They _may_ also be charged-- With the construction of such works of field fortifications as the commander-in-chief or the generals of division consider necessary; such as _épaulments_, trenches, redoubts, forts, blockhouses, bridgeheads, intrenched camps, as well as the opening of communications, the establishment of bridges resting on fixed supports, and the formation and destruction of roads. After the officers of engineers have been promoted to the rank of second captain, and not before, they are mostly employed apart from their regiments, on the _état major_ of the engineers in fortified towns and places, either in charge of the existing military buildings and fortifications, or with the duty of carrying on, or assisting to carry on, such new works as are in course of construction from time to time. We have already stated that by the law in France one-third of the officers of the army is obtained from the military schools; one-third from the non-commissioned officers who have been raised to that grade from the ranks; while the remaining third is placed at the disposal of the supreme executive power. As regards the artillery and engineers this last third is in actual practice obtained, like the first third part, from the Polytechnic School, so that only one-third of the officers of those arms are promoted from among the non-commissioned officers, and these seldom rise above the rank of captain. Much attention is, however, paid to the improvement of the education of these latter officers, and we found that _four_ officers of engineers and _one_ officer of artillery so promoted were, by order of the minister of war, on the recommendation of the inspectors-general, passing through the School of Application at Metz, the course of instruction for them being modified on their account. And it was confidently expected that a large number of those officers who had been promoted in this way during the war would be ordered to the School of Application at Metz. We should not omit to mention that occasional exchanges of service take place, during the first year of residence at Metz, among the pupils destined for the artillery, and those destined for the engineers. The pay of officers of the artillery and of the engineers is the same. A small additional allowance is granted to officers of artillery when mounted. REGIMENTAL SCHOOLS. ARTILLERY REGIMENTAL SCHOOLS. There are ten regimental artillery schools established in places or towns that are usually garrisoned by the troops of this arm, and one of these schools exists at Metz. ENGINEER REGIMENTAL SCHOOLS. The soldiers of the engineers appear to be very well taught in their regimental schools, of which there are three, one for each regiment, established at Metz, Arras, and Montpellier, where the regiments are usually in garrison. The strength of each regiment is 4,500 men.