shifts of ladder-mounting—with ladders of wood and ladders of rope—and he becomes as good as a sailor in pulling himself up a rope, either looped, knotted, or smooth, from the ground to any reasonable or unreasonable height. If a scaling-ladder be not at hand, a tent-pole or any pole will do to enable him to get to the top of a wall or the crest of a parapet. He is actually taught nine different modes of performing this achievement so flattering to the ambition of the French soldier.

The scaling of a represented turret was something beautiful to see. "In the twinkling of an eye" or "done in no time," can alone describe the rapidity of the exploit.

Every appliance may, however, be wanting on certain occasions in warit matters not the French soldiers are taught how to mount a wall without any instrument whatever-with their feet and the hands and the fingers alone. Bullets and cannon balls leave holes and indentations in the hardest walls— these are represented on the walls of the Gymnasium-and thus they practice this last resort of the resolute and determined besiegers. If there be no holes -no points d'appui for the ascent-what then? Why, then they build a pyramid of men-four men stand as a base, two or four more perch themselves on the shoulders of these, and then one mounts to the top on the shoulders of the latter by way of apex!

They have adopted all the fetes of the trapèze, as performed by acrobats. These tend to strengthen the arms and promote that self-reliance and confidence which are the prime elements of a good soldier. Some of their swinging leaps with the trapèze were prodigious, from one end of the long gymnasium to the other, where they alighted, and caught on the top of the wall, and descended to the ground, with hands and fingers, by mimic bullet holes, as before described. Flying leaps on and over a wooden horse are practiced in every possible direction, and the French cavalry are required to be able to leap on their horses from the rear while galloping, and to leap over a hedge or barrier together with the horses, but on foot, holding the reins! It is impossible to believe that very many can do this; but that is the aim, and the higher the aim the greater the effort, and something worth having is sure to be done, even if we fail of the highest attainment.

The most laborious of the practices is probably that of carrying, at the top of their speed, all the implements of war, fascines, sand-bags, gabions, projectiles, &c., whose weight is progressively increased from twenty to fifty pounds. They must also practice carrying ladders, beams, caissons, dragging gun-carriages, &c., and they are equally habituated to carry rapidly and skillfully the wounded from the field of battle, by placing men on litters, or any substitute at hand, in the gymnasium.

Sword exercise, bayonet exercise, boxing and fencing are also taught, but only the rudiments. In the regiments and battalions they have more opportunities of perfecting themselves in these accomplishments.

Such is a succinct account of the military gymnastics of the French. The 300 various fetes and practices have only one object in view, preparation for the possible and probable casualties of war, but they have, meanwhile, the positive and immediate effect of giving the men the utmost freedom of motion, aplomb, self-reliance, and that very useful self-estimate in the soldier, namely, that he is superior to every other in the world. It will take a vast deal to knock that conceit out of him.

REMARKS ON FRENCH MILITARY EDUCATION.

THE English Commissioners in their Report on "The best Mode of Reorganizing the [English] System of Training Officers for the Scientific Corps, together with an Account of Foreign and other Military Education," close with the following general remarks on French Military Education:

THE following summary may close our account of French Military Education.

1. The French army combines a considerable proportion of officers professionally educated, with others, who form the majority, whose claims to promotion consist in their service, proved ability, and conduct. One-third of the officers in the line, two-thirds of those in the scientific corps, and the whole of the staff, receive a careful professional education; the remainder are taken upon the recommendation of their superior officers, from the ranks. But it was stated to us expressly that such officers do not often rise above the rank of captain.

2. There are no junior military schools in France, and no military education commences earlier than sixteen. This is the very earliest age at which pupils can be received at the Polytechnic or at St. Cyr, and the usual age is later; whilst in the case of the Special Corps, strictly professional education does not begin till twenty or twenty-one. The best preparation for the military schools is found to be that general (in France chiefly mathematical) education which is supplied by the ordinary schools of the country, directed as these are and stimulated by the open examinations for admission to St. Cyr and the Polytechnic.

3. The professional education for commissions in the line is that given at the school of St. Cyr. A fair amount of mathematics is required at entrance, but the chief instruction given at the school is of a professional character. Active competition, however, which is the principle of all French military education, is kept up amongst young men educating for the line by the competitive entrance to the school, by the system of examinations pursued in it, and in particular, by the twenty-five or thirty places in the Staff School which are practically reserved for the best pupils on leaving.

4. In the Staff School itself the competitive system is acted upon; there are strict examinations, and the pupils are ranged in the order of merit on leaving the College.

5. The officers of artillery and engineers may be said to be in quite a peculiar position in France, owing to the high education given at the Polytechnic School. The consequence is, that the preparatory education of French artillery and engineer officers is of the highest scientific character. We have already spoken largely on this point, and need do no more than allude to it.

6. We may remark, that preparatory military education in France is mainly mathematical-at the Polytechnic almost wholly so. The literary and classical elements, which enter so largely into all education in Eng. land and Prussia, are in French military education very much thrown aside. Lectures in military history and literature are said, however, to succeed at St. Cyr.

7. The system of State foundations (Bourses) existing in the Polytechnic and St. Cyr, and affording a curious parallel to the military foundations in the Austrian schools, requires some notice. Every pupil, in both the Polytechnic and St. Cyr, who can prove poverty, is entitled to State support, either entire or partial. At the present time, not less than onethird of the students in each of these schools receive such maintenance. The system of civil Bourses is of old standing in France; most of these were destroyed at the Revolution. They were renewed and greatly devoted to military purposes by Napoleon. The extent to which they are given may seem excessive, but it must prove a powerful incentive and assistance to talent.

8. It has been remarked that there is comparatively little practical teaching in the School of Application for Artillery and Engineers at Metz. But a very extensive practical training is in fact supplied to these officers after they enter the service, remaining as they must do with the troops until promoted to the rank of second captain, and subsequently being employed in the arsenals, workshops, fortified places, &c.

9. The French have no "senior departments" for military education. In this respect their practice differs from that of England and Germany.

PART II.

MILITARY SYSTEM AND SCHOOLS IN PRUSSIA.

AUTHORITIES.

REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED TO CONSIDER THE BEST MODE OF RE-ORGANIZING THE SYSTEM FOR TRAINING OFFICERS FOR THE SCIENTIFIC CORPS; together with An Account of Foreign and other Military Education and An Appendix. London: 1857. pp. 442 and 245, folio.

REPORT FROM THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON SANDHURST ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE; together with the Proceedings of the Committee, Minutes of Evidence, Appendix and Index. Printed by Order of the House of Commons. London: 1855. pp. 230, folio.

HELLDORF'S Dienst-Vorschriften der Königlich-Preussischen Armee. Berlin, 1856.

FRIEDLANDER'S Kriegs-Schule.

VON HOLLEBEN, Paper on Military Education in Prussia.

Official Programme of the Principal Subjects of Instruction Taught in the Artillery and Engineer School at Berlin.

Account of the War, or Staff School at Berlin.

Directions for the Supreme Board of Military Studies. 1856.

Directions for the Supreme Military Examinations Commission. 1856.