THE PRESENT CONDITION OF FRANCE. 139
Out of the wreck of the Second Empire was built, by a few sagacious men, the Third Republic, the republic of to-day, which seems to be firmly established, and to rest upon a sure and solid foundation.
At the end of the Franco-Prussian war, France was in a deplorable condition. The new government found a gigantic work upon its hands. The army and navy were nearly destroyed, commerce greatly diminished, and last, but not by any means least, the Prussians occupied Paris, and asked as the price of their withdrawal from France, the cession of two of the finest provinces, Alsace and Lorraine, and the enormous indemnity of one billion dollars, to be paid in less than three years. But the government knew where to turn for aid, and its appeal to the people was answered in a manner which was a surprise, not only to the government, but to the whole world. The good house-wife took down the old cracked tea-pot from its hiding place, the stockings were fished out from dark nooks, and all their little stores of gold flowed into the empty treasury. It became a matter of pride to hold the government's paper. Notwithstanding the exhausted condition of the country the whole sum was paid more than a year before it was due.
The new government set about the task of restoring the country with its accustomed energy, and its success is best shown by a few figures. France has about 36,000,000 inhabitants, and of this number 5,500,000 are landed proprietors. They never will be troubled as Ireland is. This vast body of landed proprietors is the main source of the country's prosperity, and is one reason why so few emigrate.
The annual exports exceed $800,000,000, the imports $735,000.000. The exports of production exceed those of the year before the war by about $2,000,000. The merchant marine comprises about 15,000 vessels, and they have just passed laws which will probably treble it in ten years. They produce 2,000,000,000 gallons of wine yearly. A great network of railroads has been laid, over 12,500 miles of track, and the receipts are $170,000,000. Average annual income of government is $535,000,000, expenditure is $500,000,000.
After the war France established universal conscription as the basis of the new army, and to-day, notwithstanding her immense losses in treasure, land, and population, she has an available land force of 2,500,000 trained soldiers. The navy is now equal, if not superior to any, and employs 160,000 men.
Thus we see that in less than ten years, France has more than recovered from the terrible defeat, and is now again one of the leading powers of Europe, requiring to be represented in all international discussions. The loss of Alsace and Lorraine keeps alive the bitter hatred towards Germany, and another war between the two countries would not be a surprise.
Added to his love for his country and for freedom, which exceeds and absorbs all his other passions, the Frenchman is industrious, ingenious, and frugal. He knows how to command, and therefore makes a good officer; he knows how to obey, and therefore makes a good soldier. He always looks on the bright side and allows no cloud to be so thick that he cannot see a ray of sunshine peeping through some crevice in its blackness.
