POSTSCRIPT.
SATURDAY.
Before they did so, however, amid some preliminary speaking, Sir Joint WALSH enlarged on his doctrine that, in the present state of the world, we ought to become a great military nation, with army commen- surate ; and Sir DE LACY EvAxs wanted to extract a pledge from Minis- ters that the 47,000 men of all arms in our Colonies should be promptly diminished before entering on a war.
In Committee, Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT, in moving the Army Estimates, observed that the present must not be looked upon as a final estimate for the year. Government thought that their policy should be discussed be- fore they proposed a large increase. The present is a peace estimate framed in anticipation of coming, events. In round numbers, the pro- posed increase of the Army is 11,000 men, making a total of 112,977 men ; and the increased expense is 270,0001. There is a saving of 33,0001. in the non-effectives, and of 90001. in the Colonial staff. Herbert recited the improvements recently effected—in the pay and position of schoolmasters, in military examinations for promotion of officers, in the appointment of "captains of instruction," in the institu- tion of special courses of lectures on military surgery in Dublin and London, and in the distribution of gratuities and medals during service* An establishment for Minis rifle practice, at Hythe, under Colonel Hay, has been completely successful ; out of 100 shots 77 had been put into a target at 800 yards, and 40 out of 50 in skirmishing order. With respect to the troops in the Colonies, 4000 have been withdrawn ; but against that must be set the very wise and proper augmentation of the garrison# which it is desirable to keep up at Malta, Gibraltar, and the Ionian Islands. Government has resolved to issue a Commission to inquire into the mode of appointments and retirements in the Army, with a view to bring up men, in full vigour, to greater promotion ; the Commission to be composed of Lord Hardinge, Lord Raglan, Lord Seaton, General Cath- cart, Colonel Knowles, Colonel Buller, Lord Grey, Sir John Pakington, Lord Panmure, Mr. Ellice, and Mr. Sidney Herbert. In the course of the debate on the various votes proposed, and agreed to without opposition, Mr. HUME said he had no hesitation in saying that no department of the public service has undergone so much improvement as the Army. Government has added 11,000 men to the lid at the least possible cost, and the number might be doubled or trebled at a com- paratively moderate expense. Sir JAMES GRAHAM proposed only the first vote of the Navy Estimates —138,4671. for salaries of the officers of the Admiralty ; with a brief paraphrase of the Estimate tables already published. The number of men voted is 58,500, the entire cost 7,487,9481. In 1848-'49 we had only 42,500 men, but the cost was 8,000,0001. The increase has been
for men, scientific purposes, increased labour in the dockyards, naval stores, especially coal, new works, and the conveyance of troops. In carrying out the great improvements in the Navy, he said he was only continuing what Lord Haddington had begun, and the Duke of North- umberland advanced still further. The vote was agreed to; and the House resumed.
On the motion of the Soticrroa-Gstrznar, a bill was brought in, and read a first time, to "to relieve the Clergy of the United Church of Eng- land and Ireland resident in the Colonies, from any disability as to the holding of meetings in such Colonies for the regulation of Ecclesiastical affairs therein."
In the House of Peers, Lord Bsaraterxr moved a long resolution, to the effect that immediate means should be taken to resist Russian aggres- sion ; and that the relations of the Porte with the rest of Europe should be placed on foundations calculated to secure a durable peace, so that fair opportunity may be given to the Ottoman empire for developing its re- sources and proceeding with administrative reforms. He prefaced this resolution in a discursive speech after the fashion of Mr. Disraeli, only dragging out older authorities, such as Pozzo di Borgo, in order to prove the long-calculated aggressions of Russia. The Earl of CLARENDON showed the absurdity of adopting a resolution about a war which is not yet commenced, in order to give scope to Turkish administrative reforms. It would be inconsistent even with the dignity of Turkey to declare war without awaiting the result of a con- vention which has been submitted to the Sultan. As to the charge of credulity and connivance, there is no echo of those accusations from the people of this country. No decision can be now arrived at as to the results of the war. Who can tell the circumstances of the Emperor of Russia at the conclusion ? Mr. Pitt, who had strong predilections for the Bourbon family, would not say that their restoration was the ob- ject of the war with France, or the condition of peace. But since the great question long foreseen, and postponed as long as possible, has been forced on, it ought to be settled once for all ; and the purpose of Go- vernment in this war is " to check the aggressive and ambitious power of Russia, to maintain the integrity of the Ottoman empire, and to take solid guarantees in order that Europe may not again be deprived of the great blessings of peace,"—not neglecting " the opportunity to secure equal rights and equal justice to the Christian population of Turkey, and so pave the way for that progress and prosperity which Christian civilization will effect in that empire." (Loud cheers.) England, however, is acting with allies and for allies ; and in the course of his speech, which was vigorous and animated throughout, Lord Clarendon stated how we stand in that respect, with an especial reference to Austria and Prussia-
" Those two Powers, grateful for the deference we have shown to their opinione, and as fully alive as we are to the aggressive and mischievous policy
of Russia, are now with us. It is only this day that I have heard that twenty-five thousand fresh troops have been ordered by Austria to the fron- tiers of its dominions. Then we shall have prepared a fleet in the Downs more powerful than has ever left the shores of England. The French Govern- ment are in precisely the same state of preparation. All this is a sign of a conviction that war IS inevitable. Every effort has been exhausted whereby
the evil might be averted. We have brought to bear against Russia an amount of moral and material power which no nation in Europe has ever done before. This, my Lords, is the result as of months' forbearance and moderation."
Eome eepgaseliarquis of Cr,sie Earl of Monier.,-rri- arriv'ect to Nanhioata the puar,,.blic law of .Europe eY repelling 11'7 scan aggression, and to secure a durable peace. But Lord BEAUMONT withdeew his reeolation ; and the amendment., therefore, could not be
Put.
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