THE AGGRESSIVE AND DEFENSIVE POWER OF ENGLAND.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 136, 8 May 1880, Page 3

THE AGGRESSIVE AND DEFENSIVE POWER OF ENGLAND.

Amidst thu rumours of war—tho increase of the German army by 90,000 mini, tin; quasUalliance bcweeii Austria md Germany, the prodigious expansion uddeuly given to the Russian military ystem, and tliu strained relations between England and the groat, Northern Power—it is a matter of importance to note what is the aggressive ami defensive power of England and her dependencies. In both respects there lias been a ohang© which has scarcely received the attention it deserves. The first step was taken some years ago, when the Imperial Government, finding how small was the military force at its disposal, in couscquoneo of a considerable, portion of tho army being scattered in all quarters of tho globe, determined on substituting a policy of concentration, and called on the colonies to provide For their own defencci The adoption of this course was equivalent to a lar<*o increase in tho army, and, as a consc-

quencc, hmglaiiu can now put into tho tield a force, very much greater than any that would previously have been available. ]lor object has been further assisted bv the creation of a system of reserves which, when fully developcdj will place an additional 00,000 men at- her disposal, and now gives her about half that number, it has also been aided by the initiation of the volunteer system, which, yielding some 200,000 men, would enable the kingdom to be nearly denuded of regular troxps. Shi: has, in addition, her militia, from which to recruit the line. Thus, at .-. pinch, sir,' \voii\l bo able to despatch 100,00 ii ::„.,, („ a iiv particular .-pot, though the iuimi iiaf.- ellV.t would probably lie limited to about "iC.OOO men. Bi't her striking power is not sufficiently represented by these numbers, because bur naval supremacy and enormous means of transport v.v.uld compel her

antatuni-! 'to pl'ace fro .ps in all those direerions in s.ny o■• • or which she of !;u- va:;t t'-icili.ies uf transportation by in ad I' , i t:: tins ci- nun • stance, in rarmy in India is incomparably stringer t!ia:i it war, a lew years ago. At tiie time of the mutiny there were there ait now some 'j't.r-'.;:). There are, in addition, tin.' armies of the native princes, amounting to :i")l),OU0 men, some of tlieui el!ieie::t 'troops. The total of h"f Indian army is :3CO,O'JO men.

Kussia mi her Indian frontier, it may Lie assumed (hat s!ii' would Imvo nt her ,!i-j, isnl !d'),i)(i!l nf tin* troops of Uifl princes. sii|i]iloiitc-;iffrt l.v say 25,0:1;) ;,■.;„. from England, In nrewrvu the proportion of whites to Mucks, Of n. total .if :,s;,,i..ii; 01 i which to n]ic-r.'ttc, withunt uiiy addition to hov native troops, if will l>o sp"ti, therefore, how prodigious is the disparity between lier Indian potter before i!i" mutiny and sit tiio present time, nil.] how ureal would ho her advantage over TNissin, which would Imvo to liriii : her troops from so "runt n distance, nn.l have at the same lo resist nffneksin Europe. 1F in defence nf Turkey, Asia SHnor was (lie seat of war, a lnnre proportion of her Indian troops would lie available, and. united wiih her lioine armv and the Turkish troops, would make her extremely formidable. It is io facilitate the tin'nspnrl of the Indian troops to Asia Minor thai Llie Dub! of Sutherland, the hosom friend of the Prince nf Wales, and pfoJ.nl.ly. UiWfore, with his eoiieurrenee, is endeavouring to efl'eet the construction of Ihe Knphrnt.es Valley railway. Kor _ tins purpose a close alliance with Persia is necessary, and that, has heen accoinnlished.' The.'position of nPni.i. (herefore is this—that, with respect to t\i agression of Knssin on Turkey, Enudand at the time 0 f the Crimean "War coinmer.eed with So.OOfl men. in round ' numl.ors, which only after a invlraete.l

period was mcrcasi'il to woywi'. many ni (liom moro I toys, and unfit for the ronHi work nf a campaign : whereas now s'i» may 1«' assumed to linv • an avnilnlil*» fori f 200,000 men, and capable of licin-rinn s-.1. If. on Mm .-,•' <■ •• 1. w assume n W1 ~ „.:.i, Hi. '• -l-l S'ntos, w pop Hint tlio r-.V.ii: shns tfi'v.-n Ensland n rciillv powwf.il nllv it: 'Viadn. which ;..-,■-,]' I, ..,.iiin!i-fi.' military organization fliM , would cnahlo Itnr ni on.'.; to p»l M\Oo;i |: moil in thi» ftnld, whioh Imr system pro , vidcs, could, i:i ii sfritpfjloforoN'iKtcnw. ho I increased to MIO.OOO men. In wbicli wmil.l j hivvofohoaddod 100,000 British troops -| n number which, ill such a conlllot, would j hodouhl lie doubled. I" the instance, of ( Mm United States, too. as in thai of Russia., vroinit has to ho Inhen n( the Iteot, which would ii- lintf n descent on most portions of. the American coast. The full ffToi-t of this power can bent be realized if it ho assumed tlmt tli» lliili-h Government or the ilay could have been wicked and foolish enough to linvi> lidwl witli Hid Confederate*, in tlio American civil war, when thu blockado would havo lipou impossible, Til- Oonfiidemteiij supplied with all they ii-. ir.il, wniil.t not hftvo molted nwnv. and Qcneml Slii'i'iiniii would probably never hoyo been the how of the eolo-1

bratc I march through Georgia, Substitute Canada for the Confederate States, and tli ■ sam o would be the position in a war between England and the United Slates less the difficulty of the slaves. 11. again, we take the other colonies, we see by what was done during the Zulu war that owing to the great dimensions which steam vessels have attained, with ease and rapidity any force that might be required could lie landed on their shores. An underestimate has been formed of the power of England—of tho Empire—because ii has been the custom to confine tho C'liisiihsiation of it to the forces of Great Britain alone, and because she has nnt competed with the enormous armaments ~i the foremost European nations. But the development of her military strength has been veiy great, though gradual and unostentatious. Her, Indian army is a factor that must be taken

account of since it was rendered available by Earl Reaeonsfield during tho Russo-Turki-ii war. India must now be deemed one powerful ally, and Canada, where, by-th.-bve, a force of 10,0(10 men is to be raised for Imperial purposes, under Certain circumstances, another. Both for ortensivc and defensive purposes, therefore, England occupies a position of such strength as,by rendering her a dangerous enemy, affords a large security to her dependencies, and a wholesome source of proud satisfaction. Europe has been properly described as a seething cauldron, Russia is' embittered and hostile; the statesmen and journals of Europe' daily speculate on the chances of war, and it is well, therefore (o estimate the strength of the shield which protects the Empire. should it have to encounter the worst calamity of nations. New Zealand 11..raid, March 20, 1880.