THE ARMY CLOTHING INQUIRY.

The Army Clothing Commissioners have commenced their inquiry at Woolwich, General Peel having desired that the investigation should

"take a wider range, and embrace the 'condition of the depOts for all kinds of military stores, as well as clothing, at Weedon, Woolwich, and the Tower, and the system on which the books and stock have been kept at each of those places." Before commencing their examination of witnesses the commissioners made a tour of the depat. "For nearly three hours they wandered about among huge piles of ambulance waggons, field batteries, ammunition, tents d'altris, and all the rest of the paraphernalia of war. Occasionally the words 'obsolete stores from Weedon,' posted up, gave rise to a laugh among the Commissioners, and they had an opportunity of inspecting some of the many thousand socks and knee boots sent there from Weedon, the disposal a which has formed so prominent a topic in their inquiries." That process over they returned to a room at the head quarters of the department, and the first witness examined was Mr. William Morris, Deputy Military Storekeeper, an office which he had held for four years. "The department consisted of a principal military storekeeper, one deputy and one assistant military storekeeper, 11 first-class clerks, 7 second- class, and 14 temporary. clerks. There were 546 labourers employed in eonnexion with it. The establishment had increased very much of late years in consequence of the war. It was divided into various branches, the first of which was the correspondence, of which the first clerk was the head; the second was the contract branch, which received all the contract- stores ; the third the receiving branch for home stations, which took cogni- zance of all retui ned stores and stores from departments; the fourth the foreign issuing department ; the fifth the home issuing department ; and there there were the ledger and the pay-office departments. There was the laboratory department, presided over by Captain Boxer ; the Royal carriage department, of which Colonel Tulloch is the head ; the Royal gun factory, of which Colonel Wilmot is the head. Those were all three manufacturing departments. The money all passed through his (witness's) hands for pay- ing the wages of the men employed in the different departments. He drew an "imprest" for the total amount twice a month ; and sometimes he was obliged to have an extra imprest. The imprest varied from 28,0001. to 34,400/. a month for wages in all the departments, all of which money passed through his hands. The last half month's imprest he received was 14,000/.

The Chairman said, the Commissioners had heard a great deal about guarantees in the course of their inquiries, and asked witness if he gave a guarantee ? Witness said, he gave two joint securities to the extent of 1000/. in the whole.

The Chairman—" What security, except your own honesty, is there that you may not follow the example of Mr. Elliott?" (A laugh.) Witness—" I really cannot answer that question." (A laugh.) The Chairman—" There is none ? "

Witness—" There is a great deal depending on a man's respectability sometimes' and upon his family connexions."

The Chairman—" Just so ; the Government trusts you as a banker does his cashier, and there is nothing to prevent his robbing the cash-box if he be so minded."

Witness said he rendered an account once a month of the state of Ids ba- lance.

The Chairman—" Did you ever know a case of a storekeeper, or clerk, or official at Woolwich being deficient in his balances ?" Witness—" No."

The Chairman—" That is the best test, after all."

Mr. Turner (to the witness)—" You say you have been upwards of forty ears in this establishment ; will you be kind enough to say what your as- is ?"

Witness—" 4401."

Mr. Turner—" After forty-two years' service ?" Witness—" Yes. It rises up to 5001. by 201. a year." Mr. Turner—"I dare not make any comment, but if I did it would be a very severe one—not on you, but on those who pay you 4401. a year after far on to half a century of service."

On Tuesday, the Commissioners inspected the clothing department, under the guidance of Quartermaster and Chief Commissary Grant—a gentleman who has risen to his present post from the ranks. The first object of attention was the clothing manufactory and depot, which has been in operation as an experiment for about eighteen months, with de- cided success.

"The building, which is exceedingly commodious for all the purposes for which it is intended, was erected at a cost of 12,0001. By a return relating to its operation, produced before the Parliamentary Committee on Con- tracts, by 'Sir Benjamin Hawes, the Under-Secretary of State for War, and brought under the attention of the Commissioners yesterday, it appears that the total saving on the clothing manufactured in the establishment for the Royal Artillery alone, from the 1st of June 1857 to the 31st of March 1858, (only ten months,) as compared with former contract prices, was no less than 12,6831. odd. Even after deducting from this sum the expenses of the working staff, and of coals, gas, water, Sze., amounting in the aggregate to 11611.; the cost of the building, 12,0001., and interest on that sum for one year, 600?.; and adding to it 3731/. 14s., the net saving on the clothing made in the establishment for the Royal Engineers up to the 25th of Febru- ary last., there was still a total net saving up to the 31st of March last of 2654/. odd. This is not all. The return took into account 2532/. 8e. 6d., the extra price of superior cloth used in making tunics and trousers ; so that the Artillery and Engineers have not only clothing of a very much better description than formerly, but at a saving to the country in ten months, after deducting 12,000/. for the building, of between 20001. and 3000/. Quartermaster Grant stated, that in these ten months the quantity of clothing made for the Royal Artillery had been under two-thirds of the tluantity which will be required annually in future and that not one addi- tional military tailor had been or would be employed the number em- ployed under the old contract system. These results appeared to stagger the Commissioners, and Quartermaster Grant was told that he would be expected to submit himself to an examination before them as to their accuracy. The Commissioners were further informed, during their visit to the clothing factory, that the number of military tailors employed in it was 142, and the number of " civilian tailors," as they are called by way of distinc- tion, employed or available in and out of the building was from 200 to 250. The whole of the 142 military tailors were ordinary privates in the Artillery and Engineers, and could be made available for military duty, in which they were regularly drilled, at a moment's notice. By working as tailors they earned, each man, from 88. to 98. a week beyond their ordinary pay. A considerable part of the sewing is executed by machinery. 420 recruits into the Artillery within the last month had been each completely equipped with all the necessary clothing and a free kit in about three days after they joined the service. The Commissioners saw a batch of recruits receiving their free kits, and the superior quality of every article supplied elicited strong expressions of approval from them. Quartermaster Grant stated that the whole of the clothing for the Artillery now serving abroad, and who were entitled to receive it on the 1st of April next, was already shipped. The clothing made up under the contract system and sent broad generally required to be remade on arriving at its destination, and tahat some extent at the expense of the soldier. He also said the contract pr of an Artillery tunic was 17. 4s. 3d. and a tunic was now made at the en: tablishment at Woolwich for 18s. Sid." The only witness examined on t is day, was Mr. T. Howell, Director of Contracts at the War Office, who explained the mannerpiaricewthiocheier-

he

makes his purchases for the public service through a broker. The business of broker is a large and important business in London and men of the highest character and means take part in it. The War 'ofaci selects those only of the highest repute. The brokerage varies in differenr trades from 1 per cent upwards; 1 per cent is. paid on timber, which is bought in the pile ; Government, however, paying a higher rise a right of rejection. In regard to the purchase of timber, the Govern- ment has given up the system of contracts and stuck to that of brokerage- Mr. Howell "admitted they might have the system of open comperitg5. and yet have the timber inspected where it lay. He thought the whole of the timber bought last _year for the Royal Carriage Department at Woolwich was under 46,000/. Witness was shown a letter by the chairman, printed in the shape of a hand-bill, without a printer's name attached, purportia, to have been addressed by Colonel Tulloch, the head of the Royal Oman— Department, to the War Office. He had seen that letter, and he was satis- fied it could only have been obtained through some breach of confidence, but not committed in his department." This letter of Colonel Tulloch was pro. duced and read. It went to show that the former system of competition in the purchase of timber exercised a control over the market, and was less ex- pensive to the country. Mr. Howell said that the broker acts for sellers as well as buyers' and in some few cases he might sell goods within his ovn possession. "He thought Mr. Sim, one of the Government brokers, had occasionally sold the Government timber which was within his own con- trol under such circumstances. He believed the Government brokers also bought for private individuals. When the Government purchased through a broker they always paid the purchase money through the broker, but they invariably called on the broker to state the name of the seller. If the bro- ker did not state the name of the seller correctly, the Government would be discharged by the current commercial law of the eonntry."

A conversation took place on the subject of brokerage ; Mr. Turner expressing his belief that the branch of trade is useless, and that through brokers Government only deals with second-hand houses.

On Wednesday the Commissioners examined Captain Blosse, an officer in command of the 12th Battalion of Artillery, who tendered himself ; Quartermaster and Chief Commissary Grant ; and Sergeant Osborne, of the 12th Battalion. Captain Blosse's object was to make out that the clothing served to the men in his company is not improved, but he spoke in evident ignorance of the practice already prevailing, and said in excuse that he had not been let into the secret of the clothing depart- ment. He held up the example of the French in the Crimea; and when asked if he knew that the French system actually broke down in the Crimea, he said, "that might be, but the French soldiers were always well clothed and shod." The Captain's evidence was partially supported by Sergeant Osborne with regard to the badness of clothing sent to the Battalion at Athlone last year ; and he deposed that in 1847 or '48 he was for three months without clothing that should have been served out At the present moment he was wearing a jacket which he had worn con- stantly eleven months, Sundays excepted ; it was one of the new pattern cloth jackets, and though it belonged to a private, was really better than the serjeantif jackets used to be. Quartermaster Grant continued his pre- vious evidence. Amongst the new points which came out was the fact that the clothing department is now packing the clothing intended for the Ar- tillery on home service, so that it will be all despatched before the end of next month. It is the clothing to be issued on the 1st of April next. They were enabled to do that by their having the clothing in store ; and with such a department as that in operation at Woolwich, the whole Army might be clothed. They estimated their saving on the year's clothing at 14,2331. but the actual saving was much greater. The contractors wasted clothing by their bad cut. In the depot the Artillery soldier is put into every conceivable attitude in order to test the fit. On a Horse Artillery jacket there is a saving of 148. 10id. in comparison withthe contract price ; on the undress jacket a saving of 13s. Std. Practically through the department Government assumes the duties of an Artillery master tailor whom the contractor used to employ, and hence a great part of the saving. Government pays higher wages than the contractors did. Mr. Grant stated that nothing was allowed him for managing the cloth- ing establishment beyond his Artillery pay, which is 108. 10d. a day, or something under 2001. a year. He bad applied for an additional allow- ance, which he hoped to get.

new screw-line of battle-ship named the Edgar, 91 guns sister yes- eel of the Agamemnon was launched at Woolwich on Saturday after- noon. She is a beautiful ship, 234 feet 4 inches between perpendiculars, 24 feet 6 inches depth of hold ; and 3,094 tons burden. The launch was one of the most successful ever witnessed.

The result of the poll for Guildford was officially: declared on Monday, as being 268 for Onalow, 239 for Evelyn—majority 29. In returning thanks, Mr. Onslow rejoiced at that proof that the majority of the electors of Guildford entertained Liberal opinions. He did not go to the House as an orator ; but, he remarked, that in former times a member of his family- had been Speaker, and another possibly might also fill the same position.

The result of the Reigate contest between Mr. Monson and Mr. Wil- kinson was in favour of Mr. Monson, who polled 225 against 210 for Mr. Wilkinson.

A meeting was held in Cambridge, on Tuesday, to consider the changes proposed in the draft statute of the Commissioners for the Go- vernment of Trinity and St. John's Colleges. The Vice-Chancellor of the University presided ; the Master of Trinity led the way in moving. resolutions, and a part was taken in the proceedings by the Masters 9! St. John's, Caius, St. Peter's, Jesus, Corpus Christi, and Emmannel, by Professors Brown, Sedgwiek, and Grote ; and other gentlemen. The Master of Trinity declared the statute to be an attack upon the existencew of his College and upon the College system in Cambridge. As it now stood, the fellows are elected within each College from the members that body. The Commissioners proposed that they shall be elected from theUniversity generally. If so the fellows would cease to take an inta rest in the prosperity and duration of their Colleges'

go and reside away spending the funds of the College abroad, except

they might eve; occasions, If he wanted an example of failure in such a system liesPetsrould point to Downing. Dr. Whewell moved a resolution condemn. Lag the proposal. Mr. Phear of Clare College moved an amendment, reining a desire to see the practice of making fellowships open for elP members of all colleges further extended ; and he explained in his speech tba t he desired a permissive enactment, leaving the Colleges to adopt the man of open fellowships if they pleased. In the course of the debate Liveinge of St. John's, deprecated any attempt to frighten the Commis- sioners into resignation, as it might lead to the introduction of a still more stringent act. On being put, the amendment was negatived, and the original resolution was carried by two to one. Dr. Bateson moved a resolution declaring it inexpedient to adopt the provision that every fel- low shall vacate his fellowship at the end of ten years, except in certain , Professor Sedgwick supported the resolution. He said that he was an undergraduate fifty-four years ago; - he related how he had worked hard at pupillage, until his health. broke down ; and he had food in his professorship—which he intends to resign in a few months —a resource which had given him ease without idleness. Mr. Davis of Trinity desired to see all limitations on fellowships removed,—even on marriage. The resolution was put and carried with one dissentient voice. A resolution was also carried, condemning a proposed tax of 5 per cent on the professorial fund, to supply lecture-rooms, laboratories, museums, tc.; with another condemning the proviso of the Commissioners which would permit any member of the College in statu pupillari not being a member of the Church of England, to abstain from attendance at Divine senice.

A great meeting of "British Christians" was held in the Hope Hall, 'lope Street, Liverpool, on Tuesday, on a requisition signed by "Lord Shaftesbury and about 250 ministers and gentlemen of diferent denomi- nations." It was really a meeting of the Evangelical Alliance which is extending its operations—the object being to promote Christian union and missionary movements, more especially in India. Amongst other topics was a revision of the Prayer Book ; Sir Culling Eardley citing an eminent legal opinion that the canon laws of the Church of England, still in existence enact that the confessional shall be employed by every parish priest three times a year.

The Excise Hop Duty Repeal Association have called a meeting of the planters and others, to be held at Tunbridge Wells, on the 5th of No- vember.

"The necessity of making an early appeal to the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer," says the Sussex Advertiser, "is painfully apparent. The low prices realised for any but hops of the choicest growths, and from the most favoured districts, and the accumulated pressure of the heavy duties of the last few years, are rapidly bringing on a crisis in the affairs of a large sec- tion of the planters. The duties of a year and a half have to be paid in the next few months, and the utter inability of a numerous body of growers to raise the sum due to the excise is a matter of universal assertion.'

It has been determined that the next musical festival at Norwich shall take place in the autumn of 1860. The formation of a list of" guaran- tees' has been commenced, and the amount guaranteed already ap- proaches 500/. At a meeting held a day or two since on the subject Viscount Ranelagh presided.

The late Quarter-Sessions for the bosough of Queenborough will be remembered as interesting for the fact of their having been the first that have been held in the provinces under a Mayor of the Jewish persuasion. At a dinner given by the Mayo ,r at the conclusion of the sessions, that gentleman gave the toast of "The Church," coupling with it the name of the incumbent, the Reverend R. Bingham ; and in his speech he gave many good reasons why a Jew may consistently not only respect but aid the Christian Church. The Reverend Mr. Bingham improved the happy occasion by speaking strongly against what he called the "bane of ex- clusiveness."

On Monday, the Mayor of Newcastle attended at the French Consu- late to present to the Count de Maricourt an Address signed by the Mayor' Sheriffi Chairman of the Tyne Commissioners, several Aldermen, Town Clerk, Treasurer, many of the Town Council, leading merchants in the town Sze. • declaring their confidence in the denial of the Count that he hadinteriered in the Municipal Elections, with their wish that he should remain in Newcastle. The Count reciprocated the expressions of esteem and of friendship towards his own Government. [No allusion was made, on either side, to the breach of law perpetrated by the Count's son.]

The nights during last week were dark and foggy on the northern coast, and several collisions are known to have taken place ; the most disastrous of was that in which the Wingruve, a North Shields brig on her voyage to London was run down and her crew of thirteen hands all lost. A large quantity of wreck was seen by a vessel on her way from Altona to the Tyne, leading to the supposition that another disaster had occurred. There is at present some little mystery hanging over the loss of the Wingrave, but the fact that the screw steamer Kangaroo, from London to Inverness, put into Lowestoft' with her bows carried away, some of her crew reporting that she had run down a brig on the previous night without being able to save any of the crew, has been thought to connect her with the catastrophe.