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It is to the munificence of this prince that the Hotel des Invalides owes its origin. By a royal decree of August 15, 1670, he announced the creation of this establishment, whose construction began the succeeding year under Louvois and the celebrated architect Bruant. By referring to the details of its present management, and the statistics furnished by Dr. Faure, Medical Director of the Invalides, we shall see that the institution is becoming annually more and more costly, in proportion as the number of its inmates diminishes. Originally designed for some four thousand inmates, and with a military and civil staff proportioned to this number, the institution is, except in the case of old men incapable of self-support and having no homes of their own, generally avoided by the young and middle-aged whose pensions, under the late increase, enable them to live at home and more independently. Hence the cost per man at the Hotel, is gradually increasing, as the number of inmates diminishes; and for this there can be no help, until, by reason of the paucity of numbers, the invalids are transferred to some smaller and less costly establishment. In no continental nation are pensions more liberal in their extent, and less distinctions of caste made in alloting them, than in France.

The democratic theory, which not only authorizes, but in every way encourages meritorious promotions from the ranks, guides, with true consistency, the legislation of public benefactions. The soldier is not forgotten on the pension-roll, however humble may be his social antecedents, nor is the officer unduly rewarded, because of his rank simply. A single exception to this rule exists in the case of a Field Marshal's salary, which may be increased at the pleasure of the Emperor -- a concession to sovereignty which is evidently a transmitted figment of the Roman law (Quodplacuit principi legis hdbet vigorem).

Aside from this, the pension fund is liberally distributed, and since the Crimean war the pro rata of its distribution has been steadily increasing, so as to enable them to live at home, and follow, by the supplemental aid thus afforded them, different occupations: in a word, to encourage selfsupport, and to discourage resort to national asylums. This is a feature worthy of imitation by all nations.

The foundation of every claim to a pension, made by an officer or soldier, must rest upon the following facts, which are to be proved:

1st. That the wounds, or disease causing disability, are serious and incurable.

2d. That they were incurred in the line of duty.

3d. For an officer -- that they disable him for taking the field, or ever returning to active duty.

4th. for a non-commissioned officer or private -- that they disable him from taking the field or earning his own living.

Per Contra. -- No pension is allowed an officer who, although wounded or invalided for present, is not disabled for future service.

In like manner, no pension is allowed a non-commissioned officer or private who, although wounded or invalided, is not disabled from earning his own living.

Statistical Details of the Hotel des Invalides, furnished by Dr. Faure, Medical Director.

The Hotel des Invalides, since 1848, has ceased to be carried on by private enterprise. It is now directly administered at the expense of the State, by a military superintendent. The governor of the institution is a Marshal of France, and has under his charge both the government and financial affairs of the asylum.

The government consists of --

1st. A Brigadier-General on active duty, who is the commandant of the Hotel.

2d. A Colonel (Major) and eight Adjutants (Major).

The twelve divisions into which the Invalids are classified, are commanded by --

12 Chiefs of division (line or non-commissioned Invalid officers).

12 Adjutants.

12 Under Adjutants.

FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION.

This department consists of --

One military Under Commissary, of the first class.

One assistant

MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.

One Chief Physician,

Nine Assistant

One Chief Apothecary,

Two Assistant

Twenty-six Sisters of Charity.

DOMESTIC ADMINISTRATION.

One Director.

Eight Assistants.

Two hundred Servants (civilians).

Five military Ward-masters, in the Infirmary.

Ten Under-Servants (civilians).

Worship.

One Curate and two Chaplains.

CARE OF BUILDINGS.

One Architect and one Inspector.

BARRACKS AND QUARTERS.

One Chief Superintendent, from the Engineer Corps.

DIETARY.

STAFF OFFICERS' ORDINARY.

Per Day. 1st. 750 grammes (1 1/2 pounds) Bread, whence are deducted 62 grammes (2 1/2 oz.) for soup, which are replaced on Sunday by an equal quantity of rice or vermicelli, alternately, 2d. 250 grammes (1/2pound) of Boiled Beef.

Per Week. 7 dishes of Meat (1/2 pound), Veal or Mutton, roasted or stewed.

10 dishes of Meat, (200 grammes, or 2-5 of a pound,) Veal or Mutton, dressed with vegetables, and of Beef-a-la-mode.

Once a week, 3 hard-boiled Eggs, or 2 fried, or in omelet, or scrambled.