Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1882 — The French Army. [ARTICLE]

The French Army.

The military correspondent of the St. James Gazette says, the French army maneuvers as exhibited recently are very unsatisfactory to all who wish to see France take her place again as a strong military power. It is evident that the officer's are not yet half up to their work, nor the men half trained. Reckless exposure in mass to the enemy’s fire, extreme carelessness in outpost duties—an old fault of the French army—volleys fired at an enemy’s guns at ranges of two thousand yards when his infantry was much nearer and more dangerous at the moment, expenditure of ammunition and no means of supplying the deficiency, loss of opportunities for attacking at the right moment, no measure taken for meeting a flanking movement, officers kicking the men —all these things show a condition of complete unreadiness for war. It may be said that the pick of the peace army is now either in Africa, or on its way there, but this does not mend the matter. Itonly shows that France has blundered in great matters as much as her legions do in the details of everyday tactics. The common reply of English officers to criticisms on minor faults is that they will right themselves in war, and perhaps the French say the same. But nothing can be more untrue or unsafe to act upon. It would be quite as accurate to assert that lawyers would be successful in conducting their case, or doctors in saving their patients, if they left till the moment of action all thought and study of cases in general. If all nations were equally careless there would be less danger; but for France, in the presence of Germany and Italy, such folly is little less than suicidal.