The basis of France’s military increase in 1913 is the reintroduction of the three years’ term of service. By retaining these third-year men the peace-showing is increased by almost a third. This year 185,000 men are to be called in. The peace strength of the French army will, from the autumn of 1916 on, amount to 33,000 officers and officials and some 833,000 men, while up to that period we can reckon with 780,000 men. One must add to this, 28,000 gendarmes, customs and forest officials, who likewise belong to the territorial army (like the _Landwehr_). In Germany we have for 1913 and 1914, counting officers, non-commissioned officers and men, 802,000, to which, in 1915, will be added 13,000 men. Deducting from the present strength of both armies the mere laborers who have to do with supplies, etc., Germany’s peace force is momentarily the higher, but not if we reckon France’s gendarmerie, etc. Counting in this, France, with 40,000,000 inhabitants, has a larger army in time of peace than Germany, with 65,000,000. The French army has further advantages in the longer training and in the increased readiness for war. The troops covering the eastern frontiers have two hundred men to a company (four-fifths of the war strength) and even at the time when the recruits are being mustered in, one hundred forty trained men; while our companies at the same time can dispose of only half so strong a number. And what it means in case of war to have at hand two fully trained years’ contingents (especially in the cavalry) during the period of training the recruits is self-evident. Further advantages in the French army lie in the longer training of the inactive officers and in the good provision for officers and non-commissioned officers. In the house of deputies negotiations are pending regarding advancement regulations tending to lower the age limit of the whole body of officers. And, above all, it has been made possible to create a new, twenty-first army corps. So we see that France, in 1913, has made a very great step forward.