The state of the national debt for the sixteen years, from 1854 to 1869, has been as follows:

There are to the charge of the funded debt, not included in the above statement, a constantly varying amount of terminable annuities, the estimated capital of which, on the 31st of March, 1869, amounted to 47,546,9351.

The balance in the Exchequer for the fifteen years 1855-69 amounted to:

Taking the population of the United Kingdom according to the census of 1861, the average share of each individual in the capital of the national debt amounted, in 1869, to 25l. 11s. 2d., while that in the annual interest was 17s. 7d.

Army and Navy.
1. Army.

The maintenance of a standing army, in time of peace, without the consent of Parliament, is prohibited by the Bill of Rights of 1690.

From that time to the present, the number of troops which the security of the kingdom and its possessions rendered it necessary to maintain, as well as the cost of the different branches of the service in detail, have been sanctioned by an annual vote of the House of Commons. The amount of the military force to be maintained for the year is always a matter for the decision of the government. The question is annually brought under consideration, shortly before the commencement of the parliamentary session, at a meeting of the Cabinet, when, on the basis of communications made by the Commander-in-Chief, or the Field Marshal commanding-in-chief,* a decision is arrived at as to the number of officers and men, of each arm of the service, to be maintained for the coming year. Upon this decision, the Secretary of State for War frames the Army Estimates,' or detailed accounts of the strength and cost of the which are submitted in chapters, or votes-27 in 1869-to the approval of the House of Commons.

army,

Parliament exercises another important means of control over the army. In time of war, or rebellion, troops are subject to martial law, and might be punished for mutiny or desertion. But as soon as

armies began to be maintained in time of peace, questions of discipline arose. The common law, which then alone prevailed, knew of no distinction between a citizen and a soldier; so that, if the soldier deserted, he could only be punished for breach of contract; if he struck his officer, he was only liable to an indictment for the assault. Such questions soon came before the tribunals, and Chief Justice Holt, when Recorder of London, decided that, although the King may, by his prerogative, enlist soldiers, even in time of peace, still, if there was no statute passed to punish mutiny and to subject them to a particular discipline, they could not be punished for any military offence, and they were only amenable to the same laws as the rest of the King's subjects. Hence the authority of Parliament became necessary for the maintenance of military discipline. Parliament granted this in an Act, limited in its duration to one year, which Act was subsequently passed at the commencement of every session under the name of the 'Mutiny Act,' investing the Crown with large powers to make regulations for the good government of the army, and to frame the Articles of War, which form the military code. Subject to such restrictions, the army has now become a recognised part of the constitution. Parliament nevertheless retains the power

The difference between Commander-in-Chief and Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief is that the Commander-in-Chief is appointed by patent for life, while the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief is nominated by a letter of service, and holds his appointment during Her Majesty's pleasure. The Duke of Cambridge, actual head of the British Army, is the Field-Marshal commanding-in-chief, and not, as sometimes called, Commander-in-Chief. ૨

to make any reduction in its numbers, or even to terminate its legal existence by a single vote.

According to the army estimates laid before the House of Commons in the session of 1869, the total force of the United Kingdom, during the year 1869-70, is to consist of 127,336 men. This force is composed of the following regiments, depots, and training establishments:

The year 1869-70 shows a decrease in the army of 11,325 men over the previous year. The number of men provided for in the army estimates of 1868-69 was 138,691. The decrease embraced chiefly the royal artillery, infantry of the line, and colonial corps. The British forces in India, exclusive of depots at home, comprise the following troops, granted by Parliament for the year 1869-70:

The total force of the British army in India amounts, consequently, to 63,707 men. The number in the year 1868-9 was 64,466.

The troops here enumerated do not constitute the whole army of the United Kingdom; but the army estimates for 1869-70, as well as former years, contain votes of money for four classes of reserve, or auxiliary forces. The army estimates provide 952,7001. for the disembodied militia in the year 1869-70. The number to be called up for twenty-seven days' training is stated at 128,971, but a deduction is made from the amount of pay required to the extent of onefourth for cost of officers and men not enrolled or absent. The second class of auxiliary forces, the yeomanry cavalry, had 89,3007.