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consists of thirteen regiments altogether, five of foot, the rest mounted. They are commanded by a general, a lieutenant-general, five major-generals, six brigadiers, forty-five colonels, fifty-two lieutenant-colonels, forty majors, one hundred and fifty-five captains, and three hundred and twenty-five lieutenants. The engineers are commanded by a general and includes ten officers superior to colonels, eighteen of the latter, twenty-one lieutenant-colonels, eighteen majors, sixty-one captains, and ninety lieutenants.

With

such a number of officers one would suppose that the engineers are a very numerous body, but this is not the case; there are only two regiments, and these regiments are represented by two depôt companies.

The cavalry consists of eighteen regiments of four squadrons each, namely: four regiments of cuirassiers, eight of lancers, three of light cavalry, and three of hussars. The nominal strength of each regiment is five hundred and thirty-four men, and four hundred and twelve horses. Besides those, there is a detached squadron of light cavalry one hundred and fifty-five strong, and one hundred and twenty horses. There are also four depôts of instruction to which are attached six hundred and twenty-four men, and five hundred horses; and four squadrons of reserve of about the same strength. The carabiniers are employed in the prevention of smuggling on the frontiers. They are divided into thirty separate commands, with an additional section for the capital. They are sub-divided into seventy-five companies, eleven of which are mounted. The civic guard, upon whom has devolved most if not all the little bloodshed that has attended the insurrection hitherto, constitute the police. There are four brigades altogether. In addition to these there are six battalions of provincial militia.

Politicians who consider themselves to have a peculiar gift for seeing into the future continue to speak of Belgium as destined eventually to be partitioned among other Powers; so far as present appearances indicate, however, there are no signs of such a catastrophe. The people, for the most part, are resolute in their determination not to consent to any arrangement that would deprive them of their independence. In the review of the Wellington Despatches published last month, reference was made to the opposition of the portion of the population of Antwerp to the continuance of the work on the fortifications of the city, and the King, we are told, has promised to give their objection his serious consideration. If it is true as is stated that there are eleven thousand soldiers employed on them at the present moment, it does not appear that he has found it advisable to adopt their views. In this country as in most others, there is a strong feeling that the expenditure on the army ought to be reduced, and it is probable that the Minister of War will shortly make a report relative to the organisation of the army, in which the question of economy will receive a proper share of attention. Among those who object to the

continuance of the present system are many who consider the military organization of Belgium ought to resemble that of Switzerland. At the Berne Congress a good deal of time was devoted to the discussion of this matter, and though it was asserted that the Swiss system might be adopted with advantage by every European nation, from the similarity in the circumstances of the two countries Belgium was especially referred to by way of comparison. As we are so intimately concerned in this question, I will translate what passed.

The Belgian military system exacts eight years of active service, and two years in the reserve. The recruiting of the army is carried on by conscription, those drawn having the privilege of paying for a substitute; the number of recruits raised varies from ten to eleven thousand men yearly. The organised army, including the reserve, amounts when on a war footing to one hundred thousand fighting men; fifteen per cent of whom form the special branches of the army. The cavalry comprises six thousand horses, of engineers and artillery there are twenty-five mounted batteries. The budget presented to the Chamber for 1865 stated the effective force under arms averaged thirty-eight thousand, or about two-fifths of the organised army. The number of horses employed is about eight thousand. A calculation of the time occupied in the military service in Belgium shows that thirty-eight thousand men, continually under arms, represents a loss of time to the civil service of the country of fourteen million days yearly; (in Switzerland the loss is put at 1,330,000,) which is equivalent to the exaction of three days from every inhabitant of Belgium, whereas in Switzerland it is only half a day. The ordinary expense of the army as given in last year's Estimates amounts to thirty three-million francs, or three hundred and thirty francs per man, if we take the entire organised army, (in Switzerland it is 41), equivalent to six francs eighty centimes per head of the whole population, (in Switzerland it is 3,40.)

Estimating the value of the daily labour of a man at one franc, and that of a horse at two francs, the subjoined table will show the comparative cost of the Swiss and Belgian systems.

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Belgium

£1,320,000

560,000

224,000

£2,104,000

Switzerland

£325,000

53,100

12,800

£390,900

Notwithstanding this difference in the expenditure, Switzerland has an organized army of 200,000 men, just twice as many as Belgium; and if the same system was applied to the latter country as exists in the former, the war expenditure would be reduced to £800,000 and the strength of the organised army would be increased to 300,000 men.

The papers and discussions on them, went on to show that the same militia system might be adopted in every European State, and the immense saving that would result from it; but as that which might very well be adopted in Belgium, which exists under the protection of the five Powers, would be wholly inapplicable to any other we need not follow the argument any further.

If we are not avowedly going back to the so-called good old times and admitting that in all cases "those may take who have the power, and those may keep who can," we are doing something very like it in practice. Any nation sufficiently strong to disregard public opinion may seize portions of the territory of a weaker neighbour without any risk of being called upon by powers of equal strength to disgorge. Among other matters discussed between Count Bismark and the Emperor, it seems that the island of Formosa was not forgotten. Whether occupied by the Dutch or by Chinese pirates makes no kind of difference; the island unquestionably belongs to China as much as the Channel Islands belong to us. The proposal of Prussia therefore to take possession of this island is one of those abuses of force as little or less justifiable than the seizure of the Duchies, but inasmuch as France has got a large territory in Cochin China, and England holds Hong Kong, Prussia may consider it has an equal right to lay hold and keep for its use an island which is in such an advantageous position for trading with China. It is possible, however, that the Prussian Government may find that it has work enough to do at home without going so far a field to look for it.

The disputes which were incessant during the whole of the last session between the Government and the Liberals are pretty certain to be renewed this with even greater virulence, it will be strange indeed if we do not find it to be the case.

What between Patents, Imperial Rescripts, Manifestoes, and Protests, Austrian affairs are such an intricate maze that not one man in a thousand could be found who has not given up the attempt to understand them in despair; in fact, no man who has not a special reason for keeping himself well-informed about them could spare the time. There are many, however, who like to have a general idea of the state of affairs in that country. Without going into particular questions, it may be stated that the Emperor continues firm in the road he entered on his return from his first visit to Hungary. Indeed, he cannot well withdraw from it now that he has committed himself so far as he has done. The Hungarians, at least their leaders, seem to have a pretty clear idea of what they want, and much as they are evidently flattered by the personal attentions they have received from the Emperor, they do not appear disposed to resign the smallest portion of what they conceive to be their rights. The nation in general, however, are little inclined to be captious, and are well-content with the recognition of the importance of their country, as implied by the Emperor's past and

promised visits. That other portions of the empire should be jealous of the attention bestowed on Hungary is natural enough, but provided they receive equal privileges they cannot have much real ground of complaint.

However difficult it may be to reconcile the policy of Austria with the desires of the French Government, there is no doubt that the personal feelings of the two emperors towards each other are friendly enough; the interchange of Orders on their respective sons would of itself be almost sufficient to prove this. It is probable that the recent concessions made by the Emperor of Austria to the emigrants from Venetia, and which, we are told, they have rejected, were made at the suggestion of the Emperor Napoleon with a view to cut away some of the ground under the feet of the party in Italy who seem likely to come into power.

It is generally supposed that Russia is a long way behind any other European nation, and if this were intended only to apply to the amount of educational acquirements possessed by individuals, it would not be far from the truth; when, however, the assertion includes the Government it is simply a mistake, a confounding of the past with the present. Inventors of all nations when they fail to obtain the acknowledgment of the merits of their inventions in their own country usually betake themselves to Russia, and generally find there the opportunity they seek. This is more especially the case with regard to implements and vessels of war. It is not unlikely that she will be the first power to build turretships according to the plans of Capt. Coles, and it is more than probable that she will be the first to case her ports with slabs of iron. She is building iron-clads of great strength, and arming them with steel 300 pounder guns; while for her forts she has some of a vast deal heavier calibre than this. With the exception of these guns and some of the plates for the fortifications, all are made of Russian materials, and so also are most of the engines she now requires.

The St. Petersburgh Gazette urges the reduction of the standing army and the substitution of a military force for defensive purposes only, similar to the English militia or volunteers; but to this it is replied that the Russians are by nature so peacefully inclined that they would never voluntarily subject themselves to a military training; they will fight willingly enough when the country is in danger, but have no love for mere mili. tary display, and hate the restrictions to which they must submit in accordance with the discipline necessary to the government of an armed force.

The number of soldiers sent to distant parts of the empire is very small; in Siberia, for example, the armed force is raised within the province itself, and that serving in the countries of Orenburg and the Caucasus is mostly raised in adjacent provinces. The mass of the army is stationed along the western frontiers of the empire, the centre and the south; so that the troops have no reason to com

plain of being compelled to serve in climates more rigorous than that to which they have been accustomed all their lives. With respect to the mortality in the army, the returns of the War Department for the years 1862 and 1863 show that the deaths were 13.7 per thousand in the former year, and 147 in the latter. The idea which commonly prevails with respect to the chances of a recruit ever seeing his native home again is that they amount to nothing. Speaking from memory, I believe it has been asserted by a French author long resident in Russia that a peasant drawn in the conscription takes leave of his wife and children if he has any, just as though he were going to execution, and within a limited period after his departure his wife might apply for and obtain a formal divorce as a matter of course. It rests pretty much with himself, however, whether he returns or not. The ages at which recruits are taken for the army is twenty to thirty years, the average being about twenty-two years. The entire period of service is fixed at fifteen years, but when he has served twelve years he is given an unlimited furlough. This is the regulation, but the actual practice in a time of profound peace is said to be to discharge them at the end of ten years' service. Thus, not including those who re-enlist, men complete their term of service as a matter of right at the average age of thirty-seven, and in time of peace they are set at liberty from thirty-two to thirty-five years at the outside; at the present time there are upwards of 400,000 men who have paid their debt to the state, and three-fourths of that number on furlongh. Then, as regards the amount of money realized by the Government from the payments for substitutes. So far from reaching the preposterous total of 300,000,000 of roubles as has been asserted, the entire sum will but little exceed 1,500,000 roubles.

The frequent ministerial changes prove how far Greece is from being settled. The brigandage of Italy is a small matter in comparison with that of Greece, not as regards its extent, but as regards the impunity with which it may be carried on. Rumours are circulated that there is still a chance of the ex-king Otho being recalled, which is not likely, nor is it very likely that he would return if he were asked to do so, being, it is said, more pleasantly engaged in translating Homer than in governing Greeks.

HONG-KONG.

Hong-Kong! There was a time when these bizarre syllables, although immortalised in the burden of a popular ditty, conveyed little definite idea to me; and when, however, travel by land or by water may have formed part of my life-dream, as the golden hours of youth floated on, leaving a track of never to be forgotten happiness amid the peaceful "learned shades" of my Alma Mater-it had not yet been revealed to me that a few short months should

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