Army of France.--Military Display.--Fete of the Trocadero.--Royal Review. --Royal Ordinance.--Dissatisfaction.--Hostile Demonstration.--Dispersion of Rioters.--French Cavalry.--Learned Coachman.--Use of Cavalry.--Cavalry Operations.--The Conscription.--National Defence.--Napoleon's Marshals. --Marshal Soult--Disaffection of the Army. To COL. BANKHEAD, U.S. ARTILLERY. The army of France obtained so high a reputation, during the wars of the revolution and the empire, that you may feel some curiosity to know its actual condition. As the Bourbons understand that they have been restored to the throne, by the great powers of Europe, if not in opposition to the wishes of a majority of Frenchmen, certainly in opposition to the wishes of the active portion of the population, and consequently to that part of the nation which would be most likely to oppose their interests, they have been accused of endeavouring to keep the establishments of France so low as to put her at the mercy of any new combination of the allies. I should think this accusation, in a great degree, certainly unmerited; for France, at this moment, has a large and, so far as I can judge, a well-appointed army, and one that is charged by the liberal party with being a heavy expense to the nation, and that, too, chiefly with the intention of keeping the people in subjection to tyranny. But these contradictions are common in party politics. It is not easy here to get at statistical facts accurately, especially those which are connected with expenditure. Nominally, the army is about 200,000 men, but it is whispered that numerous _conges_ are given, in order to divert the funds that are thus saved to other objects. Admitting all this to be true, and it probably is so in part, I should think France must have fully 150,000 men embodied, without including the National Guards. Paris is pretty well garrisoned, and the _casernes_ in the vicinity of the capital are always occupied. It appears to me there cannot be less than 20,000 men within a day's march of the Tuileries, and there may be half as many more.[8] [Footnote 8: The sudden disbandment of the guards and other troops in 1830 greatly diminished the actual force of the country.] Since our arrival there have been several great military displays, and I have made it a point to be present at them all. The first was a _petite guerre_,[9] on the plains of Issy, or within a mile of the walls of the town. There may have been 15,000 men assembled for the occasion, including troops of all arms. [Footnote 9: Sham-fight.]