Whether this law has been promulgated in view of an approaching war, or whether it will be carried out in all its Spartan severity throughout the present peace—and long may it last!—is a question only to be determined by the future. In either case the spirit of self-sacrifice which has prompted the French to lay the heavy burden on themselves is much to be admired. The mainspring of this spirit appears, however, to be more the frantic effort to get back the country’s former military prestige than pure patriotism. The peace-strength of France is no criterion by which to measure the forces that she could put in the field in case of war. [Sidenote: +Infantry.+] The Infantry consists of— 162 Line Regiments, each of 3 battalions—486 battalions. 4 Zouave Regiments, each of 4 battalions—16 battalions. 4 Algerian Rifle Regiments (Turcos) 4 battalions—16 battalions. 2 Regiments of the Foreign Legion, 4 battalions—8 battalions. 30 Battalions of Rifles (Chasseurs)—30 battalions. 5 Battalions of African Light Infantry (Zéphyrs)—5 battalions. Grand total, 561 battalions. The magazine rifle of the French Infantry, introduced in 1887, and called after its inventor, Colonel Lebel, director of the Normal School of Musketry at Chalons, is certainly equal to both the German and Austrian magazine rifles in shooting and general value. As regards the powder for its cartridges, the composition of which[19] remains a secret up till now, the inventor has claimed that its use will revolutionise Infantry tactics. According to French accounts, the powder is both noiseless and smokeless. If this were the case, no doubt it would produce changes in the mode of fighting, and surprises would be greatly facilitated thereby. Last year, however, experiments were made at the German Artillery School and at the Manœuvres with an almost identical powder, the results of which proved that the advantages of the French powder were greatly exaggerated. The report of the rifle is distinctly heard, and is little, if at all, less loud than that of the old powder. The smoke, it is true, is very much less, but is still quite visible on a still day, its colour being a transparent dull blue. The new powder, therefore, certainly possesses advantages, but these will be of little account when all armies—as seems very probable in the near future—come to use the same powder. The Lebel rifle is apparently being superseded by a new rifle, that invented by Captain Pralon, and it is said that the Rifle battalions will shortly be armed with it. The uniform of the French Infantry is the same as it has been for the last forty years, the main features in field-order being the long blue-grey great-coat, red képi and loose red trousers. The full dress is shako and double-breasted dark-blue tunic. The Rifle battalions wear blue-grey trousers. [Illustration: France. II. _Printed by G. Löwensohn, Fuerth Bavaria_ _Published by William Clowes & Sons, L^{d}, London._]