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    obfcaiaetf ; jthat : if \ ra , clestroyed ;; tba * i strtaaghold of Bnseta » i pawer—Sebaatopol—* vsre- should : be enabled to give tc * Turtejnthat security which was die great purpose of that naiL Tbe < rights honourable gentleman aUuded . to a 8 paeeh ofcTaihe , amLsaid thafcin that speech J gave notice . ta . Rnasia tbat : such an expedition was to t © undertafceaf but tfcertoae . oft&afcspeechwas entirely misapprehended : It had often . Been . asked : what was the . ob , }« cfc of ; the -war * asd- 'In'waa' endeavouring to point out those guaranteed upott : whi « h ! Turkey might again be enabled to resume her relations -with Russia . But , sir , -with _ respect to thesentiments Tvbjcb I then uttered , I ha-ve referred to . them naw , not- , merely-for the purposeof sbxywing what a "wrongintocpifitation had been placed on them , but for the

    purpose of saying that what I considered to be necessary / then . I consider to be necessary now . I believe no peace would ba- safe for Turkey , I believe no peace would be honourable to this country which left' Sevastopol in the same . ' menacing position , in which it had been of late y « ara- befoce the war . ( Cheers . ' ) "Well , if that is the case , hour important it is that , by our success in the Crimea , f ? e should attain the means of fLxing these conditions . I-will not refer to what the rigUit boo . gentleman opposite said with , respect to the Baltic , except to say ; that I ; think the admirals who have commanded both- in- the Black Sea and the Baltic have been vory unfairly , attacked ; I believe that it would have been a great . misfortune if , by an unsuccessful attack upon a

    place ; like * Gronstadt , which has ' great means of defence , w& should have involved the loss of three or four of our lrnsrof-battle ships . The- tight hoir . gentleman and my honourable friendxefe » rei _ tothetreaty ? with Austria , and Idocnot pretend to give the House an accurate stater ment of- the- terms of that treaty , but I am quite , ready to say what I ; think has been the position , and what is the position ^ of Austria in regard to this country . I was never-satisfied that Austria bad pursued that course ¦ which her duty to Europe should have induced her to take .. I think that in thi 3 case , which concerns all Europe , and wifeh which , the independence of Europe was intimately .- concerned , Austria , as a great" European power * ought to have earlier joined the maritime , powers .

    I think , tesides , that Austria-was more nearly affected , and that her danger was greater thanthatof England and Stance ; but , on the other hand , a cautious power like Austria saw that the danger to her of a war with Bussia waa greater- than it could be to England and France . The military establishment of Austria was low , and had teen reduced very latel y * and her first step was to increase her military force . It was oaly at the end of July-last that her preparations were nearly completed , aad I remember-perfectly well at the end of the session that I stated ; in answer to a question from the- hoit . member for Montrose ( whose absence this evening I lament )^— "that I said that though Austria was pledged mot" to make any arrangement with Russia , except on

    certain bases that had been laid down , she was by no means- pledged to undertake a war in conjunction with the maritime powers . She has now gone a step farther , lrat has not gone as far as she is expected to go if peace Jbe not restored at the end of the year . She has agreed "with- us .- that , if she should be at war with Russia , a treaty offensive and defensive should ipsojaeto exist between Austria , England , and France . She has likewise agreed 1 ' that } before the end of the year , she will take into further consideration what steps she- will be prepared to take with respect to the terms of' peace -with Russia , Now I understand the meaning of that article , certainly , as not containing anything very precise-. I- understand , however * the meaning of that

    article to be that , if England and Franco shall propose conditions of peaea which are in conformity with the four-bases , and which seem to Austria to come within the terms of' those bases , and if Russia shall' refuse her assent to such treaty of peace , then Austria will no longer hesitate , but take part in the alliance , and that on offensive and defensive alliance will tale place * I do not wish to overstate the engagement in any way 5 and I adinit-that Austria might still , at' the- lftst moment , say-that ' the ternaa would reduce Russia , too much , awl diminish too greatly her weight in Europe ^ and that » ho could nerrer be expected to agree to them . * Such might bo her language . She leaves herself at liberty to say 1

    thiswithout' any breach of faith , and one of the last things I should wish to do wouldbo to impute to Austria a breacli of . faith if ultimately she did no * form part of tn , e alliance , but' my explanation la that' she does-conowr with us in respect 1 to the bases that are absolutely necessary- for tfce security of- Turkey ; and' that If Russia doe * not consent to a treaty of peace on those bases , then that in the next campaign tho forces of Austria will bo joined with those of England and France . It may be said' that wo should have got far bettor terms but we couldnot enforce terms on nn independent powor , and it ' is-bettor to have such a treaty with Austria rathe-r than leave Austria unconnected with us and without

    any tlea to bind her to us . That was the bollof of her-Ma ^ esty ' s Government , and still more strongly tUo persuasion of the Government of the Emperor of tho XiYeuch , I' always thought it w « a much to bo lamented that Austria was ho tardy and llussia had beon enabled to despatch a part of her troops on the Dnnflbo to tho Grimen , which p . lftced our gnllnnt troops there at bo gre&t a disadvantage . I would ngree with muoh of whotrttUs honourable member for ATloabury hao said

    with respect to three'of . the conditions , but that I never hare b « en able- to gefr . anybody to tell mo-. how vie are toeflecfc ourobj ^ et except by ailongu and protracted ; war . I was sorry to hear && honourable friend of mine speak of th < j ; battle of Inkexman as a fatal battle . Now-, my belief ? is » that though the losses-were heavy , and though the nation , has great reason to deplore those losses , and although many ; families will spend the approacliing season in affliction who might have , hoped to > pass it in joy aaid . comfort , yet tt&at , for . & great national object , the victory has not heen thrown away . Ihe bravery and valour which were- displayed upon the heights of Inkerman will teach thenatioas of Europe to respect " our character and the military prowess whicli we lave

    shown , anil it : is as ,: likely as ahnost any event that could be named to bring about the conclusion of an . honourable peace . ( Cheers . " } Deeds like these , you raaydepaad ^ upon it , though not followed by the rout of aa enemy , or accompanied with the gain of & large territory , or the surrender of a fortress , will be fruitful , of consequences , and maintain , the character of the . nation by : whose soldiers they were achieved . ( Cheers . ") While this country has suet deeds of heroism to boast of , you may depend upon it that the mightieat . natio&s of Europe will dread our enmity , and be anxious te secure our

    friendship . QCkeersJ ) With this persuasion , I shall ask tho House to vote its thankato those gallant men , and to our- gallatafc allies , the French army , who- foughi by the side : of our troops , at Alma and Inkerman , and assisted them to defeat the enemy . ( Ckeers . ) With such aa alliance , ¦ with such " prudent conduct in . regard to © thei powers , andwifli the determination in this country , which I : believe is strong ,. that the war in . which her Majesty is at present engaged must be brought to a just , and honourable , and glorious , termination , I feel full of hope for the . nesult of the contest . ( Loud . cheera . )

    MKJTIA VOMJNT ^ EB SEBTICJl BHLI « Oa Tuesday Viseowtt Eai > bie « ston moved , " For lease to hvtroduce" a bill for the purpose of enabling her Majesty to accept offers thatmight be ina . de by militia- legimenta—whole regiments or portioaisi of regiments ^ -for service in places out of the TTnited Kingdom . Ministers had been , accused of having entered into a war , and having undertaken , a great and arduous eaterprise without having provided any reserve .. His ans-wer to-that was , that the reserve on Which ler Majesty's Government had counted waa ^ the British , nation . He was . convinced that the expectations they had formed would not be disappointed , and that by voluntary offers , of service froxsa the militia , whether from -whole

    regiments or portions of regiments , means would be afforded to > the Government to carry on the war ¦ with' all that energy and vigour 1 -which the circtunr stances of' the < 3 ase might require . The bill was . framed on the model of the- act which had been passed to-wards the conclusion of the last war , by which the Government of the day was enabled to accept the services- of militia regiments then for the purpose of more active operations than those for which it was the present intention of Government to ask the militia to volunteer . It would bo remembered that , at the close of the last war , after the militia had afforded very large and ample

    reinforcements to the line , and the voluntary transfer of the services of" tno' men from one description of force to- another , ai >> net was- passed by which regiments and 1 portions of' regiments were enabled to offer their services to , join the army then under the orders of the Duke of Wellington , and under this act militia battalions were raised for foreign service through tho influence of Sir Watkhfc Wynn , the Duke of Buckingham , and . other peraonnges of distinction . It was not- the present intention of Government to ask tho militia to volunteer for the purpose of joining the army under- Lord Raglan ; the object which thoy had in view vas that the militia should bo invited to volunteer their services to

    do garrison duty in certain places in the Mediterranean , and thereby to set free such regiments of tho line aa would otherwise bo required for tho purposes of : those garrisons . Gibraltar * Malta , and the Ionian Islands would probably bo the places to -which oilers of . service would' be confined . Circumstances might happen that might al *©> induce her Majesty's Government to ask regiments . « P militia to volunteer : to . da garrison duty in' Bomo of tho North American provinces , but though tho bill which , ho should have to present would , for tho sake « £ ' convenience , enable the Crown to accept the servieoH of militia regiments for any place , out of tho " UnStedt Kingdom , of course th < y oner would be mado to roghnontn to specify the station for-which

    tUwr services should bo glvon , and tho present intern tion of Government was to limit that offer of voluntary service to tho Btatlona which ho liau mentioned in tho Mediterranean . Ho could entertain no . doubt that such offbira of service would be freely and amply made . It was impo » slblo to do more than justice to tho spirit by which tho militia regiments had fceed animated , and ho woa happy to say that tho reports -which wore made by tho ofllcen * who were appointed to inspect thorn ftt periodical training : times , inspired tho conviction that they had mado moat extraordinary progress in th « attainment of military discipline and ollloioncy . Ho w « n convinced , that any regiment of militia , which might volunteer for service in tiny of tho garrisons ho had montioiMxa , would bo aa efficient for tho PTirnoso ,

    a * td as creditable- to the country to -whiobi thajr belonged , as any regiments of : the- line whaaa . pj * ee th « y might volonteer t& filU He ? woa , hamnrr t » say that there had been hardly a single a « - ceptlott- ^ -he thought not one —to th « : gtmaeai offier- of militia regiments to be embodied for permanent . < jHtyT < at home , aa circumst * nces might require , and thatr led hte to think they should not be- disappointed itt havingf quite a& many offers for service , in the garrisons , he-had . nsoa tiened as the uecessitiea . of the case migltt indued them , to- think , proper to accept . He did not : bnow > that tho

    need say anything farther , as he could not anticipate that there would be any objection to the motion * lie bad made . He was sore that militia , regiments wouldtthiok they -were doing honour to themselves in availin&themr selves of the opportunity of performing service in tie places he had mentioned , and that officers injthe militia would not only encourage their- men to transfer' their services from , the militia to the line , but that : regiinenls and portions of regiments amply sufficient to meet the w ^ anta of the garrisons abroad would offer thenaselrea ; far this extended service . "

    Mr . NawDEGArK asked whether this meosicre was subsidiary to the formation , of au army : of reserve to be within Lord Haglan ' s reacb , or was the . aniay in . the Crimea to be still without an available reaexwoi ? Mr S . Hbubekt said-: " The Government : has fiflt strongly the nece « 3 ity of formingi with as . much rapidity as possible , an efficient reserve for Lord . Baglau ' sarmy . The principal difficulty "will be the great distance of thja country from , the seat of -war . The intention , therefore , is to form additional companies to every regimectiCjoDiw

    raanded by Lord Raglan , and to . place those coropaniaa , so soon as they have passed through their pxeliminaay drill , in that position which will render them most convenient for hu » to send for . The intention is t * . place those additional companies in reserve at Malta > wbioh , it is thbughtj will , oflfer most convenient access to . Lord Raglan . I hope we shall he able to get four additioBal companies to every regiment . At the sama tun . ev we cannot place four companies of every regimeot , la . garr risonat Malta ; but so far aa the acconMnodatioawjU enable us to do it , our reserve will be placed there- '

    Col . Sibthor 3 » proHounced a , glowing eulogium on -the Lincolnshire Militia ^ and expressed his agpcoTal ofthe oaeasure ^ After some liltle captious opposition , llr ; Paus thought that- by an appeal to the patriotism of the labourers , they wete dopriviug . the labouring class of its best energies , and taking away the pith and marrow' of agriculture . He trttsied that the noble lord had taken by this bill souae means of providing for the families o £ those , who ; injg ^ t perish or be disabled . After some further- discussion the bill was intro ^ duced and read a . first , time . On Thursday , on tlie order of . the day for the second reading ,

    Objections wore urged to points of detail hyi Ionel ¦ Sjbtmobp' aud Lord Lovaine ^ who suggested , that on the volunteering' of a militia regiaauent another militia regiment should be raised iqj the county-Lord Paimbcb ^ on said auch a . step w as . not coa . ? - templated by the Government . There were many county gentlemen ntrw in the militia whose aociai position rendered it far more important that they should stay at horaii than that they sliould da gnxrrison duty abvoftd . No irnputation would r tbereibre , he mnde on the public spirit of any geutlemon Avho declined to volunteer ; and , on the other : hand * ho liopod , if her Miijcsty declined the services of any gentleman wha did . volunteer , it would , not . be ; CPJV sidered a slur , on his character .

    The bill waa then , read a eecond time . € > n the motloa that it : he > oommitted tQ-morro > v , Mr » . DianAiobi euggeetotl that tlid committee be delayed till Monday , undin doing so , he expressed liis regret that suoh a measure should ljavo Xxi&a . intco » duced at the present , tune . It would readee the militia , service unpopular ! in . tho , country ,, and . it would give foreign , nations the idem ; that -wo .. were already at tho end of our resources * . He w «* there- ' fore opposed to tho principle of . the bill , hut * , iathe prcaent circu , nMtunoe 3 ,, l > e -would , not oflbp anv ojppo ^ aition to thu Government . dlho bill we * then , ordered to be committed , on Monday .

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    On Wednesday , after th « x usual formtUitieftwaBBwct ing : tho Address had been gone through * . AdDiiral Waixiot , iu reaumption of tho tlobnto of : tjie pjrecedins ovonipjjj spoko in favour- of : strong meaBwreni foi cftrryingr ou . tho war , and Mr . A . PjsLjtAC * coa-p grfttuiatcd tho Uowee on the tfrenal * amanco . wl ) iflb ho thought would bo conionted by abollBhin&iWdnty on French winoa . A war tax oh fixed $ ropeEtyv . U 3 thaughtj would bo dosimblo . Sir H .. Wn ^ ovQnnr , Mi \ Ajuoook , and Colonel SinTHoju' , all had ihoil ohjeetions In turn—to tho attack an SebastopoWUxo Austrian alliance—and tho inactivity of th « . fluotwhich latter was declared good policy by Mr , Rwm . Tho CkiA . tnauui . o »> of tliq EtaaiU 2 QUi £ ft , did ,, nf > t vfiail to repeat tho arguntonta ol the previowa , ovening ; . Thoy wore oslied wlwtfc . waa going to , bo dwn ^ . bnt

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    USS ^ T'EB LBAB 1 B .. [ SAEnmtAy ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 16, 1854, page 1182, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2069/page/6/