The Express.
London, England, 1859-12-26 00:00:00

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LONDON. MONDAY. DSC U.

Ir we are ever to have den with the esandal and
ignominy of recurring ponies as to our national,
safety, we must make up one minds once and for all
to establish a permanent force on which we eau
always rely for national defence ; we most make up
our minds that it shall be not only adequate to meet
all comers, but safe to keep amongst us; and having
got it, we must be prepared to pay for it suitably.
Permanent military forces are of two kinds: &stand-
ing army, and an army that is not kept perpetually
standing to its arms. For purpcsee of foreign war,
for purposes also of empire, of menace to ambitious
rivals, and of aid to distant dependencies when sore
beset by local disaffection or danger from without, a
standing army is indispensable. For military show
at home, and to serve as an example of superb
drill, accoutrement, and evolution, a certain
proportion of the regular army is thought necessary
to be kept at hams ; and as we have no
desire to argue about unessentials, we are willing to
say—be it so. But to lay upon the Guards and the
levy et regiments of the Line distributed throughout
the Gaited Kingdom the exclusive burden of its de-
fame against the serried myrmidons of military
despotism, would be as unjust to those gallant soi-
diers as it would be unwise. " Whatever men can,
u they will do ;" but we have no right to expect
them to do impossibilities. Well led and well sup-
ported, we have no doubt of their being able to
repel any invader, come whence he may; but they
must be efficiently supported as well as ably led.'
Heroic feats, like those of Thermopylie, are all very
well in school histories; but a great and rich people
have no right to plot the perpetration of such semi-
time. They have no right to hope that their boas
wilt be defended, and their land kept sacred fries the
invader's tread, by the forlorn and desperate valour of
brave but outnumbered troops. The country has no
right to dawn its defenders: every instinct of self-
preservation and of honour forbids It.

But then comes the question, what manner of per-
manent force shell we have for domestic service!
It is no disparagemeot of the 'ignite army to say
that the country thinks it is already sufficiently
harp. With ea additional battalion of this or the
other regiment armed in a pecsliar way or fit for
some portlier genies nobody will quarrel. We
have • notion, too, that the rank and file of the
Artillery ought to be augmented ; and, generally, it
may be said that there is no desire to question esp.
tiously any moderate intrigue that can be dawn to
be actually necessary to complete the efEcieney of any
arm of the regular service. Bat public opinion will
sever be brought to endure the domiciliation in
England of 100,000 troop of the line. Economically
rep►ded, it •uuld be a waste of national resources
wholly unpardonable; politically considered, it
would be to habitu►te Government and people to the
presence of a paramount force that would be
utterly intolerable. Very convenient, very handy,
very useful, in a certain sense, it might be; but it
would hare about it this one damning fault, that it
would make sheer con•ense of our popular eosetitu-
tioo. It wall not do to say that a sword in the
osabberd can do nobody any harm. It can do no-
body any bum so lung as its ring on the pavement
suggests no thought of its invincibility ; but that
thought, in the minds of a people, even though never
uttered audibly, is death and it is not the deed
wealth. egeilisatioo, art, or sgritalture of a nation
that is best worth defending, but its hue-
hearted, sei f- respecting. self-goversigg power. Had
C11%111.11 1., I.OIES 11., or GLOM' 111. pargraid •
Oufhavot studio, army for all possible pupate of
national defence, without reliance on popular arna
we should not be what we now are, the freest•
the most orderly, and the most prosperous com-
munity in the world. Besides the political
objections, those on tt,e score of expense would
is themselves prove insurmountable. It is
sot merely the pay, food, clothing, and housing i•