The Express.
London, England, 1852-02-09 00:00:00

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TO CORRESPONDENTS.

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RION WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Tim Dav—lforsies. 46. Sba,—....Ahreases, 41. Wm.
itfwviassw—Murikaig. SI. 41a.

LONDON, MONDAY; FEBRUARY 9.
MILITARY administration is notoriously the weak
point of constitutional monarchies. It is not neces-
sary to go far to peek the cause of this weaknees; it
to be found in the division of the powers of the
Mate. In absolute governments the army and navy
are the tools of the despot, and he has personally the
greatest interest in their thorough efficiency and eco-
nomy. The same power that supports them is able
to wield them without restraint to the working out
of his will. They exist only to be the ready instru-
ments of his wishes; if not tit for immediate and
energetic service. what motive has he for maintain-
ing them ? On the other hand, whatever is saved
is their cost is so much gained for his own
treasury; clwapness, combined with the requisite
afficieney, is fur an absolute sovereign the natural
and paramount law of military administration.
The caw is wholly different in constitutional Bri-
tain. Perliament pays fur the army, and is the vir-
tual arbiter of war and peace. She executive his
nothing but the management of the forces; and un-
able to employ them to gratify its ambition, com-
pensates itself with the secondary but immense
advantages of obtaining profit and honours from the
conduct of the public service. Hence the jealousy
so steadily shown of the interference of parliament ; '
the struggle to withdraw the internal economy of the
naval and military forces from the scrutiny of the
legislature: the vagueness of the motives assigned
fur their number and distribution; the mystifying of
accounts; the jobb' re, and the plausible reasons with
which an appead to the theory of the constitution is
ever made to cover it.
Such being the palpable defect in our form of go-
vernment. what has been done to provide a remedy?
The grand and gloriousfests of indiscriminate though
licensed ',hinder have partially retired before the
advance of reform, and, still more, of an enlightened
raps: but the full light of day is far yet from having
dispelled the darkness. Jobbing, if more moderate
and de emus, is still most real, and most injurious to
the commonwealth. The whole nation lies been
startled by the revelations which the sudden alarm
of an invasion has disclosed. Dockyards without
'ship—fleet*, and no vomits to protect our shores—
men without guns, and guns without men—artillery
without homes --a vast army, and no soldiers to repel
an invader--costly steamers that will not transport
troops—soldiers with muskets which an enemy ridi-
cules—provisions which no one can eat—a huge
expenditure gigantic establishments, but enor-
mous waste —no safety, no efficiency, no
security
.against the most fearful dangers—
aod, as it is stated, nothing but the omission of the
foe to make a surprise at the right moment has
prevented even the national independence from being
bought into jeopardy.
The people of England arc astonished; they can
hardly credit the enormity of the neglect of duty
they are scandalised, indignant, angry; but will
their alarm and their anger insist on a lasting
remedy? Will they take some effectual guarantee
that such things shall never be again ? Ales, it is
far more probable that the executive will imitate the
willow, and with the true aristocratic instinct which
distinguished the Roman senate, will bend but not
break. Our fleets will be recalled from the harbours
in which they are idling; steamers will bo paraded
about the coast ; new rifles will be bought for
the troops; a few superficial reforms:will be ostenta-
tiously displayed; even fresh materials for profit
and mismanagement will be extorted from our fears
by a needless increase of our forces. But not a prin.
ciple of official administration will be conceded; the
eye of parliament will not be suffered to pry into
the mysteries of Whitehall ; the buffer of a parlia-
mentary committee will be interposed between the
country and the government; and the control of the
army and navy will be retained by the same hands
as before. And these events will run again through
the same cycle : the public will get over its fright, and
fall into the slumber of security; jobbery and routine
will resume their ancient dominion: old age and in.
competency will emasculate our military strength:
and whatever danger we may have now been actu-
ally exposed to will return on some future occasion
as real and as formidable as ever.

It cannot be denied that the reformed parliament
has somewhat disappointed in this respect the hopes
of the nation, though nut wholly without the
fault of the people themselves. A thorough venti-
lating and setting to rights of our naval
and military administrations were among the highest
benefits announced as sure to flow from a reformed
representation; it is marvellous what little progress
has been made, in spite of • growing intelligence in
the country, and an immensely developed press.
It is not difficult to perceive some of the causes of
this phenomenon. As yet reform has hardly made
any change in the men who fill the cabinet and
rule the empire. The same class of personages still
alternate in office ; their habits are little altered; and
the opposition are as careful not to offend against
the precedents and customs of office as those who are
in power. On neither side is there a hearty desire
to curtail the patronage and privileges of office; still
leas is there a resolute will to brave the resistance of
the administrators down to the lowest rank of our
great establishments, and to carry out through
obloquy and odium, and at as infinite cost of patriotic
labour, a searching reform upon principle.
Nor is this all. Ministerial respouilility has been
materially diminished ; the bonds of party have
bmonse weaker: and parties now do not pewees a
distinct character and credit, as official men, which
they seed be solicitous to maintain. Official experi-
ence and capacity used to be the great vaunt of the
twins, and was thought reason enough for keeping
eat the whips. Whilst such was the feeling a repu-
tation for official ability was highly prized, and offi-
eial blenders and mismanagement felt to be disgrace-
ful and injurious. Much of all this is changed.
Governments have learnt to accustom themselves to
defeats; and men who keep hold of the rale of the
*entry simply because no others are prepared to take
their' pleas, have grown callous to purely official
reputation, ant' listen without emotion to the expo-
sure of the grossest administrative incapacity. To pro-
penis for reform they oppose a naked vis inertice ;
why should they be at the trouble of active oppo-
sition where their power is esfe,whatever vote may be
mass to?

POT all this the public service pays the penalty.
And to some extent this is a just punishment. The
=leare not entirely blameless. They have not
a point of obtaining a thorough revision of our
military administration; and have failed to give
• support to those who were 'willing to fight
the Mttle in parliament. Even the parliamentary
shempions have been deR cicnt in that singleness of view
and esecentroted action which alone ensure success.
Bet the present panic, with its alarming disclosures,
awe r oppertnnity of winning a great constitu-
thweloishrty. Let the leaders in the House of Corn-
eae= show thee it is not security against any pre-
sent &anger which is needed, but a fundamental
Amp in the a exent of our naval and military
asevieme: real sad &abiding guarantees for elicieney,
tree respormaility to the eatstey, a mare direct
sehmdleetion to parliament,eee.dU. kr the proper
of those vast 1101111111111 wlia the apentry
Litlibeccialticllyi contributes, but whisk geese Witty mad
shamefully wasted. Let the frittedsofthe
claim that nothing but a reconstructioaaflhees
aloe., to whatever length it may be to
carry it, can prevent the mummer a ewe disgrace
and peril as we have now pawed dames. Let
them not be put off with pat liamenteryeammittem of
inquiry, to tire out the public real, sad to Wee re-
pmts when all the world have ceased to feel interest.
but let them pursue the objects as matters of primary
importance; let theta stake their support of govern-
ment on its compliance with the public desire: let
them do this, and the evil will soon be remedied.

RRrola OF TUE ST. ALBANS' BRIBERY COMM-
stoic—TM report of Mtwara. Blade, Fonyth, and Phinn,
who ewe appointed a onantheloa to inquire into the eir-
inininlassai the recast election at Bt. Albans. het
just bees . It is ea elaborate or the
salaam% ye Wished daily as it was on, bat
Goss an salmis ow as sicammadatiess.