§ MR. DISRAELISir, an Order in Council appeared in the Gazette on Tuesday last suspending the calling out of the Militia during the present year. That Order is dated the 25th of June,—a date, as the House will recollect, previous to the arrival of the disastrous news from India. I wish to inquire of the noble Lord at the head of the Government whether the publication of that Order in Council, dated the 25th of June, but which appeared in the Gazette on the 14th of July, was a matter of inadvertence, or whether it was sanctioned by Her Majesty's Government?
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONSir, that order was issued by no means inadvertently, but upon full consideration, and upon reasons which I think perfectly good. The greater part of the militia were assembled during the last two years of the war, and it was therefore deemed unnecessary to call them out for training this year with any view of maintaining the discipline of the regiments. It was thought they had received sufficient training to admit of their not being called oat daring the present year. Another very strong reason for not adopting that course arose from financial 1575 considerations. The House is aware that, "cutting our coat according to our cloth," Her Majesty's Government were compelled to make very great reductions in the effective service of the country for the purpose of bringing the expenditure of the year within its income. Before the unfortunate accounts arrived from India, it was therefore determined not to call out the militia during the present year. I presume the right hon. Gentleman means to ask whether the news from India ought not to have caused a change in our intention. I reply that there seems to be no reason why that intelligence should cause any change. If anything had happened in Europe which had threatened to involve this country in a war with any European Power, and which rendered it probable that we should have occasion to provide for the defence of the country, it might undoubtedly have been necessary to call out the militia, as a great number of our regular forces must be sent to a distant station; but as, fortunately, Europe appeared to be perfectly tranquil, and as there was no apprehension in any quarter that we were likely to be involved in any European dispute, unless the Government saw reason to change their minds from considerations arising out of the state of things in India, they did not think it desirable to call out the militia. The chief purpose to be answered by calling out the militia at present would be with the view to facilitate their volunteering into the line, but that would have been a most expensive method of raising any given number of troops. It would have been a wasteful expenditure of the public money, and would not have at all assisted the objects we have in view.