ARMY AND NAVY.
65
In the course of the year 1870, there was added to the national debt, first, a loan of 750,000,000 francs, or 30,000,000/., voted by the Legislative Body July 16, 1870, to defray the cost of the war against Germany, and, secondly, a loan of 250,000,000 francs, or 10,000,000/., decreed by the ' Provisional Government of National Defence,' under date of October 25, 1870, for the same purpose. The latter loan was partly raised in Great Britain.
The following table shows the amount of interest paid on the various descriptions of the public debt of France, and sums charged to its account, in each of the years 1866 and 1800 : —
Description of Debt
Funded Debt: — 4^ per cent. Kente
3
Total
Sinking Fund and other Charges : — Sinking fund
Loans ....
Interest on Floating debt . Interest on Guarantee money Sound dues Scheldt dues Payment to Spain Pensions and Annuities
Total
f Francs
L £
1866
Francs 37,7.53,635 446,096 303,072,160
341,271,891
127,681,576
15,695.185
23,500,000
8,500,000
248,832
340,504
20,000
80,873,574
598,131,562 23,925,262
Francs 39,453,096 446,097 322,002,742
361,901,936
136,500,000
17.231,000
26,000,000
8,700,000
248,832
20,000 90,574,476
641,146,244 25,645,849
The loan of August 2, 1868, added a charge of 19,516,245 francs, in 3 per cent. Rente, to the annual interest of the Funded Debt.
Army and Navy. 1. Army.
The military forces of France consist at present of three divisions, called in the ' Army Eeorganisation Act ' of 1868, which established them, the ' active army,' the ' army of reserve,' and the ' National Guard Mobile.' The law of 1868 fixes the duration of service in the active army at five years, at the expiration of which time the soldier has to enter the reserve for four years longer. The period of service of the young men who have not been comprised in the active
