The Express.
London, England, 1868-02-27 00:00:00

THE ARMY ESTIMATES.

The estimates of the east-of the effective and
non-effective services of the army, for the finan-
cial year 1868-69, issued this morning, show
net increase of 203,2001. on the estimates
of the year just past. The total sum asked
for is 15,455,4001., and the aggregate forte of all
ranks, the coat of which is to be defrayed out of
the army funds, will be 136,650 officers and men,
or only 596 less than the force employed
last year. The charge for the general
staff and regimental pay is 5,749,2001., the total
charge for the regular forces being 8,691,500/. ; for
the reserve forces the total charge is 1,524,5001. ;
for stores, 1,491,4001. ; works and buildings,
968,4001. ; making a total for the effective
services of 13,331,0001. The total charge for
the non-effective service is 2,124,4001. Ths increase
on the estimates of last year are chiefly to be
found in the charges for barrack establishments
increased by 60,3001. ; hospital establishments,
106 2001 ' • militia and inspection of reserve forces,
•
81,9501. ; and works, buildings, and repairs at
lhome and abroad, 125,0001. The principal items of
decrease are to be found under the heads of general
staff and regimental pay, decreased by 90,250/. ;
clothing establishments, 73,000/. ; and stores,
64,1001. The increase is to be found in the charge
for thceffective services of the army, there being a
net decrease of 2,3001. under the heading of non-
effective services. The increase shown in the
vote for barrack establishments is explained by the
occupation of an unusual number of stations
Iby troops, which has caused a great demand for
additional stores, the reserve of which has been
kept as low as possible to avoid accumulation. The
increase in the charges for hospital establishments
is more apparent than real, being chiefly due to
the transfer of the charge for the pay of
the regimental medical officers from one vote
to another ; and this explanation also accounts
for the apparent decrease in the vote for general
staff and regimental pay. The excess in the charge
for militia, &c., arises from the Secretary of State
having directed the regiments belonging to this
branch of the service to resume recruiting up to
their full quota under the Militiaßeserve Act of last
session. Of the additional men a first instalment of
115,000 is provided to be raised in 1868.69; and hence
it becomes necessary to provide more largely for
pay and clothing. The increased charge under the
head of " works and buildings " is occasioned by
the transfer of the charge for buildings from
other votes, by the sum which has been taken
for the fortifications at Bermuda, and by the
charge for the erection of Lock hospitals under
the Contagious Diseases Act. The increase
upon the vote under this heading also ex-
plains to some extent the apparent decrease
in the charge for the military store departments.
The decrease in the vote for clothing establish-
ments is chiefly duo to there being larger quan-
tities of clothing, &c., in store, available for issue,
and the repayments to the vote (including the
coat of clothing to the militia) being in excess of
the vote of last year.
According to a supplementary estimate, which
has also been issued this morning, the force re-
quired for service in the colonies (and provided for
in the joy estimates) is 50,025 of all ranks ; and
this MN Rio ))0 Slaintttifled at a total
coat of 3,383,0231. The largest item of expendi-
ture is set down for Canada, and it amounts to
741,1551. Malta figures for 6,510 men, to be sup-
ported at a out of 364,499/. ; Gibraltar for 4,980, at
a cost of 306,2601. ; and Nova Scotia for 3,6751. ,
at a coat of 267,2161. The aggregate amount
which it is expected will be repaid into the Exche-
quer by the colonies, in aid of this military expen-
diture, is only 365,7001. ; and of this sum Ceylon
is set down for 160,0001. ; the Straits Settlements,
for 59,3001. ; Australia, for 52,9001. ; and the Mau-
ritius, for 46,0001. Canada, Nova Scotia, and the
West Indies are amongst the colonies or depen-
dencies which are set down as returning nothing
to the Exchequer.

Hays the muses given Mr. DISRAELI the
Premiership, and are learning, genius, and wit to
hold the candle to his success I The Times of this
morning holds that because literature was the Con-
servative leader's Stet love, therefore his elevation
ahould command exceptional sympathy from
literary men. In other words, the merits of
" Couingsby " and " Vivian Grey " are to tincture
our judgment of the acts of the Government ; and
the admiration given to literary ability is to govern
our estimate of the measures brought before the
country. We challenge such assumptions. The
muses have had no more hand in making
Mr. Dositalm Prime Minister than the
Hebrew prophets; and his literary reputation
will have no more effect upon his hold
of power than his stature or his phy-
sical weight. The new PREMIER, like other
Premiers, will stand or fall on his merits ; and it
is idle to assume that he will meet with excep-
tional treatment either from literature or the
world. Mr. DISRAELI'S talent and dexterity are
abundantly appreciated, and none of us withhold
our admiration for the dauntless pluck which has
placed him at the head of the proud and exclusive
party who bow to him as their chief. But when it
is asked, " How will the literary gentlemen take
the elevation of their brother 1" when the unsocial
character of literary labour and the non-gregarious
habits of public writers are weighed in the
balance against the success of the Government,
we are compelled to ask to what useful or intel-
ligible result such reasoning points I Are literary
men expected to support bad measures because
they are proposed by a brother of the pen ; and are
political consistency and steadfastness of purpose
to be sacrificed to a theoretic love of the literary
art ? Deriving "professional pleasure from the
"extraordinary advancement of a fellow," as the
Times puts it, is one thing ; and taking patriotism
and statesmanship for granted is another, and it
is foolish to confuse two totally opposite ideas.

Tits proposal to unite the two great opera com-
panies under one management is said to have met
with a check. Mr. GYZ asks 270,000/. for his
scenery and properties ; Mr. MarLasow demands
15,0001. for acceding to the scheme ; and thu pro-
moters of the company consider 200,000/. enough
for the former, and limit their proposed capital to
that sum. Supposing this difficulty to be tided
over Mr. MAPLZSON is to be nominally sole
manager, but is to be governed by a board of direc-
tors who in some unexplained way are to reduce
the salaries of operatic singers, and make the
great artists more amenable to reason than has