GOVERNMENT AND ADMINISTEATION. 



445 



founded in 1872, provides a superior education. The pay of the soldiers has been 

 hut slightly increased since 1830, and the number of volunteers is consequently 

 not large, for glory is not to he gained in an army which has not made use of its 

 weapons since 1830, except perhaps in domestic broils. Soldiers after forty years' 

 service become entitled to a small pension. 



The country is divided into two military districts. The only fortresses are 

 Antwerp, with its entrenched camp, and the forts on the Lower Schelde, Dender- 

 monde (Termonde), Diest, and the citadels of Liège and Namur. A permanent 

 camp for exercise has been established at Beverloo, in the Campine, close to the 

 Dutch frontier. The annual expenses of the army amount to about £1,600,000, 

 and since 1830 no less than £80,000,000 have been exjDended upon it. 



Fig. 245. — The Camp of Bevekloo. 

 Scale 1 : 250,000. 



5 Miles. 



In addition to the regular army there exists a very inefficient militia, or civic 

 guard, for the maintenance of order in time of peace, and the defence of the country 

 in time of war. 



The finances of Belgium are well ordered» There is a debt of £46,000,000, but 

 £19,000,000 of this amount are a legacy dating back to Belgium's connection with 

 the Netherlands, whilst most of the remainder has been expended upon railways 

 and other works of public utility. Two millions of debt have been paid off since 

 1830. The annual income generally balances the expenditure, and a very con- 

 siderable amount of the former is devoted to public works.* 



The provincial and communal budgets likewise present a satisfactory balance. 

 The communes are even wealthier than the State in landed proj)erty. They still 

 own nearly half a million acres of "common lands," whilst the State domains do 



* Expeiidilure in 1877, £9,857,700, of which £3,300,400 were devoted to public works, £2,452,000 to 

 interest on the pubhc debt, and £1,754,760 to the army. 



