The school at Méziéres, which was established before the additional one at La Fére, for the exclusive use and advantage of the artillery, was calculated to receive 30 officers; and those who went from La Fére had the rank of second lieutenants, with 60 livres, something more than ten dollars, as monthly subsistence.
It will naturally strike every observer, from these several establishments, which were all supported by government, and warmly patronised by the different reigning monarchs in France, that military science constituted one of the chief objects of French policy; and it is only bare justice to say, that their encouragement was not fruitlessly bestowed. All Europe has testified to the effect; the neglect of military science in other nations is equally striking, and ought to produce more wise precautions. The Turks have a military school, called the school for the Agemolans, or young men attached to the corps of Janizaries. This institution was created by Amurat, for the purpose of enuring a certain number of persons to every possible hardship of military service.
Fencing School, (école d’armes, Fr.) Every French regiment, when in barracks or otherwise conveniently quartered, has a room allotted for the exercise of the small sword, the spadroon, &c. Some active clever serjeant or soldier is authorised to teach his comrades, and to derive what benefit he can from giving lessons abroad. We need scarcely add, that some internal regulation of the kind would be highly advantageous to officers every where.
SCIAGE, (Bois de Sciage, Fr.) Sawing. Wood that is proper to be sawed in planks, or to be made fit for any use in carpentry.
SCIAGRAPHY, (Sciagraphe, Fr.) The profile or section of a building to shew the inside thereof.
SCIE, Fr. a saw.
SCIENCE. Any art or species of knowlege; as military science, &c.
Science de la guerre, Fr. Military knowlege, or the science of war.
SCITIE, or SETIE, Fr. a small decked barge with Levant sails.
SCORPION, (Scorpion, Fr.) a sort of long thick javelin or arrow, which was used among the ancients. For a specific description, see Vegetius and Justus Lipsius. The Cretans are supposed to have invented the scorpion.