Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1871.djvu/267

 ARMY.

23I

It will be seen that the estimates for 1870-71 showed a net decrease of 1,136,900/. as compared with the previous year's vote ; the amount of the vote in 1869-70 having been 14,230 400/., and the amount of the estimate for 1870-71 being 13,093,500/. The approximate amount to be paid into the exchequer as extra receipts, during the year 1870-71, is 1,222,800/., as compared with 1,435,000/., the amount paid in during 1869-70. The total number of men paid out of the army estimates was 140,578 in 1865-6, 138,117 in 1866-7, 139,163 in 1867-8, 138,691 in 1868-9, 127,367 in 1869-70, and 114,981 in 1870-71.

The army estimates for 1870—71 included charges- for military purposes in the Colonies as follows : — Australian colonies, 23,278/., of which sum nearly 19,000/. for Western Australia ; British North America, 226,293/. ; Bermuda, 187,134/. ; South Africa, 132,376/. ; West Africa, 34,754/.; West Indies, 197,596/. ; Mauritius, 78,832/.; Ceylon, 160,026/. ; Straits Settlements, 78,748/. ; St, Helena, 20,630/.; China, 166,523/.; Gibraltar, 270,005/.; and Malta, 329,343/. The total colonial military expenditure was calculated, in the estimates of 1870-71, at 1,905,538/., being 684,000/. less than in the financial year 1869-70. The probable Colonial contributions in aid of the military expenditure in the year 1870-71 were returned at 309,000/., distributed as follows :— Ceylon, 160,000/.; Straits Settlements, 59,300/.; Mauritius, 45,000/.; Hongkong, 2o,000/. ; Malta, 6,200/. ; West Indies, 4,000/. ; South Africa, 13,500/. ; and Labuan, 1,0007. The statement of Imperial expenditure in the colonies was exclusive of the cost of arms, accoutrements, barrack, hospital, and other stores, and also of amy proportion of recruiting expenses, head-quarter administrative expenses, and non-effective charges, all these falling to the share of the United Kingdom.

From a return made to the House of Commons, at the end of the session of 1864, it appears that, in April, 1864, there were 109,760 non-commissioned officers and men in the army who declared them- selves Episcopalians, 20,798 Presbyterians, 5,290 other Protestants, and 58,508 Roman Catholics. Returns, issued in 1866, including 182,932 soldiers in the army, show 6'80 per cent, with a superior education, and a further 63 - 67 per cent, able to read and write. Of the remaining 29'52 per cent., 16 - 55 could read but not write, and 12 - 97 could neither read nor write. In the infantry of the line the proportion of uneducated men, or men not found able both to read and write, was 45"62 per cent, in 1860, and 35*71 in 1865.

The classes from which the army is drawn are shown in a return issued in the session of 1867, giving the results of recruiting for several years. It appears from this statement that of every 1,000 recruits 563 came from England and Wales, 112 from Scotland, and 320 from Ireland ; while of every 1,000 men that offered