SCHOOL OF MUSKETRY.

THE School of Musketry, formed by the Ministerial Order of 29th March, 1842, was only intended at first to supply instructors to the ten battalions of Chasseurs who were armed with rifles. The results of its establishment were, however, found so valuable, that the benefits of the instruction it afforded were by degrees extended to the whole army.

In 1845, the Duc d'Aumale, who had taken a special interest in the improvement of fire-arms and the better instruction of the soldier in their use, was nominated Inspector-General of Schools of Musketry. Besides the chief school at Vincennes, others were formed in the principal garrisons; and eventually a regimental School of Musketry was established in every regiment of infantry.

Some changes have been made in the system established under the Duke. The School of Musketry at Vincennes has only been regularly organized on its present footing since 1852. A portion of the fortress affords the accommodation required for the theoretical instruction, while the Polygon offers admirable facilities for practical instruction and target practice.

The Staff of the School consists of,

A Commandant, a Lieut.-Colonel of Infantry.

An Instructor in Musketry, a Major of Infantry.

A Professor, a Captain of Artillery.

An Assistant Professor, a Captain of Artillery.

A Sub-Instructor in Musketry, a Captain of Infantry.

Each regiment sends an Officer (a Sub-Lieutenant or a Lieutenant) to Vincennes, to go through the course of instruction. The course commences on the 1st of March, and lasts four months. Two hours a day three times a week are devoted to lectures on the construction and use of fire-arms, and the theory of projectiles. Each officer is required to complete a certain number of drawings of the separate parts of arms. At the termination of the course, certificates are given, and, if favorable, go towards the officer's claim to be promoted “" au choix."

We were conducted over the rooms of the fortress set apart for the school by the officer charged with the Theoretical Instruction (Captain Févre, of the Artillery.) They consist of a large paved

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room, where the officers perform their small-arm exercise in bad weather; of the study-room, in which the drawings are executed; of a lecture-room or amphitheater; of the library, chiefly supplied with technical works on arms; and of a model-room, containing a very good collection of French and foreign arms, and of portions of arms, to illustrate the lectures. There are, besides, private rooms for the instructors, and a room for the orderlies. On the ground floor a small forge has been fitted up for the purpose of giving practical instruction in some of the details of the manufacture of arms.

To produce accurate marksmen is not the only object of the School of Musketry. Its staff may be considered a description of standing committee, to whom inventions in arms and ammunition are submitted, to have their qualities practically tested. On the day of our visits experiments on the relative merits of three forms of balls were being carried on, which we witnessed.

Quitting the fortress by a bridge over the ditch, in an angle of which the Duc d'Enghien was shot, we entered on the Polygon or practice ground. In a few minutes two detachments of troops, one from the Chasseurs de Vincennes, the other from the 20th regiment of the line, arrived and took up their ground in front of the practice butts. Of the balls between which comparisons were to be made, one was proposed by M. Minié, who was himself present, another by M. Nessler, the third was named the ball "de la garde." There were six targets in line in front of the butt; the Chasseurs fired at three of them, and the 20th regiment at the other three. A trench runs along parallel to the butts, and at a few yards in front of them. The line of targets is in the space between the trench and the butts. The trench gives cover to the range party, one of whom is stationed opposite to each target, in a rude recess cut into the side of the trench, to afford shelter in wet weather. Each time a target is struck, the man opposite to it raises his banderol, which is then seen by the firing party, and acknowledged.

The trench is continued to some distance beyond the butts, and is there met by another trench at right angles to it; so that one may go up from the firing party to the range party without any risk.

On the cessation of the firing, the officer in command of the range party numbered the hits in each target. He marked separately the hits where the balls had arrived sideways (shown by the form of the perforation,) a very important consideration in comparative experiments with oblong balls.

Prizes and honorable mentions are bestowed annually on the best shots. The number of the regiment and the names of the men thus distinguished are inserted in the official military journal.

MILITARY NAVAL SCHOOLS OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY.

I. IMPERIAL MILITARY SCHOOL OF APPLICATION OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY AT PARIS.

THIS school, which is located at Paris, at the military hospital of Val-de-Grâce, is under the control of the Minister of War. Its design is to introduce the pupils in the medical service of the army to an actual exercise of their skill, to complete their practical education, and make them acquainted with the regulations. which govern the army in its relation to the sanitary service.

Admission to the School of Application as resident physicians and pharmaceutists, is gained by passing successfully a competitive examination. These examinations are held at Paris, Strasburg, and Montpelier, at uncertain periods, as the wants of the service may require.

For admission to the examination, the candidate for employment as resident physician must have his name enrolled in a bureau of military superintendence, and satisfy the following conditions:-1st. Be a native of France; 2nd. Be not above thirty years of age at the time of the examination; 3rd. Have received the degree of doctor of medicine from one of the medical faculties of the Empire; 4th. Be free from any infirmity that disables from military service; and 6th. Subscribe a pledge of honor that he will devote at least five years to the military sanitary service. The candidates are subjected to an examination in pathology, medical therapeutics, anatomy, and practical surgery. Candidates for the office of resident pharmaceutist must also be natives of France, be not above thirty years of age, have a diploma of pharmacy of the first class, be free from every disabling infirmity, pledge themselves to at least five years service, and pass an examination upon the materia medica, chemistry, and pharmacy.

During their continuance at the School, they receive a fixed annual salary of 2,160 francs, and an allowance of 500 francs for the first expense of uniform. After spending one year at the school and passing a satisfactory final examination, they receive the brevet. rank of medical or pharmaceutical aid-major of the second class.

There is at Strasburg, in connection with the Medical School, a Preparatory School, designed to prepare for the degree of doctor of medicine the pupils belonging to the sanitary service of the army. It is annually supplied with pupils, who, without having passed the usual course of matriculation, are enabled to satisfy the conditions requisite for admission to the first grade of a doctorate. Every pupil of the preparatory school, has the right of admission to the Imperial Military School of Application.—Decrees of 13th of Nov., 1852, and 28th of July, 1860; Acts of 18th of June, and 15th of October, 1859, and 4th of August, 1860.

II. IMPERIAL NAVAL SCHOOLS OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY.

These schools, located at Brest, Toulon, and Rochefort, are under the control of the Minister of the Marine; their design is to prepare sanitary officers for service in the vessels of the imperial marine.

The posts of surgeon, or pharmaceutist, of the third, second and first classes are assigned on examination, according to order of priority determined by a medical jury. For admission as student in these schools, after attaining to the first grade of the third class, it is necessary to be at least sixteen years of age, and not above twenty three, to produce a diploma as bachelor of sciences, to prove French nationality, and to be exempt from every infirmity that can cause unfitness for the marine service. Examinations for filling the vacancies in each school commence on the 1st of April, and 1st of October, annually.

The instruction is continuous. The libraries, cabinets of natural history, the botanical gardens, anatomical theaters, chemical laboratories, cabinets of natural philosophy, are at the disposition of the students. The candidates admitted, receive cards of membership. They are required to pay the treasurer of the library a sum of 50 francs, which is devoted to its maintenance.-Ordinance of 17th July, 1835, and 15th May, 1842.

THE IMPERIAL NAVAL SCHOOL AT BREST.

THIS School, located at the Road of Brest, on board the ship "La Borda," and under the control of the Minister of the Marine, is designed for the instruction of youth destined for the corps of state naval officers. Candidates are admitted to this school after a public examination, which occurs annually. For admission to the examination, they must prove; 1st. By the production of the records, that they are French by birth or naturalization, and that on the 1st of January of the year of the examination, they were at least fourteen years of age, and had not passed the maximum of seventeen years; 2d. By the certificate of a physician, that they have been vaccinated, or have had the small-pox, and that they have no infirmity that disables them from the performance of marine duty.

The matriculation of the candidate is effected between the 1st and 24th of April, at the prefecture of the department in which the domicil of the family is located. The examination is made at the principal office for examination nearest to that domicil, or to the college where he has been educated; the choice as regards the place of examination must be made known at the time of matriculation.

There is required for admission into the school, a knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, plane trigonometry, applied mathematics, natural philosophy, chemistry, geography, the English language, and drawing, in conformity with the course of study pursued at the lyceums. The candidates must prepare a French composition, a translation from the Latin, an exercise in English, a numerical calculation in plane trigonometry, a geometrical drawing, and the off-hand sketch of a head. These compositions are done at Paris, and the principal towns of the departments simultaneously, on the 2nd and 3rd of July. The oral examinations are commenced at Paris on the 2nd of July, and repeated at the other towns in succession as previously announced. The oral examinations are of two grades; the lowest serving to determine whether the candidates are sufficiently well prepared for admission, the higher-to which only those are subjected, who have successfully passed the first-being