The Express.
London, England, 1858-02-16 00:00:00

THE EXPRES:4, TUESDAY EV

India, and 130,135 out of India) will be 222,871. This '
h not an Army at all equal in numerical forms to the
armies of the Continent of Europe; bat it is a fares
which for efficiency, variety of service, for encbtranes
of hardships, for valour and hehism, has ne►er been
surpassed in the world's history.
It is, perhaps, the largest Royal Army ever pos-
sessed by the Crown in a state of European peace.
Yet, large as it is, it does not byany means exhaust
the military force of this country ; for to it we must
add the Militia embodied and to be kept embodied
during the year 1858.9; and as we can hardly put
this down at less than 30,000 men, the total military
strength of this country (exclusively of what still
remains of the native armies of India) will certainly,
on paper at least, reach 250,000. What may
be the total cost of this Army to the people of
England and of India, is a question well worth
ascertaining before entering on a consideration of
the Army Estimates for 1868-9.
The practical question of primary importance
arisingout of these Estimates is, whether under all cir-
cumstances the increase of 3,000 men for the QUEEN'S
Army, voted by Parliament, is too large ? On
that point there can, we think, be no doubt that it is
not too great. The doubt, if any, is rather whether,
with the prospect of prolonged hostilities in India,
of a continued drain on our military resources, and
of a complete change of military policy impending
over India, an increase of only 3,000 be sufficient in
the present state of Europe. It is true that Lord
PANMC RE may appeal to the large Militia reserve''
en which he can fall back ; but it is a reserve on
which, IS compared with the QUEEN'S troops,
too much reliance must not be placed. From the force
of circumstances, over which this country has no
control, the Anglo-French alliance is gradually
ceasiug to be a security on which it would be safe
to rest with too implicit a confidence. There is
in France an enormous military force, which is
more and more dominating over the policy,
acid wielding the destinies', of our neighbours.
That army has already gnashed its teeth at
England. Even those, therefore, who are least
given to alarm must admit that it is our duty to be
reasonably, not exaggeratedly, prepared for self-
defence. When we reflect, too, that 9,000 of the
30,000 men to be voted consist of colonial corps of
no value whatever to Europe, when we consider
the immense colonial demands for Imperial protec•
tion, and the large reserve we must necessarily
keep in hand for Indian requirements, it must at
least be admitted that an increase of 3,000 men does
not err on the side of excess.

But quite admitting that the increase in men is
not objectionable, it by no means follows that the
expenditure proposed br 1868-9 is to be approved
of ; and when we find an army of only 130,000 men
oosting eleven millions and a half sterling, the great
problem for the Haase of Commons to solve is how
to get more for that enormous sum of money. But
to look at the rate of expenditure proposed, economy
in this respect appears hopeless. Under almost every
head the projected expenditure of 1868-9 is in excess
of that of 1857-8. Wages of artificers and labourers
have to cost 206,4491. more ; clothing, 270,8901. ;
provisions, 125,7241. ; bricks and mortar, 130,8581. ;
fortifications and warlike stores nearly 100,0001,
more ; and, if the pay and allowances of the Land
Forces appear to be less, it is only because there was
• saving in the year 1867-8 which is carried to ac-
count, and from the larger payments to be received
at home from the East India Company.
The present, we shall of course be told, is not •
fitting time for a Committee to examine and report
on the Army Estimates ; but this is certain, that if,
on the next period of financial pressure on the
country, advantage is not taken to put a stop to in-
effective military expenditure, our new-born military
ardour will half ruin the nation before it exhausts
its force.

eDe Court.

Ths Duchess of Kent visited the Queen yester-
day. at Buckingham Paler.
The •iee Coneort presided, yeaterday, at a manta( of
the Cora of the Daly of Contrail, held at the Hua)-
otliok Delkisitutia-sete, St. Jasess-pask. There wars
also present tbs Viscount kionck, the Attorney-Geseral
Mr. slemulder , the Treasurer, Colossi the Hon. C. B.
Phima sad the Searrary, Yr. J. B. Gardiner.
The Hon. H. B. W. Brand attended, and took the oaths as
his appointment as Beeper of the Privy Seal, in the room of
Figment Maack, resigned.
The Prier Consort rode on horseback nnth the Pt ;nap of
Weiss, allandoi by Colonel F. H. Seymour.
Prise Arthur, and the Primoreas Helena sad Louisa,
leak a drive ta ea ogee rare sad bar.
The Qeesa's thaw party les%ded the Dualism of Errales,
sad the Prises of Wales, the Haseverisa IMLlnieur, the
Dania Yiniseer, Lety Aura Marla Darman, Bari and
Sir Hairy
Cameos Iheshope
Oildr. Sine* and Mr , Lord and Lolly Ceithister, Lord end
Lay beaky of Aldry, Lord red Lady Overlook Colonel
.
The Duelers of Heat visited the Nehru of Cambridge
yritrday, at bar reekismos i. St leash Pram

Miscued's, yore remind peawlay sit the Colcadal-ofre
hem the Goviesers al Haag Was C.eylaa, sad the
Mauritius.

The Jadiaial Committee of the Privy Council sat yester-
day. An appeal, " Bowes v. the City of Toronto " (Canada),
part heard, was concladod. An appeal, " Ondndhur Pars-
had v. &owl& Romanis" (13eagal), part heard., was con-
cluded. An appeal "Oaten v. Scott" (Ifewliouth Wales),
was . the Lards Jade's' Knight Brute
and ranter' the ChaneeYoe of the Duchy of Cornwall, sad
thr J. Dodaan.

His Excellency Rear-Admiral Van Deanna, the
newly-appointed Danish minister at this court, has taken
a =melon, No. 7, Lowndes•equare, at wbich place the bud•
ass of the lagskion will in future be conducted.

His Excellency Count Adolphe Dubsky (Lord
Chusterlain to hie Majesty the Emperor of Amide), so-
compenied by his brother, the Count Victor Dubsky, arrived
at the Brunswick Hotel, Bt. James's, on Saturday, from
Vienna.

Baron and Barnum Btutterheim have left Fen-
ton's Hotel for Oerrouty.

Sir C. R. itaahont, Bart., the Hon. Lady Itaahoat,
Mks Boehm; sad Mime Pamela Ilmehoat, have YA Pam Ma's
Hotel for EMMY=Ia, Olaememerahlm.

Sir Paid and Lady Hunter have arrived at
Claridge's Hotel from Mordants. Hill, Berks.
Mr. and the Hon. Mn. Hamilton Beckett have
arrived at their new residence, 66, Rutland-gate.
Mr. Gordon, M.P., and the Hon. Mn. Gorton
and family, have mired at 19, HUI-street, for t►e eased