The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-16 00:00:00

In the rebate on the army estimates the member
for Longford has greatly understated the case as re-
gards the comparative strength and cost of the
French and English armies., H' and the Marquis
of Hartington—glad, no doubt, to accept as truth
a statement so favourable to his own views—take
the estimated strength of the French army et
400,000 men and 85,000 hones. Now, the fact is,
that, although that is the number of men and
horses for which the vote is taken in the Budget,
it is well known that there are sous drapeae
at least 70,000 men who do not at all ap-
pear in the estimates, as it may be said they
cost the country nothing, that number of soldiers
being generally on six months leave of absence,
during which time they receive no pay, and those
leaves of absence are continually renewed for the
men who have completed five years service, so
that, while they are nominally dismissed, those
soldiers are still actually available for the public
service in case of war, and could join their respec-
tive regiments within 48 hours. Bat, indepen-
dently of this great addition to the numerical
strength of the French army, which was admitted
in last year's debate on the budget, the army of
reserve amounts to at least 200,000 well disciplined
and fully equipped soldiers, who carry their kits
and knapsacks home with them after the training,
which occupies three months during the first, two
months during the second, and one month during
the third year of their service. And, in addition to
this, the expense of the gendarmerie, h mounting to
25,000 magnificent troops, are included in the
French estimates.
Now, those addenda make the real difference,
between the cost of the French and English
armies much greater to our disadvantage than it
would appear to be from the statement of Major
O'Reilly. The member for Longford sets down the
cost of the staff as about the same in each army—
namely, at the rate of two pound per man ; but the
reserve, and men on leave, omitted in his calculation,
would greatly alter the amount in the French army,
if brought in to computation, together with the 20,000
horses lent to the French farmers, which cost the
Government nothing, and ere always in a fit condi-
tion to serve--their frequent inspections adding, of
course, to the expense of the French staff. So
that, in truth, the real strength of the French army
in horses is 105,000, and not 85,000. The cost of
students at St. Cyr and the Poly technique is quite
as high as at our military schools; it is in the regi-
mental schools that the great saving is effected under
the head of education in the French army. They
are superintended by a lieutenant, who is devoted
to the service—and who only receives his pay—and
he is assisted by monitors, taken from amongst the
cleverest of the soldiers, his pupils, who are granted
trifling remunerations ; their services in the
schools counting in procuring their promotion.
Attendance at the school is compulsary on the
French army. It Mr. O'Reilly, instead of taking
the grass number of both armies into the account
had confined his remarks to the number of soldiers
attending the schools in both services, the superiority
and cheapness of the French system would be more
striking,

The vast difference between the cost of clothing in
the two services is still more remarkable, and is solely
to be accounted for by the numerous and overpaid
staff employed in ours. The French soldiers are
better dressed in every respect than ours, although
it is but fair to admit that the clothing of the
English army is far better than it used to be. In the
French army an officer employed in the War De-
partment gets simply the pay of his rank on active
service; in our service the superintendent of
clothing, a captain in the navy, receives £1,400
per annum, or just double what he would touch
if in command of a first-rate ship ; 'and
that, too, for fulfilling duties which entail neither
responsibility nor expense, and which secure him
continual employment; while his deputy has
£7OO a Tear—a post-captain's full pay—
for performing duties vs hick it would be difficult
to define, now that the clothing of the army is
manufactured at a depot belonging to the Govern-
ment and superintended by Government officers,
who, it is supposed, need no official superintend-
ence. One of the great causes of the cheapness
and efficiency of the French clothing system is
that it is regimental; a price is fixed for each
article, of which a sealed pattern is sent to each
regiment, and the committee of officers are
allowed t) ffnd what is required where they best
can, but always at or within the specified
prices.
Each regiment, tco, has its depot of the erzicles
made within the regiment, such as the uniforms
and boots, as well as of those procured from the
manufacturers, such as knapsacks, shakos, and
pouches, which are under charge of the clothing
captains, and are kept in one of the barrack-
rooms under the care of a sergeant ; and thus the
inspectors
and expense of our vast stores, with the
and storekeepers to mend and air the vast accumu-
lation of things lodged in them, is altogether
avoided. In the clothing department a vast saving
can be effected. It is ridiculous that in England,
where clots is cheaper, the cost of dressing a soldier
should be just double as much as it is in France. •

LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS FOR THE
ENSUING WEEK.—Monday—Asiatic, at 3—Archi-
tects, at 8, Tuesday—Statistical at 8—" Resources of
Brazil," Mr. lleywood—Anthropological, at 8—" Skulls
from Annabom, Captain Burton and Mr. Blake"—" Two
Principal Forms of British Skulls," Dr. Thurnam—Engi-
neers, at 8—" Santiago and Valparaiso Railway," Mr.
1 loyd—Royal Institute at 3—" Conservation of Energy,"
Professor Helmholtz. 'Wednesday—Horticultural—Azalea
show—Meteorological, at 7—Society of Arts,at 8—" Patent
Laws," Mr. Webster—Society of Literature, at 4—Anni-
versary, Thursday—Royal Institution, at 3d—" Conser-
vation of Energy," Prof. Helnaholtz—Zoological at 4
General ; Numismatics, at 7—Linnean, at 8—" New
Species, &c., of Annelids, in British Museum," Dr. Baird
—" Eumolpidaa Group of Phytophageus Coleoptera," Rev,
T. A. Marshall—Royal, at 81—Chemical, at f 3—" Philoso-
phy of British Agriculture,'' Mr. Way . Friday—Royal
Institution, at 8—" Lycurgus," Prof. Blaukie. Saturday
—Antiquaries,
at 8—" Metallic Elements," Prof. Frank.-
land.—Athenceunt.
THE PICTURE GALLERY AND LIBRARY OF
BRIDGEWATER HOUSE, with its Shakspere treasures, has
been liberally thrown open to the public by the Earl of
Ellesmere —lke .Reader.
SIR WILLIAM NAPIER must have been a singu-
larly handsome man when young ; "six feet high,
formed in the most powerful mould it is possible to con-
ceive as compatible with extraordinary grace and activity.
He was able to jump six feet in height. The head of an
Antinous, covered with short clustering black curls; the
square brow, both wide and high, the aquiline nose, the
firm mouth and the square massive jaw)
indicating indomi-
table firmness and resolution, the eye of that remarkable
blueish grey so terrible in anger, so reciting in tenderness,
so sparkling in tun. In his youth his head and face might
have served for a portrait of a god of war. In his latest
years, with milk-white hair and beard, his appearance was
that of a Jupiter.
MR. JAMES GRANT, the author of "The Romance
of 'War," has a new novel in the press, which will shortly
be published by Messrs. Routledge under the title of
" Second to None."
INSPECTORS OF MINES.
--fn consequence of the
resignation of Mr. Hedley, the Government Inspector of
Mines for the Midland District, the appointment has been
conferred on Mr. Thomas Evans, who for many years has
been Inspector of Mines for the South Wales District. It
is not known as yet who will be Mr. Evans's successor.
CAPTAIN SPREE is
preparing a new volume on
the subject of his great discovery, under the title of " What
led to the Discovery of the Sources of the Nile."
THE NUMBER of PARIAMENTARY ELECTORS IN
ENGLAND AND WALES.-^A
parliamentary return
issued yesterday states that the total number of electors for
cities and boroughs in England and 'Wales was 468,966 in
1862-63, and 487,604 in 1863-61. The total number of
electors for counties was 534,085 in 1862-63, and 535,788 in
1863.64.

DISTRESSING AND FATAL ACCIDENT TO THE
HUSBAND OP LYDIA THOMPSON,—Mr. Tilbury,
who married some 12 months ago the favourite actress of
Drury-lane Theatre, Miss Lydia Thompson, hat, met with
his death under most painful circumstances. Last Thurs-
day some local steeplechases took place at Brentwood, in
Essex, at whicis Mr. Tilbury had entered some of his horses.
In the second race ho rode himself, and in attempting to
leap a hedge with a small ditch at the other side the animal
swerved and threw his unfortunate rider with terrific force
upon his head, and then rolled over him. Mr. Tilbury was
taken to a farm-house close by, and never spoke afterwards,
dying at 1 o'clock p,m. yesterday. His wife was soon made
acquainted with the sad news, and immediately repaired to
the spot. Her grief at the sudden calamity is most serious,
and great anxiety is caused for the result, as they were very
fondly attached to each other,—Ere.