The foreign troops, chiefly African, form a remarkable feature in the French Army; they consist of Zouaves, Turcos, Foreign Legion, and Spahis, and take the field with the French troops against any Power, civilised or otherwise.
The Zouaves were originally an Arab tribe, whom the French conquered and forced to pay tribute. Their dress is picturesque, consisting of an open blue jacket, red sash, loose red knickerbockers, and white gaiters, their head-gear being a red fez with or without a white turban. At the present time, there are but few Africans amongst them, the greater portion being Frenchmen, pure and simple.
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The Turcos are natives of Algeria and Tunis, induced to enlist by a bounty of £16. Their dress is similar to that of the Zouaves, excepting that their knickerbockers are blue, or white, instead of red.
Both Zouaves and Turcos have many attributes of good Light Infantry. The former are renowned for their energy and activity in the attack, and the latter for their stalking and crawling powers. As long as there is a prospect of victory, these troops are full of élan and courage, but a defeat takes much of their spirit out of them.