FRENCH ARMY BILL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15306, 20 May 1913, Page 7

FRENCH ARMY BILL.

By Telegraph Association.—

' ,' Paris, May 18. * .The Bill providing for -the' increased army expenditure does-hot,'mention ! how it: is intended.-; to 7 raise • the £32,000,000, which is required to meet the larger personnel and new armaments. •■'• ,; 7 ; ■ ■ - : - ' • "■■'■■ -. "' >','", ' 7 LARGE INCREASE •■ OF . FORCES. The preamble to the Bill 'estimates the increase of strength produced by the return to the three years' service at about 160,000 men. Military experts -consider 7 that the strength of the "covering troops" on the Franco-German frontier, which is at present under 175,000 men, should be raised to at least 300,000. It follows, therefore, that the increase of forces on the Franco-German frontier will absorb: 125,000 men of: the total increase in the active - army, ; leaving only a surplus of 35,000 men'. The following figures, which are ' not official, but are trustworthy, I are interesting. « Under the : former-.three years' service, from 1889 to 1905. the average strength of the French active 'army.' was from 452,000 to 453,000; men. Since 1905. tinder the I two years' ; service this strength fell to from 445,000 to 450,000 men.: : The three years' service is now to be •re-estab-lished, without the exemptions, which were formerly; allowed by the law .0? 1889, and under which ' about 72,000 men '.' annually served only one year, instead of three.