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    teous letter to Admiral the matterHe mih...

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    the East, and that a few storekeepers an...

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    ? T HE WA R. The Bombardment has recomme...

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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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    Im&Emaf, Parliament. T Parliament Resume...

    the public funds prevented such a clause from Reiving countenance . He trusted that , at a more Svourable time , this part oi his plan ™ gd « J « J £ S msideration . The bill was then read a first time , ^ $ ^&^ £ & dinia Bill was read a third time , and passed . . | -. INTESTACT ( SCOTLAND ) Bltp . , On the motion of Mr . Dun £ Op , this bill , the objectof which is to assimilate the law of Scotland to that of Eng land , in most respects , was read a second * THE COAST FISHERIES ( iRELAXD ) BILt . Mr M'Mahon moved the second reading of this hill the obiect of which was to assimilate the fishery £ ^ S of Ireland to those of England . The state of the law in Ireland is so absurd , that totally different law s apply to the east and the west coasts of Ireland . The fisheries , owing to the restrictions upon them , are in a state of decay . The number of fishermen employed since 1848 fell from 70 , 000 to 38 , 000 in 1853 , and the boats have been diminished one-halt . Mr Napier thought the subject one of the greatest importance , but he objected to the bill , as calculated to interfere most mischievously with vested interests , and to interfere also with the success of the salmon fishery of Ireland , which was now becoming successful . Instead of assimilating the law of Ireland to that of England in this matter , they should , if they legislated at all , do the very reverse . He ( Mr . Napier ) would consequently move as an amendment , that the bill be read the second time that day six months . —Mr . Duffy and Mr . Sergeant Shee supported the bill ; and Mr . M . Chambers said that the present law prohibits the Irish from fishing m their own waters . —Mr . George and Mr . Whiteside op-Dfesed the measure ; the latter observing jthat the existing law protects the interests of the fishermen against poachers , and keeps the supply of fish to their great advantage . —On a division , the bill was Jost by amajority of 126 .-Mr . M'Mahon then withdrew the companion measure touching the Irish Inland Fisheries , observing that he would reintroduce it , together with the previous question , at a tuture . time . * TENANTS IMPROVEMENTS' COMPENSATION ( lBELA . * H >) BILI / . — . On the order for the second reading of this bill , Mr . Serjeant Shee , owing to the lateness of the hour , proposed that either the bill should be read a second time sub silentio , deferring the discussion until the committee , or that a Government night shoulcUoe given for The debate on the second reading . —Ihe discussion . of this preliminary question continued until the time to which the Wednesday sittings are restricted had expired , when , after the expenditure of an hour and a half , it was left undecided . On the motion of Mr . Staffoiid , seconded by Mr . French , it was then agreed that the House at its rising should adjourn until Friday , in consequence of the visit of the Emperor of the French to the City on Thursday . ^

    Teous Letter To Admiral The Matterhe Mih...

    teous letter to Admiral the matterHe miht * ^ , sn . lB 55 . 1 THE LEADER . 363 : ¦ i > — ¦ ———^— m—^ ^^^ m ^^^^^^^^^^^^ " ^** ¦ ___ . - i- » At J . X .... "EX ** w «< £ A . l * . £ J ^ S-A . XW * - " — — - 7 — - — J

    The East, And That A Few Storekeepers An...

    the East , and that a few storekeepers and book-keepers were also sent out . Mr . Commissary ^ jp ith made most extensive preparations , entered into contracts for the supply of the troops at Gallipoli , secured a storehouse on the Dardanelles , and acquired a great body of necessary information . Mr . Filder arrived at Constantinople on the 22 nd April . That gentleman , was sixty-four years of a « -e- bat though so far advanced in life , the Government considered him an efficient servant . He had been with the army during the whole of the Peninsular war , and had subsequently been a commissariat officer at several important military stations abroad . The War Department deliberately selected him to accompany the array to the East , as being their best commissariat officer , and in consideration of his tried and approved services . There was one assistant-commissary general with each division of the army , and a deputy-assistant and an experienced commissariat clerk to each brigade of oaf an try . On the 31 st of March , the whole commissariat force amounted to forty-four persons , and it was increased to forty-nine on the 5 th of June , when the army was at Varna . This number , however , did not include subordinates , whom Mr . Filder had full power to engage on the spot Before Mr . Filder left Constantinople , and before the army went to Varna , he sent to Malta for 200 mule carts : he also sent home directions to the authorities to obtain 500 mules in Spain ; he procured 300 mules at Malta ; and all the mules that could be had at Smyrna he obtained there . Mr . Filder reckoned that 3000 arabas of the country , and 5000 nvules would be necessary , as a transport service for the army when in Bulgaria , then consisting of 2 t > , 000 men . Among other arrangements , Mr . Filder entered into a large contract for hay with a house at Constantinople , but that contract forthe most part failed . In September , he wrote home to the Treasury , stating that there was likely to be a deficiency of forage . The witness tlrert explained that the Commissariat required a ration return to be made once in three days . If bread , for-instance , was wanted , the requisition would have to be signed by the commissiariat officer and the paymaster before it could be got ; and if the requisite form was not to be had on such an emergency , it would place the commissariat officers in a very painful predicament . After the armv went to the Crimea , complaints were received as to _ the inconvenience arising from these forms . With reffard to the roasted coffee , the witness said that coffee was ffiven to the troops unroasted during the Kaffir war and other campaigns . It had , in fact , been customary to issue coffee to troops in the field in that state ; it was also done in the French service ; and the Treasury , therefore , sent out the greater part of the coffee unroasted , but they also sent out _ a part of it roasted as an experiment . The reason they sent the larger portion unroasted was , that experience had taught them it would lose its flavour and become in a great measure useless if roasted .

    WEDNESDAY . Sir Charles Trevclyan was recalled . His evidence related chiefly to the early official correspondence that transpired on various transactions between the Treasury , Admiralty , and Commissariat ; and the tendency of his assertions was to show that Mr . Commissary-Genoral Filder had done his utmost to procure means of trans-¦ » ort ;' wid"limt"m ~ llie * rime- "tK 6-: Krmy -n ^ cd--m--: the-Crimea , the transport service was quite sufficient ior all purposes . It would seem , however , that subsequently Mr . Fildor intimated that he was far from having a transport service such as he could wish . The accomodation in the transports for the conveyance of animals was very small ; but in little more than a fortnight Mr . Filder imported into the Crimea 21 G enrts , and Spanish and Maltose mules , and 2 GG pack animals , in addition ! to those which wore already there . When it became I evident that the army would winter in the Crimea , the Commissary-General , becoming alarmed , wrote homo for an immediate reinforcement of supplies . The Treasury thereupon wrote to the Admiralty , directing them to send out one million pound * of biscuit and 400 , 000 tons of hay fortnightly , and , asamattcr of precaution , six months supply of hay " and oat *; and on this immense supply the commissariat had been working up to the present time . The horses perished far more from overwork and oxposurc to the Aveather than from want of food . He would not nay that they were amply supplied with food ; but they had considerable quantities of chopped straw . Iho witness naid that Mr . Filder wrote to the Admiralty for an extra supply of biscuit ; and that ho " presumed" it was sent out . Ho also stated that tho Commissary-General was very uneasy owing to tho crowded state of tho harbour and the wretched condition of tho roads . Six steamers were went to the Ulack Soa for the urc of tho coinniissJU'iiit ; but the orders of Admiral lioxer had Horioiiflly interfered with tho successful working of the arrangement . He « li < l not moan to say that tho Admiral purposely interfered with it . Mr . Filder , however , constantly complained that Constantinople wj » h the Capua of the army , ami that when ho sont vo . smoIh there for stores ho never could get lhom back again without fljrcnt di'lny . The detention of tho . Jason at Constantinople was a striking instance in point . Mr . Filder made urffqnt representations to Admiral lloxcv an to the d « . 'lay of Mm * ship . ! No official investigation -whs ever made into the onuses of her detention ; hut Lord Raglan , on a complaint being made to him by Mr . Fildor , wroto a

    cour-THE SEVASTOPOL COMMITTEE . ' TUESDAV . The Committee resumed its inquiries on Tuesday , when Mr Maxwell , one of the commission appointed to investigate the medical administration of the army , was recalled , and said : —Soon after the arrival of tho commission they received a lettor from tho Adjutant-General , written by the direction of Lord Raglan , complaining that certain inquiries had not been submitted to his lordship ' s approval ; and in consequence of this , a divisional order was issued to tho effect that officers and servants should not givo any information a * to hospital arrangements , except under the authority of tho Commanclor-in-Chief ; and so far the authority of the commission was overruled by the Commander-m-Cluef . Uut he did not know that ho was to infer from this that tho GoinmaiKler-in-Chiof was responsible for the whole medical administration of tho army , and management oi tho hospital . Ho requested Major Bullcr to represent this to Lord Raglan , who afterwards sent a letter to the commission , expressing his regret that any impediment had taken place . Tho witness then added particulars as to the wretched state of tho regimental hospitals and tents and tho want of medldnos nnd fuel . He said , however , that" the supply of surgeons was ample , and that the condition of tho hospital at . Balaklava , though overcrowded , was bettor than they had n right to cxpoct " Colonel Horsfonl , in command of the Itiflo Brigade , said that his division was badly oil' for i-lothiiiff , but he thought tho men in the hospital tents wore comfortable . Mr . Harriott , his commissary , did his duty well . Sir Charles Tnryt'lytui , a ** isl < i » t-weuretary to the Treasury , wns next (• Xiiminod . 11 * ' entered into a variety of details with respect to the in * tniotioiiH , &<*•) R iven to tho commissariat before leaving Kngland . Mr . Fildor , ho said , wTm appointed oommirtsnry general , with ¦ ft Htair ' of forty olllcors , ' whieli was considered efficient , Upon Mr . Lnyard inquiring •» ' forty otHcer . s ronhl be suflioiont for 10 , 000 men ( the number llrst sent ) , tho witness said that subordinates wore to be obtained in

    Boxer on . g take that opportunity to say of Admiral Boxer that he was a rough , honest , hearty , zealous , active sailor ; but the situation in which he was placed , at Constantinople required high administrative powers , and it was no blame to Admiral Boxer that he did not possess those qualifications . Mr . Filder made complaints , both to Lord Raglan and the Duke of Newcastle respecting the want of suitable . magazines for the stores . T . Commissariat was also greatly perplexed by the want of horses , owing to their deatbs , and to the fact of the private soldiers stealing them whenever they could . The witness having made an allusion to the railway and the newly-organised transport corps , Mr . Drummond pertinently asked , " But why were those things not done in December last ? They would then have saved the lives of 20 , 000 men . " Regarding the green coffee question , Sir Charles Trevelyan said No doubt it was the duty of the commissariat to provide the men with the means of roasting the green coffee , and it would have been an easy matter to have got three or four regular coffee grinders and roasters ; but the commissariat were completely overtasked , and were barely able to supply the food for the men . In answer to Mr . Ellice , the witness admitted that his experience had satisfied him that the time had arrived when the different branches of o « r military system ought to be completely consolidated . On Thursday , no business was transacted , owing to there not being a sufficient number of members present . Friday . Sir Charles Trevclyan was still further examined , and said , with regard to the supply of fuel , that when it was known that the army would have to winter in the Crimea , the duty of providing a supply of fuel was undertaken by the Commissariat . Mr . Commissary-General Filder consequently adopted the proper steps for procuring a supply of fuel , including charcoal . The latter was placed in a depot at Balaklava ; but it could not be conveyed to the camp in consequence of the defective transport service . This , combined with the bad state of the weather and the roads , prevented the conveyance of hay and straw ; but he had been informed that there was . no want of either of those articles at Balaklava from the 21 st to the 30 th November . The mules . which were purchased in Spain were detained not so much on account of the defective transport corps , but because Mr . Filder had no urgent necessity for them . The great difficulty connected with the army was the want of a Commissariat establishment at home ; but he thought that the great division and subdivision of duty in that department in the field interfered with the discipline of the army . He ( witness ) had the executive management of this department at Rome under the direction of the Minister for War . The witness was next examined relative to the alleged incompetency of the Treasury clerks who were sent out to do duty as commissary officers ; on which point he denied the truth of the statement made by General Sir De Lacy Evans , that they had had no field experience . Returning to the subject of the commissariat arrangements , he said that there was a depot for live cattle at Constantinople , and therefore the want of fresh meat in the camp was to be attributed , not to the commissariat ,, but to . those . whp . had , the management of the sea transport . Some of the difficulties which were described to have existed , he ascribed to tho fact that the official relationship between Lord Raglan and Mr . Filder was not so close as that which generally subsisted between the Duke of Wellington and his chief commissaries . This he inferred from the tenour of a letter from Lord Raglan to Mr . Filder , inquiring what provision tho latter had made for the army . On the conclusion of tho examination of this witness , the committee adjourned till Monday . *

    ? T He Wa R. The Bombardment Has Recomme...

    ? T HE WA R . The Bombardment has recommenced ! That is , emphatically , the war news of the week . A despatch from General Canrobert , received in Paris on Tuesday , says that all the French and English batteries opened firo on Sevastopol on the 9 th inst ., and that the advantage was on tho part of the Allies . At Berlin , a despatch 1 ms been received from St . Petersburg , stating that Prince Gortscluikou announces the same fact , nnd says that tho cannonade , which commenced utflvo o ' clock in tlic morning , was carried on during the -night , and repeated on the 10 th . The liuesinn general adds that Jus men replied with success , causing appreciable losses to tho Allies ; but ho "''"'^^ "'" J " % 3 ! : ? S' ° were 833 killed and wounded . A despatch of tho 12 th from Kiimleseh is wni . l to have been received in Paris , stating that a breach lms been oponej and that tho town in greatly damaged . The Prcssa says that t reo KusBinn batteries lmv « boon dismounted , and that On . ar l ' ncha has lanital at Kamiescl . with ? S 000 men to aw \ nt in the assault . These statements , however , must be received with caution . TIHh , perhaps , in new . cno ^ h for one- week : at any rnto thoro is little else of importance . Tho Miilakhoffand Mamelon continue to bo great annoyances to us , and the Kussiana , « tiU occupy their nflo-

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), April 21, 1855, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_21041855/page/3/