FRANCE.
In the French army, insignia of rank is worn on the sleeves of the uniform coat by both officers and enlisted men. For officers it con sists of stripes of gold or silver braid, according to the arm of the service, worn either straight across the sleeve directly above the cuff, or arranged in the form of a loop extending from the cuff to a point midway between the elbow and the shoulders. For enlisted men it consists of stripes of red or yellow cloth, or gold or silver braid, worn diagonally across the sleeve of the coat above the cuff.
Officers of infantry, engineers, spahis and of the Garde Republican wear straight gold stripes; officers of cuirassiers, dragoons, chas seurs a cheval, hussars, chasseurs d'Afrique, zephirs, and of the gendarmie, straight silver stripes, officers of zouaves, turcos and artillery, looped gold stripes.
Corporals of infantry, zouaves, cuirassiers, dragoons, chasseurs a cheval, hussars, artillery and engineers wear red stripes; corporals of turcos, chasseurs a pied, zephirs, chasseurs d'Afrique and spahis, yellow stripes.
The distinctive Insignia of the various grades is as follows: General of Division—Six stripes of black mohair braid arranged in the form of a pointed loop, and two silver stars on epaulets.
General of Brigade.—Six stripes of black mohair braid arranged as for a general of divi sion, and one silver star.
Colonel.— Five stripes of gold or silver braid.
Lieutenant-Colonel.— Three stripes of gold and two of silver, or three of silver and two of gold.
Major.— Four gold or silver stripes. Captain.— Three gold or silver stripes. Lieutenant.— Two gold or silver stripes. Sous Lieutenant.— One gold or silver stripe. Sergeant-Major.— Two gold or silver diag onal stripes.
Sergeant.— One gold or silver diagonal stripe.
Corporal.— Two red or yellow diagonal stripes.
Adjutants rank between officers and non commissioned officers, a grade corresponding to that of a warrant officer of the United States navy. They wear practically the same uniform as that of a sous lieutenant, but their stripe is of the opposite color from that of the officers of their regiment.
Insignia of rank is also worn on the cap by officers, the cap being braided to conform with the sleeve decoration. When in full dress, offi cers wear epaulets of gold or silver accord ing to the arm of the service to which they belong.