The Express.
London, England, 1849-03-02 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 2, 1849.

support the poor which it creates. But what benefit
Mr. DIRIABLeII proposal could bring, even to the land-
lords of agricultiral districts, much less to the farmer, is
what we can in nowise conceive, unless a national
rate be part of his scheme. And eves then, we are not
certain that purely agricultural districts would be
pins's. At all events, the examining, metering, die-
easing, and arranging the reform of local taxation
mast be an affair of years, and the bringing it for
ward is simply a tick for shelving the repeal of the
malt tax, and putting the farmers off the scent of
practical relief, to pat them in pursuit of visionary
and unattainable aims.

Mr. Disissi.fs motion is, in truth, a Aegis in poll-
tioal;seceicoy and in the science of taxation, fitter, in
its present she, for a professor's chair or a statis-
tician's closet, than for the bulimia of parliament. It,
however, serves the protectionist purpose, which is
to sow enmity between town and country, to
set rustic against civic class, to prevent
the aggrieved of the one from trusting to the
reformers of the other, and thus keeping the great
middle and industrious class divided, so that farmer
and citizen may not make common cause against the
prodigality and jobbery and eternal trickery of those,
who monopolise the government of the country and
tarn it to profit.
But however we may pity the farmers and compas-
sionate them u the most egregious dupes that ever
followed blind or interested leaders, we still rejoice
in the diecumion. Sorry as we are to see the repeal
of the malt tax barked, and that by the farmers'
friends, still there may be light thrown and good
elicited by a discussion of the question of local
' taxation. Too much cannot be said or debated
at the present time on the subject of taxes.
The more the public probes them, knows them,
feels them, and inquires into them, the better.
Let all know and say how much they are burthened,
and we will be bound that it will not be long
possible to continue our present burdens. The prr
tectionists are not prepared to lighten the mass of that
weight. They would merely change it from their
own shoulders to others' ; to shirk their own share,not
alleviate the share of all, is their motto. They would
not spare an admiral, nor a regiment, nor a colonial
governor—no, not to save the backs of every English
farmer and English citizen from breaking. Bat
it matters little what they wish. All we ask of them
is to stir, to discuss, to debate, to agitate these taxing
questions. Public opinion will advance, and do
the rest.

Tin House of Commons goes into committee this
evening on the navy estimates. Previous to being
called upon to discuss the estimates of any one branch
of the defensive service in detail, the House of Commons

ought to have been allowed an opportunity of comparing
its whole force and cost for the year with what the
aspect of our foreign relations renders it probable
may be required, and with what the state of the
general finances shows the public can afford. The
Secretaries of State (or one of them delegated to per-
form this duty) ought to have explained why so many
soldiers, artillerymen, engineers, ships, and sailors
WO required; the CHANCELLOR OP THE EXCHEQUER
ought to have explained upon what grounds he thinks
the nation can afford to support so many of
them. Possessed of such information the Hone of

Commons would be able to decide in general what
strength of defensive armament was likely to be ade-
quate to the year's exigencies; and in particular
whether, with to many soldiers, we might not dis-
pense with some of the ships asked by ministers; or,
with so many ships, dispense with some of the soldiers
and artillerymen. Of the 126,303 effective rank and
tile in the pay of Great Britain (and the East India
Company) on the let of January 1849, there were
60,360 at home; 27,775 in the Company's service;
and 37,178 in the colonies or military dependencies.
It is possible that of the 64,963 soldiers serving abroad,
sad of the ships crews on the seven foreign stations,
some may be in reality two sets of men doing the duty
of one. This can only be ascertained by a preliminary
exposition of the whole amount of our defensive
requirements for the year : but such a general state-
ment ministers will not submit to the House of

Commons; which is required to discusi the navy,army,
and ordnance estimates apart, without the power to in-
quire how far one establishment may be made supple-
mentary to, or a substitute for, the other. This is not
very business-like, but it is only in keeping with the
refusal to put the house in possession of a general
approximate view of the means of the year, before it
is called to vote the annual expenditure.
Mr. Harts and the rest of the financial reformers,
must therefore, for this year at least, fight the battle
of economy as best they can. All are aware that the
first vote on the navy estimate will de facto determine
the amount of ell the other votes. It deckles how

many seamen and marines government is to be
authorised to keep in pay during the year. The num-
ber of these determine how many ships government can
keep in commission, what must be the strength of the
central administrative staff, the cost of the various
establishments at home and abroad, the outlay for
victuals, stores, medicines, repairs, and works—in
fact what is to be the whole expenditure.

Mr. Hume, aware of this, has given notice of a mo-
tion that the number of seamen and marines for the
service of the year (39,130 is what the government ask)
be reduced to 36,000. This is no very outrageous re-
quest. The committee of laid elision on the navy estimates
declined to give an opinion as to whether the naval force
maintained of late years has been in excess, on the
ground that its amount and distribution mast be re-
gulated by considerations of general policy, into which
they did not consider themselves authorised to cater.
Yet they could not refrain from delicately hinting
that they thought the number of ships in commission
greater than was required.
It does appear, hem • cursory view et Lord Auckland's
eleteseents. that whatever cause may have led to the ineresms
ef fameesz=etiettler stake, what case the force ham
lama there is too frequently some unfortmoda
blames te fle sabsegesat redeMea. Thee it is ee that
the disturbing". fa New Zeeland, piracy in the Malaeeyan
Beam Wens' in italrlaad, all lead to an imam of
tares sa the stadees eonnoeted with thaw lambda ; bat yet
whea the sang her been detested and lastilities ere et en
end, ether dudes ere Mad kr the ships, and the hem lam
woe required to the eastlaganey of a war remains es the
ressenent enahlinment is time of peen. Tann an
weenies. whoa sash a demmeastrellea snub power may be
a wise ammeeety, bat it le le be howl that tams ereasend-
fog Medias may bo relneeent to with ahem sacs placed
m dish impend ; and ft maims, tpartherein*, • Jan diserami-
made. sad a Ira enemies ef aut. es tits pert of the
home peerammat to replan the ads. Odin Geed Is
sea a ram/ me shall nem the karate deer ammo*
mad pant the distant bssisims of the mown without wi-
ping ea enaseessary bodes ea the finances of this country.
The political view of the question, apoa which the
committee banned to enter, is precisely that which
the Rome el Commons ought to take. Our repre-
sentatives ought to take care that not one ship or man
is employed men than is required. In 1838 ten ships
were domed efficient for the China and India sta-
tion, throe of them at the least being parmanantlageora
the Indian coast, and one shifting
nately between India and China. At pre-
sent we have 'l3 at 14 ship. constantly en the
China station. Yet the Dutch, whose pcamesions in
these seas are more extensive thiamin, and who have
a numerous constinx trade to protect from pintas,
whereas oar commerce is exclusively oartied on in
square-rigged vowels which thin pirates never attack,
contrive to do with one or two liigatos and a few
steamers. The Americans, who are getting all the
coasting trade of China into their bands, contrive
to do with two or three men-of-war. The Bpa6ings,
who have recently given a genre check to Ilhe
%oleo pirates, have no more. And be it remem-
bered that war force of 13 or 14 ships of war la
increased by a strong and efficient daticluant of
war-steamers belonging to the Sant India Company.
The naval force maintained by Great Britain in them
seas is wantonly in excess; and the some might be
shown of every one of the seven stations. In 1996
had 18 ships in the Pacific and on the south-intone
of America; in 1837, we bad 7 in the Pacifist, and 11
on the south-east coast of America. In 1848, we had
12 in the Pacific, and 14 on the south-east coin of
America; and to them must be added 3 at New Zea-
land,",which are now to be permanently employed
among the Australian colonies. A much larger re-
duction than Mr. Hums contemplates might immut-
ably be asked. The Americans have only a small
fleet, but wherever they want a ship, we vs ere to
see one; we have a large fleet, bat wherever a slip is
wanted we may almost be certain beforehand that
there will be none there at the timed is required. Ih
is not the size of a fleet, but the manna in which it
is kept in hand, that determines its iffitelency.
Another motion, of which Mr. licit hoe gives
notice, is that, agreeably to the refeemmundation of the
select committee on the navy eetJawe at last etudes,
the number of admirals trial', be reduced to 100. lib.
Holz to right in tine *Ain the sinourity of