The French Army

The Militar Wochcnblalt;a Prussian military journal under the management of Gen. Witzleben, has just published a remarkable study on tho present condition of tho military forcea of France, by Dount de Fircks, a Captain in tho nrmy. The anthor has conceded to tho Avenir Militaire pfTmission to translate and pubÜ8h his works. Tho Paris Constitutionncl remarkfi on the publication in these terms: " Wliat gives to the document a peculiar interest is that all tho measures relativo to the mobilization of the army and putting it on a war footing aro regarded by tho Frenoh war administrution as state secrets, a knowledga of which is rigorously prohibited from vnlgai eyes. We hayofrequently protested Hgainst this manía of the military authorities; we have often explained that it has the inoonvenionce of preventing our populations, and even onr offtcers, from obtaining an exact account of our military situation. The publication of tho article in the Militar Wochenblalt is the irrefutable condemnation of the system of impossible confidonces and fantastical secreta. Wo do not mean to affirm that the Prussian journal has discoveied the exact truth in everything, but it has approached sufficiently near the rcality to show how vain and puerile are the eflbrts made to dissimulate a state of things which cannot fail, sooner or later, to be known to evory one. The journal in question states tliat tho re&ult is that France, taking account of the (adres, but excluding the reserve of tho territorial army, eau put on a war footing the following forces: Men. Horsen. Mobile army of campnign 677,500 133,400 Infantry of the reserve 10'! 500 20,0011 Territorial mobile tmwpa 179,000 11,000 GarrisonB iu France 071,000 14,000 Garrinous iu Algcria 48,500 11,000 Total 1,738,500 209,400 "The number of piecos of ordnance of campaign, not including those in the stores, amounts to the following figures: For the mobile troopa of campaign 2,160 Iuf antry reserve corps 640 Territorial mobile troops 216 Garrisons in Algeria 36 Total 2,952 "At the present moment," continúes the Militar Wuchcnblatt, " France possesses the requisite number of men and horses subjected to military service, effectively to put imposing forces on a war footiug." Pensions. At the close of the year ending June 30, 1877, there were on the files of the office 42,809 original army invalid claims; 19,344 invalid increase ; 32,713 army widows' original ; 814 widows' increase ; 975 original navy invalid ; 62 navy invalid increaso ; 524 navy widows' original ; and 2 navy widows' increase claims. To that number were added during the year 16,532 original army invalid : 11,214 army invalid increase ; 5,26L original navy widows'; 780 army widows' increase ; 271 original navy invalid ; 117 navy invalid increase ; 97 original navy widows' ; and 16 navy widows' increase claims. Seventeen hundred and seventy-one original army invalid, 132 original navy widows', 4 army widows' inerease, ( original navy invalids', and 1 origina! navy widows' claims were taken from the rejected files and reopened, making a grand total of 61,112 original army invalid ; 21,558 army invalid increase 38, 114 original army widowh'; 1,598 army widows' increase ; 1,252 original navy invalids ; 179 navy invalid increase 622 original navy widows'; and 18 navy widows' increase claims for disposal. The yearly value of claims allowec timing the year is $1,343,534.84, as follows : Army invalid, -472,463.22 ; increased pension to invalids, $369,996.12 army widows, etc., $446,292 ; inereasei pensions to army widows, $16,504 ; navi iavalids, $16,528.50; increased pension to navy invalids, $2,877 ; navy widows etc., $10,260 ; increased pension to nar; widows, $9,060 ; survivors of the war o 1812, $5,568, and widows of the soldiers of saidwar, $12,096. During the year the following amounts were paid for pensions : To army in valids, $12,955,544.15 ; to army widows etc, 13,348,383.57; to navy invalids $199,619.40 ; to navy widows, etc. $322,926.63; survivors of the war o 1812, $934,657.82 ; to the widows of the soldiers of said war, $361,548.91, mak ing a total of $28,122,683.48.- Repor of the Commissioner of Pensions.