Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-04
COLONIAL FRANCE
IN EUROPEAN WAR
Army Contingent Consists Of Va
rious Forces of Great
Military Value.
CLASSED UNDER THREE HEADS
Contingents Include French Col
onists, White Natives and
Colored Men.
CLASSED UNDER THREE HEADS

SOlOred Men.
PARIS. March what Colonial
Frahcc has done in the present war is
stiil unknown to the vast majority OF
the people Of tho world. The French
army colonial contingent is composed
of various forces Of great military
value. classified under three heads:
French colonists. white natives and
colored men. They do not include
those troops-such rs the Infantcric
coloniale or Tho Foreign Legion
which were rurrisoncd in the colonies
when the war began, but had all been
recruited in Europe. The three Gle
mcnts mentioned are. on tho contrary,
distinctly colonial.
No Official figures have been issued
as regards tho contingent supplied by
the French colenistS. The last census
however, shows that there arc 1872 900
Frcnchincn in Algeria. 5000 in Tunis
and 5000 in Morocco. 10 whom must
he added 10000 Algerian Jews. who
arc all French citizens and have, by
the Way. behaved very we'll at tho
front. This makes an aggregate Of
over 100000 people. All liable TO con-
scription. Although mobilization has
not been extended in North Africa TO
az high an age as in France. 1t is
probably under the truth in putting
the whole properly French contingent
tmost Of whom serve in tho Zuuaves)
at about $4,000 mon.
We are somewhat better Informed
as regards the white native clement
all from North Africa, generally known
by tho name Turcos. and who are Of
ncia!ly termed Tiraillcurs. Algcricns.
Tunisicns. Marocuins. Tunis alone had
by March 10. 1915, raised Il force OF
il,ee0 men. ON the other hand. Mo-
rocco, which is stiIl half-uuconducred,
has supplied only a fcw thousand ma
tive troops. By the middle Of 1916 NJ
Bousscnet in AN essay based on docu-
ments supplied by tho department con-
csrned. stated SHAT the whit. native
force already raised by North Africa
amounted To a total OF 10000 men 1t
may safely be admitted tina, this con-
tinScnt to-day is at least 10000 men
CoLORED SoLnIE:HS
HAVE MADE GOOD SHOWING
The main body or the colorcd troopg
consists Of blacks from. French West
Africa, who are usually called Scnc-
Ealcsc. although they arc recruited in
all parts Of tn. Frcuch Sudan These
excellent troops have fought with dis
unrtion on the Summe and around YER
dun as we'll a. in Gallipoh or in
Saloniki.
Official statistics published in the
Journal Official OF French West Africa
state that the number Of Scncgalcse
raised for the European war reached
IN 1916 tho respectable figure OF lis. 900
men. Other equally official documents
aiI
the various rolorcd coutingcnts sup
piled by lndo-China, Madagascar and
the West Indies (whcrc the blacks.
being French citizens. arc liable TO
conscription), tho total reached in 1916
was well above another 10000 men
This brings a grand total OF at least
$4,000 men. In order To appreciate
iuiiy the Importance OF this contingent.
II must be remembered that ii repre-
scnts only the men actually in the
ranks OF the army fighting on the
various European fronts, and that il
would not he surprising Ia hear that
greater Franco will have supplied the
mother country with 100000 men be-
fore tho war i. over
This does not include tho colorcd
forces which fought i'm Togoland and
the Cameroons or the native labor i'm.
ported into France from the colonies
These 100000 men merely represent
the military contribution made 10 the
European firing line by greater France
during the first two years Of the war.
THIS is yesterdays effort What
about the future? Those who want to
form an approximate idea Of what the
fighting power of the French colonial
empire will be one day must bear in
IN ind h1f
far a. North Africa * concerned. some
Of tho best reserves of men Will re-
main practically untouched un,il Mo-
rocco. which comprises about i.noo.ooU
sturdy Bcrabcrs. is completely organ
lied. CONSUMPTION is only bcuinnin.
to be applied To Algerian natives after
the successful prcccdcn; OF Tunis
The French and native population is
increasing there at n remarkable pace
The native population III Algeria alone
has doubled within tho last forty
years. while in the same lapse Of time
the French element. which is develop
ing fast, owing to Il high birth rate
ana To immigration. has become four
times NOR" important. II may he safe
ly assumed that the whole population
OF North Africa, which numbers to-day
about l2.0O0.000. will have reached
oo.ono.o0o within thirty or forty years.
while the i2.000. 900 blacks ut present
living in French West Africa. and
whose number is increasing even in
time Of war. will have multiplied in il
similar ratio.
THIS VIII make total population
equal TO the present population of
France, and exceptionally well pre-
pared. both by it's own traditions and
as result Of French rule. to supply
the mother country with additional
military strength.
Another important circumstance must
he kept in mind. Nothing hut II mar
row sea. which is being crossed to-day
within twcnly-four hours. separates
France from North Africa. which is
much less colony than n French
province. y day will come when one
or several railway lines will connect
North Africa with that extraordinary
reservoir OF soldiers. French West
Africa. The French overseas forces OF
the future will. therefore. be almost
In touch with the mother country.