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Leader (1850-1860), 10th February 1855, Edition 1 of 2, Page 123, Untitled Article

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      ¦ of representative government against despotism ( cteers ) , « nd that if tve are ¦ not enable * to oppose to the energy Of that despotism those peculiar powers which a represen' tative government contains , " or ought to contain , -we shall TaU « n that -contest . Q'HearJ ' andcheers . ) If we do Hot procure that Unanimity by patriotism , by argutaent , and by similarity t > f opinion which despotism is able At all'times andin all periods to command , des-. potism wffl be'too powerful for liberty , and the moral to "be learnt from the transactions of these times Will be i&e feebleness andthe vices of a -free and representative

      'government . ( Cfteers . ) The only mode by "which that can be prevented—tire only mode by which a different -view can be presented to the eyes of the world of the character of the constitution of this country is by the -united effort of every man in it ; and it is the duty , not only of members of both Houses , but also of persons -exercising influence out of them , to tafce care that they y nothing , that they do nothing , that / they write no-1 thing that can have the effect of impairing the national 'Strength , or -of interrupting the action of the national cause in the great contest in which it is engaged . "—

      \ Cheers . ) The Earl of Malmesbttby congratulated the House on having given tip-a state of civil warfare . Hereferred at some length to the appointment of Lord Panmure to the War Department , upon which the eyes of the country were fixed . So much had been said respecting the aristocratic element in the army—particular ^ in the Times—that he had been induced to compare the statements of that journal with the Army List . " I thought the fairest way would be to take the first regiment which stood on the Kst—the Grenadier Guards consisting of three battalions and numbering about 100 officers . IiSrid that in-May last out of the above 100 officers in Her Majesty ' s First Grenadier Guards ,

      only 18 were at all connected with your lordships . That is a proportion of about one-sixth , which I do not think -will be considered a very -great and disproportionate number in a regiment particularly charged with guarding the throne of an ancient monarchy . Weil , I went on and took the first ten regiments of infantry—the pith and marrow of your army . Commanding , the : 1 st Royals was Sir James Kemp , now , unfortunately , no more , who was certainly one of the most distinguished officers ever ^ seen in the British army , and at the same time sprang from the humblest order of the people . Well , in this regiment , comprising two battalions , - how many peers -and sons and brothers of peerswere there ? One . In the 2 nd reghnentof the line there was one ; in the 3 rd , none ; in the 4 th , none ;

      in the 5 th , none ; in thej > th , _ none ; and in the 7 th there were four . And , now , ~ with respect to the point of their being so soon able to get promotion . Among those four was Captain Hare , who was killed at Alma , and who was forty-five-when he met with his death on the field of battle . In the 8 th regiment there were none of the brothers or sons of peers ; in the 9 th there was one ; and hi the 10 th none ; so that in the first ten regiments of the line there were only seven sons or brothers of peers connected with your lordships' House . In the first seven regiments of heavy dragoons there were only three such officers ; and in the last ten regiments of infantry there were still fewer—only five sons or brothers of peers . Thisrrthinkrls sufficient to show that ,-if-I am right in

      supposing the Times to mean by the words * ' aristocracy of England , " the blood relations of your lordships , there never was a greater misrepresentation made before the face of any country ; and if they argue that the army is to be reformed and improved by any change which may "banish these few men from the regiments of the army , they are entirely deceiving the people they address , and the Government , who may possibly put faith in their representations ;" Lord Panmuke was fully aware of the great responsibility resting upon ' him . He knew that great reforms

      were wanted , but was not at that moment prepared to say what they wore . He should look to the Prime Minister for support , and he should also seek the assistance of the Earl of Ellonborough . Certainly ho would appoint no officials who were not thoroughly competent to their duties . ' Ho had had six years' oxperienco of s \ icli service under another Government , and besides that , ho hrtd served twelve years in the army itself . He believed the tmlitary system to bo based on a good foundation , and almost perfect . If ho found himself unequal to tho proper management of hia office , ho should at once confess the fact .

      After a few romarks from tho Earl of Kodkn , suggesting a day of humiliation and prayer na tho beat recourse for tho sucoess of tho war , tho House adjourned until next Friday . ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOTISf ! OF COMMONS . The House of Commons mot yesterday , when , a-ftei Home unimportant matters had been diacussed , it was adjourned until Friday noxt , the ICth .

      'STATE OP THE ATtlUY T 1 ETOK 1 C « EHASTOPOL . Mr . Stafford said ho had received a letter from Scutari , which stated that things avoto becoming worse , rather than bo £ tor , If tho Government wished to preserve the army ,-they should place somu conlldonco in Dr . M'Gregor . Mr . Glawntonk thought Mr . Stan ' ord should have laid . hia complaints before the Govorninont , but at all events , proper arrangement woro being madci Mr . AV * HTBsrDK supported Mr . Stafford . Colonol Rnox had recoivod a letter from the Crimea

      saying that 1000 men weie dying there eve * y wee k , that the whole « force of the British wrcny was . Il " , 0 © 0 men , and that € V < erything was mismanaged by the authorities there . Colonel Dcwwe was prepared to state , that instead of there being . 80 < 000 men in- lie Crimea , as asserted a few evenings since by the ' Secretary-afc-War , there were not llvOOO * and that not 2000 of these-were-able to take up

      arms . Sir W . Moleswobth denied the statement that the deaths amounted to 1000 a week . He believed the statement * made by the Secretary-at-War was strictly true according to the last -returns . On Friday the subject whs r-esmned fey Mr / Bun-, when Lord J . RtrsfiBLL entered into some « xplanatious touching the alleged discrepancies in the competed awmtoers of our troops before Sebastopol . In tfoeoriginal estimate , he remarked , all officers of every sort were inand

      cluded together with the muster-roll of the cavalry ordnance . More recent enumerations comprised only the rank and file of the infantry regiments , with farther diminution on account -of the men detached upon special services . Including oar allies * the total besieging force at present amounted to nearly-SO ^ OO men . Adverting to the personal attacks on Lord itaglan , the noble lord expressed his conviction that the character of the Gommander-in-Chief as an able-soldier would ultimately be acknowledged , in despite of the clamours of a ^ ribald press . " ...

      The Chancellor Of the Exchequer repeated the vindication of his former statement , adding ' that in the computation of 28 , 000 men as the effective British-force in the Crimea , he had not reckoned a single Turk or invalid . SIB CHARLES NAPIER ' S fcATE STATEMENT . In answer to Mr . Crauford , AdmiralBerkeley ^ denied the whole of Admiral Napier ' s stateaaeats * t the recent dinner at the Mansion House . He had not been censured nor dismissed ; he was not goaded on to attack any particular fortress—bad not been restricted from attacking any fortresses he pleased—and he was , moreover , told that tfie country would accept everything he coujd perform . The Admiralty left him perfectly unfettered in his command . He thought the speech of Admiral Napier would have a very bad effect upon the junior officers in the service , and was in every other respect much to-be regretted .

      ORDNANCE STTFFLY . On Wednesday the Chancellor of the Exchequer moved for a _ v . ote of 1 , 200 , 000 ? . on account of Ordnance supplementaTy estimates . This was carried in committee , but not without some discussion . He proposed to enter upon the estimates next Friday , as he did not'think the First Lordof the _ Admiralty would be able to take his seat before then . NAVY ESTIMATES . The House of Commons , in Committee of Supply , voted the sum of 1 , 615 , 600 / . on account of a navy estimate , ha excess of expenditure for 1854-55 .

      THE ESTIMATES . On the motion of Mr . Wiusox , 2 , 000 , 0007 . were granted out of the Consolidated Fund for the deficiency in the grants for the service of the year ending the 31 st o March , 1855 . — - - — ~ - — -- — - NATIONAL EDUCATION . On the motion of Lord J . Russell , leave was -given to bring in a bill for the promotion « f education in England .

      MISCELLANEOUS . Balaklava Haubouk . —In reply to Mr . Debdbs , Admiral Berkeley stated that the reports of waste and disorder in Balaklava harbour were much exaggerated . The masters of many transports had sent letters , from some of which he read extracts , expressing their satisfaction at tho arrangements made in that port . _ According to the latest accounts , ho added , the pre-existing state of confusion had been rectified , and the' harbour was now in excellent order . North American Fisheries . —In the House of Lords , on the motion for going into committee on this bill , the Earl of Clarendon said Hio present bill gave no power to American fishormon to erect permanent buildings on British soil . It gave them leave to land during a certain part of tho year to dry their nets and euro their fish , but it gave them no power to erect pormanimt buildings . Tho bill then passed through committee , and waa reported .

      Protection of Purchasers against Judgments . — In tho House of Lords , Lord St . Leonards presented a bill for tho bettor protection of purchasers from judgments . His lordship entered into details of the several alterations which had lately been made on tlw subject , and staled that he proposed to enact that registry should bind a purchaser if auch registry should have been made within live yearn before Inn purchnHo , though more than flvo yoara whould have elapsed siuco tho first registration of tho judgment . lie proposed also to plnco tho Counties Palatine of Lancaster and Durham on the same footing nut tho other counties with respoct to judgments . Ho furthorproposocl to place life annuities on tho same footing an judgments as regarded registration . After a few remarks of assent , thobijl was road a first time , Conduct op this War . — On Thursday , Lord Lynimiuhst withdrew hia motion condemnatory of tho lute Upvormnent in their administration of tho war . He thought it scarcely fair to take any step calculated In

      any way to disturb the new GoveTmnent- ^ alfiiDu ^ h so many of the late ministry are inclndedin ^ Uie . present . The 'Marquis of Clastricabde thought'that " a very sensible course , but suggested that , as the Jitatements Were so very contradictory , the new Government should ascertain the real amount of 'force , 'and condition of the troops , and make a full-statement of Parliament , ' ' " . - Public Libraries . —This bUl has been read a . eecond stage , and committed . New Writs . " — New writs have been ordered for Tiverton and for the southern division of Wiltshire , vacant by the acceptance of office of Lord Pabnerston and Mr . JS . Herbert .

      NOTICES OK MOTION . Irish Tenant Right—Mr . Sergeaat Shee , on the 20 th of February , to bring in a bill to provide compensation for improving tenants in Ireland , and also to consolidate and amend the law relating to leasing powers The Duty on Foreign Wines . —Mr . Ouveeka , that on Tuesday , the 20 th , he should call the attention of the House to the present high rate of duty charged upon foreign and colonial wines , and move that the House < do resolve itself into a committee of the whole House" with a view to the reduction of the same .

      Promotion in the Army . — -Lord Goderich , that on Tuesday , the 20 th , he should move the following resolution : — " That , in the opinion of the House , the present system of promotion in the army by purchase , under which a non-commissioiied omcerrarei y attains to the rank of a commissioned officer , -and scarcely ever to that of a field-officer , is injurious to the ¦ public service tand -unjust to the ^ private soltMers . " : B © B $ ac Prosecutor . —rMr . J . G . PaarxnroRS , tisat on the 20 th of February , . beshould moveforleave to bring in-a , bill for the appointment of a public , prosecutor

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      We have news from Sebastopol up to the 30 th . of January . The announcement then was merely that the cold was less severe , " and it was thought the general attack would not long be delayed . " Other accounts suggest the middle of March , by which time reinforcements will have materially strengthened the Allies . A late Vienna telegraph says : — " The Grand Duke Michael is lying ill of ague at Cherson . " The Grand Duke Nicholas is at Sebastopol . " The Russian , army is in want of supplies . " Accounts from Sebastopol of the 28 th of January state that the weather continued very fine . " The batteries had received orders to be in readiness

      to resume their fire . " The Voltigeurs of the Guard' had arrived . " " The . Russians continue their sorties , and it is said that they are becoming exceedingly expert in this department of warfare . This is possibly Qwing'to a ehange of generals . However , the Allies invariably resist with success . In the ~ Invalide _ Jf ? i wse .. of the 31 st ult . jwe find Prince MenschikoifFs account of the " new and successful sortie" from Sebastopol , executed against the left flank and centre of the French trenches , on the night of Jan . 19 . The Russian troops formed two

      detachments—that of the right composed of 230 volunteers and a company of grenadiers , and that of the left composed of five companies of a regiment of the line , and a hundred sailors . "The enemy ( says Prince Menschikoff ) defended himself with great obstinacy , but could not check the impetuosity of our detachments , and suffered considerable loss . Wo made two French officers and . some soldiers our prisoners . Our loss was 18 killed , including two subaltern officers , and 74 wounded , among whom was Captain Count Snchtelen , aidode-earnp of Prince Gortechakoff . "

      The Vienna : papers publish a despatch ascribed to Prince Menschikoff , : dated Sebastopol , January 28 , stating that no change had taken place in tho state of -affairs before -Sebastopol . He says , - " From time to time the jffrench ; and English throw shells and rockets into the town , feufc the damage done is unimportant . " Our allies , who havo long felt that our numbers are too small for tho oxtout of ground wo occupy ,

      havo como to relievo us . The edgo of Sebastopol plateau overlooking tho plain has been occupied by them , and they now furnish the pickets which guard ttro rear of our Sevastopol front . In this manner they rolievo a considerable number of our men , whom we were hitherto obliged to lay out in our rear . French troops aro also preparing to occupy the AnkcruMUi position on our extreme right , tUus relieving the second division , who are to remove their camp to the rear of tho third division . ¦

      _ . , , __ , _ Accounts from tho Crimea by the laat packets state that General Canrobert ifl obliged to , moderate , the ardour of tho French * r * ny , wJw demand to bo led to tho assault ., Tho Allies am * e * dy ; to reopen the fire along tho whole extent of their . tinea . It is positively etutod thfttins eoon-jae * Uo ' fcrtifloatione #

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      Bbbrttakt 10 , 1855 . ] ¦ ggg I / EA «) 3 ! iB , U 23

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      T BE WJl R .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 10, 1855, page 123, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2077/page/3/