The Express.
London, England, 1866-02-23 00:00:00

THE ARMY ESTIMATES.

This morning the estimates of army services, &c.,
from April 1, 1866, to March 31, 1867, were
issued.
The total army estimates for the ensuing year,
effective and non-effective services, amount to
14,005,0001., which is a net decrease as com-
pared with last year of 253,4471. In the
effective services there is a decrease of 119,8561. for
clothing establishments, services, and supplies for
the regular forces ; of 72,1671. for general staff and
regimental pay, dic. ; of 71,0001. on commissariat
establishment ; and of 57,0001. on the items of war-
like stores. On the other side, the vote for the dis-
embodied militia is increased by 56,200/. ; and the
sum for works and buildings at home and abroad
by 30,8001.
The total force, the coat of which Is to be de-
frayed from the army funds during the ensuing
year, numbers, all ranks, 138,117, which is 4,360
lees than in 1865-6. This force is composed as
follows :—Regiments, 128,212 ; depots in the United
Kingdom of regiments in India, 8,983 ; general
staff, 93 ; establishments, 548 ; educational estab-
lishments, 281. Of the total, 7,150 are officers ;
13,454 non-commissioned officers, and 117,513 rank
and file.
A statement printed separately explains the
differences between the amounts and the numbers
as compared with last year. 4,533 men are with-
drawn by the reduction of 41 infantry battalions for
home service, by two companies, less one battalion
returning from India without relief. The Military
Train is reduced by 21 men on withdrawal from New
Zealand and Japan. An increase of 200 is cre-
dited to the Store Staff Corps, which is now
being raised for the purpose of discharging the
various subordinate duties of the store department,
the numbers of clerks and labourers of the depart-
ment being correspondingly reduced. The Army
Hospital Corps is increased by 20, and the instruc-
tors in fencing and musketry by 18.
The amount included in the army estimates for
military purposes in the colonies is altogether
3,004,7141. Canada takes 608,0881. ; Malta,
327,2201. ; Cape of Good Hope, 267,8701. ;
Gibraltar, 278,6741. ; Nova Scotia, 193,3121. ;
New Zealand, 177,055/. ; Windward and Lee-
ward Islands, 127,225/., kai. The probable
amount to be repaid by the several colonies as
colonial contributions in aid of militaryexpeuditure
is estimated at 227,7001., of which sum Ceylon is
set down for 100,000/. ; Mauritius, 45,0001. ; New
Zealand, 33,000/. ; and Australia, 20,0001.

Sir Brook Bridges will move in the House of
Commons, on Tuesday—" That an humble addrees be pre.
muted to her Naiad', conveying to her Majesty the earnest
desire of a large ',scrim of her subjects that a Lord'aday
be specially set apse, for prayer and humiliation, on account
of the national calinn'ty caused by the cattle plague."

The following appears on the parliamentary votes
to-day, as forming part of yesterday's prozeedings in the
Bonne of Commons ii" Elective Franchise Bill—' to extend
the elective franchise for cities and boroughs in England
sad Wales'—presented, aid real the find time ; to be mad
• second time on Wednesday, the 21st of March, and to be
printed."
On the second reading of Fellows of Colleges De-
claration Bill, Mr. Walpole will move that it be read a
sscood time epos this day six months:
. .

Mr. Darby Griffith has remodelled bin question
relative to members' seats. It now runs :—" Mr. Darby
Griffith—To ask the First Comminsioaerof Works, whether,
considering the various shades of political opinion now ex-
isting and likely to prevail still more in future in the
House of Commons, it might not be desirable to arrange
the seats of the house in such manner as should enable
members to locate themselves in more astensihle accordance
then at present with the particuLar cleats of political opinions
to which they might personally incline."

A Dublin telegram announces the death of Mr.
John Carden, of Derain*, in Tipperary, the hero of the
femme Irish abduotion ease.

* THE REv. Silt JOHN PLOZ WOOD.—This gentle-
man died on Wednesday, after a brief illness, at Balboa,
Essex, the seat of his son-in-law, Sir Thomas Leonard. The
eldest of three distinguished brothers, the other two bible
the Vine-Wanoellor Sir William Page Wood, and the late
Mr. Western Wood, be was the son of Sir Matthew Wood,
well known in the city of London as having been its Lord
Mayor twice, and its repreeentative in nine s•ooessive par-
liaments. Air John Wood was born in 1796, studied at
Ambridge, entered into holy orders, and was vicar of
Crewing, in Essex, as well as renter of St. Peter's, Coro-
hill, Highly cultivated, of • noble presence, of warm
heart, of great social faculty, and of unaffected piety, he
was one of the best specimens of a type of clergymen who
were never •ery common and are now fat d;sippearing—
those who combine in ►heir purity the diameter of a pried
, with that of the fine old Regal& country gentleman--
Times.