as well as Captain Hall, and the Quarterly, have given totally false estimates of the amount of the State expenses. Thus the Revue Britannique, whose calculations are principally made from the budget of New York, reckons the State expenditure at 10,179,498 francs, whereas, there is out of this sum no more than 1,837,500 francs paid by the inhabitants of that State. The remainder is paid by the interests of the funds belonging to the State, and by the receipts of the Erie and Champlain canals, which latter alone amount to near 5,000,000 francs.

Mr. Cooper, himself a citizen of New York, and of course more likely to be intimately acquainted with the details of the expenditure of this State than a foreigner, makes the mean annual charge of each inhabitant of New York to be 95 centimes, or within one sous of a franc; and he thinks that this is a fair criterion for the amount of the rest of the Union. He takes the average real expenditure for five years, and estimates it at 350,000 dollars. This amount seems very small; but it must be recollected, that although each State is considered as a separate and independent government, yet none but the Federal government has to defray the expenses of any regular armed force; that they have no naval department, and no foreign relations, to keep up. It must also be borne in mind, that the large and increasing revenue of the canals, salt works, &c. in proportion as

the mortgages upon the revenues will be paid off, will become available in a greater proportion by the State, so that upon a moderate valuation, when quite unincumbered, the canals, salt works, &c. will produce a revenue, in Mr. Cooper's opinion, four times greater than the sum required for the expenses of the State. It should also be recollected, that in comparing the amount of expenditure in the two countries, we should take into account the poor-rates, county-rates, &c. in England, which will be found, at a very moderate computation, much to exceed the aggregate of the State expenses of America.

CHAPTER XIV.

Future financial prospects of the United States.-Military expenses.-Naval expenses.-Cost of administration of justice. -Salaries of the clergy.

THE calculation in the Quarterly that when the population of the United States shall equal our own, the expenditure will be proportionally increased, is not likely to prove correct either in theory or practice. The immense extent of territory in the United States, the scattered position of many of its inhabitants, and the nature of its border and southern population, require a vast framework of organization both for military and judicial purposes, and an apparently disproportionate expense; thus the skeletons of the regiments composing their small army are made upon a scale that would admit of a considerable augmentation with a trifling increase of expense, as the staff and officers, as well as the number of clerks employed in the war office, and the other parts of the military organization, are kept up on a footing that would allow of a great increase of effective force with little addition to the budget, beyond the pay of the additional privates. On this head the opinion of General Bernard, who for several years filled a high military post in the service of the United States, is of much weight; he says, "that the Ame

rican army might be increased to 12,000 men (or about double its present number) without any sensible augmentation in the expenses of the war department at Washington (l'administration centrale). That the number of privates is reduced as low as possible, while the officers are kept up on a scale adapted for thrice the effective numerical force; by which means the general expenses are diminished in time of peace, and they are prepared with a sufficient number of officers on the breaking out of war."

It may be remarked, that the expenses of the military force of the United States, when compared with those of many of the European armies, are disproportionately great, amounting for about 6,000 men to nearly 21 millions of francs, or about 4,200,000 dollars. It should be recollected that the American soldier is enrolled by voluntary enlistment, and the wages of labour in the United States being very high, he will of course expect a proportionate remuneration for his services. Besides, a sum of 525,000 francs annually voted for the manufacture of musquets and small arms, is included in the above estimate, as also the expenses of a formidable line of fortifications now in progress, with its artillery and that of the army*. In like manner the ex

* These fortifications have been carried on, and, in many instances completed, under the able superintendence of General Bernard.

penses of the navy department at Washington would not materially increase if it became necessary to put twice the present number of ships of war in commission.

The same necessity exists for a large proportionate expense to the Federal government in the administration of justice, the framework of which is at present calculated rather upon the extent of territory than upon the number of inhabitants, as the organization is uniform and general. On this subject Mr. Cooper thus expresses himself, "The maintenance of order, and the administration of justice, would not cost much more, were the population 100 millions, than they do at present for less than 14 millions. No person is allowed to hold more than one place or office, and none of those now employed could be dispensed with without detriment to the public service. It is necessary to support thirty district courts for a population of less than 14 millions, whereas, if the Union were of no greater extent than France, proportionally to its number of inhabitants, four courts would suffice."

Allowing for a very natural bias in favour of the institutions of his country, it may be probable that Mr. Cooper has overrated the economy of the administration of justice, still his observations deserve much consideration.