Erhiatto nut Vruuttiugo iu Varlianaut.
PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OF THE WEER.
Monday, June 18. Leases and Sales of Settled Estates Bill reported-Infants Marriage Bill reported.
Tuesday, June 19. Friendly Societies Bill read a second time-Law of Settlement
• and Removal; Lord Berners's Question; Government Measure to be postponed till next session.
Thursday, June 21. Massacre at Mango ; Lord Malmesbury's Question-Mea- surement of Shipping; Lord Hardwicke's Bill rend a second time-Leases and Sales of Settled Estates Bill read a third timerand passed -Charitable Trusts (1855) Bill committed-Public Libraries and Museums (Ireland); Mr. Ewart's Bill read a se- cond time.
Friday, June 22. Assizes and Sessions ; the Lord Chancellor's Bill read a second time-Church Patronage Transfer Bill reported- Stamp-Datiee Repeal on Matrie culation and Degrees (Oxford) Bill committed-Charitable Trusts (1855) Bill re- ported.
Horse or COMMONS. Monday, June 18. The Sebastopol inquiry; Report of the Committee brought up and read-Massacre at Hango; Mr. A. Duncombe's Ques- tion-Administrative Reform; adjourned debate; Mr. Layard's Resolution nega- tived Spirits (Ireland) Act Amendment Bill committed.
Tuesday, June 19. Tenants' Improvements Compensation; Mr. Shee's Bill in Committee-Corporation Reform ; Sir George Grey's Statement-Captain M'Clure; Mr. Mackinnon's Motion-Statute Law Consolidation ; Mr. Locke King's Motion- Army Cominiesiona; Mr. Headlam's Motion. Wednesday, June 20. Marriage Law Amendment; Mr. Heywood's Bill in Com- mittee.
Thursday, June 21. Metropolis Local Management ; Sir B. Hall's Bill in Com- mittee-Tenant Improvements Compensation ; Mr. Shee's Bill in Committee-Dwell hugs for Labouring Classes (Ireland) Bill read a third time and passed -Administra- tive Reform ; Sir Edward Lytton's Resolution agreed to. Friday, June 22. Vote of Censure on the Government ; Mr. Roebuck's Notice of
Mo -Hango Massacre; Colonel liareourt's Question-Arrears of l'ay to the Wounded; Mr. Stafford's Question-Admiralty bli,management ; Mr. Lindsay's Statements and Sir Charles Wood's Contradiction-Education (Scotland); the Lord- Advocate's Bill in Committee-Union Charges Act Continuance Bill read a second lime.
TIME-TABLE.
The Lords.
Hour of Hour of Meeting. Adjournment.
The Commons.
Hour of Hour of Meeting. Adiourument.
Monday Gh 50m Monday 9h . (w) 21a Wm Tuesday 6h gh 10m Tuesday Noon .... 3h Witi
6b .... 1011 Wm Wednesday No sitting. Wednesday Noon ... Oh Um Thursday
61 Tk Ibm
Tlaursduy Noon
.... 311 60m
Friday
bh 611 Who
Friday
6h
411 .(n1 ih 3010 ,, ..m) 2h Om Sittings this Week,
4; Time, 71t Sat
Sittings this Urea,
. 46.a ISZU
— this Sessioil.
70; - 163h Om — this
Swaim'. 101; — 6666 27m
Ten SEBABTCIPOL INQUIRY : REPORT.
The Report of the Select Committee on the Condition of the Army be- fore Sebastopol was brought up by Mr. Rostarrcx at the meeting of the House of Commons on Monday evening; and, on the motion of Mr. DD3- RakELI, it was read at the table by Sir Denis Le Merchant, the Clerk of the House.
The Report is of a length to fill seven columns of the morning journals, printed in small type. It is stated that upwards of 21,000 questions were put to the witnesses examined ; and the opening passage describing the nature of the inquiry and its difficulties shows that the Committee look upon it as imperfect.
"The complicated nature of this inquiry, the variety of subjects investi- gated, the number of witnesses examined, and the frequent inconsistency and contrariety of the evidence, render it no easy task to present a clear, de- finite, and just exposition of the matters submitted to 'our Committee. The difficulty of this task has been enhanced by the impossibility of summoning some persons as witnesses who might have furnished important information. From the same cause, some persona are left under imputation, in regard to which your Committee regret that they can pronounce no conclusive opinion. The fulness of the investigation hes, moreover, been restricted by considera- tions of state policy ; so that in the outset of this report year Committee must admit that they have been compelled to end an inquiry which they have been bl complete." The matter of the Report is distributed under two general heads—"- the Condition of our Army before Sebastopol ; and the Conduct of the De- partments, both at Home and Abroad, whose duty it has been to minister to the wants of that Army." The second head is again subdivided, " in order fairly to apportion the responsibility." Thus, while the first head standa in one section, the second contains no fewer than seventeen Sec- tions. Each section has its distinctive title,—as " The Conduct of the Government at Home," " The Secretary for War," " The Ordnance Department," "The Transport Department," "The Commissariat in the East," " The Road," " The Medical Department at Home," " The Hos- pitals at Scutari." The method adopted in preparing the report has been to place the facts, with many of which the public are familiar, with some of which they are not, bearing on particular subjects, in a combined narrative form; interweaving censures or qualifying remarks with the context, and sometimes appending the opinion of the Committee at the dose of a section.
The first head treats generally of the condition of the Army ; and, allowing for " unavoidable suffering," expresses an opinion that that suffering has been aggravated by causes which are " mainly to be attributed to dilatory and insufficient arrangements for the supply of the Army with necessaries indispensable to its healthy and effective condition." Describing in general terms the sufferings referred to, and pointing out that the military matters in connexion with the siege were beyond the limits of the inquiry, the re- port proceeds to the second head, and deals with " The Conduct of the Go- vernment at Home."
"The responsibility of the expedition to the Crimea rests upon the Home Government. The Duke of Newcastle, in his despatch addressed to Lord Raglan on the 10th of April 1854, directs careful but secret inquiry to be made into the present amount and condition of the Russian force in the Crimea, and 'the strength of the fortress of Sebastopol.' And his Grace further observes, that, ' before the siege of a fortress so strong can be at- tempted, it is necessary that information which can be relied on shalt be obtained upon many points on which little or nothing is at present known.' A second despatch, dated. the 29th of June, directs that the safety of Constan- tinople having been secured, whatever might bathe movement of the Russian forces, no campaign in the Principalities should be undertaken, but that measures should be at once concerted for the siege of Sebastopol 'There is,' it is added, 'no prospect of a safe and honourable peace until the fortress is reduced, and the fleet taken or destroyed.' The despatch /eaves to Lord Raglan a discretion only in case of some insuperable impediment, such as a want of ample preparation by either army, or of the possession by Russia of a force in the Crimea greatly outnumbering that which can be brought 'against it.
"The Cabinet appear to have been confident of success. Lord Aberdeen states it to have been their impression that Sebastopol would fall almost im- mediately by a coup-de-main. The Duke of Newcastle says, that he expected the army, after capturing Sebastopol, would winter there, or else, after destroying the fortress, would return to winter on the shores of the Bosphorus. Sir James Graham has the strongest opinion that the order for the expedition was given at the right time, and was executed at the right time.
" This report shows the results which ensued upon the frustration of these expectations. Your Committee have inquired whatinformation the Govern- ment had obtained which had induced them to order this expedition. In regard to this matter, it may be observed that the Duke of Newcastle had, in his despatch of the 10th of April, estimated the Russian forces in the chimed at 30,000 men, and he believes that when the expedition was ordered no more reliable accounts had been received. Sir James. Graham says, how- ever, that at a later period, namely, the last week in July, he had obtained !from a Crimean authority a complete account of the Crimea, its localities, its harbours, its roads, its productions, and supply of water, and what was most important of all, a statement of the force, which was estimated by his informant at 70,000 men, 8000 of which were cavalry, 40,000 constituted the garrison of Sebastopol, and the remaining 30,000 were dispersed through the Crimea.' Vice-Admiral Dundee had, on the 10th of May 1854e. written to Lord Raglan a letter' in which, relying upon information which he had obtained, he estimated the Russian forces in the Crimea at 120,000 men. The embassies at St. Petersburg and Constantinople were unable to furnish any information upon. these important subjects.
" Lord Raglan, in his despatch of the 19th of July, states that ' the de- scent on the Crimea is decided upon more in deference to the views of the British Government than to any information in the possession of the naval and military authorities, either as to the extent of the enemy's forces or to their state of preparation.' " The terms of reference do not call upon your Committee to pronounce any opinion in regard to the policy ' of the Government in ordering the expe- dition to the Crimea• but it is their duty to report how far the preparations made were adequate to the preparations which had been ordered. " The general direction of the war was in the hands of the Duke of New- castle, who, in the spring of 1854, held the office of Secretary for War and Colonies. In July these departments were divided ; and the Duke, being re- lieved from Colonial duties, undertook the immediate conduct of the war.
" When this important change was effected, it does not appear that any order in Council, minute, or other document was prepared, defining the spe- cial duties of the War Department. The Duke, as Secretary of State, had undoubtedly, before as well as after the change, ample powers ; he considered himself officially responsible for all the departments under his control, and he could issue such orders as he thought fit for their guidance. He states. however, that he felt his means to be insufficient for the due performance of his separate duties as Secretary of State for War ; he considered the organize- tion of all the war departments and their relation to each other to be in an unsatisfactory state ; but he felt it to be impossible, consistently with atten- tion to pressing business, to attempt their reorganization. " In making the separation between the Secretaryshipe of War and Colo- nies, together with the transference of the Commissariat froze the Trearary to the Secretary for War, the Cabinet considered that they had a tea measures initiatory to other changes which would neoessarily follow.
members of the Cabinet did not, however, bold any consultation upon the changes to be made, or the beat mode of effecting them : they separated as usual, at the close of the Parliamentary session in August ; and, as thee were not summoned to a meeting, they did not reassemble in Council until the second week of October. At a later period of the year, Lord John &s- sell expressed his dissatisfaction with the state of the War Department; and suggested Lord Palmerston as the fittest person for the office of Secretary of War. He adduced some cases where he said there had been a want of vi- gour in the exercise of authority, although the Cabinet, he added, had 'kW much in its recent meetings to repair omissions.' Your Committee notice with regret that the Cabinet did not meet in August or September, when these omissions might have been sooner remedied. Lord John Russell also observes that 'the House of Commons would expect, after six or seven months deliberation, a final arrangement of the War Department.' Your Committee can find no trace of these deliberations ; and any evils that may have resulted from delay in such arrangements are therefore properly laid tb the charge of the Cabinet " At the date of the expedition to the East, no reserve was provided at borne adequate to the undertaking. Mr. Sidney. Herbert states, in hie memo- randum of the 27th of November, ' the army in the East has been created by discounting the future. Every regiment at home, or within reach, and not forming part of that army, has been robbed to complete it. The depahs of battalions under Lord Raglan have been similarly treated.'
" The men sent out to reinforce the army were recruits who had not yet become fit for foreign service, and the depets at home were too weak to feed the companies abroad. " The order to attack Sebastopol was sent to Lord Raglan on the 29th of June : the formation of a reserve at Malta was not determined upon until early in November.
" It will be seen from the correspondence between Lord John Russell and Lord Aberdeen, that Lord Raglan had reported that...he wished he had been able to place in the position of Balaklava, on the 28th of October, a more considerable force' ; and also, that on the 5th of November the heights of Inkerman were defended by no more than 8000 British infantry.' When the Duke of Newcastle informed Lord Raglan that he had 2000 recruits to send him, he replied, that 'those last sent were so young and unformed that they fell victims to disease, and were swept away like flies. He pre. ferred to wait.'
" In Decentherthe power of reinforcing the army with efficient soidien warts° reduced that the Government thought it necessary to introduce a Roe reign Enlistment Bill for the purpose of raising a foreign legion.
"Your Committee must express their regret that the formation of a large reserve at home, and also in the proximity of the seat of war, was not 0011. sidered at a much earlier period ; and that the Government, well knowing the limited number of the British army, the nature of the climate is the East, as well as the Power we were about to encounter, did not at the soar- mencement of the war take means to augment the ranks of the army bee yond the ordinary recruiting ; and also, that earlier steps were not taken to render the Militia available both for the purpose of obtaining supplies of men, and also, in case of necessity, for the relief of regiments of the Line stationed in garrisons in the Mediterranean,—measures which they fennel themselves compelled to adopt at a later period.
The next section defines the position of "The Secretary of State for War," and the course ha took under the novel circumstances of the time.
On accepting the Secretaryship for War, the Duke of Newcastle found himself in this disadvantageous position : he had: no separate office for his departments; he had no document prescribing his new duties, no prece. dents for his guidance; and his Under-Secretaries were new to the work. In this situation, he undertook the superintendence of numerous departments, with whose internal organization he was dissatisfied, and the management of a war urgently requiring- prompt and vigorous operations. "The Duke was imperfectly acquainted with the best mode of exercising his authority over the subordinate departments ; and these departments were not officially informed of their relative position, or of their new duties towards the Minister for War. His interference was sought for in mutters of detail, wherein his time should not have been occupied, and he was left unacquainted with transactions of which he should have received official cognizance. Feeling his large responsibilities, he took. upon himself to re- medy innumerable deficiencies which were brought to his notice; and in the mean time matters of paramount necessity were postponed.
"The evidence, moreover, shows that the Duke was long left in ignorance, or was misinformed, respecting the progress of affairs in the East. He was not until a late period made acquainted with the state of the hospitals atSou. tari, and- the horrible mode in which the sick and wounded were conveyed from Balaklava to the Bosphorus. Lord Aberdeen has significantly observed; that the Government were left in ignorance longer than they ought to hare been of the real state of matters in the East. The Ministers, he says, were informed of the condition of the army from public papers and private source' long before they heard it officially, and not hearing it officially, they discre- dited the rumours around them. Thus, while the whole oountry was die.. mayed by reports, and was eagerly looking for some gleam of official
genre, the Cabinet, according to the statement of Ministers, was in &aka ness.
"Harassed by these rumours, and perplexed by the indiscreet silence of those who should have enlightened him, the Duke sent a Commission tein. quire into the state of the hospitals at Scutari and in the Crimea. The Com- mission was issued in October : it did not report until April A form of proceeding suited to redress grievances at home, or to become a baeis for le- gislativemeasures, was ill adapted to relieve the pressing wants of 5000 man suffering tinder mismanagement and neglect. " With the same benevolent intention, the Duke, through the channel ad the Foreign Office; requested Lord Stratford de Redcliffe to take upon him- self, in additicear.to his many onerous duties, a certain amount of supervi- Glen and assistance-of these hospitals." It is pointed out that the Duke of Newcastle was not charged with the clothing of the army, but that, in the peculiar circumstances of the ease, he recommended to the Commander-in-chief that an extra supply of winter- clothing should be furnished ;:;sad when the Priuce WAG lied, the Secretary for War issued orders, and all the military departments were occupied with the supply. •
In treating of " The Secretary at War," Mr. Sidney Herbert is described as without power to originate anything, but, "from praisewonhy motives," "undertaking to do a great deal which was not the business of his office."
The " Ordnance Department " next falls under the censure of the Com- mittee. In appointing Sir Hew Ross Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance, Lord Aberdeen had in view the abolition of the office ef Master-General ; believing in the Mann time that the Lieutenant-General would have all the
authority of the Master-General. That was not the ease. The substitution of a Lieutenant-General for a Master-General divided the duties of the Board among its members without any supervisin authority. " A conflict of authority arose between the members of the Board "; its conduct was " unseemly "; and " the public service has suffered from the want of judg- ment and temper on the part of the officers who were intrusted, during a critical period, with important public duties." " Your Committee believe that Lord Aberdeen would have acted more beneficially for the public service if he had appointed another Master-Gene- ral when Lord Raglan could no longer discharge the duties of the office; and they are of opinion that a vague intention of remodelling the Ordnance Office affords no justification for the dowse pursued. If this office were deem- ed to be imperfect, and ill-adapted for its functions, there was the more need during its continued existence of an able man to superintend its proceedings. The Ordnance Office strikingly exemplifies the disordered state in which a department may fall when there is no able hand to guide it." The Committee also express dissatisfaction at the administration of the tont:act system, and at the quality of the tools supplied to the army ; while they make an exception in favour of the corps of Artillery, whose equip- ment is "admirable," and also the armament supplied to the Navy, which " is efficient."
The Transport service "at home," "in the Black Sea " and "in the -Bosphorus," receive separate consideration. The Committee find that Cap- tain Milne, who had charge of the transport at home, ably conducted the business intrusted to him;sand remark on the magnitude of the operations, and the difference between them and mercantile .roceedings. " Within a year somewhere about 150,000 men and above 7111 horses were conveyed, principally by steam, a large portion of therii to a point 3000 miles distant -from this country ; besides which, vessels had to be provided for stores to an enormous amount, for the purpoaes of war, for the sustenance of both army and navy, and for the effective maintenance of a steam fleet. Sudden re- quisitions for hut/Sand other urgent necessariexhad also to be met.
" There is, it is said, an obvious error in comparing the transport service between England rind the Crimea to a mercantile arrangement for the con- veyance and deliveri of a given amount of tonnage. The transports, when sent to the Crimea, could not deliver their stores and return; a large num- ber were perniaheritly detained, from military considerations, and many others were kept at Balaklava, because there were no warehouses on shore to receive their cargoes."
The Comniittee point out that much of the suffering at Scutari arose in consequence of the faulty mode of sending mixed cargoes to the East; from the fact that Sir James Graham did not adopt the suggestion of Dr. Andrew Smith that steamers should be fitted up for the wounded; that when Sir James wrote, at the instigation of the Duke of Newcastle, urging the propo- sal on Admiral Dundas, the Admiral did not act, because, as he states, every- one expected to be in Sebastopol in a few days; and that dreadful conse- quences ensued from thus at first forgetting, and subsequently neglecting to prepare ships for the conveyance of the sick and wounded.
With respect to the responsibility for the transport service in the Black Sea, the Committee point out that there is, a contrariety of opinion; Sir James Graham arid. Captain Milne saying that Vice-Admiral Dundee had authority over the -Whole, Lord Raglan having a concurrent authority ;_ and Admiral Dundee maintaining that they were entirely under the manage- ment of Lord Raglan, Rear-Admiral Boxer, and Captain Christie. They do riot fasten the responsibility-of the want of system at Balaklava upon either of the three officers exercising divided authority there; but they say—" The want of system which prevailed on the shore is generally admitted the harbour was not governed with the authority necessary for the maintenance of order, and the transports were compelled to anchor outside the harbour, an anchorage which naval men justly considered to be unsafe." The transports in the Bosphorus were under Admiral Boxer. This officer, as early as September 1854, requested that a ship might be attached to him- self with proper officers, and a gang of artificers. His request, often re- peated, was not complied with by Sir James Graham until the 20th Novem- ber. Sir James regrets that be did not accede to the first application ; and the Committee think "this 'unfortunate decision"—the refuaal in the first instance—may hare increased Admiral Boxer's difficulties, especially after the 14th November, and led-to some of the charges against him.
"Your Committee are of opinion that there was some unnecessary deten- tion of transports at Constantinople, and that the arrangements for coaling were very deficient; but, as they have not been able to examine Admiral Boxer, they cannot pronounce an opinion as to his share of responsibility. His letters in the appendix shoes that he exerted himself strenuously to dis- charge duties forwhieh it is admitted that his means were inadequate, and if he failed under these difficulties, his subsequent endeavours in the har- bour of Balaklava appeared to have been successful"
With regard to the Commissariat, after stating the circumstances under which Mr: Filder was. appointed, and describing his ample powers, the re- port says—" With these large powers, heavy duties were imposed upon him, according to an arrangement which 'appears to have been injudiciously adopted at the commencement of the campaign. It wee determined that there should be only one store department with the army, and that this should be under the care of the Commissariat. From this decision it fol- lowed as a consequence that the Commissariat was expected to make good the deficiencies of manydistinct departments. All the miscellaneous articles of equipment which come under the head of Quartermaster-General's stores were given in charge to the Commissariat; and, in addition to these extra- neous duties, this department was required not only to keep. a large amount of Ordnance stores, but also to purchase materials and tools in the East for the purposes of the siege. The military system in this country affords the Commissariat no opportunity of becoming acquainted with the army, or of ministering to its wants; so that in a campaign the officers of this depart- ment find themselves called upon to furnish supplies in regard to which they may have had no experience, while the officers and men, being often igno- rant of the proper duties of the Commissariat, consider this departiferit re- sponsible for everything they may require."
The "Land Transport" was fbund imperfect from the first, and "no ades quate measures were adopted for its improvement ; so that the Army, when encamped before Sebastopol, depended for all its supplies upejea service de- fective in its organisation and in its superintendence. OW nit 6th October, Mr. Filler said he had efficient transport for all the purpaies of the Army ; while at the some time Sir Edmuhd Lyons wrote that the transport animals, though in fair condition, were not in sufficient me .ber. But when told that the army must winter in the Crimea, Mr. Mkt, became alarmed. At this time, too, the service itself was imperilled fiy the want of forage and shelter for the animals, and the bed condition of the roads. Thp Committee has endeavoured to find out who is responsible for the bad condition of the roads. "As far as the information obtained enables your Committee to form an opinion, it appears to them that in this matter there was a want of due foresight and decision. Early in November, when the probable necessity of wintering in the Crimea was, contemplated, energetic means should have been taken to presiiiiiand maintain an effectivasemmunication between the camp and Balaclava. The road had then already been injured by the traffic, sant condition had excited the apprehensions of theCommIssary-General, who had called attention to the subject : if a military force could not be spared, measures should have been taken to obtain other labour in the East, or ap- plication should have been made to the Home Government, who might have sent labourers from England. Such precautions would have saved much loss of time and many valuable lives, and would have contributed to maintain the land transport service in an effective condition. The probable failure of the communication was not, however, brought to the notice of the Duke of Newcastle until too late to enable him to take measures in England to pre- vent the serious calamities which subsequently arose."
The consequences of the failure of the transport would have been obviated in some degree by the formation of depots near the camp. Mr. Filder had begun to form one near the camp; but the action at Balaklava, followed by the contemplated abandonment of, that port, by the battle of Inkerman and by the hurricane, used up the animals ; and the establishment of depots was relinquished. At this time, and throughout the winter, there were "stores of all the supplies that the army could require " at Constantinople; but conveyance could not be had to take them to Balaklava, nor whet there to the camp.
"The witnesses are not agreed as to the quality of fresh meat supplied to the Army : the regularity of the distribution depended partly on the zeal and energy of the several Commissariat officers, and also on the position occupied by the troops. Until the end of October, the rations, it is said, were furnished with regularity, and consisted of fresh meat twice or thrice in the week. Mr. Parker, Chaplain to the First Division from the 28th of November till the 23d of January, states, that during this period the hospitals were supplied with fresh meat almost every day ; but the troops did not receive it, he thinks, above once a week : he never knew them, however, to be without rations. Other witnesses say that the soldiers, during the winter months, suffered occasionally from want of their rations, and more frequently from the irregularity of their issue. In the appendix "a statement by aboard of officers will be found, in which it is affirmed that the men for days and weeks together went to the trenches with an insufficient meal, and oftentimes with none at all save a little biscuit andruni. Any result derived from an aierage of rations issued is delusive, -bemuse privation one day is not compensated by superfluity on another. Even when the men received a sufficient meld, the proportion of salt meat without an accompanying supply of vegetables was greater than was consistent with the health of the troops. This deficiency of fresh meat, the moat wholesome as well as the'cheapest food, is ascribed to the failure of the sea-transport, the ships having been disabled by stones and then delayed by moan; in one instance all the cattle on board perished from the inclemency of the weather, or froin the violence of the waves. " Vegetables, which, according to the intentions of the Government, should have been issued gratuitously, were.very scantily supplied ; indeed, several witnesses assert that none were ever seen in the camp. One ship-load of vegetables was detained in the harbour until the cargo was decayed; and at Eupatoria, it is said, there waa an immense store of onions lying on the wharf, whiledisease' from meat of vegetables, was spreading through the camp. The Deputy Commissary-General states that he had an abundant stock of rice at Constantinople during the time when it was wanted even for the hospitals in the Crimea. Preserved potatoes were, it is said, early in the autumn offered to the soldiers, but rejected; later in the winter, when-the supply of vegetables was essential, it does not appear that the offer was 're- peated. Coffee, which had been ordered as an extra ration, was dietributed to the troops in a green state, and (there being no means of roasting was of little use. The explanation offered to your 'Committee on this point is not satisfactory. The more immediate comfort of the troops appears to have been overlooked, while ingenioua arguments on the volatile aroma of the berry, and on the Turkish mode of packing coffee, were passing backwards and forwards between Commissary-General Filder and the Treasury." The question of "forage" is minutely looked into ; and the Committee find it difficult to my to what extent the Commissariat is responsible-Lit the deficiency of these supplies. Sir Charles Trevelyan throws the blame dn the Quartermaster-General, who did not make the road, and on Admiral Boxer, who delayed the transports in the Bosphorus. The Admiral denied that statement. "Admiral Boxer also, it appears, in December, remonstrated against the irregular system pursued by the Commissariatin the Crimea; and requested the interference of theCommander of the Forces. Ile suggested that some of the largest transports should be strongly moored in Balaklava harbour as floating depots, and that the smaller steamers should be told off for the special duty of conveying supplies. Your Committee have not been able to examine Commissary-General Filler or Rear-Admiral Boxer, and they cannot therefore decide upon whom this blame should rest. .Boththese officers were apparently convinced that the transport system in -the Black. Sea had been alosonducted. Whether, however, the vessels had been inju- diciously detained as store-del:lets by the Commissariat, or improperly em- ployed in other services" by the. Admiral at Constantinople, are questions which your Committee_ cannot satisfactorily answer. These arrangements might with propriety have been reviewed by the high naval and military authorities. They alone had the means of deciding these differences, and of enforcing such a system as might best secure the conveyance of supplies with regularity and despatch."
The Medical Departments, at home and in the East, occupy considerable space in the report. The Committee enter into the details of the history end state of the hospitals at Scutari and Balaklava; and also narrate how Dr. Smith made several suggestions that were not attended to—meh as the organization of an ambulance corps. A few extracts will place the reader in possession of the views of the Committee.
"The hospital at Balaklava had an advantage, inasmuch as it was nearer to the limited supplies which were on board ship : but the uncertainty whe- ther or not Balaklava could be retained, disconcerted the arrangements of this hospital, and upon one occasion thepatients were removed. In regard to its subsequent condition, there is a difference of opinion, depending pro- bably upon the dates of the several visits ; but the prevailing testimony is to the effect that this hospital was for many weeks in a discreditable state. "Allowance must be made for the circumstances in which the continued possession of Balaklava was held, and for the difficulty of establishing a hos- pital in such-buildings as were found there. The want of proper orderlies, the insufficiency of medieiues, (especially of opium, of medical comforts, some of which were essential to the health of the men, and the great want of purveyor's stores, have been so fully set forth in the report of the Commis- sioners, that your Committee deemit superfluous to adduce further evidence in corroboration of their statements Your Committee must declare it to be their opinion that Mime attaches to Dr. Menzies, inasmuch as he did not report correctly the circumstances of the hospital: he stated that'll° wanted nothing in the shape of stores or medical comforts at the time when his patients were destitute of the commonest necessaries." In like manner, Dr. Hall is blamed for reporting that he was satisfied with the hospitals; and thus misleading Lord Raglan and the Government at home. Lord Rag- lan is also blamed. The selection of Mr. Ward for the post of purveyor, it is said, was "not fortunate." "Among other proofs of his unfitness, it ap- pears that when an inquiry was instituted into the amount of the purveyor's .S stores, no account could be produced of any stores later than the end of Au- gust. When it is remembered that the insufficiency of these stores was a -s souses of much suffering, if not of more fatal results, it must be observed Shat heavy responsibility attaches to the Commander-in-chief of the Forces, )
who, acting on the representation of the Quartermaster-General, retained Mr. Ward in his office after he had been pronounced unfit to discharge its duties."
The apothecary at Scutari is stated to have been guilty of a "gross dere- liction of duty.' . . . . "It is now proved, that if there were cumbrous forms inconveniencing the service of the hospital, and aggravating the suf- ferings of the patients, there were at least no forms to protect the public purse against negligence or peculation When the quantities of hos- pital stores which were sent from England are contrasted with the scarcity or rather the absolute dearth of them at Scutari, and when the state of the purveyor's accounts is remembered, it is impossible not to harbour a suspi- cion that some dishonesty has been practised in regard to these stores. From the returns in the Appendix it appears, that, before the 24th of July, 5717 bedsteads 9000 beds and palliasses, 7140 complete hospital-dresses, 5000 linen aniflannel shirts, with a full proportion of other articles, and utensils:of all descriptions, were ordered by the Medical Board to be sup- plied and shipped by the Board of Ordnance. A Committee of the House could not efficiently prosecute an investigation into the disappearance of these stores ; but the subject well deserves the consideration of the Execu- tive Government.
"The immediate measures taken by the authorities at home—when the condition of the hospitals was more truly brought to their knowledge by the press and by private information than it had been by the medical officers —were the appointment of the Commission of Inquiry, and the instructions to her Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople, which will be found in the appendix. The Committee consider this last step to have been as injudi- cious as it was unavailing for the purposes for which it was intended. If the division and uncertainty of responsibility was a serious evil, the evil could only be increased by the interference of another authority, having neither relation to nor connexion with our military administration. The instruction to the Ambassador to provide on application money and supplies for the seants of the hospitals would seem to imply that the authorities at home were as little aware as the commandant himself of the powers he possessed over the commissaries and purveyors. " The want of an energetic governing authority, with- an adequate staff to maintain constant inspection and efficient discipline, appears to your Com- mittee to have been the chief cause of all the evils : 5000 or 6000 men, al- though in hospital, require the care, superintendence, and control of an ef- ficient general officer, as much as the same number in the field. It may not have been possible for Lord Raglan to have spared such an officer with a sufficient staff for this service in the pressing circumstances of his position in the Crimea. Your Committee regret that measures were not earlier taken either to reinforce the staff under Lord Raglan, so as to have enabled him to provide more efficiently for this command, or to send out on the emergency a general officer of sufficient rank from England." The Committee state that the first real improvements are due to private exertions : those of. Mr. Macdonald, who administered the Times-Fund; those of Miss Nightingale, and the nurses sent out at the suggestion of Mr. Herbert ; and of the Honourable Joceline Percy, the Honourable and Reverend Sidney Godolphin Osborne, and Mr. Augustus Stafford.
The report closes with these paragraphs.
" Your Committee report that the suffering of the army resulted mainly from the circumstances under which the expedition to the Crimea was under- taken and executed. The Administration which ordered that expedition had no adequate information as to the amount of the forces in the Crimea. They were not acquainted with the strength of the fortresses to be attacked, or with the resources of the country to be invaded. They hoped and ex- pected the expedition to be immediately successful ; and as they did not foresee-ihe probability of a protracted struggle, they made no provision for a winter campaign.
" The patience and fortitude of the army demand the admiration and gra- titude of the nation on whose behalf they have fought, bled, and suffered. Their heroic valour, and equally heroic patience under sufferings and priva- tions, have given them claims upon their country which will doubtless be gratefully acknowledged.
" Your. Committee will now close their report with a hope that every Bri- tish army may in future display the valour which this noble army has dis- played, and that none may hereafter be exposed to such sufferings as are re- corded in these pages."
ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM.
The adjourned debate on Mr. Layard's resolution was resumed on Monday. Lord Goneitimi combated the position of Sir George Lewis in the previous debate; that there are scarcely any further measures of im- provement required by our administrative, system;. citing promotion in the Army, and the nomination system in the Civil Service, as impera- tively demanding further improvement. To the latter- he mainly attri- buted existing.evils in the service. But it would be unjust in people out of doors to blame the Government for maintaining a system which the people themselves help to keep up. He had adopted what has been called the 'Goderich pledge," at Huddersfield, because he felt strongly that if the House of Commons really desired to put an end to Mr. Hayter's pa- tronage; they must begin by performing their own part, At present the only way of getting an appointment is by an application to a Member of Parliament ; but he believed that if admission were by competitive ex- amination, candidates for the public service would rather enter it by that way than by Parliamentary influence. Mr. Pam, took up and explained several of the eases of alleged favour- itism or hardship in. Army promotions, brought forward by Mr. Layard to illustrate him argument.
Four of the instances were those of Lord Hardinge's relations,—Colonel Hardinge, his son ; Major Hardinge, his nephew ; Colonel Wood, related to him by marriage ; and Colonel Cunninghame, his son-in-law. Colonel Har- thugs, it was said, had been placed on the Staff in India, in violation of the regulation that a subaltern must serve two years with his regiment before he can be appointed an Aide-de-camp. Now that regulation is enforced at home, but dispensed with abroad, and in the case of the personal staff of a general officer. Colonel Hardinge was Aide-de-camp to his father in the Sutlej campaigns; for his distinguished conduct Lord Gough allowed him to purchase a Lieutenancy; and when his father resigned command, the Duke of Wellington permitted his son, in accordance with a recognized practice, to purchase a company in another regiment. With regard to Major Hard- inge, he had purchased all his steps up to that of senior Captain in the Rifle Brigade; and the other day, when a new battalion was raised, he received the new majority as a matter of course. ("Hear ! " and a laugh.) Colonel Wood, it was said, had been raised above Colonel Brough. What is the fact? Colonel Wood, who had been in the Indian campaign, was Deputy Adjutant-General in Dublin ; Colonel Brough was Assistant Adju- tant-General in Belfast ; the spheres of the two officers are quite distinct, and one cannot be said to be higher than the other. Colonel Cunninghame, it was said, bad been " placed over everybody's head." Colonel Cunninghame is a young officer, who, BB Assistant-Adjutant to the First Division in the Crimea, has been present in all the battles, and never absent from his post a day, On being appointed Quartermaster-General of the Turkish Contingent, he received a step of local rank, and was made a Major-General. 'Mr. Layard asked why the recommendations of the Commission of last year, that young Major-Generals should be appointed, were not carried out : yet whew they are acted upon, as in the case of Colonel Cunninghame, he says it Is to favour a particular officer ! The recommendations of the Commission have been scrupulously attended to ; and when the army went to the Crimea, no Major-General was appointed commander of a brigade, but the com- mand of each brigade of cavalry, and of the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Divisions of Infantry, was conferred upon a Colonel. Lord Roke- by and Major-General Barnard are the only exceptions. Mr. Peel dealt with several other specified cases —those of Lieutenant Buck, who entered the army shortly after Colonel Hardinge, who has won clasps in India, but is still a Lieutenant; of Lieutenant Edwardes and Lieutenant Daniell, de- serving officers, who, it is said " having no friends at the Horse Guards;^ could not get what they asked for, an unattached company ; and of Captaut, Carruthers, an old officer of the Forty-third, Town-Major at the Cape.
ce
These were cases of officers " pining under neglect." Well; Lieutenant Buck " is one who has suffered by the system of purehase—srbo has, probably had no means of advancing himself save by seniority "—('llear, hear!" from Mr. Layard)—but the only reason why he has not been promoted is that his regiment has not gone to the Crimea. Should it go them it will be placed on the war establishment of sixteen companies, mullieutenant Beek will get his company without purchase, exactly as Major Hardinge obtained, his majority—as a matter of course. (Cheers.) Lieutenant-Bdwardes hoe, been on half-pay since 1818 ; he is now Adjutant of the recruiting district of Liverpool; the Horse Guards are quite prepared to give him an unattached company ; but if he preferred that, it would involve the resignation of hie. Adjutancy, which would certainly not be to his interest. Lieutenant. Daniell—" the oldest subaltern in the Army "—what was his case ? Hia length of service gave him a fair claim to an unattached company. But when he made his claim, it was ascertained that he had just exchanged from the Ninety-fourth to the Seventy-fifth Regiment—receiving a sum of money on effecting that exchange. That was why he did not get an unattached company. The services of Captain Carruthers, however valuable, had been performed six hundred miles from the seat of war on the Cape frontier ; and Lord Hardinge thought rewards should be reserved for these who had risked their lives in personal engagements with the enemy. Mr. Layard had said that out of 90 officers recently rewarded only 30 were regimental officers: the real fact was, that the number of stafteificers re- warded, up to the 24th April, had been 64, and of regimental officers 135. Ten officers had been appointed from Line regiments to the Guards. In re- commending the abolition of the privileges of the Guards, Mr. Layard over-
looked the fact that the warrant of October 1854 required that no Lieute- nant-Colonel should succeed to the rank of full Colonel until he had served three years in command of a battalion.
Mr. DRUMMOND said he disagreed with every single word contained in Mr. Layard's propositions. He should deny them if they were proved,, but to prove them Mr. Layard had failed. The volunteer statesmen of the Administrative Reform Association ex- hibited themselves on a platform the other day, and might be looked at Among them is Mr. Lindsay, " a very good man, no doubt, who desires to be raised to be First Lord of the Admiralty, or some small matter of that kind." Two years ago, he was "had up' by some unfortunate people who- had trusted him to take them out to Australia; on another occasion he or-- dered a ship to be built, but when it was completed he quarrelled with the' builder; who said to him—" I built a good ship, but after you got it you. altered it, and made it a bad ship, because you understand nothing abont the matter." Mr. Oliveira figured as an Administrative Reformer; but he might have found enough to do in the wine-trade. There was a story of King George the Fourth, who, being pleased with a particulsr wine, ordered his servant to send up some for dinner on the following day or so. The butler immediately hurried off to the wine-merchant, and said "What shall I do ? I have drunk all that wine myself." The merchant replied, "Never mind ; I will send you in something like it, but you must not keep it two days; it must be drunk the same day." The wine was sent, and no dif- ference was detected. Thus, wine-merchants were wine-manufacturers; and in confirmation he might mention, that within the last ten days a friend of his went to a wine-merchant in town, and, having tasted one kind of wine, was offered another, which he said was precisely like the one he had tasted before. Whereupon the wine-merchant said, "There is not a drop of wine in it, it is manufactured." (Laughter.) Dr. Haswell's book is an awful exposition of the morals of the middle classes—the class in which the whole strength of the country consists, and not in the profligate aristocracy. Is it true that the middle classes are such prodigious administrators? They have been trying he did not know how long local self-government. Look at the condition of any place in which they had their own local government. Ask Sir Benjamin Hall and Lord Ebrington, the Members for Marylebone, what has been done in London ? see also what a precious mesa they have made at Manchester. Filled as that town is with Radicals and philosophers, they - could not drain it. And yet there is hardly a town in the kingdom which could be more easily drained ; for it stands upon two hills, and any man of ordinary common sense would have at once said, "Cut a ditch from the top to the bottom, and so drain it." (Laughter.) Then, again, they had in- troduced their whole machinery into Brighton, and the effect of their exer-, tions was nothing but failure. (" .Ao, no !") Well, then, look at the India Board. That Government entirely consists of merchants. Is that so pure ? Is there no jobbing there ? Talk about hardships from purchases, and the injustice of the Horse Guards, he could bring forward the ease of a man who had served in every single department in that service, whose merits had been recognized by the Duke of Wellington, by Lord Raglan, Lord Hardinge, Lord Gough, Lord Ellenborough, and Sir Charles Napier—all concurred in saying that the person to whom he alluded was most deserving : and bow had he been treated ? Why, kept back by a piece of dirty Threadneedle Street redtapism. That man is now going back to India a degraded man, every one of his inferiors being put in a higher place. Have all railway speculations been so prosperous ? How came it that when railway companies got into a mess, they chose Colonel Anson to be chairman of one company, the Marquis of Chandos of a second, and Mr. Scott of a third ? Why did they turn out Mr. Scott, but because he would not give way to their dirty tricks ? This cry for administrative reform is a delusive cry, because the words themselves have no meaning. The only meaning they have—this being, of course, as the foolish people out of doors understand them—is to get rid of everybody who has been concerned in the government of this country for years back, and to put in their stead ships brokers, stock-brokers, railway-directors, railway-contractors, and Heaven knows who—men utterly incompetent to take those large and extensive views of all the interests of the country which every one who calls himself a statesman should possess. Mr. Jolts' MACGREGOR said there is no country in the world where so little regard is paid to fitness as in England. Colonel LrarnsAx defended the existing system of promotion in the Army, with special references to some of the cases of alleged favouritism stated by Mr. Layard. Mr. I. G. Piammaronz said he should vote against Mr. Layard'a resolutions, be- cause they did not propose any definite or intelligible reform.
DairattiA laid claim to the authorship of the phrase " administra- tiverreform," -sts well as to the substantial initiation of the reform itself; and-he supplied Mr. Drummond with a definition.
"I am the individual," he said, "who first used that expression in this Howe" ; and as to its meaning, why, " measures which render the pu5tic aervioe more efficient are measures of administrative reform." Sir George Lewis and Mr. Gladstone, in an ample and liberal manner, had acknowledged the services of Lord Derby's Government in that direction ; but Mr. Glad- stone, in saying that measures had been taken as early as INS, left the House to -infer that Lord Derby followed those precedents. Now Mr. Dia- nn% Votiliteartbat his Government was not influenced by those precedents. There had been a significant event, the extraordinary scandal in the adminis- tration of the Customs, that influenced the Government at that time, and turned their attention-en the public-offices. They were not so efficient as England
had a right to expect; and what is now popularly understood as administrative reform was imperatively required. There was another cause—the revision oTthe financial system was required, in order to effect judicious economy ; hit the subject bad not long been under investigation before it appeared that efficienoy is the true parent of economy. With these feelings it was that he -directed the Marquis of Chandos and Mr. Bromley to render the Ithh Service aseffieient as possible. After this experiment, Lord Derby's Government resolved to bring the whole question before the House. As the organ of that Government, Mr. Disraeli would have expressed their views, and- have informed the House that a Royal Commission would be issued to inquire into the conduct of all the departments with a view to reforms. That coarse ought to have preceded all the recommendations that have been made. Mr. Disraeli Claimed for Lord Derby's Government the credit of the largeend efficient measure for the better administration ofthe Customs, and that other measure of administrative reform which caused the gross revenue of the country to be paid into the Exchequer, although both were passed by the Government of Lord Aberdeen.
Coming to the Civil Service, he described his own views on the reforms
required. " I am of opinion, in the first place, that entrance into the civil service should not be obtained by mere favouritism, but should be made sub- jeet to a substantial and real test of fitness; and 'I think-that such a teat is notillueory, but essentially practicable. In the second place, I think that the rewards of our public servants should be on a higher scale ; and I am convinced that the result of such a -change would be public economy, and net increased expenditure. I think the rewards of our public servants in these departments shotild -not be merely of a :pecuniary nature, but that they should be educated to look up to those more spiritual rewards which animate the nobler part of man. I am of opinion that the civil service of this country ought to be and must be made, strictly and completely a profession, and that the great of- fices in it should be reserved for those who have been trained -and educated in the permanent civil service. These, I believe, would be sound and 'judicious changes ; they_ are administrative reforms - and they are changes which every Minister ought to adopt and carry out, and with no- thing short-of which this House ought to be satisfiech . . . . Entering by merit, the civiliservants must rise by merit. But the judges of that merit mutt be fouud in the higher walks of the service, in the Ministers of the Crown,. and must not be left ton fanciful system of competition utterly Io- nian to the manners, the genius, and the fortunes of the country. When I hear of appointments being made independent of a Minister, I ask why a man is a Minister if it is not to appoint the most fitting men to public ap- pointments ? "
*Ind the commission which 4' we " meditated been appointed, and formed shill se " we " should have selected, " the public offices of this kingdom Weelltinve been in a very different state from that in which they now are." is SW Disraeli's gist view, it is not family influence and blind adherence st have caused our disasters.
tabouldhe expressing that which I do not believe if I were to attribute
to iectine..:44;; the deficiencies of clerks disasters which I think were caused *timincapabU- Government—by a Government which the House of-Com- mons, 'by an overwhelming majority only a few months ago, declared to -be item ble ; a verdict 'which. has been completely confirmed by the mature in-
ions of a Select Committee, and which a report, such as was never before read aloud in this House, has repeated in the most emphatic manner." Rejecting Mr. Layard's resolutions, as a oonductor provided to avert
public indignation from this condemned Government, he praised the amendment of Sir Edward Lytton, as "precisely expressing the policy Lord Derhy was prepared to recommend." If that amendment were adopted, he :trusted it would be adopted in the spirit of sincerity and truth and, its recommendations acted on-to their full meaning. But he confessed that his expectations worm not of a very sanguine character. The only measure of administrative reform brought forward by the Govern- ment,—the consolidation of the military offices lead been crudely and hastily adopted, and had been carried out, in deference to a popular cry, by the appointment at three men, not trained members of the civil service ; thus depriving faithful civil servants of their due reward.
He closed his speech by a reference to the conduct of Lord John Rus- sell towards the Derby Government, not to regret it, but to "point a moral."
Lord Derby'roGovernment resigned because throughout their career Lord
John liuseelltad pursued them with unceasing combinations to eject them from office. Before they accepted office—before Mr. Disraeli could stand for reelection, or take his place in -the House—Lord John called his friends to- gether and was making biddings to stop the new Ministry. What were the offers he made in his address at the famous Cheaham Place meeting ? [Lord-John Buesell—" There is no authentic statement of that address. '] No authentic statement! There have some from some one present the heals of a -speech. And what was that address ? " The noble Lord, when the new Government hardly was sworn in—when they had only thrown themselves into the gap of the constitution from which he had fallen—seemed to deplore bitterly the great want of mutual 'intelligence among the members °film Liberal party, and was willing to take a great:part of the blame of that "ranter intelligence and good mutual understanding to himself. He said there had been complaints that the Government had been constructed on too nar- row,a basis ; that he was not disposed to quarrel with that complaint.; that he, profiting by experience, could assure them that if they would all draw to- gether—if the whole of -the Liberal party would be unanimous in supporting him, there should be formed a brood-bottomed Administration ; that the area .abould be extended, and the basis made as wide as they liked thatahe men-of the people should post themselves in the Council-chamber *tithe Sovereign, and that all they had to do to achieve these purposes was to terminate as soon as possible the Administration which the noble Lord himself had recommended her Majesty to call into office. (Cheers and laughter:) 'What has happened ? Tou turned us out of office when we were about -to give you an exemplary measure of administrative reform. (Cheers -and 'laughter.) Have you got each a reform ? You turned us out of offiee in a state of-profound peace, and I declare most solemnly my con- viction that our leaving offioe hasen-tailed upon you a sad war. But if you have lost your administrative reform, you have gained a dangerous, net to
say disastrous, war. Where, ine, is the Government on a broad basis that you have secured ? Where isthe Administration on an extended area you were promised ? Where are the men of the people in the Council-chamber of -the Soverei,rn ? You have not only lost what you might have gained; you have not only gable I what we lament and deplore, .a .dangerous war, but
you have planed in power a Government framed on a most restricted and exclusive basis; and the principal occupation of your future career will be to vote confidence in men who take every opportunity to treat I ou with the contumely you deserve." (Loud cheers.) Lord Psiarmasroar opened his reply with a word or two " personal to himself" in reference to accusations brought against him by Mr. Layard at the Drury Lane meeting.
" In that speech, made on an occasion with regard to which I am not wrong in saying that many persons represented as being there never were there at all, and that, with regard to there being public discussion, it was arranged that only two or three of the persons who had convened the meet- ing should speak -upon the matter,—at that meeting the honourable Member for Aylesbury is reported to have used the following expressions. Speak- ing of me he said—' This was the only time he had seen a man jesting upon the sufferings of the people and making light of their unfortunate condi-
tion. And this, too, was done at a moment when all Europe was look-
ing to the British Parliament for an example of wisdom, order, and liberal government. -Indeed, he must acknowledge that he had never seen Lord Palmerston in earnest except when vilifying the people of this country.' I am tmwilling to make use of any expressions contrary to-the rules of this House, but the honourable Member having made these charges in public,
equally in public, and to his face, I tell him that there is not a word of truth in the assertions which he then made. (Loud cheers.) I never jested at the sufferings of the people ; I never made light of their unfortunate condition;
and, so far from having vilified the people of England, the whole course of my conduct, and every word which ever fell from my lips, here or elsewhere, attested the respect and admiration which I feel for the people of this coun- try, and the pride with which I am animated of belonging to a nation so
noble and so distinguished. (Loud cheers.) Sir, I wonder that when the honourable gentleman made that statement a blush of shame did not suffuse his face at making charges which his conscience ought totem told him—if on points of this sort'he has any conscience at all—were utterly and diame- trically the reverse of the truth. I shall say no more about the Drury Lane private theatricals." (Renewed eheera and laughter.)
In dealing with the motion before the House, Lord Palmerston re- marked that the mover had omitted this time to discuss the composition of the Government. For that composition Lord Palmerston-himself was entirely responsible. Not one Member was related to him by any family connexion. He had sought those men who were distinguished in public life, who agreed with him in their public principles, and who were most likely to form an harmonious and efficient 'Government. To his surprise, Mr. Layard had attacked that very depavtment in 'whieh hehad 'been -employed. " When he charged the Government with aye- tematic disregard of talent, and a dry, dogged adherence to routine and favouritism, did he forget that he himself is a living proof of the -falsehood of those charges ? Why was he made Under-Secretary of State for the Fo- reign Department ? Was it for family connexion ? Was it for routine? Wae it for any other consideration that my noble friend, then Secretary of State
for.Foreign Affairs, without any personal knowledge of the honourable Mem- ber, acting entirely upon what he heard of his talents and energy—whieh no
man will dispute, whatever he may think of the discretion of his conduct-- brought him from beirm nothing but paid attaché at Constantinople to be Under-Secretary of State here, and proved, therefore, the recognition of merit by the Government, and the desire to introduce into a Government department any one who was thought to possess capacity to aid it." Mr. Layard said there are only two Ambassadors, and both are Peers. Who are they ?—Why, Lord Stratford, " who was not made an Ambassador be- cause he was a Peer, but who was made a Peer because he was a distinguished Ambassador " ; and Lord Cowley, who, in inheriting a peerage confirmed on his father, inherits those qualities which pointed out his father for the favour of the Crown, and make him a worthy nephew of the Duke of Wel- lington and the Marquis of Wellesley. Mr. Layard says many of the Consuls in the East ;me guilty of great abuses. Why did he not, when in the Foreign Office, represent to his chief that some change was needed. Again, be complains that there is no promotion in the Consular service. Lord Palmerston held in his hand a list of Consuls-General ; and there is hardly one who has not risen from the poet of Vice-Consul, or an in- ferior station in the service. Then came the -Civil Service. "The right honourable gentleman who has spoken on the other side has informed the House of all the great plans which the Government to which he belonged intended to carry into effect, had it pleased Parliament to allow them to do
so. We know what a broad pavement good intentions make. (Cheers and laughter.) The.intentions of that Government would apparently have ex- tended over a very considerable area, but they were not laid down. Those intentions, excellent, no doubt, have, however, in a great degree been carried into effect by the present Administration."
Here Lord Palmeraton remarked on the mode adopted of criticizing the Government. When anything is not done, its value is magnified : no-soon- er is it done than its value is underrated ; and the ory is, " Invent some new thing—something -nobody ever thought of—and then we will have confidence in the Government." He denied that the examination for the civil service
is merely a form ; and spoke of a case where a young man he recommended
was rejected by-the examiners. But the House must not expect that the civil service will ever hold out such a temptation to men of superior talents as the more promising modes of industry ; and that although the exami- nation system is good, great benefits will -not immediately arise. While the gentlemen below the gangway, and the gentlemen opposite, hold contrary opinions—the former that routine ought not to be followed, the -latter that the civil service should be a separate profession—he thought that-neither mode should furnish the invariable rule ; and be contended that the resent.
appointments are examples of the two systems. Mr. Hammond, a die-
tinguished civil servant, was appointed by Lord Clarendon permanent tinder- Secretary of State in the Foreign Office ; and Mr. Howell and Sir Thomas
Troubridge, not civil servants, had been appointed by Lord Pam:Imre in the Ordnance department. These things show that her Majesty's Government are alive to the duties they have to perform. - Referring to Mr. Disraeli's boast that the minority on his motion added to that on Mr. Layard's would give a majority against the Government, Lord Palmerston merrily retorted- " I must observe, that.when the right honourable gentleman says we are condemned by a vast majority of the House of Commons, I say, on the-con- trary, favoured as we have been by the vote of confidence of the right hon- ourable gentleman himself, we have a very large majority in this House ; and we are certainly indebted to the right honourable gentleman for that
vote of confidence. For-though the right honourable gentleman came -to us in enmity, he parted friends—' He came to curse and remained to bless.' " (Laughter.) Itswaamnnecemary to enter into argument to show why -the Government would not.aosept Mr. Layard's motion. Talk of.disasterel the-national cha- ratter never stood higher ; and with regard to thearmy, combined with its allies it is equal to the troops of the whole world. Would the Government accept the amendment? "I my in sincerity, we do accept it, as a pledge on our part that:we will direct our serious attention to the continued revision of the different offices connected with the civil service of the state ; and that any improvement we can make—any administrative reform which we may think practicable with advantage to the public service, and with justice to the persons concerned—it will be our pride and our pleasure to adopt." Mr. LINDSAY, amid general cries for a division, moved the adjourn- ment of the debate—because he desired to repeat, in his place, what he had stated in Drury Lane Theatre. Admiral Bnaxzuzv said, he had been waiting all the evening to hear those "virulent untruths" which had been stated at Drury Lane. After a lecture to the Admiral from Mr. OTWAY, the House divided on the motion for adjournment—Ayes, 63; Noes, 336. Mr. LAYARD then delivered a brief reply. He contended that his ob- servations had not been invalidated in any way by Mr. Peel's state- ment; and be explained that he had never intended to apply the word scandalous to Lord Hardinge's conduct.
The House then divided on the original resolution—Ayes, 46; Noes, 359 ; majority against Mr. Layard's motion, 313. Before a decision could be taken on Sir Edward Lytton's resolution, the House adjourned.
Very late on Thursday night, this adjourned debate was rather abruptly closed, by the SPEAKER putting Sir Edward Lytton's amendment as a substantive motion. A solitary cry of "No " was uttered by an honour- able Member on the Ministerial benches ; and the resolution was de- clared to be carried, amid loud laughter.
THE HANQO MASSACRE.
The murderous attack upon a boat's crew by the Russians at Hango, in violation of a flag of truce, has attracted attention in both Houses of Parliament. On Monday, Mr. Dtramoseas inquired whether the report was true ; and Sir CHARLES WOOD replied by stating the contents of despatches from the fleet describing the atrocity. The narrative created aprofound sensation in the House.
In reply to a further question, Sir CHARLES WOOD added, that he believed the story about soundings having been taken by a boat's-crew who went into Kerteh under the pretext of surrendering the carriage of the Governor, which had been captured, is totally untrue.
In the House of Lords, on Thursday evening, the Earl of MALMESBURY called attention to the massacre, which he said had " filled the whole country with horror and indignation." Describing the horrible incident, he referred:to the Russian version, which says nothing of a flag of truce, and reports that five men were killed and.nine taken prisoners. That fact, he said, mitigates the amount of atrocity, but does not exculpate the Russians from a most flagrant breach of the sacred law of nations.
"A flag of truce has always been honoured by every nation, and always i acknowledged by the most ignorant soldiery of any country ; and I never heard of an instance of a flag of truce having been treated in such a manner 'before. I have ransacked English history, and I cannot find an instance of a similar atrocious wet. But it is not so much for the purpose of expressing the feelings of horror with which I heard of this tragedy that I have drawn
your Lordships' attention to the matter, as to ask her Majesty's Government what course 'they mean to take under the circumstances. It appears to me to be a matter of interest, not only to Englishmen whose fellow countrymen have perished in tine Gruel manner, but to every Government in the world, to take notice of this act. To do so, certainly, is the Interest of every Sovereign in Europe, whose escutcheon would be tarnished if any such act were perpetrated by any officer in his army."
He wished to know how the Government intend to proceed with re- spect to this gross public violation of the sacred code of honour ?
The Earl Of CLARENDON said that Lord Malmesbury had correctly stated the facts, and characterized them in a manner which must be in unison with the feelings of the House.
"It is an outrage so horrible and unparalleled, and so much at variance with the usages and customs of civilized nations, that one is compelled to believe that the perpetrators of it cannot have acted on instructions or have met with the approval of their superiors. I think it is right to assume, in the first instance, that the conduct of these men must be disapproved by the Russian authorities, and reasonable to regard it, therefore, as the brutal act of Borne unauthorized subordinates ; because Captain Fanshawe, in his despatches, expresses an opinion that the person who led on the party of Russians might not have been a commissioned officer. Upon receiving information of this transaction, I lost not a moment in forwarding the papers to her Majesty's Minister at Copenhagen, desiring him to ask the Danish Government to send instructions to their Minister at St. Petersburg—of whose great zeal on behalf of British subjects and interests in Russia it is impossible to speak too highly—re- questing him to state to the Russian Government that her Majesty's Go- vernment are waiting with extreme anxiety to know what steps they had taken, or intended to take, to mark their sense of an outrage which might not perhaps have excited surprise if it had happened on some savage island in the South Sea, but which is not expected to be perpetrated in civilized Europe, and which, unless fully and amply punished by the Russian Go- vernment, would deserve the severest reprisals. When we obtain the an- swer of the -Russian Government, or learn what steps they have, I hope, already taken on the subject, it will then be for the English Government to determine what course to pursue."
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH suggested that all communication with the Russian authorities should go through the British Admiral. Earl GRANVILLE said that the wanton outrage must be disowned by the Russian Government. But if that were not done—what security would there be that a flag of truce from the British Admiral would not be treated in a similar manner,? He saw no inconvenience in a double representation through.the Admiral and the Danish Minister, should there have been One- " For it is desirable that the matter should be brought to a conclusion as soon as possible ; because the feelings of indignation which must be excited
by the transaction, unless those feelings are prevented by seine act on the part of the Russian Government, will necessarily tend to add still more to the horrors of war."
Lord COLCHESTER thought the Admiral should, under a flag of truce, demand that the atrocity should be disclaimed.
Lord BuotroaAsi said, the Russian Government must be called on not only to disclaim and disown, but to punish the perpetrators of a deed so extraordinary and so crueL " If ever the land cried for blood, lids now." (Cheers)
The Earl of .MALItEaBeRY approved of the course taken by the Govern- ment : but if the eiren.mataneas be found to he as they have been de-,
scribed, he hoped Ministers would take further measures in the matter, To make " reprisals," or take vengeance against Russian subjects, woield.. be to act with the same cruelty as the Russians. Public opinion should be brought to bear against this act.
If he were in his noble friend's place, he would appeal to every govem- ment that is an ally of her Majesty, to every state that has a civilized sove- reign, and to every free kingdom that has civilized subjects and civilized laws, to protest before the Cabinet of St. Petersburg against such an atrocity.
Earl Gitearvuze entirely agreed that it would be wrong to enter upon any course of retaliation.
ARMY COMMISSIONS.
Mr. HEADLAM moved that the House should resolve itself into Com- mittee
- - - - " to consider an humble address to her Majesty, praying that she will be graciously pleased to direct alterations to be made in the rules of the military service, to the effect that the regulation value of the commissions of officers in the Army dying or having died in active service during the pre- sent war may be paid to their representatives, and deemed part of their per- sonal -estate ; and to assure her Majesty that this House will make good the same."
He pointed out, that under existing regulations, when an Airier is kill- ed in action, his family lose the whole of the money invested in the pur- 'chase of his commission. If an officer is guilty of misconduct, and ex- tenuating circumstances are pleaded, he may, as happened recently in the Crimea, be permitted to realize the value of his commission before quitting the service ; while if like Colonel Egerton, he fell in the trenchea, the Government would pounce upon the price of his commission. Mr. PEEL said, he did not see how, if the House adopted the resolution, they could restrict its operation to officers who fall during. the war, and not to officers who are killed at the Cape, the Diggings in Australia, or elsewhere. The prices of the commissions of officers who fall in the ser- vice are not paid to their representatives, solely because the Government grant those commissions without purchase. It would not he advisable to recognize any pecuniary property in commissions, because it would inter- fere with the discipline of the Army, and prevent the reduction of officers to half-pay at the end of the war. Lord ALFRED PAGET pleaded the cause of officers' widows and orphans ; for whom, under the present system, inadequate provision is made by the state.
Lord PALMERSTON said, the motion was only part of the large and dif- ficult question respecting the sale and purchase of commissions. Mr. Headlam totally misconceived the present system when he urged :that the public are debtors to officers for the price of their commissions. "No money is paid by any officer to the State. When an officer purchases a commission, he pays the money to some other officer who sells it. The . State is not the holder of the money, nor is it the gainer when an offieer dies and his commission is disposed, of without purchase. An officer who gets his commission without purchase is so far a gainer that he gets a rank without payment, which under other circumstances he would have had to , purchase ; but it is a fallacy to say that the State is a pecuniary debtor to the officer for the value of the commission he may have bought:" Neither the Government nor the House would go the length ofthe 're- solution ; but Lord Palmerston would be willing to adopt a regulation to the effect that in cases of officers killed in action there should be a choice allowed between the pensions and allowances established by the present regulations and the value of the commission which the deceased officer had bought or would have been entitled to sell before his death.
Motion withdrawn.
TENANT-RIGHT.
The committal of the Tenants' Improvement Compensation (Ireland) ' Bill stood for Tuesday morning. When the order was read, Lord Gaza WAY, on behalf of Mr. Disraeli, moved that the Metropolis Local Manage- ment Bill should take precedence. The SPEAKER intimated that the proper form was to move the adjournment of the debate. This was done, and Sir JOHN SHELLEY seconded the motion. Much time was lost in . discussing the question : at last the House decided to continue, by 117 to 65. Mr. PEACOCK, supported by Sir Jour( Wane'', and other Members of the Opposition, then renewed the discussion on the principle of the bill, and detained the House from going into Committee for several hours : when the House again divided, the motion for going into Com- mittee
was carried by 129 to 46. In Committee, there was only time to get through three clauses ; which was not accomplished without much conversational debate, and the House adjourned.
The House went again into Committee on Thursday. There was a great deal of debate on clause 4 ; from which Mr. lloasnew proposed to omit certain words—that is, to exclude from compensation the "reclaim- ing of waste land or cut-out bog ground, by converting the same into- arable or pasture land." Mr. Sergeant SHER urged Lord Palinerstonao pursue a bold, manly course ; to take the bill as it was passed through that House, when he was Secretary for the Home Department, by Lord Aberdeen's Government ; to press it with all the power of the Govern-• ment in the House of Commons ; and if it were rejected elsewhere, they could try it again another session.
Lord Penmen TON said, it would be best to pass the bill into law this year, that Ireland may have the benefit of it without further delay. The cultivation of bog-land on an extensive scale is not a profitable invest-. meat, as .he knew from experience. It is best effected by the small cot,
tier, under whose hands, square yard by square yard, cultivation creeps, along the edge of bogs. The improvements for which compensation:- should be allowed ought to be tangible and visible,—such as houses, roads, fences, about whose value there could be no dispute. Bog cultivation is not one of these; and it would require endless litigation to ascertain the value of improvements of this kind. On a division, the amendment was carried by 93 to 47. Mr. Eergeant, SHEE moved the insertion of the words—" the main drainage or through draining of land, or the improvement of it by irrigation." Negatived by 100 to 49. He then moved that compensation should be granted for the clearing ground of rocks and stones. Negatived by 112 to 44. Mr..- GBOHOE then moved the insertion of words which would have the effect of excepting lands under leases or agreements in writing, now subsisting, from the provisions of the bill with regard to prospective improvementa until such leases or agreements shall have expired. This was opposed by the Government, as striking at the principle of the bill ; and negatived by 109 to 99. Mr. S. Frracemato moved an amendment giving exemp- tions in certain twee of leases for lives ; negatived ,by LIO :to 85. Colonel DUNNE moved that the Chairman should report progress : negatived by 154 to 43. Clause 4 was then agreed to.
Mn. HEYWOOD'S MARR/AGE Lew AMENDMENT Bus..
In Committee, on the Marriage Law Amendment Bill, on the clause re- pealing any act or acts of Parliament that render voidable a marriage
with a deceased wife's sister or niece, Sir FREDERICK TnEsroza moved an amendment? to limit the operation of the bill to "from and after" its passing. Parliament had never yet legalized acts done in wilful viola- tion of the law • but this bill sought to give protection to wilful trans- gressors. Besides, the retrospective clauses would legitimate illegitimate children, and transfer to them in some cases succession to entailed estates. Mr. NEYWOOD found a precedent for the retrospective clauses in the 2d and 8d of Edward VI, which not only gave priests power to marry, but legalized all such marriages contracted up to that time. In the course of an animated interchange of controversial points, Mr. Wersorx put two curious cases, and requested an answer— "Supposing a man who had married his wife's sister, thinking that mar- riage null, married his wife's niece, which marriage was to be good after the passing Of this bill ? Or, supposing a man who bad married his wife's deter, and bad six children by her, married another person and had children by that marriage, which marriage was to take effect—which set of children were to be legitimate ?"
Mr. HErwoon said, in his opinion, in the first case the first marriage ought to be valid, and, in the second case, the second marriage. In this opinion the ATTORNEY-Gereznee concurred. On a division, the amendment was negatived by 130 to 83.
On clause 2, providing that such marriages shall not be void or void- able after the passing of the act, Sir FREDERICK DIMMER again sought to destroy the retrospective effect of the clause. After a long discussion on " possible cases," Mr. ROBERT Pen.eneutz moved that the Chairman should report progress: negatived by 100 to 124. On the question that the words has been or shall be celebrated at any time or place what- ever " be omitted, the House divided. Ayes, 123 ; Noes, 97 : and the clause, thus 'amended, was carried by 126 to 97. Progress was reported when the COMmittee had arrived at clause 3.
MEASUREMENT OF SHIPPING.
The Earl of HARDWICKE moved the second reading of theldeasurement of Merchant Steamers Bill. The object of this bill is to provide a better means of ascertaining the capabilities of steam-ships than that now in use. It is proposed to take a new unit of horse-power, to be called the " marine horse-power," and to fix it at 100,000 pounds per foot per minute. His plan for the measurement of steamers is that in addition to the indelible line marked upon the stem, stern-posts, and amid-ships, showing the draught of water, a deep draught-line should be marked, showing what a ship would carry when loaded. Lord STANLEY of Alderly opposed the bill ; contending, on the authority of the Surveyor of the Navy and four eminent shipbuilders, that its pro- visions are impracticable, and that against the present system there are no complaints.
On a division, the bill was read a second time, by 28 to 21.
CORPORATION REFORM.
In reply to Sir jons SHELLEY, Sir GEORGE GREY 'stated that the bill for the reform of the Corporation of London is founded on the report of the Commission. Government had hoped to have introduced it before this time ; but as debates of such moment have arisen, and delayed the progress of other bills of great importance, and as the. House of Lords will not read a second time any bill sent up after the 24th July, there is now no prospect of bringing it in during the present session. He hoped to bring it in early next session.
STATUTE LAW COMMISSION.
Mr. LOCKE KING moved a resolution briefly reciting the doings of the. Statute Law Commission from their reports, and declaring that it would greatly conduce to the improvement of the statute law if a declaratory bill, based on a special and detailed report of the Commissioners, were forthwith laid before Parliament, The Arronewr-Gesnutsi said, that although the expurgatory list ou which it was proposed to base the bill contained ten or eleven thousand statutes, yet it was still imperfect considered as the basis of a bill. It would only disgust the Commissioners if they were perpetually harassed. Mr. NAPIER said, we might have had a department of Public Justice for the sums spent on this and other commissions. Although the motion would not lead to any direct result, it would stimulate the emmmissioners and the Government in the execution of the task they had endertaken. Mr. Messes and Mr. MASSEY supported the view taken by the Attorney- General ; while Mr. HADFIELD and Mr. CRAY/FORD ranged themselves on the side of the mover.
On a division, the resolution was negatived by 43 to 26.
THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE.
Mr. Mecemnecee moved for a Select Committee to inquire into the cir- cumstances of the expedition to the Arctic Seas commanded by Captain M'Clure, with a view to ascertain whether any and what reward may be due for the services rendered on that occasion. The motion is in accord- ance with precedent. A Select Committee had inquired into Captain Rosa's expedition in 1834, and had awarded him 50001. Captain M'Clure has discovered the North-west passage, which has been the subject of speculation for several hundred years. In the seventeenth century there were nineteen, in the eighteenth twenty-two, in the nineteenth thirty- four expeditions for that object; and all had failed except Captain M'Clure's. Many lives have been lost; and since 1818 to the present time the sums voted amounted to 837,0001. Captain M'Clure had pre- vented a future loss of life and great expenditure of money.
Lord PALMERSTON gave his cordial assent to the motion, and it was carried by acclamation,
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