In France a militia was first raised from the provinces daring the reign of Louis XI V. ; but the several corps were disbanded after the peace of Ryswick. In 1726 was organised a force of the like kind, consisting of men chosen by lot from the towns and villages, and held in readiness to be assembled when required : and in 1778 these provincial troops were formed into 106 battalions. Since the great Revolution, the National Guard may be said to constitute the militia of. France.
In the United States of North America, by an act passed in 1792, the principal provisions of which are still in force, all able-bodied white male citizens between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, with certain exceptions, are enrolled in the militia; and when drafts are to be made for active service, the individuals are selected by ballot as in this country. The persons excepted are the executive, judicial, and representative officers of the Union, those who are employed in the post-office department, &c.; and, in some of the states, persons are exempted who have scruples of conscience against bear ing arms. The president has the power of calling out the militia of the states ; and, when on active service, it is subject to the same rules and articles of war as the regular troops, but courts-martial for the trial of military offenders are com posed of militia officers only.
A militia may be a useful addition to a regular standing army, when it can be rendered an efficient body ; and provided a large number of persons at a time are not withdrawn from profitable industry. But any militia system which interferes largely with regular occupations is a loss to a country. A regular army is cheaper than such a militia and more efficient. It may be argued that a militia possess the united characters of de fenders of their country and of contribu tors to its prosperity, while they remain connected in social union with their fellow-citizens, and are interested, like them, in the support of the laws and in the reservation of good government; and that it is in some respects otherwise with the soldiers of a regular army, who are de voted exclusively to the profession of arms, and have few feelings in common with the rest of the community. However, the regular army of Great Britain that is employed at home is insignificant when compared with the regular force of many other countries in Europe ; and there is little danger to be apprehended from it to the liberties of the people, even if it should be increased to any considerable amount, because the money required for this service is voted annually by the parliament. [Away.]
M I NES.—Under COAL TRADE, p. 526 ; COPPER, STATISTICS OF, p. 631 ; and blow, p. 132, an account has been given of the three largest branches of mining in dustry, to which we now add a brief no tice of the produce of the lead and tin mines, in order to give a general view of the importance of the mines of England as a source of national wealth.
quantity raised and smelt ed in the United Kingdom is believed to amount to about 60,0J0 tons, which is more than sufficient for our own consumption, and the remainder is exported. Foreign lead is imported into England, chiefly from Spain, but comparatively little is used in this country ; in 1844 only 49 tons out of 3058 tons imported.
earliest commercial inter course with Britain arose out of the track for tin. (Diod. Sic. v. 38.) From 1817 to 1837 the average annual produce of the tin mines in Cornwall was 4211 tons. A duty of 4s., and fees equivalent to 5s., for each 120 lbs., were paid to the Duchy of Cornwall prior to 1838. The consumption of tin in Great Britain from 1830 to 1837 averaged annually 3363 tons, which was about three times the annual consumption from 1800 to 1810. From 1783 to 1790 the propor tion of British tin exported was 7-10ths of the total produce of the mines ; and it had gradually diminished until it amounted to 1-5th only from 1830 to 1837. From 1815 to 1831 the annual average importation of foreign tin was 213 tons ; from 1831 to 1838 the quantity imported had reached 1527 tons. Nearly all the foreign tin is again exported.
The exports of mineral produce and metals worked into manufactured goods, were as under in 1844 employed under ground in mines is nearly equal to an eighth of the total numbers em ployed in the cultivation of the surface ; to this number might perhaps be added 18,148 quarriers. The number of per sons employed in the manufacture (smelt ing, &c.) of metals was 36,209, as fol lows:— Iron • • • • 29,487 Copper .. 2,126 Lead .. .. 1,293 Tin• .. 1,320 Metal not specified 1,973 The total annual value (profits) of mines and iron works assessed to the Property and Income Tax in 1843 was as follows:— Mines. Iron Works.
England and Wales £2,081,387 559,435 Scotland .. 177,592 147,412 The mines in Durham were assessed at 392,112l.; those in Lancashire at 348,0061. ; the Yorkshire mines at I54,0731.; and the Staffordshire mines at 196,1491.
The Staffordshire iron works were as sessed at 155,6851.; the Monmouthshire works at 56,8971.; Yorkshire iron works at 67,8901.; and Shropshire at 34,2791.