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    February 9, 1856-1 THE LEADER. 125

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    THE REPORT OE SIR JOHN M'NEILL AND COLON...

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    chanan, the American Minister, had state...

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    IRELAND. Prospects op Peace or War. — Th...

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    THE ORIENT. INDIA. , A season of repose ...

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    The Peace. The Peace Preliminaries Progr...

    " Russia has adhered to the five propositions which are to serve as the preliminaries of peace , and which were presented for her acceptance by Austria , with the assent of France and England . This unreserved adhesion was announced in a note addressed by Count Nesselrode , the Russian Chancellor , to Count Esterhazy , the Austrian , minister at St . Petersburg , and in a despatch communicated to Count Buol by Prince Gortschakoff , the Russian minister at Vienna . The Russian government , in consequence , proposed the signature of a protocol at Vienna , to enregister the adhesion of the contracting Courts to the propositions intended to serve as the bases of negotiation , and to declare that plenipotentiaries shall meet at Paris within three weeks ( or sooner , if possible ) , in order to proceed successively to the signature of preliminaries , to the conclusion of an armistice , and to the opening of general negotiations . " The British Government had already expressed a desire that the conferences should be held > t Paris , and the Austrian government having , on its side , eagerly acceded to that suggestion , it is therefore in . the capital of the empire that the plenipotentiaries who may be appointed to deliberate on the conditions of peace will assemble- The protocol setting forth , the acceptance of all the parties was signed on Fe-VvmaiTT l of . ViPTinn at norm , and it was decided that ----- - ___

    §^^ ^^ VA W *^ 9 ^^ V * WM ** tva *^ w aa ** ** - ^^ J — the plenipotentiaries of the Powers who are to take part in the negotiations shall assemble at Paris before the 20 th of February . " The armistice , when , it has been agreed on , will extend to the 31 st of March .

    February 9, 1856-1 The Leader. 125

    February 9 , 1856-1 THE LEADER . 125

    The Report Oe Sir John M'Neill And Colon...

    THE REPORT OE SIR JOHN M'NEILL AND COLONEL TULLGCH . Thb Report of Sir John M'Neill and Colonel Tulloch , the Commissioners appointed by Lord Palmerston , immediately after his accession to power , to inquire into " the whole arrangement andmanagement of the Commissariat Department , " has been published during the present week . Its tendency is to confirm the accounts already given of the frightful condition of the army "before Sevastopol , in the autumn and winter of 1854-5 . In the space of seven months , l l •'¦_ £ * _ . _ . _ 2 . _ 1 * . XT . n n «< vii « £ r-J \ 1 tt ! rt (¦ i ' -v » -k ert + w Awal * . ijVAVbiuu ukm ¥ ^ A

    2 , 000 watch-cloaks remained in store , besides a reserve of between 6 , 000 and 7 , 000 at Scutari , which might easily ha"ve been made available . The reason assigned for not issuing these was , ' that the regulation of the service , as established by the Queen ' s warrant , did not authorise such issue more frequently than once in three years . ' On the 28 th of November , 6 , 000 militia coatees and 6 , 000 pairs of trousers arrived at Balaklava ; "but , although- the army was in rags , all the coatees and 3 , 000 pairs of trousers were still in store at the end of six months — the reason assigned , being 'that the Secretary at War ' s letters of the 9 th November , announced the immediate shipment of an extra suit of clothing for each soldier , ' which , however , did not arrive till the severity of the winter had passed . On whom does the blame o > f this rest ? Colonel Gordon informs us , in his evidence , that , in consequence of instructions issued by the Quartermaster-General , ' commanding officers were in no respect responsible for any delay in receiving the requisitions for these issues , and he considers the Quartermaster-General's department alone responsible for the proper appropriation of them . ' Sir Richard Airey and himself , therefore , are the persons chiefly responsible for this neglect . " With , respect to Dr . Hall , the Commissioners attach considerable blame to him . for want of enerarv in not

    taking decided steps to ensure attention to his requisitions . They state that " the returns of sickness and mortality furnished by the medical officers relate to matters which are beyond the limits of then * inquiry , and therefore have not been submitted on this occasion . " not at iorm oi

    Vegetables ao present a part a soldier ' s rations ; but the Commissioners recommend that in future they should do so . Nd one is specially responsible for the adaptation of the resources to the wants of the army . The Commissioners accordingly suggest that an officer of high military rank should be specially charged with the proper management of the diet . They also advise the substitution of porter for rum . ; and conclude with some remarks respecting the transport , the supply of hay , & c .

    T » Qirty-nVO pfcji ; Ccllt . Ul tLXC cu . mjr x ^ . v » - work , improper food , insufficient clothing 3 and exposure to the weather . " It has only , " remarked the Commissioners , " been by slow degrees and after the frequent repetition of -similar details , as one witness after another revealed the facts that had come under his own observation , that we have been able to form any adequate conception of the distress and misery undergone by the troops , or fully to appreciate the unparalleled courage and constancy with which they have endured their sufferings . " A great deal of the ill-health of the men is attributed to their being fud on salt meat , owing to which scurvy was generated to a fearful extent . Fresh meat , it appears , might have been procured ; but it was not . The farinaceous food was for a long time confined to hard , dry biscuit ; and it was not till this had produced great evils that arrangements were made for baking fresh bread . An . abundant supply of rice , preserved potatoes , peas , O — _ i . _ T ~ l .. u ] A .. * . »^ J l ! v * tn £ .. £ sm Imr n 41 Tl *» l # wr 1 mm anrl itlAU 11 1 t wi

    fcjUlPbVil . UUlU 3 y , . XUCJ UV < C * t * . J ** JLH »* C » P . » . «* T * »« Scutaxi ; but , though the Inspector-General of Hospitals pointed out the necessity for serving out these stores—more especially lime-juice , as an anti-scorbutic—the men remained without for a considerable period . Twenty thousand pounds of lime-juice were allowed to lie in the Commissariat stores , from the 10 th . of December till the first week in February , without the Inspector-General of Hospitals being informed of their existence . Mr . Commissaxy-General Filder appears to be saddled with the chief blame iu these respects . Colonel Gordon , in giving evidence before the Commissioners , says : — " The CommisBary-Gonei'al seems to have desired his officers to issue rations according to his own views instead of according to the general orders of the army . " The arrangements with respect to clothing were as bad . " By tho 7 th of December , " says a summary in t ! i /> Tinitvj 7 \ 7 V'i / i- « " -Hini'A wnrft in Hf . nrn « m » in t . V » A lisii " .

    bour 10 , 000 rugs , a number subsequently increased to 25 , 000 ; but , while tho inon are stated to have BuiFored severely for want of sufficient covering , the return of clothing received and issued from the Quartermaster-Gouoral ' s store ( up to the end of January ) shows that the troops were supplied with only

    OVV OUi QX S 5 'Jt , V \ JV AJMlg UBUJLOaa WL ( iU « BUU 1 C I \ J & tho 24 th and 27 th , Decoiubor , 25 , 000 blankota arrived at Balaklavn , but wore not issued , although they would havo afforded a third blanket to each man , and hwo given him a chanoo of having ' two dry blankota iu Ms tout besides tho one he uauolly brought in wet from tho ti-onohou . ' In November , about 12 , 000 pwllaBaos arrived , whioh would havo afforded ono to each man off duty ; but there wua no hay or straw to fill them with , and no measures woro taken to procure wool or any other substitute , whioh tho CommiaBionorB observe might have been obtained . Hud thin boon douo , very much of tho dyisontory , which was tho chief cause of mortality , might havo boon px-ovontod , In tho beginning of Decembor , 12 , 000 groatooata woro received ; but , during that month and January , 0 , 000 of tuone and

    Chanan, The American Minister, Had State...

    chanan , the American Minister , had stated in a despatch to his Government , that , if the Ministry of Lord Aberdeen had remained two months longer in . power , all the points of difference between "England and the United States would have been settled . The first steps which "bring on a war are often so slight , that a man would be laughed at for hinting at the possibility of hostilities ensuing ; but one step follows another until , by some blundering , the honour of each party is concerned , and he cannot retTact , and so the original question U lost Bight of . "When there was a prospect of a quarrel between England and France , some years ago—he ( Mr . Bright ) believed it was with regard to the Tahiti business , or something equally absurd—a deputation from the Chamber of Commerce went to Louis Philippe , remained with him all night , arguing the question , and finally made him pledge his word as a king that war should not ensue . We had " drifted" into the war with Russia , to use the expression of our own Foreign . Minister—an expression which showed the feebleness and incapacity which guided the helm ; and we might be " drifting" into a war with America . If we got into the position in which we were placed after the Russians crossed the Pruthy and after the conferences in 1853 , we might have a war with America , unless we do something which will be a humiliation to England ;

    and he ( Mr . Bright ) was as much against doing anything that should bring humiliation on this country as any man could be . Arbitration , would not settle the difficulty ; because , with regard to the Bulwer-Clayton treaty , America would not abide by the result if it went against her , and being , as it were , on the to ctauoii

    spot , she would contrive aavance , auu . uuwuu - dancy over the disputed region by some means or other , though some of her means he did not consider either very wise or very just . It was quite clear that our Government was wrong , and , although we had apologised , we had most absurdly coupled with that apology a declaration that we had nothing to apologise for , since we had always been in the right ; as if a jury should say , " The man is not guilty , but we hope he will not do so any more . " - # The motion for the adoption of the report having i ^ . , ~ i ~ A . ¦ . ¦ . ¦ . o-nTivi / vncl-o- TVFr ' "R risrlit . in cbnformitv

    with a wish subsequently expressed , drew up the annexed resolution , which was moved by the Mayor of Manchester , and agreed to without any opposition : — , . , . , " That this Chamber has observed with deep regret that difficulties have arisen between the British Government and the Government of the United States with regard to the construction of a treaty on , the subject of Central America , and to attempts which are alleged to have been made to enhst mea for the British army within the jurisdiction of tne United States ; this Chamber would urgently impress upon the Government of this country the propriety of considering these questions in a conciliatory spirit , with a strong determination to spare alike to the United Kingdom and the United States the indescribable evils which must arise from any interruption of amicable relations between the two countries .

    PUBLIC MEETINGS . J ? AREWELIi BANQUET TO GENERAL GRANT . The East India Company , on Saturday evening , entertained , at a banquet of unusual splendour , Lieutenant-Gen 8 ral Patrick Grant , who was recently appointed to the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Madras . Presidency . The occasion derived unusual interest from the circumstance of General Grant ' s appoiatinent being the first that has been made under the new system ^ which , contrary to the old , throws open the highest class of military commands to the officers of the East India Company ' s services , The banquet was given at the London Tavern ; Mr . Elliot Macnaghten presided ; and , in the absence of Lord Paltnerston , the Government was represented by the Duke of Argyll , Lord Stanley of Alderley , the Right Hon . Vernon Smith , the Right Hon . W . G . Hayter , and the Right Hon . Robert Lowe . After a brief sneeoh . from the chairman , eomniimentiner their guest

    on his promotion , and thanking the Government for the change which they had effected in the old system , General Grant acknowledged in terms of great gratitude the toast of his health , and paid a graceful compliment to his former leader , Lord Gough . The meeting was also addressed by Lord Gough and AdmiralJLushington ( who responded to the toast of the Army and Navy ) , the Duke of Argyll ( for the Government ) j the Right Hon . Vernon Smith ( for the Board of Control ) , Lord Campbell ( for the House of Peers ) , the Right Hon . E . Ellico ( for the House of Commons ) , the Right Hon . Robert Lowe ( for the Civil Service of India ) , and others . In the course of his observations , the l > uke of Argyll said lie believed the events which had recently occurred in Western Asia are interesting to us more from their connexion with the cause of Turkey , and with those other questions in which wo are concerned , than as havinec any direct relation to

    the welfare of our Indian empire . He did not think we had any occasion to dread either Russia or any othta * powor in that direction . The same views were expressed by Mr . Vernon Smith . Lord CampbeV jocosely said that , though he had been a member of the House of Lords fifteou years , he had hitherto " j > anm-k « wl f . ViA -rhA-i'ila nt . 4-rf > iirlinrr fl \ A slia /> liai «< v * i rtf t . litflf .

    duty , " and had never before been called on to acknowledge the toast of the House of Lords . Referring to the new life peorngo , ho promised that " if any of th . o gentlemen present woro dostinod to bo niaclo poors for life , they would , be sure of a courteous x-ooeption from tlie Houso of Lords . " At thta there was bo mo laughtor . Mil . DH 1 QUT ON OUR QUAIUUUT . WITH A . MKIU 0 A . Tho annual mooting of the Manchester Chambor of Commerce was hold on Monday , Mr . Homy Ashworth presiding . Tho adoption of tho report having boon moved and seconded , Mr . Bright , M . P ., nddroeaod tho mooting at ooueidorublo length on tho Bubjoot of tho threatened contest with America . He said that all our knowledge on tho quoatioa ia comprised in tho fact that wo know nothing . Mr . Bu-

    Ireland. Prospects Op Peace Or War. — Th...

    IRELAND . Prospects op Peace or War . — The prevailing ^ certainty as to the great question of peace or was weiRhs heavily upon all branches of commerce on tne Irisn side of the Channel . Markets for every kand of produce have been wofully depressed since the first announcement of the acceptance by Russia of the five propositions ; and the corn and cattle trades which had ! up to that stage , reached the maximum , point of prosperity , as suddenly sank to their ordinary level . However , one of the papers published m the far west —the JSaUina Herald—mentions , among the many simas of returning Irish prosperity , as not the least significant , the unprecedentedly great number of marriages which are taking place previous to the commencement of Lout and the temporary close of the wedlock season . — Times . The Government Provision Contract . — ma that

    Dublin Mercantile Advertiser says ono nunan . a and fifty tierces of pork made up m Dublm «« " iected on the ground of defective Oftsks , and that , SSeptionablc casks being afterwards provided the very same pork was again refused because it did nob como up to the standard of quality .

    The Orient. India. , A Season Of Repose ...

    THE ORIENT . INDIA . , A season of repose appears to have « "wn SS £ S := | future govc nmeli of the Santale into tho Logidati £ Council The rebellion itaolf seoms afiain to be dyhTg out . Tho troops find the Sautals * n their villaZ andaro met with professions of goodwill and oX 5 ol assistance . Tho Govexnor-Gonoral has recontly taken a remarkable stop m advanos Ho has addroasod a circular to the five Governments and tho oonnaiaaionora of iude pendent province a , « *!» " «« thorn to prepare an annual report on tho territories under thoir administration . Each of thoao reports to

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 9, 1856, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_09021856/page/5/