ACTI C i AiL IL'E'A S Ti R,E,S.

NO.:11i. CONCLUDED,

MILITARY EXPENDITURE.

IN ou 'first paper we endeavoured to show, that by consolida Iig the superintending official branches of the Army, greater effir cipenocuy. would be given to its administration, and both the Army and its ad- ministrators be brought under the control of Parliamentary es sibility and public opinion ; whilst the probable saving would be 70,0001. in an expenditure of 170,0001. By abolishing the sinecure. of Colonel and second Major, we pointed out another means of re. trenchment to the 'extent of 134,000f. A reduction of supernu- merary officers—of officers uselessly numerous in proportion to the. number of men—would give a further means of saving to the extent of 193,0001. In the Indian Army there is no Agency, though some of its home stations are thrice as distant from each other as any of ours, and some of its foreign as distant from Hindostan as the 1Vest Indies from England. In the King's Army, the Agency • is a mere piece of useless expense, kept up for the convenience of the officers and the profit of the agents : its abolition would yield 32,000/. more. Thus making, independent of the Colonel's profits upon the clothing, a total saving of 429,000/., which would be attained without dimi- nisbing efficiency or reducing actual strength. On the other hand, unity and simplicity would be given to the administrative functions, and a source of corrupt jobbing be cut off, the tendency of which is to render the Army a species of aristocratical lottery, wherein gentle- men with money and interest can ulone embark with any prospect of success ; and the effects of which, in the event of a war, might be found disastrous in the extreme.

Reserving any suggestions as to a general diminution of the number:: until we have closed our examination of particular heads of expendi- ture, we first proceed to pick out some items from the Military

Contingencies. They may appear trivial ; but the greater part of the useless expenditure is small in its details, though swelling in its aggregate to a considerable sum. And here is the rock upon which most of our economists split : they want the industry to hunt tip manv facts, as well as the skill to generalize them ; and hence expose them- selves to the taunt of proposing " twopenny-halfpenny savings," which are too trivial to be worth a serious effort.

The Contingencies are various expenses connected with the " Land Forces," but which do not directly relate to the cost of any regi- ments or of any constituent part of them, as a permanent regular charge. Thus, an additional pay for " good conduct," or for length of service—various extraordinary expenses to soldiers on a march, or on foreign stations—and many other items of a similar kind, fall under the head of "Contingencies." The expenses of depots—of the recruit- ing service—of the purchase of cavalry horses, and of vacious " allow- ances," are also classed under this head ; and its total amount is, in round numbers, half a million. Some of these Contingencies are in their nature fluctuating. To come to a proper judgment upon them, would require a very minute practical knowledge of each individual expense. The few items we shall suggest as specimens of improper expenditure, will be such as admit of no doubt.

Table tit St. James's for the Officers of the Life and Foot Guards. [Reduced X from Goma ; but why not abolished? Officers of the Guards should, like other Officers, find their own dinners) 4,0et Table allowance for the Officers on guard at Dublin Custle, and proriditta bed for the Field.officer on guard. [To which the preceding remark is ap plicable) 1,004 Pay of officers Supernumerary to the Reduced Establishement of the Royal Horse Guards, and of the three Regiments of Foot Guards; and eompensa. films to, cert Mil officers for the lo.s whiell they respectively sustain by the deduction of the pay of their present rank in the Royal Horse Guards [The meaning of all which, so far as UP can understand it, seems to be, that officers who in any other regiments would have been put upou balf.pay, laicise the full pay in the GIMITIIS; and tbat thew regiments are in fact oflieerell to a yet grosser extent than appears in the Estimate. The amount Is not great, but it displays the principle of jobbing which so rankly. flourishes wherever the interest of the aristocracy is concerned.) Boer et rank is generally supposed to receive no additional pay, but it confers a right to allowance', which amount to I, AllOWIITIC,S to Officers Commanding. rind to Acting Staff Officers, and Nom

Commi.•sioned Officers of Deptots of Regiments on foreign service

hotint•munt* fur T,ertiits is calculated at HD avelase of 41. a head for coot., own ; making 24,11001. Were the Army difffitently managed, so as to offer to ;Odiills and good conduct a chat.ce or promotion, there would Ile a competition to enter the setvice,MlieiS in a hut mar and a scarcity of men. In peace, during our existim economical condition. and manned as the At toy is, for the greater part, with the very scum of society, uo bounty mould seem tecessary..a. at least ted so high a one, especially when we and re- cruits :or the Colonial corps are raised at the same aserage sum. Nor do we believe that the money is fully expended on its ostensible purpose. Wu under-toal. and the Estimate before us bears us out in the notiou, that

recruiting., to it considerable extettt at least, was to be discontinued, and the

ca,itall amoti,st the Mee not to be filled up. We see, too, that the cost of the Recruiting service has increased by 16.000/. since 1832. Under these Cir.:flow:I trees, ra,e-half of this amount might certainly be reduced ; leaving Quitting what the authorities call "time Army," we come to X32,121 tire Colonial corps at the higher bounty, and giviug a easing of TV111.1 Saving on Contingencies

THE ORDNANCE.

Besides the complicated and costly official departments, whose con- solidation we have already suggested, this arm of the service consists of three, or in strictness of four divisions.

1. The military branch of the Ordnance, including the Artillery, the Ergineers, and the Medical and Educational Staff.

Thelyn.anufacture of cannon, gunpowder, &c. far the Army and Nm

3. The storing, preserving, and distribution of the arms and muni- tions of war.

4. The erection and repair of barracks, and other buildings which are of a military character, or are used for military purposes.

We will take a cursory survey of each division seriatim ; beginning with the Military branch, whose divisional cost is exhibited in the fol-

lowing table.

• At one time Cax ouch GazyNwoon had the agency of more than half the regi- ments in the Army. They were creditors to the Duke of YORK. CommanderdleChier.

3,30€ iCe inew••■••••■••■■•••••••■

STRENGTII AND COST OF THE ARTILLERY, ENGINEERS, Sec.

We have no means of applying such specific tests to the Artillery and Engineers as we did to the Land Forces ; partly from i the nature of the service, partly from the want of detailed information n n the Ordnance Estimates. Nor have we been able to acquire such exact information as produces a clear conviction of the propriety of any considerable reduction. Such viewo, however, as we have, we can give on both sides of the question.

The numbers of the officers are considerable, to begin with. The

Artillery has 2 Captains, 2 first and 1 second Lieutenants, to a company, during peace ; the Line never had more than 1 Captain to a company even during war. Taking the Land Forces as they now are, with two or three sinecurist officers to each regiment, and a lot of unnecessary subalterns, one-fourth of whom might be struck off, the aggregate proportion was no more than 1 officer to 12 men. If the Artillery and Engineers to- gether be subjected to this test, the ratio will be as 1 to 10. But as the Engineers consist chiefly of officers, who direct labourers casually employed according to the circumstances of the work, this test May be objected to as unfair. Let the Artillery, then, be taken alone; and the officers are in the proportion of about 1 to 131,---which yet seems very high, the abstract proportion in a regiment of horse or foot being as 1 to 27. Going on with comparisons, the average cost for the whole Army is about 39/. per head for all ranks. In the Artil- lery and Engineers, it reaches 63/. per head. But in the Artillery alone, it only rises to 33/., including such proportions of the Con- tingencies as seems fairly to belong to that branch. If, however, we compare the Army and the Ordnance, throwing Contingen- cies aside, we may get a juster view. The cost of the Artil- lery, for pay, clothing, &c. is about 44/. per head ; of the Cavalry* of the Line, 46/. ; of the Horse Guards, 66/. per head ; which shows a prima fitcie case of the Artillery being the cheapest, although a supe- rior class of soldiers. On the other hand, this may not prove that the Artillery admits of no reduction, but merely the wasteful profusion going on in the Guards and the Cavalry, the two chief resorts of the aristocracy.

Thus far against the Artillery and Engineers. In their favour it must be stated, that there is no promotion by purchase : every man who enters either service must have been prepared by a previous course of scientific study, and must show his acquirements by means of exa- minations. After which, it is unnecessary to say that the aristocracy are rarely, if ever, found in the Artillery, and never in the Engineers.

Another point in their favour is the nature of their service. A very short time would form any young man of average health to perform the regimental duties of our subalterns; and were the whole race extin- guished, the non-commissioned officers and men in the ranks might furnish officers as capable for all military purposes a. they are. But the Artillery, and still more the Engineers, require se traffic acquirements, which cannot be attained by practice only. We must pay for the preparation of science and art. The mere'attendants are readily gotten, but there is not time to train the surgeon when the operation is to be performed.

These remarks, however, merely point to a liberal, not to a lavish expenditure ; and there is a strong though general reason why the Alilitary department of the Ordnance might admit of a consideiable reduction. Sir HENRY PARNELL, quoting the Finance Committee, gives the numbers and expense as follows

Cancers.

--- .

241 449 4

49

-- 746 — Cadets, • • • • • • .... 80 ..• • — .... 80 .....

— Non-commissioned Officers and Men.

73 --- 1.033 .....

5,062 1 590 — 7,764 -- Total Numbers.

73 Mailer Gunners at the Garrisons

and Batteries in Great Britaiu and Ireland 4.447

241 Royal Engineers , 50,156 1,041 Sappers and Miners, officered by

the Corps of Royal Engineers.. 30.502 6,511 Foot Artillery 271,051

85 Company of Gentlemen Cadets 3,571

633 horse Artillery and Itidiug•house Troop 3638; • 590 Totals £395,913

Instruction of Sappers and Miners, and of monitor Officers in the Corps of Boyal Engineers, in the construction of field.works, including a course of Practical Architecture for the °dicers of Engineers before they join their stations [The eX1WIPW of this item, however. is covered within £253 by the profit on

the Military Academy at Won't% HI)

'rotal of Ordinary Expenditure for the Artillery and Eneineers...X409,060 Contingencies for Great Britain. Ireland, ;mil the Colonies, of a similar nature ia the Army Cunt ingeneies, hut also including i sum of 61.0001. for

the Trigonometrical and Geological Surveys of Great Britain and Ireland 131.779

Total Expense of the Artillery and Engineers . .X540,339

2,411

Director-General of Artillery and Field Train Departments 602

Medical Establishment 10,129 • In 1792, 4,846 Officers and men £151,606 expense. lu 1823, 8.632 ditto 471,543 ditto."

To which may be added, deducting the expense of scientific surveys,

In 1837. 8,590 OtTieers and men £179,839 expense.

Being an increase of 3,744 in numbers and 328,233/. in expense. The Finance Committee seem to have rendered no reasons for this increase ; nor of course can we. Something may be chargeable upon the addi- tional number of our colonies, but not nearly sufficient to explain the discrepancy; for the whole charge to all the Colonies is but 161,I60/. —or less than half the difference. The scale of pay, which has been raised since 1792, may add something to the amount ; and the force might then have been kept too low : but all these points added together seem scarcely sufficient to make out the increase.

Froin this view of the Military branch of the Ordnance, the reader will doubtless incline to the opinion that a reduction is practicable ; though, like us, in the absence of technical experience, he may not be able to say to what extent. lf, however, he agrees or differs -with us, our columns are open to discussion upon specific points.

Leaving the Military, our second and third beads of Ordnance

• The Foot as well as the Ilona, .1rtillery being included in this ealr Ito ilat ion make. diik•reuce, is Ill1111WIr the cost IIUT 11W kt:ep of the horses is to au% extent inclMied iti Cl! far account.

Expenditure embrace the Establishments at Woolwich and the Sta- tions. Both of these are more or less departments for the manufac- titre, conservation, and distribution of arms and munitions; the place at Woolwich being principally for manufacturing, and the Stations for • store and distribution. The fourth head, of Barracks, explains itself.

In the tables that follow, the reader will find the leading parti- culars of these three branches exhibited as fully as we have the means. The chief points to which attention should be directed are— I. The large sum expended on the building and repairs of the Sta- tions ; which amounts to 67,663/., whilst the whole or nearly the whole cost of the business which they do is only about 110,000l. As the Stations are the property of Government, there is no charge for rent. What would a trader think if his freehold store cost him 67/. for repairs, and 90/. for all his establisinnent and part of his goods ?

2. The enormous proportionate cost for superintending rdlie build-

ings, compared with private. An architect's charge i-3 r cent., or, if the outlay is very large, 3 per cent. In the Stations, this charge, or rather a charge for a more mechanical kind of business, is CAI per cent., or twelve times the amount of a private charge. In the 13arracks, it is full 23 per cent., or more than four times the usual charge. (if course, some of this discrepancy is obviously explainable : the buiidi»gs are spread over a wide field of ground, and the cost of subordinate superie- tendence must be added. But on the other hand, 2:1,594. 0,1..710: not to be paid at all. The additional pay to liegineers is given for what they are bound to do for their regular pay. A maid:num 'night as well hare additional pay for driving. We believe the whole of this breach of the Ordnance is a nest of jobs. Therefore, S. Besides these general points, the necessity, roam:gement, and if any exist, the abuses of the particular Stations or liarracks, is a subject for the attention of iudividual reformers resident upon the spot,—what business is apparently done ut each ; whether ;my mil lerainess at all ; and whether any change might advantageously be made, or the Station abolished without inconvenience. The Barracks may be subjected to a scrutiny of a similar kind; though they are not ex .fade of so suspi- cious a nature as the Stations. For this Nernse comitry residua,: will advantageously consult the lists of these departments in the tables. 4. Tile subject of official resideneca partakes both of a general and particular character. They are, we believe, one great cause of the heavy sums which are expended on " Superintendence " mid " Works and Repairs," already alluded to, and which thus form a species of salary. The houses and apartments themselves are of a similar nature ; for, though some deduction of salary 1,; occasionally made for their use, it is far below their value. A minute examination into this branch of public abuse would be tedious. It is; a case for individual zeal and local knowledge. The materials for the particular salaries at P: ch place will be found in the Ordnance Estimates for the present year, ( Parliamentary Paper, No. 15;) and a return of " Ro)al Palaces and Buildings," ( Parliamentary Paper, No. 94, Session 1832, ) which gives the number of buildings. An instance, however, may show buw to use it ; and we take it from within ready Cockney range. Let any one taking a trip to Gravesend cast his eye from the deck of the steamer over the landing-place to the magazines at Purtieet ; and he will see an excellent house crowning the green eminence which rises rapidly tiom the banks of the river. It is bosomed in trees ; in its front is a lawn, flanked by a circling shrubbery; and there is every appearance of :dl the appliances of a country gentleman's villa. This place is the resi- dence of the Storekeeper ; and he receives a salary of 61.0/. avr ar. At Putilect the Ordnance possesses seventeeu more houses, two cot- tages, and a lodge ; and the whole rent received from the twenty-one residences, is 13/. a year ; which, at the date of the return, was all contributed by one W. S. Tensma, " Master of dm Lord Townsend powder- vessel."

AddiVonal pay t Engineer Oflieer,,.. I1991.1 aod pay t, Clerks of the Works. Foremen, (71'..) 111 •11i4.11111rmlitiz What the Ortinal...e ot11v1:115 ciii 'morks in lieu or, --moaning the tree t ion or 1,•puji

it

Work; and liepaiiS "—being the ttm.nt,I,, otolonematif 111, the material.: fur the erertion and roirtif II ii I iig. If it I, • s it show+ the preceding elLtrge of 12111!. to he 30■. pet sopet• inteut:ence, twin.; ten times the aneJtint of an architect', eit U-420 in

practice •' '44 ESTABLISIINIENTS AT W(tOT.WICII.

tilt ,',

rkmon'• X

Royal L dtorat,ry 1.,38

(1.1■12.

Direct n..General of .thillor■.'s Depart me 1.3,3

2,141 [loyal Can lag.. Itep irtmetit 1.751 4.777 Ittn, al Mila..0 o 0

Storekeeper's Dcpar: meta

3 o56

Tidal of Establishment, of Wo, FA ;ell °BON A N('E z'ir.k•11()Ns, .7:vr the .1lantfteture anl St,ri g ...f .11, ::?; .,.s, .,,,.

N,,,,,l,.., v. nn ....ot W:r1.• %V -;:. • W. , f lt,r,..,... So. Mk .. 4.11,i Lt 1, I r• V... •■•• T 1n.

X st 12 17')

1,'.•71 n.F.,37 ::;. T., ,201, :■7 5'; 311

1.'...,- 1.1f;.; 7. -'....?

i -LW/ 1.:. ,3 :::-: 4 730 1.:1 I i4,1 :1.05 7i u 5:.1, 1,ri7 I 4:vO 154 ti., 417 1A ... 1.-1

15 :, 1:4

. 402 4C,5 r.:21 1 -...2 ' 31., .1.1ll ::.`1 1.0-1 I., 4:441 ::77 1,;.' 0 ;9 2 4,-.0 32 •.!,-.. 1 2'2

1 i...■ Iii 1 I. :3'1

9:::. I.' - .2 1 1...1

:: ...., I .. 1,..• 17

4 1 '2 1 1 '• .., ..I i) '1 1.4:4 3:.:(!34 5.7:-.•0 1 ••_1 .V.1.171

i 20

:.1)- 1 t 11....: ;313 ',1"CrONs1 G1IFIT 1 IC Cl 17.1

1 1

1/ev"ttl."0, •5•.: haat i',6at-

IloVer

Superinten,:ent."

Eiliimtmicglm

• Fort 4e0i5e, N. R.

Fort ‘‘ Mimi!, N. It.

t N II

• 1;rivesuivi

till,111St`y

• oic11

• 11yde Park • 51.o.,.•,,1

1 1

• I Ill t

11..11 n • -• t' :em

ts; rnstneas 44, as.% Coact

41-paer Point.....

ynemetith Castle Crum. Crud% .

%autism Abbey (/ ;Master

Worker)... Weedon 'tar trunt.h Total X13,349

ilitutionat P.iy to Engineer °freers (.£2,022) n11.1 NY to Clerks of the Works. Foremen. &c. (k1.199) in superintenilin2 .• Works nod Repairs," 1s ing i,pwar,ls of 40 per cent nu the outlay (X15,713) or mace than 8 times t co•t in private w.

Total of tit :!•:mil in f roc.. Ratain

1411'0Ni TN Inif.4440,

Leioster 1. •Duncannots

District .1 Port.

• Cbarlemont

!lister D is.{ Carr ick fergus

tritt • Enniskillen

Ballincolig :41•Oissti'or„ (oLtilmoerticlikarbour• riVal' • in4t 111 ). 1thloos Nistric

Total - I 2

-

1 ..

3 2 - 9 - .4 :5) 517

. ..

2;10

• 6-2 ....

480 -- £9,129 ......-. 4 110 136 St s.ss a

....

7i3,4 21 434 _ 1,786 -

a

69 179 136 33 496 10 220 - 1,125 -

tC

422 845 SI 614 39

1,981 31

1,124 5,040 1dditional Pay to Engineer Offwers, Clerks (.£:197) of tho \Yolks. &c. (k2.458) for superintending "Works and H. pairs," being about 190 per ceut. on an outlay of £1786 or 38 times more than

the private charge 'kw rinses 11:

Australia Antigua Barbadoes Bahamas Bermudas • Berbice

Cceada ..

...

(to* or

G ood Elope tlicraer.ira Domini, a Gibraltar Gambia

4.renatla

Jamaica Ionian Malta '" Mauritius "New fottnilla Nova :Scotia • .

*se, Heim St. Lucia,

Trinidad Tobago

V:xtrit Pay ia tho West and Ce)lon, price of

Sierra Leone St. Christopher St. Vincent

Climate:

Total of Stations in Ireland

TIM C01.01414M

Sv.1nev . 2 640

{ liobaii Town .. 1 340

2 450 5 1,313 2 440 3 716

2 as )

Quebec 5 1.186

Montreal a 604 Kingston. 3 540 .i.

t *Isle aux Noix 1 160 5 1,070 1

Icolombe Trincomalee ... 9 330 Callon

Point de Galle - / iieti Cape Town 6 , Simon's Town 1 250 Graham's Town, 1 230 2 500 2 450 7 1,752

- 9 .380

5 1,190 ("f". 4 822 I Santa %tura • 1 272 lante 1 190 ' 7 1.711 5 1380( rat 9 353 Halifax 5 1.140 New Brunswick, 3 550

• Prince Ed-1 200

ward's Island *Annapolis 1 200 1 220 2 500 2 429 9 444 9 430 2 446 2 370 - 105 granted to Civilians serving Indies, Coast of Africa in consequence of the Provisions, &c. in thoso 1,955 1,000 500 916 323 216 1.957

33

2,360 203 1V9 3,000 71 1.0001 434 so 100 983 80 1,391 189 83 197 • • • • ....

iiii

92.4 5.000 120 676 40 10

sr; 300 53 66 174 150 125 13

1,300 400 360 1,280 293 844 149 2,233 852 1,003 68 7571 390 294 984 165 293 513 296 2,517

.291 1.451 538 80

70 1,261 566 4,0 1,300 473 55 41 400 500 85 243 276 694 134 468.425

3,140 1.240 1,026 9,913

949 3.517

637 5,984 1.659 4,656

299 4,041

2.786 465 628 2,026 826 5,860 189 750 2,533 1,360 359 260 4.2713 7.870 •• • • 948 3.195 1,065

965 968 920 1,053 579 861 856 1,265 517 1,955 Total £26,172 23,899 94,165 74,236

Additional Pay to Engimer Officers. (X3.131) and Pay to Clerks of the Works. &c (E8,239) in supoviutending "Works and Repair'," !wing nearly 70 per cent, on an outlay of .423,899 or 14 times se

aitich as a private charge 16,370 -- Total of Stations in the Colonies £90,606

• .1. ,Sue Stallone ma,ted thus (*) tho Storekorefs perform the duties of Barracksnaetinc Thus, the total cost of the various processes undertaken by the Ordnance amounts, in round numbers, to 2.18,0004 We suggest that the whole of these departments should be abolished in their present shape; the Ordnance manufacture of charcoal, gunpowder, gumear- riagee, gun-sights, swords, and cannon, discontinued, and the articles supplied by open contract ; the contractors to deliver them at certain places when called upon, under certain conditions. By this plan, the establishment at Woolwich would be altogether got rid of in its pre- sent shape, as well as the greater part of the Stations in Britain and Ireland. Taking advantage of the facilities for easy and rapid trans- port which steam affords both by land and water, the extensive build-

t STAINIAST.

Estabrshments at Woolwich 433,070 Stationv, Great Britain £58.493 Ireland 8,423 The Cdonies 90,606 137.514

Sloe. requir for Ot.nanCe s.rvies, 2t1,00U Niateriabt for packing Stores, freight awl carriage of ditto, and Orthiance.vessels and Gna.hoys 7.746

6218,330

Nneolat freennsaest week. Woi'amen'e el Perione. lialarios. :ad

450 249 301 •: • t 129 .33u 03 73 30 618 1 1 1 4

260 coo

2.10 897 897 2.571 249 15 13 - 15.713 22 411 6,510 £59.483 3.395

Tole:.

699 306 714 336 870 4,293 949 2s 51,973

ings at Woolwich might be used as depot 4,f all the troops in e viG.hreealet Britain. Considering that, on the plan of consolidation th Army would be under one bead and directed by.one mind, ;Iiiireissneoemtas no reason why the Commissariat officers in the Colonies shoaled teleost act as Storekeepers where Barrackmasters do not combine both ffi in one. The. distribution of powder, laid upon the spot '

more responsible or difficult task than the providing provisions and provender. By this means, eight offices would be reduced to two. the function of one of which would be to contract for and distribute' the clothing, arms, and provisions of the troops ; the other would superintend the military buildings of all kinds.

To this proposal, however startling to men hardenedly official routine, there exists no reasonable objection. Before the invention of the steam.engine and the consequent growth of our manufuctures,--when 1Varichester and Birmingham scarcely existed, when transport of any kind was difficult, and rapid transport impossible,-and when that life and soul of cheapness and goodness, competition, was comparativrly sluggish,-tt might be proper, perhaps necessary, for Government to manufacture articles which if trusted to private hands might have been supplied irregularly, or badly. But that necessity exists no longer : any quantity or any quality of any commodity can be furnished by the gigantic factories of England, certainly not worse, and much cheaper and quicker, than by the Ordnance manufacturers. The quantity, and the despatch, no one will doubt ; the quality is an ?Hair of price. As to the officiul statement of superior cheapness, it is well remarked by Sir HENRY PARNELL, in Financial lityhrni, that "Such a defence rests upon what is morally impossible ; because private manufacturers can buy materials cheaper, and take better care of them; and they can get labour cheaper, make it go further, and superintend it better soul at a less expense than any public office. The auccess of a public cffice in mint- factui big depends on what it is impossible it can accomplish, namely, to find numbers of officers willing to work with the same zeal and integrity for the public as they would work for themselves. " It is obvious that the slightest deficiency in skill, activity, and integrity, on the part of the public officers, in performing the various operations, from their going to market to buy a stock of raw materials, to the storing of the goods made with them, will be taken advantage of by numbers of persons in numbetles ways. Materials will be bought in too dear ; they will be wasted in working them up; they will he liable to be stolen or damaged; and the finished article will be more exposed to be wasted and stolen than alien put. chased by contract, from the difficulty of keeping equally exact at counts ut the quantities received and delivered."

To all which might have been added, the risk of overstocking, and the loss from spoiling. Some time ago it was stated, that part of the stores in the Ordnance warehouses had not seen the light for twenty years. More had been made than was wanted ; the !MOUS 111,(1 In LII stored away ; it would riot have answered the work people's and sup( r- intendent's purpose to have stood still whilst the old wits used up : so, supplies upon supplies were constantly added, and as constantly taken out, to the loss of twenty years' interest, and of the principal to boot.

All this, however, though based upon principles and experience, vet wants, it may be said, the test of practice; and "one fact is worth a thousand theories." For those who argue thus, there is a fact. The East India Company's army is supplied by contract with every muni- tion of war except powder. And nobody will dream of comparing the English with the Anglo-Indian Government, for activity, efficiency, judicious economy, or (what is harder) judicious liberality. To estimate exactly the saving thut would accrue from the change system we have proposed, is impossible without official knowledge and a practical acquaintance with the minutia; of the existing department., or at least of subjecting the parties who possess it to a searching exami- nation. However costly the present plan may be, stores cannot be gotten or transported for nothing ; and a large sum must he paid, under any circumstances, for the supply of the Army. Still, we think that a saving of 100,000/. might be effected : and for the following reasons. The present amount of salaries, putting the Bair:lei:masters out of the question, is upwards of 50,001/. The greater part of these could be entirely dispensed with, and the few Storekeepers left at certain stations would be a very slight charge. The repairs of build- ings, excluding the barracks, at present amounts to upwards of 70,000/., or if Gleat Britain and Ireland only be taken, 27,000/. Nearly the whole of this last item would not merely be saved, but an income might be derived from the rent of those buildings, and the different houses occupied by the officers, the use of which was discontinued ; or, better still, the whole might be sold. No doubt, too, some reduction could be made in the Colonies, though it requires a local knowledge to say what. The gain on the manufacture itself can only be known by the result; but a shrewd guess of the waste of the present system may be gained from one fact. The raw material for the Ordnance -which, however, is material fit for immediate use-seems to cost only :20,000/. The expense of it, when manufactured, stored, and dis- tributed, is upwards of 20k000l. This sum appears to us out of all proporthm, when we consider the rough nature of the manufactures, and that all the expense of freight is charged in the Navy Estimates, and amounts, including the passage of troops, to 130,000/. In the Maack department there are three points for the economist to work upon. 1. In the salaries of the Barrackmasters, where some retrenchment might be effected by appointing half-pay officers to the situation, suspending the half.pay : but this saving would be train perhaps a few thousands a year. 2. The adoption of sonic cheaper plan of repairing bat racks ; which we have shown to be very expensive. 3. A reduction in the number of barracks; on which we desiderate further light, without any means of getting it. Sir HENRY PARNELL, in his various gleanings from the Report of the Finance Committee, does not seem to mention the Barracks. As regards the Stations, indeed, it is said that "their number appears to be very great ;" and it is suggested that a strict examination should be made into the necessity of keeping up so many." If we sat in committee in Wellington Street,with power to "send for and examine persons mid papers," it should go hard but we would render a more specific account, saying either that they could be reduced, or they could riot; or if we could not tell, we would at least say why.

BARRACKS.

.3 3 AlInvent re 15

1 g 1Na:odor,-

ter. n0.I sor-

rel Barrack. emit.. And . 1 .' Per- Building nuoter.' tod„..-intl.m.,ney nutrient nod Expentli- to t■fticern ttod Z Z Snlarieo. 11elmino, lore. ether.. Total.

GRFAT BRITAIN, A A A A

(li:WI:1111 i)i,trict 3 13 941 3 534 2.03 t Dover Dndril t 4 14 1.023 iI.349 592 1,./..4.f. 4tfti.,:i;4■4911 Dere:wort Iiistrict 9 93 1677 2.567 1.3-0 11:iodern WO rict 3 6 433 333 i'33 ,t.L. .iiiiertio. alai Alderney 2 7 :334 1104 313 1.• tir 1 4 277 392 159 Jersey 5.1 ,-71 1,,,ndan Dia rint 15 29 1.431 9.398 3,537 2-t 14 nt; Worthern f Tcreporary 2 \ ,I I i!tit rili 1, Derma:lent „ ut j .' 9,171 4,704 4 099 473 11 rat 1.1t+,.11 1):31I.Lt 19 n.) 1:.:57 3,4-3 2,111 L11 s'■ .... ro..,A 1 " 04 6 133 194 6 seoiliiiiii. 1.4 L9 1.'.13-1 :1 :55 2.974,.',.t7t i0,3L3 Woolw:eh ',h.!) ict 3 14 7 i':■ :1556 7,3 4: Weedun 11151-1-t 3 11 14 3.4 i9 1.014 96

- -- --- .___

MIA '''' 201 14.0,4 33,633 21,;•.,0 3 •:-•'.i -- - -- —. _ a.matieled oay to io:741:,so 51meeri.e4d933) esd Pay to Clerhi Winks, Sze. (to.';".73'.: u StIpt.riutvt.■11.4 '.v....ks and itepa1r.i.- 1 upwards of 40 ',creel-J.0u tile outlay of £39,e43, or 4 times as

priv..de charges .X•r.

'I'. ti of Barracks in Great 13si0alsi ;

X 4:

I.,ios,o, I);strict

43 3:35 12,371 I kter li:siriet 13

1.239 4,414

Munster District 52 3..07 10.393 f onnsught Dist net 24 1,119 3,014 1 odging Money to Oiliness and others .

T, tat y3

9,533

30,000

A•!.ii'ional Pay to Engineer ()likers (X1,067) and pay to Clerks Works, &e. (4:2.963) in Saperintending " Works awl Bo- pairs," being rather more than 13 pnr cent, or not quite treble the

aniona of private charge Total of Barracks in Ireland

Cc7.0:41ra,

540 169 01) 590 161 273 159 591 232 513 61 1.063

463 204 1.179 204 760 256 1,1.96

270

433 5227

S3

51.1

15.0 1,744

1,041 1.909

e56 1,607

15,415 74,352

.1,13,3ional Pay to Engineer Officers (.0,131) awl pay to Clerks of el.arge

the Works. tga. (4'8 23.)) in Superintending Works and Re- pairs "itetig about 36 per cent., or 6 time* the amount of a private

16,570 Total sponse of Barracks in the Colonies £94,9::2 REDUCTION OF NUMBERS.

Thus far we have spoken only of reductions that diminish the cost but not the strength of the service. Let Ile now show the retrench- ment that might be effected by reducing the numbers of the troops.

Tie distribution of our Army is threefold,—in Great Britain, Ireland, and he Colonies ; the two last being the great source of' expense. As the populace are less brutal and ignorant than of yore, and its most large towns have a more numerous and a better-organized police than firirerly,—that of London, indeed, being monerinally as strong as five hatt: lions of the full war standard,—it would appear as if fearer soldiers aere requisite in Great Britain, or at least fewer Guards, which, so far as they are of use, are useful only for the purposes of a regimeetal police. Passing ads, however, we will confine our remarks to the Colonies, and Ireland ; having first taken a view of the strength and dbtribution of our Army.

DISTRIBUTION OF THE LAND FORCES ON 1ST FF.BE.UAILY

Foie "Egablishwent," or Paper S,renyh.

Crannin.. ineludina

(1 rent Ilritnn. Irellnd. Truer. on Proolge. Cavalry (rank and file) 4 0.3 2.124 • ' • 2,700

reot 14 touts

Ii. Silty or tlie 1,:no 12.75) 16,103 Vetioan, Colonial. and African Corps ....

Totals of talk and file 21,5(2 18;,71 37,761 " Electives " or Aetna! Numb, rs. Civraily (rank and file) 4,536 1,877

;R/7 543 Inkonry or the Line 14,774 11,079

Veteran, Colonial, and African Corps ....

' • • • 4.641 Totals of rank and file 18,821 16.501 33.430 • Paid Ey the East India Company. 5..4 • •,.•

77

.t 7.992 315 21 -.16 2.434 1,, 1 6 117 409 10:12 3

1.:o 1,000

17,865 i..i 59,669 Antigua l'oisbadoes

Itaharoas 1Mrmlida ilerbice

oulaaa.Montreal Isle

t1ape of Good Demerara

Dominica siihraliar .

thindsia ; .1..eatica dta

foutallai NU'a SeCt ia

Sit, Helena St, Luria S•. Vito-eat sh.rra Leone

'ft iii go

Ttinniad Quelme ingstou

11iti 0, New W,,rksat Suaian lelitla

St. Christopher

710teri:

District

lltZ Not%

Dope

Halifax N. Brunsw irk Prince Ed.

ward's 1 slarcl Aunnpolit

Total 3 4 3 2 4 19 1 19 6 8

2 it

7

4 2 5 4

••

1

. •

2 it it it

3 113 --

• • • •

292

411 247 239

Ill 7,9

635

4,3

934

323 273 676 223 2.4.5 6.5

6■•15 549

84

475

247

• • • • 274 226 229 330 229 271 5.400 2,000 1,710 131 932

1.000 1,S i

4:55 73 3.920 501) 2.760 1,183 2,944

S99 660 2.941 4,369

1,426

2.422

1,s75 676

20

8.7

1.320 461 599 1,521 4134 1,077 10,111 53526 63 53 159 9:11 220 Si) 139 316

4.476

#63,705 6,149 :1 1.4-J 1 4 i

3,3

004

1.093 1.i.k 2 347 1.60

2.7ve 1,159 610

32.353

17.1-0 2,702 237,-A

• • •

14,944

17,646

IN• VON& ' It will be seen that the Colonies require nearly as many men /12 Great Britain and Ireland put together. If we had a :Minister with the capacity of a statesman, we should call upon him to briisg. forward Ii comprehensive plan of Colonial reform, by which, in return;for local selfgovenuneot and freedom from the trammels of irresponailde-cffi- cial subordinates, the larger Colonies would be induced to maintain what troops they required. It would then only be necessary to pro- vide soldiers for such possessions as are rather garrisons than colbtfies ; which might enable us to effect a reduction of from fifteen to twenty thous:and men, and remove the discontent now rankling in so many set dements. But we have to such "mariner of man ;" and must be content to pay neo y hundred thousands annually to back the " fantastic tricks " of the Colonial Office, until time and opportunity shall enable tile larger Colonies to play the game of the American Revolutiom But uith Ireland there are no difficulties to ma:muter. Uuder the rtie a former governors, a force much larger than suffices for Eneland and ScutIond was necessary to keep down the " abet s," for they could only he restrained by the baymmt. But Lord Mur.GRAVE.S popular wiii.iiii,tration has put an end to this necessity. Aceording to the 11%:if;, 1,1 60%1:MI1111a, " Iit hand UTIder d i i 11.GII A WS nttlti " is as pioveable as Great Brinaio, N% it h as little reason to dread populur out- fir. .:;;_perhaps os lib les,, emisidering the Imanburoiogs on he new Pocr-law, fomented by Tory i tat iun. Let Alinisters.ffen, at once place e Irish militury estahlisium tit on a similar footing to that of Great Eritain. Iu this ',. ay, Nt c should have a tongible result of their Iri41 pti!icy, 55 huh hos hitherte le en so barren. Lord LINPIIr BST C0I114 no longer Vault them with avir performance beiog like the mselves- nothing. An: NV11111: is 1110T.', they would put an ti rost impassable gulf betaveen tl:e Tories and office. The populatien of Ireland is scarcely half that of Great Britain, and it should do with half the troops. This weuld enuble the Ministry to dismiss ten thousand men : but let them only disband twelve regiments, and expend the net quarter of a million they would save, for the benefit of Ireland, instead or waiting till it shall please the Lords to pass " the great mea- sure," and then availing till " Death " shall realize a paltry .50,000/. from the Appropriation plan. Let them do this, as an contest ofei:il pr ac- 10.01 benefits; and the 'furies will be far emmeh from office in d

of the elections, or they could only take office upon the principle of " doing justive to Ireland." An addition to the Estin:ates is a point that would be brought palpably hcme to the opprehensiens and pockets of the most prejudiced Englishman. The Tories would even shock their friends if their first demand upon the nation must be for twelve regiments of bayonets, to keep them in place.

SO much for the pecuniary part of Military Expenditure. Lat us recapitulate what we have suggested.

First and foremost, consolidate the official departments—make the bead of the Army responsible to Parliament Unit public opinion ; and save 70,0001. a year. Discontinue sinecures—get rid of Colonels who never sce their regiments, and by the rules of the service could do nothing if they did, as well as the second Majors, who for miliony pur- poses are as useless as Colonels ; and retrench ItitikaA per ii11111.1117. Reduce the subalterns throughout the Army, especially in the Cavalry ard the Guards, to something like the proper proportion of officers to men ; and save 20000/. at least. Do one justice to Ireland—cease to insult her by dragooning her like a conquered country ; reduce her military colonies to something like the proportion of the soldiers in Great Britain ; and spend the quarter of a million for her advantage, instead of deluding her with Irish Tithe Bills. Examine the Contin- gencies, abolish the Agency; and retrench by this at least 66.0001. Thoroughly investigate the Ordnance, %%here abuses and jobbing seem rife ; and probably our moderate suggestion of 100,0001. may be duuilled. At all events, in this enumeration alone, there are reductions to the extent of 9O006/. a year—make it a million.

Who, it may be said, can do Otis ?—The :Ministers. And Army Reform is a mensure resting entirely with the Ministers to take up. They alone can have sufficieut knowledge of the subject in its multifarious details ; they alooe can have the means of sileneing, by the fulness of their information, the military oracles who affect to monopolize all knowledge, and to frown down civilians who presume to touch that which is tobooed. Measures of general policy may be introduced by individuals, and successfully carried through ; but the Duke of Widdiscrox himself, if he had the reforming zeal of ifests: in his best days, or the youthful energy of Mouswoalas at present, might be checked on a detail by an office clerk.

But if the 'Ministers will not take up the question, then it is the bounden duty of Liberal Members to force it upon them. We have shown how vast is the field of abuse; but we are very far from having exhausted it ; and, with so many other claims pressing upon our atten- tion, it is of course impossible that we can dudy it as might be done by a legislator who could devote himself to its mastery. A Member of Parliament Ins also greater Menlis of procuring information than a journalist. He has channels of private ioformation to which we have no access: where the public returns are deficient, be can move for fresh ones, and set the whole legislative machine in motion to perfect his case.

When Army Reform, however, is brought before Parliament, it must be done comprelan,irdy, to he done with effect. It is of no use pottering about small matters. Should, for instance, the Colonelships alone be talked of, "highs military authorities "—that is, the authorities of Colonels—will be brought forward to prove the advantage of these offices; and the argument of infallibility, so pleasant to idleoess, will be coupled with the comparative smallness of the sum to be saved. Nor should the direct expenses alone be looked at, but the ramifications of the system traced to the heavy half-pay in the Dead-weight, and the useless expenditure of the actual service. But the moral effects are more importantthan the mere money, considerable even as that is ; those effeets by which the fribbles and the rabble are combined together to form a caste of sworders iii the midst of citizens, from whom they are alienated by law and prejudice—whom they regard with something ap- proaching to contempt—and from whom they are more distinctly sepa- rated, in this jealous anti-martial nation, than in the most military aid despotic governments of the Continent.