Each region is itself divided into several subdivisions possessing one or more recruiting offices. The two large centres of Paris and Lyons possess a military government, headed by a governor.
Ranks.— The military hierarchy comprises the following grades: Private, corporal, ser geant, sergeant-major, candidate for commis sion, adjutant, adjutant-chief. After this classi fication the officers follow in the order here after indicated: Second lieutenant, lieutenant, captain, major, lieutenant-colonel, colonel, brig adier-general, general, marshal. The title of fourrier bestowed on a private indicates em ployment as a clerk. In the cavalry the rank of brigadier corresponds to that of corporal in the infantry, while sergeants and sergeant majors are called umarechal de logic" and <(marechal des-logis-chef." The title of major added to that of captain or tommander indi cates an administrative function. The title of adjutant-major added to the rank of officer in dictates a function of assistant to battalion or regimental chiefs.
Generals of division, called upon to com mand army corps in peace time, and armies and groups of armies in war time, are invested with authority placing them on the same level as regards rank. Non-commissioned officers con sist mostly of men who, on conclusion of their service, have reached the necessary standard to be enrolled in their respective rank at mobili, zation. Professional non-commissioned officers are constituted by means of re.enlistments. These re-enlistments carry with them certain privileges such as higher pay, bonuses, pensions and civilian employment reserved for them once their service is concluded.
The recruiting for officers who mal::,• a career of the army is undertaken in three differetit ways: (1) The large Military Schools.— The famous military school of Saint Cyr, where pu pils are received after passing the mathematical class A secondary examination, furnishes officers to the infantry and cavalry after two years' training. The Polytechnic School — pupils ad mitted after passing special mathematical exam inations-- furnish officers to the artillery and engineers after a two-year course of training.
Some of the pupils on the termination of their studies set up in practice as civil engineers. In such a case their status in the army is that of reserve officer. The pupils of these schools spend two months with a corps troop at the end of each year's studies, the first time as a private soldier and the second time as a non-commis sioned officer (law of- 7 May 1913). (2) The schools for non-commissioned officers and can-. didates for commission are military schools to which are sent non-commissioned officers who have completed two years' service in this grade and have satisfied while so serving the standard of capacity and have passed the examinations set corresponding to the superior primary test. (3) The adjutants or sergeant-majors having served at least 10 years as non-commissioned officers arc appointed by decree of the President of the republic — on recommendation of their superior officers in a proportion not exceeding 1.5 per cent of the vacancies to be filled. In addition to these three categories, the law of April 1913 provided for the recruiting of a certain number of officers in the active army by the admission of reserve officers on their fulfilling certain conditions. The declaration of war interrupted this experiment before appre ciable results could be obtained. The prepara tory schools receive the sons of soldiers with the object of preparing them for an army career. The PrYtanee Militaire de la Fleche receives sons of officers and sons of state offi cials, gives them a complete secondary training and prepares them for admission to the military schools. Most of the pupils are admitted free of charge. The Eccles preparatoires d'Enfants de Troupe receive sons of non-commissioned of ficers. They receive a primary instruction with a view to preparing them for the grade of non commissioned officer and subsequently officer. Board and training are free on condition that the pupils contract a five-year enlistment on leaving the school.