New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-18
THE FRENCH COLONIAL ARM Y
DETAILS OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AN
IMPORTANT NEW MILITARY FORCE.

Paris December 5, 1898
The colonial possessions of France of recent
date France emerged from her last war with
England With but a small fragment OF her ola
colonial empire. The acquisition of Algeria IN
1880. and the annexations and protectoratcs OF
Cochin China. AMMAN. Tonquin. the Niger and
Congo regions. Senegal, Madagascar and numerous
islands and naval stations In both hemispheres.
which have been effected in later years. make
France rank colonial Power next after Great
Britain The defence Of the colonies. together with
their unavoidable military expeditions and inevita-
BILE little wards" has hitherto been intrusted TO
the three administrations OF War, OF the Navy ana
OF the Colonies The military expeditions In Ton
quin Madagascar and Senegal, owing to the jeal-
, ousies and rvalres of the three administrations
| revealed faults in the commissariat, transport.
equipment and medical services which would have
proved fatal had 1t not been for the patient en-
durance of the French common soldier.
Then the between the United States
and Spain. and the inability of Spain to defend
her colonies taken to heart in France as an
object lesson the value Of which greatly en-
HANGED by the demonstration during the Fashoda
crisis last November Of the overwhelming su-
periority Of British Navy. Considerable uneasi-
ness prevailed in French commercial circles lest
some British Dewey might swoop down upon the
French outlying colonies and repeat what was ac-
complished In Manila Bay. The Parliamentary
Commission on Military Affars-a permanent COM
mittee of thrty-three members. which Is prac-
tcally omnipotent in all that concerns army or
ganization-met and. after considering dozens OF
propositions for the creation OF colonial army the
necessity for which had been recognized after the
Tonquin expedition under Jules Ferry's admins
tration in 1888, decided unanimously to adopt the
plan drawn up by the late NJ. Adrien LanneS de
! Nontebello Deputy from the Department OF the
Marine. ex-army officer. and grandson or the Mar
shall LANES of Napoleonic fame
PERMANENT COLONIAL ORGANIZATION.
The experiences OF Tonquin and Madagascar
| showed that under the present system the send
ing Of an eXpeditonary corps OF fifteen thousand
men beyond the completely dislocated the
mechanism Of the mobilization plans of the home
army. To obviate this national danger perma-
nent and Independent colonial army. comprising an
effective force OF $500 and l9s guns, has now
been decided upon by the Parliamentary Commits
sion whose conclusions have always been adopted
without question by both branches Of the Legis-
| lature This is entirely new departure IN
French military administration. and some OF the
features OF this formidable French colonial army
may be Of interest In the United States at the
present time. when Congress IL considering the
hest military organization for the Philippines and
the West Indies.
The new colonial army Is TO be recruited by VOL
untary engagements from among the yearly con-
tingents Of conscripts enrolled In the nome army.
Qt should be borne in mind that by the law OF
July o. 1872 every Frenchmen who Is not incapaci-
aed for military service or rendered unworthy OF
&, nv conviction for certain crimes belongs TO the
army from the ages Of twenty TO forty, and the
first three years of this service must be spent IN
the active army) The periods OF voluntary enlist
ment for the colonial army are three. four or hve
years The volunteers are to be selected as lar
as possible from among soldiers who have already
completed one years service. Small bounes; sup
Elementary pay and Other are n ta the
colonial corps which is to be composed OF SEA SCI,
soned men, not too young, able 10 endure tne I'll
Naf nd har1ShipS
Minister of war is nevertheless. authorized to
not be- enough volunteers. Military service in the
colonies has however many attractions i3r soi
condden rG EXPECTED thai the colonial regiments
viii soon become the select corps Of the army.
UNDER THE MINISTER OF WAR
The colonial force is placed exclusively under the
control Of the Ministry of War. and neither the
Ministry Of Marine nor the Ministry OF the COLONIES
will have anything to do with 1t. the army VIII
consis, of French troops and native troops; The
depots and the reserves Will be established IN Al
The colonial reserve will be formed as follows
The Foreign Legion, eight battalions OF four COM
panies each; four regiments OF Algerian riIeie'i od
Six bat.alions each with four e1npanei 10 t i
oattano OF com panes each total i3G companies
| The Company consists OF 30 men In time OF war
ana ana OF G reserve viii comprise 81 900 men on
! the war footing. 1000 men in time OF peace
THE FRENCH CONTINGENT.
The French contingent of the colonial army will
| cons,st of ten infantry regiments. each having
| three battalons OF four companies each. besides
| one depot battalion for the ten regiments; three
colonial discipline companies, with one depot com,
| panv TO supply the three total OF infantry. 10
Companies. making 3o,7 men on the war footing,
! or L. pa on peace ESTABLISHMENTS W. ~.
ments Of artillery Of fifteen batteries each tne
batteries to be equipped. in about equal prOpol-
lions s field or batteries, ana TO be pro-
/ ,.ded with the new model rapid-firing guns, total
thirty batteries OF six guns each or lsO guns aIto
| Defhcr also I'VE companies of artillery worknen'
one company Of artihceis and six companies oil en-
J rineers. III, l.. ..ro,.,do n IN
.orve evolutionary corps" consisting OF brigade
| of infantry 1.-TWO regiments OF three battaIons
each with four companies OF 200 men 10 .ne Dau
talon three batteries Of field artillery equippeu
with quick-iring guns ana a company on .ns IT,
| inns making for the reserve expediuonary coIpS
| n total OF twenty-four companies OF 30 men each
| or q 900 men altogether also. three field battres
| OF six guns each eighteen guns altogether an"
one company Of engineers THIS reserve o War
footlnr and held in readiness 10 start Tor any part
| of the world at forty-eight hours notice
| The native contingent Will comprise ,,h
Infantry-Ten three battalion regiments: S Sd,
four companies to the battalion OF sh. s,,een
dancse Tonqunese and Annam,e rinenen; aa l,eg
| Lattal.ons Of Houssa and Madagascar rinel,Vei
three companies Of Indian sepoys: total OF natne
infantry. is3 companies OF 10 men each' i"'"'"S
- SO men . co,ooo,os. cavalry:
| ,o,,r adrons OF Soudanese cavalry, ana -FOUR
souadrons Of Tonqunese spahis; total OF ca'a ia
fourteen squadrons OF IL" saDies e"''' "
sa Arie1y and Engineers-Two senegaese batter
les and one company Of Tonquin pontoniers, ,.r,,v
The general and staff officers VIII be permanently
detached from the home army by decree %, w
W,ntsfer Of War The field and company ohicers
and rerimental STAFF officers of the native req
,nen,s will be provided by the French contiheena,
The French colonial regiments ana patieIies ais
supplying the necessary Proportion oil sttaIions
and battsrisA