Mr. Cardwell made a remarkably effective speech in reply on
the whole debate, showing that Government could not move ha any direction, either to shorten service, or make reductions, or increase the Army, without being stopped by Purchase. If they increased, they increased the compensation the nation would ultimately have to pay; if they reduced, they injured innocent officers very severely ; if they tried short service, they had to dread. the purchasing out of the officers necessary for vast masses of: men. If the Militia were to be made efficient, commissions in the- two services must be interchangeable, and there was Pure-haze- once more. He rather broke down in his defence of his Reserves. Heproved, indeed, that by 1883 we should have 400,000 men in the country under 51 who had been regular soldiers ; and in 1879, we should have 81,000, but he did not prove that we should have- any large number at once. Our correspondent "H.," who has a right to be heard, hits this blot, and shows how easily it might be- removed.
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