The herald., 1898-12-04

every Frenchman OF the military age
is, as rule, expected to serve some
portion Of his life with the colors, and
the exceptions are few. Thus the mo-
bilization of the French army for war
resembles one of those great move
ments Of a warlike population, such as
were known to Europe in the days OF
Attila and the Huns. Behind the force
Of 615.413 men gathered for the defense
of the republic at home and abroad
during time of peace is vast host, In
cluding nearly every citizen of the
proper age and numbering, theoreti-
cally, il not actually, over three and
one-half millions of men, about le-
half of whom belong to the reserve OF
the active army and the other half
form what are known as the territorial
fOy ces and their reserves.
The purpose of mobilization Is first
to put the active army on footing
for instant action in any required d.
rection, and next to place the reserves
and the territorial army in position
to actively cooperate with them to
any necessary extent, so that, IL need
be, an armed nation may put forth Its
utmost strength to repel invasion or
pursue q policy of aggression. The
enormous cost of modern wars, and the
disturbance to the industries of a
country resulting from putting an en-
tire population under arms, necessi-
tates quick action, and the effort on
both sides in modern war is to bring
the contest to the issue of battle at the
earliest possible moment. The differ
ence of few hours in promptness Of
mobilization may determine the choice
<,f GaI1 90 II 49,,
ment. The effort of the French au-
thorities Is. therefore. not only to per-
feet the system of army concentra-
tion and transportation. but to develop
the mobility Of the individual soldier
and to make him as Independent as
possible of the impediments Of the
army by training IN to carry upon his
person what he needs to supply his i'm
mediate wants. The French soldier is
walking arsenal and storehouse, and
the most exact and constant physical
training is required to enable him to
carry his load during the days march
without disabling fatigue.
This preparation is the work of
peace; active service is demanded, the
soldier is expected within less than two
hours to prepare himself to march
forth to battle. The corps Of the ac-
tive army are united to form grand
armies, the reserves of all arms are
called out, armed, equipped and formed
into their proper divisions, etc, and the
depots become centers of recruiting and
instruction under the charge of the Of
ficers Of the depot battalions, compa-
MES, squadrons or batteries. respec-
lively. The strong places are garri-
soned and the storehouses replenished.
To systematic and distribute this
work France is divided into eighteen
military regions. each under a general
Of division. and further sub-divided into
districts, having the same territorial
boundaries. each commanded by a gen.
eral of brigade. Paris and Lyons each
constitutes district by itself. The
fortified places are specially adminis-
tered by Service des Notifications"
with Paris as the center.
On the German frontier are three
first-class fortresses, one of the second
class, two of the third and nine Of the
fourth class. The Belgian frontier has
four of the first class. eight of the Sec
ond class and six each of the third and
fourth class. On the italian frontier
are three first class Notifications and
eleven detached forts; on the Mediter-
ranean coast. the naval harbor of
Toulon. a fortification of the first class
and twenty-one fourth-class forts; on
the Spanish frontier two first and two
second-class forts. The Atlantic coast
is defended by three first. three second
and two third-class Notifications and
twelve fourth-class forts: the Channel
coast by the first-class fortification Of
Cherbourg, the second-class fortifica-
xfoxn 80 hE-I@
sixteen fourth-class forts. To these
would be distributed, in case the ur-
gencies of war should require it, the
forces of the territorial army, so far as
they were needed to release their gar
risons for active duty in the field.
These territorialists are trained men:
all of them have completed their per-
iod of three years service in the ac-
tive army and ten years in the reserve
before entering upon their first period
of six years service in the territorial
army, and six years in its reserve.
In it's general details the organiza-
tion of the French military force Is
very simple and from it's foundation TO
the last details reflnements of its di-
rection are planned so that the perma-
nent force can be promptly increased
by the addition Of we'll trained men.
Mobilization has been defined to be
the assembling OF troops and bringing
them up to war strength. 1t ends with
the concentration of the strengthened
forces on chosen lines for attack or de-
tense.
In the eighteen military regions and
Algeria. which forms nineteenth, are
1853 regiments 145 of which are COM
posed of conscripts On a peace basis
these regiments Of the line contain |
219.240 enlisted men, and in mobiliza-
tion 217,500 are added to them. The |
artillery. which contains more than 500
batteries, would gain from $4,000 to |
100, 900 more, and the cavalry would re- |
ceive important additions. though less
IN proportion, on account Of the diff |
Guilty Of providing horses.
Each man of the reserve army Is not
only thoroughly trained as a soldier, |
but he knows the exact place he is to |
fall into when the organization of
which he forms a part takes the field. !
The headquarters to which he is to re-
port, the officers who will muster him
In and those who will command are all
known to him. The reserve soldiers
have taken their several places re-
peatedly in time Of peace, have fol-
lowed each step they must take when
war comes and are already ready to
''spring" to their arms with a prompti-
tude that justif1es the use Of that sig
nificant term.
Two-thirds Of a million of men of