A recent message (July 18, 1874) made to the French Assembly by Marshal MacMahon, President of the French Republic, submits a projet de loi, with a report prepared by a board of French generals on “army administration,” which is full of information, and is as applicable to us as to the French.  I quote from its very beginning:  “The misfortunes of the campaign of 1870 have demonstrated the inferiority of our system....  Two separate organizations existed with parallel functions—­the ‘general’ more occupied in giving direction to his troops than in providing for their material wants, which he regarded as the special province of the staff, and the ‘intendant’ (staff) often working at random, taking on his shoulders a crushing burden of functions and duties, exhausting himself with useless efforts, and aiming to accomplish an insufficient service, to the disappointment of everybody.  This separation of the administration and command, this coexistence of two wills, each independent of the other, which paralyzed both and annulled the dualism, was condemned.  It was decided by the board that this error should be “proscribed” in the new military system.  The report then goes on at great length discussing the provisions. of the “new law,” which is described to be a radical change from the old one on the same subject.  While conceding to the Minister of War in Paris the general control and supervision of the entire military establishment primarily, especially of the annual estimates or budget, and the great depots of supply, it distributes to the commanders of the corps d’armee in time of peace, and to all army commanders generally in time of war, the absolute command of the money, provisions, and stores, with the necessary staff-officers to receive, issue, and account for them.  I quote further:  “The object of this law is to confer on the commander of troops whatever liberty of action the case demands.  He has the power even to go beyond the regulations, in circumstances of urgency and pressing necessity.  The extraordinary measures he may take on these occasions may require their execution without delay.  The staff-officer has but one duty before obeying, and that is to submit his observations to the general, and to ask his orders in writing.

With this formality his responsibility ceases, and the responsibility for the extraordinary act falls solely on the general who gives the order.  The officers and agents charged with supplies are placed under the orders of the general in command of the troops, that is, they are obliged both in war and peace to obey, with the single qualification above named, of first making their observations and securing the written order of the general.