MISCELLANEOUS. THE TROOPS IN THE COLONIES (From the United Service Gazette, January 29.)

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 228, 5 August 1848, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS. THE TROOPS IN THE COLONIES (From the United Service Gazette, January 29.)

It* all the discussions that have taken place regarding the importance of improving our system of national defence, it has boon our care to keep a portion of th c public attention fixed upon the state of the IMt'sh colonial and other possessions, and to urge the importance of increasing the regulur nrmy, »t the same time that a laiguaml effective home force if duly organised. The better to demonstrate the imperative necessity for this augmentation of the military establishment, we have diawa up the suhjo ned statement of the population of thecolonus, placing in pixta-position theiewith the stienglh of the force aaMgned to their ]>rolcctiun. The insignificance of the latter, in comp'liiaon with the number of persons to b« defended 01 overawed, cannot fail to strike every reader, the proportion being about one soldier to every one liundied nnd twenty inhabitants. It is ixrfectly true thnt, will) the exception of the Cape of Good Hope, New Zealand, and the Cnnadus —atid vuiy impoitant exceptions tliey aie, by-thc-way —tlie tioops have hitherto been found mhquate to the miuntainencc of the colonies in a state of pence nnd lucunty, und upon this tiic .short sighted or penurious may ba disposed to found an aigument against the augmentation of the strength. Hut it must bj botne ill mind that the very s-iine necessity for un inciease of vigilenca which suggests the organization©*" a defensive force, in England, operate as €i motive for enlarging protection abioad. An enemy docs not gnt s'y himself with an invasion of tiie country with which ho » ay be at war ; he attacks its dependencies, blockades its distant ports, foments insuncctions against the ]t oplc everywlieie subject to its dominion, and eudeavouis to subvert its nutboiity and destroy its influence. And his task, in this rc-pect, is facile or difficult accoiding to the temper ot the inhabitants at the moment, or the extent of tlie force employed for the defence of the several possessions. We should have little f<ar foi the mfety of Gibraltar in n sudden emergency, even with all the modem advan'ages obtained by France in getting possession of the Algeiine coast; but what would become of our West India colonies, inflamed to a point of discontent by the ruin of the uugur-tradc, and indiffer ntly held in check by a handful of troops and u few ships of war ? How long should we hold our ground in China ? What guarantee should we possess of the continued allegiance of the colonists in Australia and Tasmania, who have often discussed the advantages of a seveience from the mothpr c ounliy ! 1 Where would be our security in the Manutius, with weak gurnisons and a semi I'icnch population, ieady to turn upon their governor* (n the slightest provocition ? These are points which full into the scheme of National defence as much as ihe fortiiication of the Kent and Sussex coasts, and the raising a laige body ol Fencibles, and "ill not, therefore, we hojie be lost eight of when tlie main question comes under Paihamentary consideration.

MIMTAUY AND NAVAL FORCI, OV G KE A V Bill TAIN. TJie fol owing is from the oflicml retunib of this War Office and the Hoard of Admirality : — Militaiy Force.— Cavalry two regiments of Lile Guards, one regiment of Bluci,onc Uoyal icgimeiit of lloirc »rtillery, seven regiments ol Dragoon Guards, tl) ree regiments of Heavy Dragoons, five regiments of Hussars, four regiments of Lancers, four Regiments of Light Dragoons, and one regiment ot Cape mounted Cavalry. Infantry — three regiments of Foot Guuids, ninety-nmo regiments of the Line (GUth Regiment, llifl'n). on, Rifle Brigade, one Royal Multa Fennble Regiment one R«y<J Canadian It Mies, one St H china regime n> three West India legimcnts, and one Royal Foot Artillery lingineers, Suppers und Miners. The ctfettive military fuice is 14 »"0() men, includinjr the Uoyal Artillery ; besides which there are 13ti icgiinenlß of Militia (the fctatFot wluchonly is kojit up in time of peace) in the d fl'-rent columeß of England, Wales, Scotland, and I'el«n<l, the cmboJitd Chelsea out pensioncis, andTt-omauiy Cavulry. The Uoynl Navy, — The naval ioice of Great But.iin consists of OHO I ships of Wir, cairymg horn 10 io 120 guns each, of diffeie itculibre, cithor in couinus-ion, in o.c'mary, 01 building. Of these, 150 are i«rined bteumt'iF, built on tl c most approved piinciplefor jutive sea sir^icc, of from 100 10 860 hoi se power each Tliib iuinicii c fl,'*'t employs, in time of peace, '10, ('00 able-bod ed seamen, 2000 iUmtlftde, and 14,000 Royrl Marines, divided as follows in 100 compunies : Chatham, lt,t Division, I\\ com 1 anieb ; PortHtnou'h, 2nd Divi-,on, 20 cempnnici ; I'lj mouth, 3id Division, '/<t eomjianics, Woolwich, 4th JLJivibion, 19 coKipanicJ — toi«l, 100 i

Duatii ok Lord GranviMvU Somtksist, M.P. — Tlii-> nobleman died at halt post ten o'c'ock on Wednesday eve ing, aged 56. His loid-hip lms been suffering for some time fiom heait disease, ai d jjeni r-il depression of the neiveF, owing, it is said, to nnnt.il ejicitement, cau ed by the late d^c'ion, and the nppo sition to the return, lie wab second son of the sixth Duke of LSeaufoit. He was bom on the 27 h of December, 1792. and married on tlie 27tli of July, 1822, the Hon. Emily Smith, daughter of the late and bis cr o/ the pt ouu Lord CWrmglou. By this lady be hud issue five children, the eldest IHng a son Granville Robeit, born in 1821. In 1818, on the interest of his father, he wab returned for the count of, Monmouth. Almost fiom the moment of I,is first entry into Parliament, Lord Gianville was sin active politician. In Maicb, 181!), he wi.s appointed by the Earl of Liverpool, then piemier, a loid of the tie isury, and subs quenlly filled other offices, a'ways acting with the Conservative puity. Durii.g the biief Conservative arfministrati n of 18.'i 1-^55 he filled the office of Chief ComiriiiSioner ol Woods and Forists ; and on tl c accesMon of fair ilohcit I'ecl to power in 1811, he was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster—an oftice which he filled up to the nccet-hion of the present government to office. On Sir Robert Peel proposing the icpeal ol the corn laws to his cabinet in 18KJ, Lord Granville dissented from the right hon. baronet, but subsequently adopted his views, and voted for the abolition bill. Apart from politics, the deceased nobleman wat a moat useful man, and bis business habits have been productive ol much benefit to the nation.—Sydney Herald, June 27.

and 10 companies Royal Marine Artillery, bead quarters, Poitsmouth. Beiides tne above nrc the enrolled DocKyaid battalions of Doptford, Woolwich Chatham, und &lipenieB<i,.Portsmouih, Devonport, and Plymouth and Pembroke, amounting from 25,000 to 30,000 men all of whom ure instituted in gunnery and const defenci', in ca^e of uny sudden outbreak with a t foreign power.

Ri'.adino the Nrwspapeh.— At a soiree of (he Blandford Institution, at which Lord J'ortm.in presided, the Hon. and llcv. S. G. Osborne (the active, liberal, and humane S. G. 0 of the " limes") in the eouise of a spcecli to the compviy, said : He had been asked the question, " Do you think it right to encourage the middling and lower classes of your neighbouihood in lending newspapers ? — do you think it a piofitable employment for ilic evenings of those who, having been employed in their professions dm ing the day, have but little tune to acquiie knowledge ?" He (Mr. Osborne) was one of those who consideied that a knowledge o! the constitution of iinghnd was one of the fust and most valuable species of knowledge winch the middling classes could attain, lie would have them £>iin thei' own information liom the same sources as the uppi . classes, in older that tlwy mii>ht acquire iheh partieulai abis thiough the same medium as the upper clause obtained tliehs. He would not leave the middling classes to chance, but endeavour to form their judgments from the pioper sources, not leaving them to depend upon themselves. And, alier all, what was the newspapei ? It was not only a lecord ol (he passing day; it was d comment on man's passing life; and if sometimes they might gather tb.it whirl) might be tinned to evil that man must have a dull disposition indeed, who could not gather some useful kiunvlcdui; liom the tludy of the passing events of each day. ]Jo would enable (he middling classes to lead Ihe pupeis in older that they might be a check upon ilio i -e above them— that they liuqht be able to sepaiate lb:it which was false and selfish fioni that which was tine. It will make them feel how they are connected with passing events, and will enable them to give praise wheic it w.is due, and throw into the scale of disgi ace their contempt or those whom they saw betraying their lights.