
tasy ayBtom, ind have been the motive OF tue
intended changes. .
The future military power OF Franco Mill thus
II the programme 10 carried out rost Oh COLI
tinuiuK Berios uf yearly contInEonth chosen on
tho priuctpIa OF a general obligation to Borse
annually expanding aae nt n.restn ;S oo of tux
composed Of the stat, Of ollleo1a. OF military
po!ice, snd Of re-engaged professional soldiers
must be added to these imHlerHo masscs ami
when the system shall have reached complete
nesB, by the Incorporation Of successive coutla
gents for tho full period Of twanty yearB-thal
il. fiye four, and five and sl1 respectively, &c
cording 10 tie dtffcrGnt kf9ds OF Bcrvlce-it i
calculated that tue warlixe resources a OF France
out reckoning tho "dlspepsed with " CLASSES, Au'
tbo auxiliary or foreign troops which haye alNay
been found in the French army, and hare soue
tilnes servcd with tho highest distinction. D
, these means the now French levfes will form ele
meutB OF vAst armies. representing, aa now
The case In Germsny. an image Of the uAtio
itself in arms and tho living forces aud emory
OF tho State. The principles top, on wblc
those masses are to be- recruited and collected b
degrees, to b. arrased, olflcessd ruled. and at
, ministered, are, With snmo worry plain dir
tlnctions, analogous to those ex!stuR in prussis