The New York herald., 1869-05-20

The Al,bama CIaims-The M0mentous Ques-
lion -- TIL Ergsb Army - Its Present
Sirengfi--How Disposed-Ireland no Longer
Supplying Recruits-Can England Go to
War:
LONDON May 8, 1869.
At the present tlme when relations between Eng
and and the UriteI states are not unlikely to be-
come more or less complicated, it may not be unin-
teresting for those on the western side Of the
Atlantic 10 know exactly what Is the real strength
Of the forces by land and by sea- that the British
government has at Its disposal. Upon the exact
ness OF the statements which will give you yorr
readers may rely. whether the conclusions draw
from the facts before are irst, those who under
stand the value OF defences are as competent,
more so, tnan am TO form an opinion. In Eng
land unfortunately for US. the vast majority OF men
know so little, or care little, respecting the real
strength OF our army aid navy that 1t Is only when
an emergency arises they begin to learn from the
public press what we really have at our disposal.
John Bull pays fpr what he beleves-o
what others believe Tor him-to be an
army and a navy OF sufficient numbers and
OF good enough discipline 10 repel any invader,
and TO make war on small but respectable
scale upon any other nati N. Every ten or fifteen
years he wakes up to find that he Is under the great
est possible deusion; and never was a country u q
more complete mysndcafon than England now Is as
to the strength Of her forces, for which she pays
much. Let us first begin by looking at the state Of
our army.
In my letter OF the lst instant mentioned that
whereas we pay Elj, j,l39.379 (or say In round mum
bers, sl5OOoO o. for an army Of l,5 $50 men and
IA lle horses. the French pay over 900 900 less
money for an army Of 10000 men, a reserve OF
10000 men and 10000 horses This OF itself
would be bad enough. But when, as shall prove
to you presently. for this enormous outlay we are
quite defenceess, and our best military engineers
admit that foreign army landed IN England could
in three days march upon London and possess itself
OF the very centre and heart OF the empire you VIII
allow that we have not much to pride ourselves
upon, either in our regulars, militia or our
volunteers. Far be it from me to say that our re-
grlar army IL inefficient believe that, taxing nto
consideration ITS paucity Of numbers 1t Is the finest
ana best disciplined force Europe. But It's strength
Is mere nothing. particularly at the present day.
when modern warfare demands that vast bodies Of
men should be massed together, and that without q
larpe butchers bill. the most complete victory
Is hardly worth having
CA paper the English army looks magnificent
Two regiments OF life guards one OF horse guards
seven Of dragoon guards, twentyone OF hussars and
lancers three OF foot guards, 1os regiments OF infan
try three OF West Indian corps one OF Ceylon rifles
and one Cape mounted rides make up together
an army OF which even first class European Power
need not be ashamed. But all these magnificent
numbers form really one large sham. Our so-called
regiments are with certain exceptions. mere bat
ta'ions French or Prussian regiment " made
up OF three or four battaiions each battalion mum
beuug 400 or 90J or COO men. Our English regi-
mens con st OF but one battalion each, aud there IL
hhruy hattalton in our army that can number
more tuan 500 bayones. When you read In our
papers that brigade OF infantry has been assembled
at Adershot or elsewhere the words mean In actual
numbers that three battaons, each cons sting OF
800 men, have been brought together: so that an
English brigade consists OF about 200 or 400 men
when Il just tue strength of French or Prussian
regiment.
but. TO enter more into details, let me give you
some idea of how the English army Is CONFUSED and
how It is disposed OF throughout the world Yon
will then be able 10 judge as TO whether we could
spare any, and, II any, now many, men for any un.
expec' ed war, whether offensive or defensive.
Our infantry of the line--wbch, as IN all armies
ts the real working force OF our land forces-conss
OF 100 regiments. VI these tWenty-nve regiment