The large units when mobilized are divided up as follows: Divisions of infantry, compris ing one staff group, two or three infantry brigades, one squadron, one artillery regiment, one company of engineers, one ambulance, one administrative convoy, etc. The army corps comprise: One staff group, two or three divi sions of infantry, one brigade of cavalry, one regiment of artillery, one company of sappers, one company of pontoon workers, one park company, etc. Armies and groups of armies, formed only in war time, the composition of is unknown.
Equipment. Armament.— The infantry is armed with a rifle, 1886 model, modified in 1893, of an eight-millimeter bore with magazine containing eight cartridges, of a weight with out bayonet and unloaded, of 4 k. 240 (about eight and one-half pounds). Two types of machine guns; the field machine gun, Puteaux model, and the fortress machine gun, Hotch kiss model.
The cavalry is armed with a carabine of the same system as the rifle but with three cart ridges; a sword and a lance for certain regi• ments. Machine gun on wheels of the same model as that of the infantry. The field artillery consists of a gun of 75-millimeter bore, 1897 model with recoil on gun carriage, hy draulic brake and independent line of sight The heavy artillery includes several models: 120-millimeter short, in steel, hydraulic brake, pneumatic recuperator; 155-millimeter short, 120-millimeter long, 155-millimeter long, 220 millimeter mortar, 220-millimeter gun. The in fantry soldier is supplied with 120 cartridges, the wagon attached to each company supplies 65 per man, and the ammunition sections of columns 110; in all 501.
Automobiles.— The needs of the army on mobilization are covered by requisition. The government grants premiums to owners of motor trucks and tractors.
The Aviation section included several hun dred types of machines of different models. Dirigibles only existed in the form of a few trial models.
Uniform.— In 1914 the French army had not adopted for its uniform' colors of little visibility. The question' was under considera tion. The greater part of the troops, partic ularly the infantry, were provided with red trousers and a red kepi. The gchasseurs pied* wore deep blue trousers with jonquil borders and kepi of the same color. The kepi
for the Alpine uchasseurss was replaced by a bird. The African troops wore a red cheohia with the voluminous trousers common to the natives, red for the zouaves, blue for the Algerian sharpshooters. The cavalry was pro vided with a steel helmet with an elevated crest for the dragoons and the cuirassiers. The light cavalry had just adopted a similar helmet, but shorter and lighter. The cuirassiers retained the steel breastplate. The artillerymen wore a black uniform with red stripes on the trousers. The engineers wore the same colors as the ar tillery with the same capot as the infantry in field service uniform. A blue or khaki cov ering placed on the helmets and kepis, when in field dress, made the uniforms less visible.
Rewards and The rewards and distinctions destined to maintain the morale of the army are: The Order of the Legion of Honor including grades of chevalier, officer, commander, great officer, great cross. These various grades are awarded to officers, and, exceptionally, to the rank and file; for seniority of service or particularly distinguished services the order is also conferred on civilians by the state. The military •medal is awarded to the rank and file. It is exclusively awarded to soldiers and sailors. If it is awarded to an officer it constitutes a supreme recompense, ranking even higher than the Order of the Legion of Honor.
Various commemorative medals of certain campaigns and orders existing in countries under French suzerainty reward services ren dered to the colonies.
On the declaration of war, the opinion of all military experts was to the effect that hostilities would be of short duration, which opinion coin cided with that of the most eminent economists of the day. A few months, a few weeks even, would probably witness the exhaustion of the material and financial resources of the various belligerents however well prepared or rich they might be. The military preparation of France, as well as other contemporary military powers, had been based on this conviction. Such sup position, however, was quickly contradicted by actual events which necessitated a complete transformation during the war of the resources of the nations, the principal lines of which we will outline in this article.