The Express.
London, England, 1866-03-06 00:00:00

TIM MIXT XISTIKATEL

That despite our peace with the world we should I
be paying nearly as mush for our army as both army and
navy coat in days which are not long passed, must
naturally, the Timer thinks, produce a feeling of disap-
pointment, but Lord Hartington by his able and elaborate
statemeet last night showed that he is quite ready to meet
any advocate of economy who may attack him. The
causes which dill maintain the cost of the army at its
former standard are, according to the Secretary of War,
first, the increased price of meat, which his made a con-
siderable increase in the commissariat ; secondly, the ex-
penditure of a larger sum on the militia, in consequence,
of certain charges which it was impossible to control
having falls° due this year ; thirdly, an increase
in the cost of the volunteer force, through the
number of effeetivea having been considerably in-
creased ; and fourthly, the construction of military works.
The Increased expeoditure for the volunteer force at all
events will not be grudged, and all will regard it as satis-
factory that time has brought no weariness to this body,
but that the number is still increasing, and that there must
now be at least a quarter of a million of Englishmen, who
have received some kind of military training through their
connexion with the volunteer body. asoruitiog for the
army unfortunately is not so sueoustal, but possibly the
commission on the subject announced by Lord liartington
will succeed in presenting Inducements to a military
life more attractive to the class from which the army is
recruited.

The Daily New says it is not from the flowing speech of
Lord Harlington, with its inexhaustible repetition of words
poured over a dusty heap of barren facts, that the true
condition of the srmy can be ascertained, but rather from
the intelligent and penetrating though indulgent criticisms

which his statement elicited. Lord Hartingtoo
has already learned to play upon the official
words "apparent' as '
opposed to " real " items of
expenditure with proper dexterity, and the War Depart-
ment certainly surpasses naval administration in their cal-
culaion of " causes over which they have no control." Of
the large increase of oast in the commissariat the publics
will be as little diaposed to compliin as of the increase in
the vote for the volunteers, which implies the steady
growth and permanence of our citizen army ; but
the deficit in our recruits is unfortunately so coestaut
bed progressive that, should it continue at its present
rate a sum in simple arithmetic will tell us i• what
year the British army will have ceased to exist.
The Daily News discountenances with Lord Hartington
the notion of raising the strength of the army by an in-
crease in the rate of bounty, though higher pay may be
another question. There is much good sense in the sag-
gantlets that the term of service should be limited to 10
betted of 12 years, thus leaviog 9 instead of U years' ser-
vice sufficiset to secure a pension ; that part of the latter
term should be served in the militia ; and that greater fa-
cilities should be gives to men of long service aid good
conduct to marry, as they might do without detriment to
the service during the latter term of their home service in
the militia. The receuitine system, in short, will be found
mischievous and out of data Lord Hartington's insurance
that Fenianism in the at my is insignificant and innocuous, is
timely and reassuring.
The Post finds the explanation of our exoessive war expen-
diture in the increase by other States of their army and
navy. Regarding the estimates as • whole, perhaps the
Secretary for War is entitled to take soma credit for having
effected a anise to the anent of about a quarter of a mil-
lion ; but as the tax-paying public will probably look to
net multi, the falling off of the Indian contributon must
be regarded as a necessary item In the entire celeulatien,
and the only real reduction must be set dos a as only a
few thousand pound..
The Teleprapla considers that the Marquis of Hartiogton,
in his emisiently well-bred exposition of last evening, laid
aside all ambition to become a military reformer. Hs
spoke, of course, about " reductios," but he nowhere
woks of it as the mm shoull do who expects to hold in
his hands the future management of this vast branch of our
expenditure. The wholesale economies which public
opinion demands are not possible so long as the House of
Commons is still cumbered with warlike gentlemen burning
for an additional charge upon it. Bat a happier state of
things is now so near that the speech upon the army esti-
mates should have taken colour from the prospect. Relief
is at present denied ; but it should at least have been
earnestly spoken of as desirable. Since that splendid house
garrison, the vo'unteers, rose from the soil, not a penny-
worth of pipeclay nor a postage stamp of reduction has bees
made at the War-offiew. Let the people ponder these things
while the prefatory question of reform is under discassioc.
A nation which, while it recruits • volunteer army is ever-
increasing numbers, sees its standing army diminishing is
everything but cost, has indeed already begun to see the
gravity of the question. By and bye we shall find that for
years our iodustry has been needlessly overburdened ; that
vast standing armies are not n zees'' y to an island ; end
that what you take from the War Secretary and give to the
Chancellor of the Exchequer will be returned with cent. per
cent. interest.
To band over oar difficult subjects to irresponsible com-
missioner, is, the Star remarks, a growing fashion in
England ; but it does not object that the question of
recruiting should so be dealt with. An ample supply of
recruits is never a very good sign ; and the Star agrees with
Mr. O'Reilly that the army is not yet reduced below a
justifiable minimum. Indeed if the war deportment would
undertake a re-distribution of the forces • still smaller
number would prove adequate.