The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-11 00:00:00

Cost of War and Advantages of Peace.

Our Washington correspondent states that Gene-
ral Grant has sent to the Secretary of War a communica-
tion recommending the mustering out of all major and
brigadier generals of the volunteer service, save those who
have been disabled. And in connection with this we may
note that the official returns lately published under the
authority of the British Government give us an approximate
idea of the cost devolving on it, in consequence of the un-
settled state of its transatlantic relations during our late
civil war. For the transfer of troops to its various pos-
sessions in British America, during the years 1862, 1863,
and 1864, their maintenance while here, and the neces-
sary expenditure for stores, a sum of eighteen millions of
dollars was disbursed. This includes, it is true, more
than four million of dollars paid out of colonial exchequers
—principally or entirely by the Canadian government ;
but it would no doubt be within the mark to say that the
dubious relations between the two countries, leaving a
margin for obligations incurred which have not been pub-
lished, would amount to au aggregate of twenty million of
dollars.

Results have proved that much of that considerable sum
has been thrown away. A portion of it would have neces-
sarily been expended in any case ; for so long as England
chooses to maintain her connexion with her remaining
American colonies, certain expenses for military and naval
stations are indispensable. And so long as those colonies
are disposed to perpetuate the connexion, they, too, will
have to contribute their share toward supporting thepolicy
of the empire, of which they form a part. Expenses of
this nature, but not to the same extent, have for years past
made a formidable figure in the blue-books, both of im-
perial and colonial returns. Nor are we at all disposed to
quarrel with this feature. From their point of view a
question of national honour is involved, and as we allow
no one to meddle with us in matters of this nature, we are
bound to extend the same latitude to the sensitiveness of
other nations.

was not, however, till a considerable time after the
commencement of ourcivil contestthat these war estimates,
as they may almost bo called, assumed the proportions in-
dicated by the returns just quoted. On the contrary, from
the period of the breaking out of the Crimean war until
the events of 1861, British America had been so depleted
of all English troops as even to have given rise to remon-
strances on the part of the colonists. But the progress of
events restored the old order of things, until, by the com-
mencement of 1862, a somewhat formidable body gar-
risoned the principal posts on the other side of the lines.
We are not now, and were not then, at all disposed to
take umbrage at this movement. A sense of what was due
to national interests and honour, as interpreted from an
English point of view, dictated, we are disposed to believe,
these movements, and we had and have no right to quarrel
with a sensitiveness we ourselves aro not slow to display
on occasions of a similar nature.

Results have, however, shown that film hostile prepa-
rations were uncalled for. Perhaps, however, they might'
have been anticipated, and they may now certainly bo
looked back upon without resentment. They arose in a
feeling of insecurity as to the maintenance of peace between
the two countries, iu which we all here equally shared, and
to that extent they were defensible. We trust and believe,
however, that those mutual apprehensions and suspicions
have now permanently passed away with the causes which,
after a peace of more than half a century, eminently pro-
ductive of the material welfare of both nations, called them
into existence.—New York Times.