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

wished for a larger number they could obtain them only by
raising additional battalions ; and there was every reasonto
believe, from the present state of India, that the British
regiments would begin to return to England. There was
not the slightest doubt that the Indian Government, look-
ing at the condition of their finances, would be happy to
dispense with the services of our troops at the earliest pos-
sible moment. 'But under any circumstances, for a long
time to come, he believed they would not be able to diminish'
the force in India below 50 battalions. If they carried out
the system of reliefs—so essential to preserve the efficiency
of the British army—which had been laid down, each rep-
moist would not be kept more than 10 years abroad, nor be
allowed to remain less than five years at home. This re-
quired two-thirds of our force to be abroad, while the other
third was in this country. (An Hon. MEMBER inquired
how many men were included in the 50 battalions ?) He
took the number at 50,000, though he could not pledge
himself to thb exact figures. Therefore to retain 50
battalions in India they must have 2.5 battalions more at
home for reliefs, making together 75 battalions. It would
be very unwise to add to the number of our regiments or to
raise fresh regiments which we were not likely permanently
to require, because, as soon as 'they became efficient, there
was every probability that they would be again reduced,
and moreover, before they could raise them, they could
supply their place in the meantime by the embodied militia,
who are always better than the new levies. Fault had been
found with him because, as it was said, he intended to dis-
embody the militia lest they should become too efficient.
So far from there being any truth in this statement, there
was nothing on which he and his Royal Highness the Com-
mander-in-Chief had more' prided themselves, than on
the efficiency of the embodied militia, a force by whose
aid we had been enabled to furnish very timely reinforce-
ments for 'lndia, and to which we were also indebted, not-
withstanding our great exertions for the suppression of the
mutiny, to keep up in this country and in the colonies a
number of men equal to our requirements. At the present
moment there were no fewer than 93,700 troops belonging to
her Majesty in India. He held in his hand a return of the
troops on colonial stations between the years 1840 and 1855,
In 1840 they amounted to 37,370 men •, in 1845 to 36,371;
in 1850 to 35,942; and in 1855 to 28,59 g. At present the
number was 38,711. Ho had also procured a return show-
ing the available force of all arms in the united kingdom,
from 1820 down to last year. From this it appeared that
the total force was as follows :
Year. Men.
1820 .. .. 55,032
1825 .. .. 37,622
1830 .. .. 42,973
1835 .. 44,014
1840 .. 47,891
1845 .. 55,668
1850 .. 60,1:11
1855 58,477
1858 . . . . • 55,721
The total of 55,721 for 1858 was exclusive of the Indian
depots and the embodied militia, which were separately
stated. On the Ist of February last the number of regular
troops in this country of all ranks, comprising infantry,
cavalry, foot guards, artillery, &c., amounted to 66,236. In
addition to this there were no less than 16,427 men forming
the depots of regiments in India ; besides 23,022 of embodied
militia,. making together a force of 105,685 men, exclusive
of marines, pensioners, depots of regiments belonging to the
army in India, and the Irish constabulary. He did not
mean to say this was a body of men sufficient to place our
military establishment on an equality with those of
foreign nations. We never could by any possibility enter
into a competition with foreign countries in respect to the
number of men. What he said was, that her Majesty's
Government had during the course of last year done all in
their power to keep the largest obtainable force together ;
and when he spoke of 105,000 men, he should remark that
it was quite as many as we could find barrack accommoda-
tion for. He thought, 'therefore, it would clearly be impo-
litic either to reduce or to increase the numerical strength of
our army ; and he hoped the house would have no hesitation
in voting the number of men he proposed. He would now
pass on to observe that more had been done for the welfare
of the British soldier during the last few years than one could
possibly have anticipated. Since he had himself been in
the army the soldier had been better armed, better fed,
better clothed, and better paid. More attention, in
short. had been shown to his comfort in every respect.
(Hear, hear.) He disclaimed any wish 'to take credit to
himself in this matter. He had found things in a state of
progress when he acceded to his present office; and all that
he had since done was to continue the work which others
had begun. But there was no branch of the service which
had not undergone important improvements. The spiritual
instruction of the soldier had been provided for by an in-
crease in the number of chaplains. He was afraid that
what he had done in this respect might not meet the appro-
val of the hon. member for North Warwickshire—(a laugh)
—though he would be happyto discuss the subject with that
hon. gentleman. The education of the soldier had been
carefully attended to within the last few years, and nothing
could be more satisfactory than the reports received as to
the results of these efforts. The soldiers were anxious to
learn, and their commanding officers gave them every en-
couragement to do so. The schools, the libraries, and the
reading-rooms were well frequented, and the slight indul-
gence which his predecessor had granted and he had con-
tinued—viz., as to ' the introduction of innocent games Of
chess and draughts into the reading rooms had the effect of
drawing the men away from the haunts of intemperance.
On board the transports for India also means had been af-
forded for their amusement. Dictionaries of the 'Endes-
tanee language had been supplied to them-11—(a laugh)—and
where practicable persons had been appointed to instruct.
them on the voyage. Everything had, in fact, been done
to raise the condition of the soldier, and promote his moral
and intellectual improvement. Soon after he accepted
office a warrant was issued raising the pay and improving
the position of the medical officers, and its result had been
that a very superior class of men, house surgeons from hos-
pitals, and men wbo had taken prizes in different schools,
were now entering the army in that capacity. A commit-
tee of that house had directed attention to the importance
of attention being paid to measures which should prevent
disease as well as to its cure, and he had no doubt that
under the able superintendence of Dr. Alexander all the
recommendations of that committee would be carried into
effect. Great improvements had also been made in the
Commissariat, which, though small in numbers, as it must
always be in time of peace, now afforded the nucleus of a
department which might, whenever necessary, be easily and
rapidly extended. It was intended that in future, at the
great camps of Aldershst and the Curragh, the provisions
should be received in gross, and the soldiers should be
taught to help themselves, bybeing their own butchers and
bakers, and in all respects having. to act as if they were on
actual service. (Hear.) Another improvement which would
be made would be the subdivision of contracts, so that they
might not be given for such large- quantities that, as was
now the case, they must always be taken by the same per-
son. By means of this alteration and the supervision of
the officers of the Commissariat he hoped that the expense
would be reduced, while the quality of the provisions sup.
plied to our troops would be improved. (Hear.) Of course,
the country had a right to ask what means this military
expenditure afforded for its defence. Upon his right hon.
friend the First Lord of the Admiralty must that defence
mainly rest. (Hear.) It would be perfectly impossible to
fortify the whole coast of England. (Cheers.) It was the
duty of tho Government to protect the great naval arsenals
—Portsmouth, Plymouth, I)evonport, Portland, and such
places—and also the' mouth of the Thames ; but the idea
of protecting the whole coast was perfectly absurd. (Hear,
hear.) It might be done as far as possible by providing
moveable batteries, which to a certain extent would be very
effectual in checking an enemy : but an attempt to prevent
an invasion by fortifying the whole coast would be perfectly
useless: (Hear, hear.) There was one feature on this part of
the question of which the house had heard a great deal—he
meant the intr.,duction of Sir W. Armstrong's gun. It was
impoisible for any one to predict what would be the result
of the general introduction of that weapon into our army.
In the course of We summer he appointed a committee to
examine and report upon the different sorts of rifled ord-
nance which had been submitted to the Government. The
report of that committee was entirely favourable to Sir
William Armstrong's invention. The gun submitted to the
Government by that gentleman was a breech-loading, rifled,
wrought-iron gun, of peculiar manufacture, throwing a
projectile which answered as either solid or hollow shot, as
shell, or as common case. This projectile could also be
modified so as to be used by naval batteries and on board
ships, and to have a very great explosive effect. The gun
had great durability, he having himself seen one
which had been fired 1,300 times without the smallest
injurious effect being produced upon it. The great advan-
tages of this gun Were its extreme lightness, the extent of
its range, and its accuracy. An Armstrong gun throwing a
projectile of 181 b. weighed one-third less than the guns
now in use discharging shot of that weight, The range of
a 321 b. gun, fired with a charge of 51b, of powder, was a
little more than five miles •and a quarter—(hear, hear)—
while the precision of the gun was still more extraordinary.
Tho accuracy of the Armstrong gun at 3,000 yards was as
seven to ono compared with the common gun at 1,000
yards; while at. 1,000 yards it would hit an object every
time which was'struck by the common gun only once in 57
times ; therefore _at equal distances the Armstrong gun was
57 times as accurate as our common artillery. (Hear.)
Its destructive effect, also, exceeded anything which had
hitherto been witnessed ; the carriages had Well very much
improved, and their Introduction into the navy would
greatly, diminish the number of men required to work the
guns. (Hear.) Having ascertained the superiority of the
gun, the Government could have no hesitation in at once
doing everything in their power to make themselves Yeas-
tors of it, Great as bad been the ingenuity and talent dia..

loot

MIN=