A HUNDRED YEARS AGO
" THE SPECTATOR," JANUARY 5TH, 1839 Preparations for foreign war are in progress. A circular from the Recruiting Department of the Horse Guards directs commanding- officers to recruit their respective regiments, if stationed at home, to " their full establishment of 739 rank and file " ; and if abroad, not in India, to " 769 rank and file " : and this order is to be executed " with the least possible delay." Another announcement of the week is, that several ships of war are to be put in commission, and fitted for immediate service. Among them is the ' Powerful,' to be commanded by the gallant Captain Napier, and sent to the Mediter- ranean.
Where is the money to come from ? Are them to be new taxes or loans ? Both probably : but a stout opposition should be offered to the renewal of the loan system. Let the country know and be made to feel at once the burden of increased expenditure. The extreme unpopularity of new taxes will induce the Government to make the present revenue available to its full extent by careful management and needful correction of abuses.
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