FRENCH AND GERMAN ARMAMENTS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1870, 3 August 1874, Page 3

FRENCH AND GERMAN ARMAMENTS.

The Cologne Gazette having often pointed out that the French armaments since the recent war have been far more considerable than the German in one of its latest impressions, adduces figures in proof of the favourite German allegation. Since the Franco-German war Germany has increased her army by 9 battalions of infantry, 32 ' field-batteries, 5 railway companies, 3 battalions of military train, and some few companies of foot artillery and engineers. France, on the other hand, has, since 1870, added no leas than 128 battalions of infantry, 28 squadrons of cavalry, and 159 field batteries to her military strength. In 1872, on the promulgation of the new military law, the French army numbered 126 regiments of infantry, 30 battalions of rifles, 4 regiments of Zouaves, 3 of Turcos, 1 foreign regiment, 3 light African battalions, 63 regiments of cavalary. 30 of artillery (comprising 300 field batteries), 1 regi- . ment of pontoneers, 4 of engineers, and 4 of military train. Since then a number of new regiments have been added — namely, the infantry regiments, 127 to 144 ; the dragoon regiments, 21 to 26 ; the chasseur regiments, 15 to 19 ; the 11th regiment of hussars and the artillery regiments, 31 to 38. In 1875 a further regiment of hussars and one of chasseurs is to be added. Moreover, it is in contemplation to increase the 19th army corps, stationed in Algiers to three divisions, by adding three new regiments of the line and one regiment of Turcos. Even this does not exhaust all the additions proposed. The territorial army called into existence on March 30 last includes 72 regiments of infantry, of three battalions each (to be eventually increased to double that strength) ; 18 regiments of cavalary, of three squadrons each ; 18 of artillery, 8 of engineers, and 18 of military train. Even leaving out of account the Landwehr force still to be formed, the French army has thus been increased since 1870 by 344 battalions and 82 sqadrons, which amounts almost to a doubling of the force commanded by Napoleon 111. The Cologne Gazette estimates the total strength of the French army in its presant condition at 1,600,000 men. The French may reply that Germany did not need so great an increase after the war, having taken care to provide it before.