The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-26 00:00:00

SUMMARY.

We stood at this moment in reference to our foreign
relations in an infinitely better position than we occu-
pied in 1835. We were then in an uneasy position with
regard to Russia and the Northern Powers, and were
marauding on the coast of Spain. With whom did we
now dread a collision with Russia with ber serfs, who
would give her plenty to do with Germany, or with
France? If England took advantage of her insular po-
sition, and would not interfere with other powers,
never had she stood in such a favourable position.
It was said that the establishments were much too low
in 1835 ; he denied it. The Honourable Secretary
to the Admiralty said that the dockyards establishment
were almost in a state of rnin in 1835. That argument
had been used in 1816, when it was proposed to reduce
the establishments of 1796. It was said that Mr. Pitt
had expressed his regret for having reduced the estab-
lishments so low in 1796, until Lord Granville declared
in the House of Lords that Mr. Pitt had always
expressed his approval of the reduction of 1796.
He would appeal to she Right Honourable Baronet
(Sir James Graham) whose administration lately he
admired on the subject, and ask him if the
dockyards in 1836 were in a state of desti-
tution. The time was now come when it

was their duty seriously :to [consider whether
they could reduce this expenditure. He could
understand how Protectionists could consistently
vote for maintaining our colonial establish-
ments, but he could not understand how Free-
traders, or those who thought Free-trade must be
henceforth the rule of the country, could rote
fur these establishments. We had given the
colonies Free-trade when they liked, but they must
defend themselves. It was said we were to make the
colonies integral parts of the kingdom ; but how could
they do that unless they shared our taxes and our
debt. Henceforth this country could not expect to
derive say greater advantage from our colonies than
ether nations, and therefore it was not bound
to keep up an establishment for their defence.
It might be proper to keep up such garrisons
or Gibraltar, or Malta, but it was unjust to the inhabi-
tants of this country to tax them for the maintainance of
colonies such as Australia and New Zealand,
which could support themselves, and in which the
condition of the labourers was infinitely superior to that
of the small farmer in this country...-(Hear.) They
must prepare to relieve themselves from the expenditure
they had incurred in those colonies. Why, in New
Zealand they one soldier to every ten colonists, armed,
fed, and clothed at the expense of the people
of this country, among a population every
man of whom carried his rifle as a matter of course, and
knew how to use it. What did they want with troops
in Australia, when there was not a single aboriginal
inhabitant. He believed those troops were intended
rather to keep down the colonists than to defend
them. This was a system requiring a total
change, and if that change were made there
where no difficulty in making the reductions he pro-
posed. With regard to the troops at home, he
thought that there were an infinitely greater
number of troops than there was any necessity
for. At no time, either in Ireland or England,
had there been one hundred men in arms assembled
during the last, year against the Government. He be-
lieved, as far as England was concerned, that
had it not been for the Irish element there
would have been no turbulence in this country
notwithstanding the heavy distress which weighed
upon the working classes in 1847, who, aware
that every morsel of food that could come
from abroad was permitted to come, were per-
fectly loyal and tranquil. He had heard with some in-
dignation that it was the troops and special constables
which had prevented a rising last year. He did not be-
Here it, and he was glad not to believe it ; and with re-
gard to those persons sentenced to transportation for life,
he hoped it would be remembered that this country was
exposed to the electric shock of the French revolution, and
they had reason to congratulate themselves that it had
taken such little root in this country. The con-
dition of the people of England was no ex-
cuse for keeping up our prices ; therefore,
the House ought to call upon the Government
as an act of justice to the taxpayers to reduce largely
the military and Laval forces of this country. He would
not dwell upon the advantage it would be to commerce and
agriculture to reduce taxation. He would not remind
country gentlemen of the benefit of the reduction
of the malt and hop duty. But it was no use
talking of the reduction of those duties unless they re-
duced the naval and military establishments. There
were all sorts of taxes which ddfferent persons desired to
see removed; but none of them could be removed unless
they reduced the expenditure. They ought
to consider the amount of danger to the
country from reducing the forces, and the
amount of danger for continuing the burthens, they
could not but conclude that the country was in
more danger of being crushed beneath these bur-
dens—than of being injured from abroad)
It might be said that we must increase our forces because
other powers had done the same. With regard to the navy
we were the first offenders. We had begun the increase,
and now France was willing to reduce, and we should
follcw her example. In the cost of collection of the
revenues there was great extravagance, and they
might make a considerable reduction in tne item.
Then, with regard to the Woods and Forests, i
the Noble Lord the Member for Bath (Lord Duncan)
saved by his Committee only half the 600,00001
he would enable the Government to make a great reduc-
tion iu taxation. He would if be had the management
of the expenditure devote ten millions sterling
and no more for armaments, which would
give him 1,600,0001. for civil expenditure, that in 1835,
without exceeding the expenditure of the year.—
(Hear, hear. He was convinced thet any step
they took in mitigating the pressure of taxation
as the people did for the securing that at-
tachment of the /people to our institutions
and to defend the country against foreign
attacks than all the armaments that they might maintain
—(Cheers.) The Hon Member concluded by moving
his resolution.
Mr. HUME seconded the motion.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer although differing
from his Hon. Friend, admired the calm and temperate
manner in which he had brought it forward,
and the admirable manner in which he had kept
his pledge of abstaining from any attack on :any
person or on any Government. As he had said
These establishments had been increased with the gene.
re concurrence of the House, and he could not think
that measures which met with that general
concurrence should be so far wrong as
the Hon. Gentleman seemed to imagine. This
was a question not of hundreds but of
millions, and in discussing it he (the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer would make no objection to
taking the year 1835 as a point of comparison, although
he could not accept it as the standard.

(LT FT SPEAKING.)

TOOTING, SATURDAY NIGHT.—The statement from
Tooting last evening as to the condition of Mr. Drouet's
health, and signed by his brother, Mr. Richard Drouet,
is, " That Mr. Drouet continues dangerously ill, and
confined to his bed."—Observer.

DOVER, FEB. 24.—The French fishing boat Saintie
Marie sunk off Dungeness last night, having been in
contact with the Diana, of Lsverpuul; two of the crew
drowned.

HOLYHEAD, FEE. 25.—Wind E.—Sid, 25, Pastenstea,
Rio &loin.