The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-28 00:00:00

over, which can be effected to a large extent by a
much cheaper machine than theßritish soldier,who costs
us more than £lOO a year. Lord PALMERSTON saddled
the country with an expenditure of seven millions
for fortresses, which we named at the time
" PAL3IERSTON'S Folly '» justly so, for he must be a
sanguine man who expects to see them garrisoned,
or even finished: Millions of money have been
squandered in the most reckless way, under the
auspices of the Ordnance Select Committee, in giving
us forts that are not shot-proof and guns that are
liable to go off at the wrong end. All this extrava-
gance will be stopped at once. The uncompleted
fortresses will, we trust, be abandoned. The
Ordnance Select Committee is already in a state of
dissolution.
But it is not so much at home as abroad that we
must look to economise. The question has more
than once been seriously asked, Why should we
undertake the defence of our colonies ? Why should
the poor of Bethnal-green be called upon to pay the
troops which are supposed to defend the millionaire
merchants of Melbourne, or even the less wealthy
backwoodsmen of Canada ? If they want armed
police, let the colonists pay for them. There is no
more reason for us to pay than there would
be for them to pay us if we chose to
quarrel with Russia about the Turco-Greek difficulty.
Moreover, when we speak of defending our colonies,
let us ask ourselves if we can defend them. Let us
ask of what avail are the eight British regiments
which are stationed in Canada. We are told that
the Canadians are loyal, and do not wish to be
annexed to the States. Their loyalty to the mother
country must be of rather a questionable
character, for we find it assuming the form
of protective duties upon British manufactures.
Even were it otherwise, it is simply absurd
to suppose that seven, or' seventeen, regiments
would suffice to prevent annexation, if it were prac-
ticable. At present the Canadians avow that they
hate their neighbour. If so, their neighbour is
pretty sure not to attempt their conquest. It is
likely enough that if the Canadians were better dis-
posed they would be invited to join the great Repub-
lic. It is certain that if the Canadians wished to
do so it would take more than the whole
British army to prevent that consummation.
The same principle applies in other cases.
Australia, New Zealand, the Cape, are colonies that
are quite capable of taking care of themselves. Nor
need the threat of separation terrify us. These
colonies would still be as good customers as they are
at present. The existing tie has, in fact, nothing to
do with trade. It has not prevented protective
duties in either Canada or Australia. The absence
of it has not prevented Egypt from taking more
goods from this countrythan from any other, although
France has so long been the dominant foreign Power
in the old land of the PHARAOHS, and although it
is the Italians who are the most numerous among
Alexandrian merchants. Other considerations, such
as the retention of Gibraltar, the presence of large
squadrons in all the seas of both hemispheres, will
occur to every one, as they have doubtless already
occurred to the new Government. There is clearly
room for the most substantial economy. We only
hope that those who are called upon to effect it will
not be deterred by the outcry which their reductions
are sure to elicit from interested persons and
classes.