The Express.
London, England, 1861-07-13 00:00:00

THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON COLONIAL

MILITARY RXPENDITURR.

This morning the report was published of the
select committee appointed to inquire whether any altera-
tions may be advantageously adopted in regard to the
defence of the British dependencies, and the proportions of
coat of such defence as now defrayed from imperial and
colonial funds respectively. The committee are of opinion,
amongst other matters, that no uniform rule as to the cost
or mode of their military defence can be laid down which
shall be applicable alike to communities so various as those
which compose the British colonial empire, but that as to
what are calledthe second-class of depeodencies the responsi-
bility and main cost of their defence properly devolves on
the imperial government. The cost of the dependencies pro-
perly called colonies ought, the committee think, to devolve
mainly on themselves. They submit the following further
suggestions as arising from the evidence laid before them :
That it is inexpedient that the proportions of cost of colonial
defence to be borne by the imperial and colonial govern.
ments respectively should be the subject of negotiations
with the various dependencies, but that evidence has been
given tending to show that the mode of proceeding adopted
by Lord Grey in 1851, in announcing to the Australian
colonies the terms on which alone imperial troops could be
sent there, may be gradually applied to other dependencies.
That in the ease of the Australian colonies, comprised in
the first class, the number of imperial troops, as shown in
the above table, ought to be reduced. That with respect
to New Zealand, while it may nut be right, under all cir-
cumstances, to withhold from the settlers in that colony
assistance in protecting themselves against the attacks of
active tribes, so long as the impenal.government retains
a control over native policy ; their principal reliance ought
to be on their own resources. That with respect to the
South African colonies, and all those similarly ciretun-
stewed dependencies which contain large European popula-
tions, their security spied warlike tribes or domestic dis-
turbances should be provided for, as far as possible, by
means of local efforts and local organisation ; and that the
main object of any system adopted by this country should
be to encourage such efforts, not merely with a view to
diminish imperial expenditure, but for the still more im-
portant purpose of stimulatiug the spirit of self-reliance in
colonial communities. That the settlers in South Africa
should be called upon to contribute a larger sum than they
do at present towards the military expenditure of those
colonies. That the expense of the troops in Ceylon should
be in a greater degree borne by the colonial treasury.
With respect to the West ludic's, in appear' that about
4,200 troops (consisting of European and coloured regiments,
in nearly equal proportions), are now maintained there,
mainly for the purpose of securing those colonies against
internal disorder; that the defence in time of war of these
possessions of the British crown, as well as of the other
distant colonies, must be pnocipelly naval, and that it is
for many reasons inexpedient that the duty of a local police
should be performed by scattered detachments of imperial
troops, at the cost of this country; it is therefore, in the
opinion of your committee, desirable that, due regard being
had to the peculiar circumstances of these colonies, the
force now maintained in them should be gradually reduced.
Your committee are further of opinion that the multiplies.
tion of fortified places and the erection of fortifications in
distant colonial possessions, such as Mauritius, on • scale
requiring for their defence • far greater number of men than
could be spared for them in the event of war, involve a me-
lees expenditure, and fail to provide an efficient protection for
places, the defence of which mainly depends on superiority at
sea. In conclusion, your committee submit that the tendency
of modern warfare is to strike blows at the heart of a hostile
power; and that it is therefore desirable to concentrate the
troops required for the defence of the United Kingdom as
much as possible, and to trust mainly to naval supremacy
for securing against foreign aggression the distant depen-
dencies of the empire.

The President and Fellows of the Royal College
of Physicians have issued cards for an evening reception on
Wednesday next, July 17, at the rooms in Pall Mall
East.

The name of the late Sir Francis Palgrare before
his conversion from Judaism wee Cohen. The Master of
the Rolls has appointed Mr. T. Duthie Hardy Assistant-
Keeper of the Public Records in the place of the deceased.
Mr. George \Wicks, formerly head of the large
American firm of George Wilde. and Co., died suddenly on
Thursday, at Manchester, where he has been for many years
engaged in busicess and held in much regard.
The I'atrie says that France will be divided into
seven zones, for the purposes of the measure for promoting
oommunicstionamong the prefect+, referred to in M. de Per-
shiny 's letter which we published yesterday.