The Sun.
London, England, 1868-10-17 00:00:00

wILE LATE CABINET COUNCIL IrEBTING.'

- The object of the late Cabinet Council meeting. is
stated to be the settlement of the naturalisation
question with the United States. It had become
very urgent, and as Lord Stanley had allowed two
years to pass without doing anything in it except
appoint a commission of inquiry, the Government
felt that it was high time that some decisive steps
should be taken, in order that they might have some
achievement to refer to during the forthcoming
debate.
TORY CANDIDATES.

Attention is drawn to the number of old Tories
who have retired from the election contests within
the last few days. Colonel Peers Williams, who has
sat for Marlow since 1820, finds his chance of success
this time so poor that ho has decided not to stand.
again. Mr. Re ton, who for sixteen years has repre-
sented Warwick, has retired •- and Mr. Milnes
Gaskell, who since .the year 18432 has been M.P. for
Wenlock, has withdrawn from - the contest.
" Coming events cast their shadows before," as the
poet Campbell said.

TIE " CONSTITUTIONAL " CANDIDATE IN FINSBURY.
Mr. O'Malley, the " Constitutional " candidate in
Finsbury, should have not only a strong constitution,
but a long purse. He publishes a list of his election
committee as an advertisement. It occupies four-
and,a-half columns in the Morning Herald. Perhaps,
as no one ever sees the Morning Herald, the adver-
tisement is not very costly.
OUR MILITARY EXPENDITURE.

Sir Charles Trevelyan contributes to the discussion
on our military expenditure something over two
columns in the Times. He advocates the scheme
which he has already set forth in his pamphlet, as
one which will cause considerable reduction under the
item of military expenses. He attacks very earnestly
the present system of recruiting, paying, officering,
and treating the army. It is recruited from the
lowest class ; there is a .hard-and-fast line
between soldiers and officers ; the men are
paid beer-money, and the offieers wine-money,
thus being led to drink ; immorality is, of
necessity, under the present system, legally recog-
nised ; marriage is prevented ; the term of service is
too long ; there are too many officers, and these do
not receive promotion rapidly enough. Such are
some of Sir Charles's charges against our army
system. He forthwith proceeds to suggest a remedy
for this state of things. fly shortening the term of
service to seven years the army would be made
popular ; thus the expensive, system of recruiting
would be done away with. We might be more particu-
larconceming the characters of young recruits; thus the
vast charge which spent on hospitals- would be
reduced, if not altogether -slvelit away, and the short
term of service would encourage engagements to
marry. Pensioners would become scarce, and
another item would thus become very small indeed.
The officers being reduced,-there would be an impor-
tant sum at disposal here ; but it should be used to
increase the pay of our minor officers, so that they
might live by their - profession. Great reduction
might be made in the officers retiring list. The
number of men might be reduced. We should thus
have a better army for less cost.