The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-05 00:00:00

He thought that the recruiting system should be so con-
ducted that they should always secure the best men. With
regard to our defences, the honourable and gallant gentle-
man remarked that we should be prepared by the Arm-
strong gun and otherwise for proper defence.
The vote was agreed to.
On the vote of £3,724,424 for her Majesty's land forces at
home and abroad,

Sir H. WILLOUGHBY deprecated any intention of
sending an extensive European artillery to India.
Mr. MONSELL was anxious to know what appoint-
ments on the staff were held by the Royal Artillery. It was
very important that these offices should be well bestowed.
General PEEL quite agreed with the honourable gentle-
man that the artillery should have their fair share of
appointments.
Mr. MONSELL—But the question is whether they have
or not ?

Sir DE LACY EVANS said it was a great mistake not
to give a fair share of appointments to the officers of the
cavalry, that branch of the service combining the qualities
of cavalry and infantry.
Sir F. SMITH thought the engineers at least as deserv-
ing as the artillery.
Mr. AUGUSTUS SMITH drew attention to the increase
which had taken place in the total amount for the home
staff, which was this year £131,000, and inquired whether
the gallant general could give any explanation of that in-
crease. He also pointed out an increase in the amount for
staff appointments in Australia, Canada, the Cape of Good
Hope, Gibraltar, and Hong Kong.
General PEEL said the increase was owing to the im-
provements which had taken place. during the past year.
The medical warrants had increased the pay of the medical
officers, and the commissariat warrants had increased the
pay of the commissariat officers. He should be glad if the
colonies could be made to pay for themselves—(hear, and
laughter)—but while matters stood in their present posi-
tion he feared that was impossible.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS said the gallant gentleman had
stated that the whole of the charges arose on the number of
men voted. In a committee of the .whole house it was im-
possible to enter into all the items, but he would call atten-
tion to a few of them. The.vote for beer—and he did not
object to give the men beer-,(laughter and hear, hear)—
was £I,OOO more this year than last, though the number of
men was 74,806 less. (Laughter,) The hon. member
proceeded to call attention to, several other items, which he
thought required explanations.
General PEEL having replied to some of the observa-
tions of the hon. member,
The vote was agreed to.
On a vote of £562,369 for miscellaneous charges for the
land forces at home and abroad, exclusive of India,
Colonel NORTH called attention to the subject of hos-
pital stoppages, by which he said the soldier was charged
in excess of the actual cost incurred by the country on his
behalf. ,

Mr. WILLIAMS thought the salary of the Deputy Judge
Advocate-General ought to be saved to the country.
Mr. MOWBRAY bore strong testimony to the talent.
and efficiency of that officer and the value of his services to
the public.
The vote was then agreed to.
On the next vote, of £150,000 for embodied militia,
Mr. WILLIAMS asked for some explanation.
General PEEL said that this sum was to be voted for

the pay of those regiments of militia which would supply
the place of regiments of the line which were upon the
establishment but were now serving in India, and were paid
out of the revenues of that country. . The amount was de-
ducted from the general vote for the pay and allowances of
the troops. It might have been transferred from that vote
by the authority of the Treasury ; but he thought that it
was better that it should appear as a separate vote. (Hear.)
The vote was agreed to.
On the vote of £BB,OOO for volunteer corps in Great
Britain,
Mr. H. BEIMELEY objected to the expenditure of so
large a sum of money upon a mounted yeommry force,
which was merely a toy of the nobility. These yeomen
were, he was ready to admit, all as brave as Julius Caesar,
but they were very bad soldiers and most inefficient con-
stables. (A laugh.) They were told it took three or four
months before a trooper could be placed upon his horse, 12
months before he was fit to go into the field, and then he
was not so good as he might be. Were these men born
warriors, that they could be made cavalry soldiers in 48 •
hours ? It would be a farce to rely upon these men in case
of invasion. The best thing would be to get rid of them—
to take them off their horses, and to place in their hands
the rifle, which was in modern days what the bow was in
ancient times. Let the country gentlemen, then, put up tar-
gets in their parks, and place themselves at the head of
their men, as their ancestors did in the days of Agincourt
and Cressy. But while the Government allowed this tom-
foolery on the part of the squires and the upper classes,
they turned their backs on the middle classes, although
they had in many cases petitioned the Government to put
weapons into their hands' so that they might be learnt to
protect their wives and families against the foreign in-
vader. He would move that this vote be expunged.
Col. KNOX said that a more indiscreet and absurd speech
he had never heard in that house. (A laugh, and Hear,
hear.) A fore() more constitutional in itself, and more useful
in the event of invasion than the yeomanry did not exist.
Mr. WYLD belieVed that the middle classes had, by
arming in 1815, prevented a French invasion. There was
no reason to suppose that the people of this country, if
taught the use of arms, would turn them against the
Government.

General CODRINGTON thought it of the utmost im-
portance that the people of this country should be taught
rifle firing. (Hear, hear.) Advantage might be taken of
the militia organisation to establish rifle corps in every

county, and if that were done no invasion could ever be