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Leader (1850-1860), 3rd May 1856, Edition 2 of 2, Page 3, May 3,1856.] THE LEADER, 411

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    • May 3,1856.] THE LEADER, 411

      May 3,1856.] THE LEADER, 411

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      Imperial Parliament. "" —? Monday, April...

      which then arose , the English Government found it necessary to do something . They therefore sent Colonel Williams as a Commissioner to Asia , with instructions to pick up all the information he could with respect to the contending armies , and to communicate his information to the Foreign Minister of England , the British Minister at Constantinople , and Lord Raglan . Lord Clarendon , moreover , informed him that he was to restore the Turkish army by all the means in his power . But his Lordship omitted to tell him what those means were . Colonel Williams was plentifully supplied with pen , ink , and paper , from the Foreignoffice , and apparently with nothing else ; but with these he appears to have bombarded the Foreign Secretary

      and the English Ambassador at Constantinople with more vigour than it was possible for him to bombard the Bussians . ( A laugh . ) What would the House think of that mode of fighting Russia ? After Turkey had been laid prostrate in the East , the English Government sent out a Commissioner to report upon a state of things of which the Ministers ought to have been perfectly well aware long before . Colonel Williams positively did not know what was the nature of his position at Ears ; and this was one cause of the disrespectful treatment which he met with from the Turkish authorities . But shortly afterwards came the quarrel between Lord Stratford de Redcliffe and Colonel Williams . For several months , the two went on together very amicably ;

      but in December , 1854 , the disagreement commenced . " Lord Stratford ^ ambassador of England at Constantinople , and he was ordered by the Government of this country to correspond with Commissioner Williams . He was ordered by the Government to give him his countenance and support ; and Colonel Williams was directed to correspond with Lord Stratford , the latter being ordered to forward whatever despatches might be addressed to him to the Government at home . But Lord Raglan was to get copies , and an ingenious device was resorted to for that purpose . In the first instance , Colonel Williams was to write to Lord Raglan ; Lord Raglan was to write to Lord Stratford ; next , the ambassador was to write to the Foreign Secretary ; the

      Foreign Secretary then wrote back to the ambassador at Constantinople ; and lastly , Lord Stratford was to present the application to the Porte . Fortunately , at the same time , leave was given for Colonel Williams to correspond directly with the ambassador , instead of by the circuitous route of Lord Raglan . It appeared that our commissioner accomplished wonders for the time he acted at Erzeroum and Kars , which was a time of extraordinary danger . Soon after , he was joined by young Teesdale , a name never to be mentioned without honour ( cheers ' ) and two other British officers afterwards joined the partyj and therefore he ( Mr . Whiteside ) was ready to admit that the Government did contribute , in one way or another , to the war in Asia Minor , four men and a doctor , and no more . { Cheers and laughter . ) He defied any man to ransack the blue book and discover

      anything else in the shape of assistance from this great and powerful empire to the ally they professed their wish to serve , than four men and a doctor ; but they were men such as were rarely to be found . " ( Hear , hear . ) The conduct of Lord Stratford at this stage of the proceedings was most extraordinary . According to a despatch from Lord Clarendon , he systematically disobeyed the often repeated instructions of the Government to communicate to them the state of the army at Kars , as far as he could ascertain it . In answer to this , he referred to a series of questions he had put to a Levantine Greek and dragoman , one Count Pisani . Many of the English ambassador ' s letters to Lord Clarendon , moreover , were couched in terms of great discourtesy . In one of these , he asked the Foreign Minister to " state once for all their relative duties and

      the extent of their authority . " Then he omitted to reply to sixty-two despatches from Colonel Williams , besides a great many private notes . Yet this nobleman is still our ambassador at Constantinople , in accordance with the principle of the present day , when men are rewarded in proportion ns they do not deserve it . Next came the consideration of the more immediate causes of the fall of Kars . On the 5 th of March , 1855 , General Williams ( as ho had then become ) wrote to Lord Clarendon from Erzeroum , asking for assistance . A copy

      of that letter was also sent to the Under Secretary at War , who took from the 29 th of March to the 12 th of April to answer it . The substance of the reply then written by Mr . Peol was , that ho had laid the letter before Lord Panmuro , and that ho wus directed to state that Lord Panmuro was of opinion that it would bo " desirable to urge upon the Porto the importance of paying attention to the requirements of the Turkish army in Asia Minor , whenever the more pressing need of the service of the Ottoman troops olsowhero has

      ceased . " Colonel Chcsnoy was appointed to the command of the Foreign Legion , but was removed most unjustly by Lord Panmuro immediately after that nobleman ' s accession to office , and after the Colonel had only had the command about a fortnight . On the 11 th of last July , Lord Stratford wroto a very useful and instructive despatch to Lord Clarendon , proposing that General Vivian should bo sent with tho Turkish Contingent , and General JJcatHon with throe thousand Bashibazouks , to tho relief of Knr . s ; but Lord Clarendon and the other members of the Cabinet ( and Mr . Whitesido wished more especially to hold Lord i ' ahuoruton

      responsible , as being the Premier ) overruled those suggestions , and wished that reinforcements should be sent to Trebizond , and be directed thence upon Erzeroum . " If , " it was added by Lord Clarendon , " the army at Kars cannot maintain that position against the Russians , it should fall back upon Erzeroum , and the whole Turkish force' should be concentrated there . " That was a most preposterous suggestion , and it was scouted by all military men . The next proposition , which was by General Mansfield , was that , instead of sending a force of 40 , 000 men , two detachments of 25 , 000 should be despatched . Lords Clarendon and Panmure pronounced against that plan also . The former assumed that the Turkish Contingent and the Bashi-bazouks under General Beatson

      were unfit for the duty proposed ; but General Beatson had flatly contradicted that assumption in a book which he had written upon the subject . He ( Mr . Whiteside ) believed that , after the quarrel between General Williams and Lord Stratford de Redcliffe was put an end to , Lord Stratford de Redcliffe acted with zeal , fidelity , and activity ; that he was always in the right , while the Home Department was always in the wrong . ( " Hear , " and laughter . ) Finally , it was proposed that Omar Pacha should make a diversion in Georgia ; but , though the consent of the French Emperor was obtained , this was delayed , and Kars fell . Lord Clarendon had since most unjustly caused Tahir Pasha , the governor of

      Kars , to be arrested and brought to trial ; and though he had behaved bravely , and done the best he could , he was charged with cowardice . His Lordship had also addressed some insolent documents to the Turkish Government , charging its officers with neglect , when the fault was much more our own . But would the members of that House take badly-written despatches for brilliant actions ? He trusted not ; and therefore he rested the resolution on the truth of the cause . He placed it in their hands , invoking in its support the votes of a patriotic Parliament , as he trusted it would have the approving voice of an indignant people . ( Mr . Whiteside sat down after having addressed the House for four hours and a half . )

      The Attorney-Genebal replied . When General ( then Colonel ) Williams joined the Turkish army , it was in a state of the most entire disorganization , and the officers indulged in every species of extravagance and peculation . The English Government could not give their commissioner authority to act with reference to the Turkish officers ; and difficulties therefore ensued . However , some of the Turkish officials were removed at our instigation . He ( the Attorney-General ) did not intend to palliate Lord Stratford ' s conduct in neglecting to answer General Williams ' s letters ; but was the House prepared to say that the Government ought to have recalled its able and accomplished diplomatist ? Lord Stratford was no partisan of the present Government .

      He was the political ally of the gentlemen opposite , and it was Lord Derby who raised him to the peerage . With regard to relieving Kars , it was very easy to Bay that men should have been sent to Armenia ; but where were the men to come from ? The Government refused to adopt the suggestion of sending the Turkish Contingent and the Bashi-bazouks , because those troops were raw and undisciplined , and to have sent them would have been the height of folly . " The Turkish Government made this proposition—that instead of the British Contingent , Omar Pacha should take the Turkish force then at Eupatoria , that to that force should be added 10 , 000 men from Bulgaria , and that the whole , under the command of Omar Pacha , should be landed in Circassia , and endeavour to make a diversion in favour of the army of Armenia . To that proposition her Majesty ' s Government was prepared to accede , but it was necessary to obtain Government to the with

      the concurrence of the French - drawal of tho Turkish force from Eupatoria . And here , though I readily admit what the hon . and learned gentleman has asserted so very triumphantly , that this House will not shrink from the discharge of its duty from any false feeling of regard for the French alliance , yet I think the House , as a matter of justice , will not forget that Government was bound to take into consideration the position in which they were placed with reference to the Government of our Imperial ally , who has stood by us so faithfully in the war . ( Loud cheers . ) Accordingly , application was made to the French Government for its concurrence . What was the answer ? Tho French Government at first declined to concur . The principle adopted by that Government in the conduct of the war was that all the efforts which tho combined armies could make should bo concentrated

      upon Sobastopol , believing that on tho fate of that city depended tho issuo of the war . Tho French Government , however , upon tho representation of Lord Cowloy , gave way , and acceded to tho proposition ; but Omar Pacha then refused unless ho could take his veteran troops at Balaklava instead of those at Eupatoria . To this , Marshal Pclissior and General Simpson objected . It had boon said , why not send money ? In what shape?—as a gift or as a loan ? Had a gift boon proposed , would not a cry have been raised against subsidising Turkey ? Had a loan been asked for , what would have boon its fate ? Power , last session , to guarantee . ^ loan to Turkey was asked for , and how did gentlemen opposite , rccoivo that proposal ? Why , it was opposed by Mr Whitesido himself , and tho measure wan only carried by a very small majority . Tho formation of tho Turkish Contingent was opposed by tho same section ot

      politicians . Kars , it was true , had fallen , but Turkey had been saved . Could the Allies be held responsible for the disaster , especially when there was a force in Turkish Armenia sufficient to preserve Kars if the Ottoman commanders had done their duty ? The objects of the war had been achieved ; an honourable peace had been obtained ; and the country was too just and too generous to seize upon one little dark spot , and on that account to brand the conduct of Ministers with censure . Lord John- Manners considered the Government blameable for the fall of Kars , and more especially charged that disaster on the Foreign and War Secretaries . —The Lord Advocate defended the Government , and threw the blame on the route adopted by Omar Pacha . —On the motion of Mr . John Phujjimobb , the motion was adjourned till the following night .

      MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS . The House then went into Committee upon the CoALWurppERS ( Pobt of London ) , when a resolution , was agreed to whereon to found a bill . On the motion of Sir Benjamin Hall , a select committee was appointed for the purpose of considering the best means of providing accommodation for the various public departments in the neighbourhood of Downingstreet , and to report thereupon to the House . After some further business , the House adjourned at five minutes past twelve o ' clock . Tuesday , April 29 th . NEW PJEEB . In the House of Lords , Lord Aveland ( lately Sir Gilbert Heathcote ) took the oaths and his seat , and subscribed the Parliamentary roll , on being created a peer of the United Kingdom .

      ROYAL COMMISSION . The Royal assent was given by commission to the following bills : —Exchequer Bills ( 21 , 182 , 700 ? . ) Bill , Public Works Bill , Public Works ( Ireland ) Bill , and several private bills . The Royal Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor , the Duke of Argyll , and Lord Monteagle . POSTAL COMMUNICATION WITH AUSTRALIA . The Earl of Ellenbobough presented a petition from the merchants and bankers of London , and the Association of the Australian Colonies , praying for the speedy establishment of a postal communication with Australia . —The Duke of Argyll said the subject had received the favourable consideration of Government , and the communication would soon be renewed , but he could not yet give any information as to details .

      THE PEACE CELEBRATIONS . The Bishop of Exeter , in presenting a petition , tcok occasion to observe that the re-establishment of peace ought to be marked by some public and national act of thanksgiving . The lower orders are , to a great extent , destitute of the means of Divine worship ; and their Lordships had received many applications as to whether certain places of rational amusement might or might not be open to the public on Sundays . His own opinion was that it was a mere mockery to deny them such

      amusement , unless they gave them the means of spending their Sundays in a better manner than at present . He was not there to say that the nation should give a large sum to the Church to build fresh places of worship ; such might formerly have been done ; but now there are many different sects , who pay equally with Churchmen to the support of the State , and who , consequently , have equal claims for such grants of money ; but he thought that a large sum might , for the purposes he had mentioned , be given to those who are willing to help themselves .

      TOE FIRE BRIGADE . Lord Redesdale , in presenting a petition from Mr . Scott , who had been engaged in tho ventilation of the House , and who complained that he had been dismissed , though he had understood that he was engaged for life , again called attention to tho fire-brigade . — Lord Stanley of Aldeuley stated that tho entire responsibility for tho safety of the building had been transferred to the Chief Commissioner of tho Board of Works . LORD MALMKSBUBY ' fl MOTION ON THE FALL OF KARS . The Earl of Malmksbury withdrew his notice of motion ( for Friday ) relative to the fall of Kars . He did

      so with great regret ; but several delays had taken plocs tho Earl of Clarendon had been detained in Paris three weeks longer than had been expectod ; tho Treaty of Peace had been laid on the table , and this had completely altered tho Btato of affairs . The House was invited to discuss tho Treaty on Monday next , and it was impossible to enter on tho transactions connected with tho war in Asia Minor without anticipating that discussion . He should therefore reserve the observations ho had to make for tho debate on the Treaty . He asked if the exact form of tho address to the Crown would bo laid on the table before Monday .

      Earl Granville : " If I rightly understand the noble Lord ho altogether withdraws his notice of motion witli respect to Kars . "—Tho Earl of Majlmksbury : " Tei . " — Earl Granvillk : " I am glad to hear it . " ( " Hear , hear , " and a laugh . ) - —Tho Earl of MalmebdurY : " Tho noble Earl has not replied to my question with regard to tho address to tho Crown . "—Earl Granville : " The terms of tho motion to bo made by my noble friend on Monday ovening will bo laid on your Lordships table on Friday . "

      May 3,1856.] The Leader, 411

      May 3 , 1856 . ] THE LEADER , 411

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), May 3, 1856, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_03051856/page/3/