The French Military Force in the Crimea

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M. Vaillant, the French Minister of War has given details of the supplies of men and materiel that were sent to the Crimea during the war with Russia. The whole force sent by France to the Black Sea was 309,268 soldiers and 41,974 horses ; of the former 70,000 were killed or died in the hospitals, or were otherwise missing. It is considered that 93,000 were wounded and survived. Of the horses only 9,000 returned to France. The great guns, howitzers, &c were 644, besides 603 furnished by the navy. The light artillery for field service furnished 500 guns more, and in all there were 4,800 wheel vehicles for canuon sent from France. The missiles of death, too, were fearfully vast ; 2,000,000 of shells and cannon balls, 10,000,000 pounds of gunpowder, and 66,000,000 of ball cartridges. One hundred batteries and fifty miles of trench were constructed, besides ten miles of defensive works, and five miles of subterranean galleries in the solid rock. The food sent from France, besides items of smaller quantities, waa 30,000,000 pounds of biscuit ; 96,000,000 of flour, equal to 450,000 barrels ; 7,000,000 pounds of preserved beef ; 14,000,000 pounds of salt beef and lard ; 8,000,000 pounds of rice; 4,500,000 pounds of coffee ; 6,000,000 pounds of sugar ; 10,000 head live cattle ; 2.500,000 gallons of wine, and nearly 1,000,000 pounds of Chollet's preserved vegetables were among the larger items of supplies. The horse feed, too, was immense: 170,000,000 pounds (equal to 85,000 tuns) of hay ; 180,000,000 pounds (90,000 tuns) of oats and barley ; 20,000 tuns wood ; 20,000 tuns coal, charcoal and coke. There were 150 ovens to bake bread, and 140 presses to press hay. The clothing was another branch of large supply, comprising garments in such hundreds of thousands that it would be tedious to enumerate them ; but as some clue to the matter, the number ranged from 250,000 to 350,000 of each article of clothing. For the piercing cold of the Crimea there were 15,000 sheepskin paletots, 250,000 sheepskin gaiters, and tents for 250,000 men. The harness and farriery departments present an immense quantity of supplies, among them were 800,000 horse shoes, and 6,000,000 horse shoe nails. In nothing do the French excel as in their hospital arrangements. They sent 27,000 bedsteads for invalids, as many mattresses, and 40,000 coverlets. There was the material for ambulances for 24,000 sick men, and 600 cases of instruments, and 700,000 pounds (350 tuns) of lint, bandages and dressings of various kinds. Then for the sick there were the most liberal supplies for their sustenance, such a s concentrated milk, essence 0 f bouillon, granulated gluten, &c. The money expended at the seat of war was $56,000,000. Marshal Valliant also tells of the vast maritime preparations for conveying the army and its supplies over the sea. Among the vessels employed between France and the Crimea, though not stated in the report, were 40,000 tuns of American shipping, embracing some of the finest and largestclipper vessels, as well as some steamers of the American mercantile marine, and for whose services a liberal compensation was made. Taking the totality of all the voyages made by all the men, horses and material, there were conveyed by the French government during the two and a half years of the war, 550,000 men, 50,000 horses and 720,000 tuns of material. Some beautiful photographs of the moon have lately been taken in Europe, through a large telescope, and on them the mountains | hills, and valleys of our satellite are perfectly ) portrayed.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 13 Issue 34This article was published with the title “The French Military Force in the Crimea” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 13 No. 34 (), p. 269
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican05011858-269e

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