SOLDIERING IN FRANCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 151, 14 October 1876, Page 3

SOLDIERING IN FRANCE.

The life of n soldier has been popularly ', supposed to be stiitalle only to idle, lazy mi'tj. At one time this was no doubt true to some extent as regards the British army, but a perusal of the following from '. the Pad Mall Gazette will show that the ■ French soldier of to-day is, while in bari racks, obliged to do a large amount of real ; hard work. The following is his daily ; course:—At half-past five (at this season) \ reveille, and while the men are dressing, [ the cook passes through the barrack-rooms, ; and servvs each nvan half-a-pint of black cotfee to sustain him during the two hours ; and a quarters* drill, from U. 15 to 8.30. .; At SMS breakfast, consisting of a pint of ' vegetable sottp, with a suspicion of beef in it, and a lib. ration of bread, which must i last the whole day (in some barracks a 21b. loaf is given every two days). At 9.15 the bugle sounds for school, and two hours are devoted to study, the subjects of which vary according to the proficiency of the i scholars—the unlettered being taught to ; read, write, and count, anil the welleducated being schooled in the higher mathematics and the&rk mtfitaire, with ♦iceasional instructions in natural science, geology, and astronomy. Considering that a great many of the young men who enter ttic French army have passed through lyewes, and know as much on itetttral subjects as their otitcers, the War Oilke tun been asked whether it would not be feasible to let these utilise the two hours* daily schooling in study calculated to serve them in their future civilian avocations ; but hitherto General deCissey has not been favorable to this idea, and inclines rather towards cramming with the A/trwtV. At 1.1.SO 1 , school being over, the soldiers return to their quarters and make vtady for the inspection of kits, arms, and ' rooms, which takes place at noon. The instant the orUeers have passed, the men gt> off to- the gvntniautm, the dancingnohoot, or to the fen'jtng-rn'.mi, according as it may bo their turn, and take an hour's insiructiou in vautcirg and otlmbing. or in fenetng and boxing, or in waltzing and polkilng. Dancing is its enmputsory as foil-nmetice, and in summer time half a company are told oil daily at this hour to bathe and bvnrn swimming. At two o'clock bugle souuct;t ajrun for drill, which lasts till a quarter-past t'ottr. At half-past four dinner, consisting ot soup arid boiled Iwef, and after this soldiers who have no punishment-drills, and who are not on guard, fatigue, or picket, are free on some three days out of the week until talto at tight. However, it takes all but the smartest among them anottt an hour to clean their accoutrements, furhbh their arms, «Sre., for the morrow : and on alternate days even* soldier has to give an hour to " extra work'" in the branches of learning in which he happens to be most backward. Thts is a "ttvellteg-up" hour, and while some spend it at their others, who are clumsy at waltzing or pole climbing, pass it in the dancing-room or gymnasium. It will thus be seen that from the hour of rising until bed*time the soldier has scarcity half-an-hour on week-days which he can call his own, nor is this busy existence attenuated by anything like indulgence in the matter of leave.