The artillery also underwent no less drastic transformations, the first step being a large in crease in the output of guns. Pre-war opin ions as to the material and projectile were dis sipated almost on the first shot being fired and the French artillery of 1917 possesses a variety of models from the small trench weapon to the latest long range heavy howitzer. The Decree of 18 Oct. 1915 gives authority to the Minister of War to fix, for the duration of hostilities, the number of officers and men forming native colonial troops deemed necessary to be dis patched to France from the colonies of Algeria and Tunisia.
Distinctions and Rewards.—The very exist ence of the army depending to a great extent on the morale of the fighters, the government used every means in its power to keep it up to the highest possible level. Among the meas ures adopted, the honorific distinctions confer ring a manifest and public proof of the military value of the troops occupied a foremost place. A law promulgated 8 April 1915 provided for the striking of a medal called the "croix de guerrep (war cross) intended to commemorate individual "citations" (mentioned in dispatches) for acts of valor by the army and navy, army corps, brigades and regiments. This cross is in florentine bronze of a diameter .of 37 centimeters, of four branches, and between each branch are two crossed swords. In the centre is a head of the Republic. The cross is sus pended from a green ribbon with a red border at each edge and with five red bands. This is a replica of the ribbon from which the medal of Saint Helena was suspended which Napoleon bequeathed to his comrades in exile with "sa dernkre pewee)) The "citations" are distin guished in the following manner: Army: palm in bronze in the form of a laurel placed on the ribbon; Army Corps: a star in vermeil; Division: a star in silver; Brigade and Regi ment: a star in bronze.
Several "citations" obtained for various deeds of valor are distinguished by as many stars corresponding to their degree, or of palms. By circular of 21 April 1916 a special decoration was created destined to commemo rate in a permanent manner the deeds of valor of certain corps mentioned in dispatches. This insignia consists of a plaited a fourragere" with the same colors as the war cross. It forms part of the equipment of the regiment and is worn by all the soldiers of such regiment. They are allowed to wear it even if no longer belonging to the corps, on the understanding, however, that they participated in the action for which the decoration was awarded. The "fourragere" is given to a corps after two army "citations." A new decoration was insti tuted in July 1917 for corps mentioned in dis patches four times. This consists of a "four ragere) with the colors of the Military Medal. The same circular stipulated the wearing of stripes or for service at the front. The first stripe (an inverted V worn on the left sleeve) indicates one year's presence at the front, each supplementary stripe six months or more. Stripes worn in the same manner on thenght sleeve indicate the number of times wounded—one stripe for each time. Finally, a law dated 27 April 1916 granted diplomas to the families of officers, non-commissioned of ficers and men killed in action.