Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-01
THE FRENCH ARMY.
Private Soldiers Are Too f"ung """
The Generals Are Too Ola.

Important changes in the French army
ar. r-inr urged by French newspapers
and military experts. The agitation
springs In part from the discovery OF Sc
riOus defects in the present orSahi%a t'ol'
the existence of which mas been ueiioH-
strated by the expedition 10 MauasasCi''
and il attracts the greater attention be
cai,.e the oft-repeatsd prophecies That the
great European war Is at last al mana
ar. heard once more. The prophet IN me
resent instanc. hides himself behind the
SIGNATURE of Capt G. c. ana writes III
the Nouyelle Revue that the outbreak
,hr5atens TO come In lSb-'Jh lie argues
that Germany VIII endeavor TO proht py
fh.. Temporary advantage given her u!
recent laws increasing the effective
atrangth of her army and by us equip
ment with improved aruilery' her pan
vyouId be 10 attack France before Russia's
,,r.,arat,ons for war are completed.
which will rot be for several years. Rus-
sia's railroad facilities are not great
enough to oblige Germany 10 concentrate
q large force upon her frontier. ana be
fore the armies OF the Car were ready
10 move Germany would nave time to
make a supreme effort 10 crush France.
The French critics are therefore urging
the necessity OF increasing the efficiency
Of the army without delay. 10 that the
10 withstand the shock.
one of the most serious defects shown
by the experience in Madagascar l. The
inability Of the French War Department
To exercise ordinary foresight. The eN-
pcditionary corps has been held back In
the mlasmatic swamps and forests or the
coast. where its strength is being sapp>!
by fevers and dysentery. solely by the
lack OF sufficient means OF carrying sup
piles. No fewer than 1870 wagons OF u
special type We're sent along with NE
expedition 10 carry supplies, but they are
useless. because no practicable roads were
found upon which they could be hauled.
No wharf was provided for unloading the
vessels carrying supplies. Even so es-
sential a drug as quin.ne is lacking. 1t
having been provided In the form OF
solution. which the soldiers refuse 10
take. instead Of pills. In general, the
situation is such as 10 raise the appre-
hens;on that In case Of war the French
army. though thoroughly equipped for
fighting. might find itself crippled and
helpless before the German hosts simply
from inability to obtain supplies Of food.
Another serious question brought up
by Madagascar is the age of the soldiers.
In the opinion of some critics the eX-
pedition indicates that the bulk OF the
French army IS too young 10 support the
fatigues OF q campaign. The average age
OF the men sent TO Madagascar Il 90 years
or less. and they are daily falling victims
by scores TO disease, exposure. and IA
ti,,ue Ii is pointed out that the exredi-
ton should have been composed of men
not less than 25 years old. and Injured
TO military service. Unfortunately. such
men are not to be found In the French
army under the present system OF uni
versal CONSUMPTION and three-years SER
vice. What the remedy shall be. and
what would happen should hundreds Of
thousands Of such unseasonei youngsters
be employed In campaign I'm actual war
fare are questions for which no answer
has been found yet
Notwithstanding this state OF affairs
II is proposed to lower the standard OF
height of recruits. a measure made nee
essary by The fact that the population OF
France is not increasing fast enough 10
NJ the ranks according to the plan. In
the last century. under the Royal Govern
ment. 10 Secruits less than live