The Express. — London, England, 1855-05-09 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. ' HOUSE OF LORDS.--TermAy, MAT 8. Tin Loss Csairaszos teak Ms seat at In e'en*. The Earl of ZOLINTON prereated a petition his a ATM Ayrshire, Lint the Maysoeth Great. Bari of SHAFTESBURY posoutod iodides fro. Glasgow, Absrinas, Tyros*, sad shot plass to the sane Ont. Lord EERNERS preseated pithiest free ply is Ltiesstenbin duriag the wed LordSossanstaldre, la favour dawns publis hes's 's -do,. MILITIA. Lord BERMES gave sods that be would, is Friday seat, neve for tartan recurs sessortod with the Miliga. INCOME TAX BILL. This bill passed through cosuaittor. VIENNA CONFERENCE. The Earl of CLARENDON laid ea tlie table pepen cos setted with the 'monitions far pose. , Their lordship edisniisd at a quarter pest Eve. HOUSE OF COMMONB.—TUEODAT, MAY 8. Ths Ileums& took the etude at 4 o'clock, let *OM being eine esemben wisest, the house astioarsed to this day (Wdeeeday)• THE ARMY BEFORE SEBASTOPOL MR. ROEBUCK'S COMMITTEE. Yesterday, after waiting Some twenty Minable for Iga shorthand-writer, the committee recalled Br Theses Benin" who it:pinned some statements arising eat .of "emotion 18,920, put by the committee. In reply to that interrogatory, he had steed that the order for the huts was irregular, but it was sines is his recollection thetas had sub. mitted • model of the proposed hats to Lord Harding*, and the Secretary at War gave as order foe 300 *ltem on the 18th of November, and dually the Board of Ordeals@ gave authority to construct them on the 20th of November. Re had said that in some case basis's. of importance wee carted oat by the Ordnance, and was not brought officially to his knowledge, bat be was wrong is this as to the sect feta of the sass. He was of opinion that the plan of individuals purchase" stores, &e.. eider the ssactin of the Board, if mein out, weld be productive of evil cossequesees, for whatever might be the special advantages of employing intelligent sad clever persons to purchase, no system was so safe as that of contract. He did not to upon certain irregular proceedings that took place at the Board, beanie they had the metion of the Secrettry at War, and because he thought the clerk of the Ordnance would not do anything that was income. Mr. Monsen, who left off yesterday in the midst of an explanation, continued to state that be had been asked several questing relative to the erection of the two bays in the laboratory, and he had said that lie had no recollection of having sanctioned the proceeding. He had, however, received • memorandum from Captain Collinson, showing dist the work was not done until after the sanction of the Board, and the bricklayers and carpenters' work, on schedaled prices, was authorised by the Board. He never gave verbal order, at the Ordnance that were sot followed up by written ones. and in the cue of authorising Captain Boxer to expend 7,0001. on • emery, he found it was not dope without the sanction of the Board. lie could not find the official este, of this; although the minutes were kept by him with perfect regularity. In the ease of the 7,0001., authorised to be expended by Captain Boxer, it was only for the purchase of machinery, and the bills all passed through the suet forms of office, the Board authorising the plynebts. As regarded any guarantee the public had for the proper exp enditure df the 7,0001 he presumed there were tenders for the machinery, the erection of which was duly certified. In the ease of Colonel Wilson and Captain Boxer, he referred the question to the Minister of War, and he also refereed the matter to the Chaneellor of the Exche quer, who was interested so far as regarded the way in which the money voted by parliament was expended. The same rule that applied to Capt. Boxer applied also to Col. Wilson. The decision of the Board of Ordnance ought in cases of in subordination to be final, if the discipline of the elfin wee to be kept up ; and the Minister of War, in his opinion, should be constituted a Court of Appeal; bet it would be ewe, except in • very grave ease ; but the question ia this case before the committee was one that was worthy of interference on the part of the Minister of War, involving as it did the question as to whether the laboratory should be carried out on the regimental principle or the manufactory one. The confusion that arose in all these matters oriel seed in the fact of the Kraut of Ordnance not defia.ng the authority of the officers, and it would have been far better to have given a distinct and absolute power on these points during the employment of the men ; and with reference to taking them on, he (Mr. Mensal) bad never heard before of an officer and • gentleman connected with the Ordnance having received sash 1 reprimand and seaman se the one given in the case of Colonel Wilson and Captain Boxer. It went out of its way to east redactions, and was, he believed, intended as an Minh. As regarded the amount of warm clothing purchased foe the troop', without any official authority from the Militate or War, he found that • vest *ember of the eon emote were signed with the signature only of Sir T. Hastings, showing that it was the practice of one board officer to alga them, end from a return he bed caused to be made out, he found that the number signed by Sir T. Hastings was 206; by Mr. Moused, 60; and by Sir Hew Rare, 30. Mien. Hetet and Howell were the packers at the Tower, bat it was never repteseuted to his that things had been sent to them and had been lett unpacked fox a long time in the rain. Mr. Leyard—Who is Mr. Bayer ? Mr. Monsell—l believe he is brother to Mr. Halter, the feentary to the Treasury—(laughter)—but it is only fair to add that they have been employed by the War-ollim lii • ling time, and as packers for the colonel. of geglesenft The eiontroet signed by Colonel Deuce with MOM Yyew bad not been vitiated by him (Mr. MonesU), beset Col. Drag's signature was not valid ; and be bad to state In the most explicit Mantle, that the contract with Mears. Myer had never ben vitiated at all. The barracks now being built at Aldenhott were calculated to last 70 years. They were being constructed as permanent barracks at the rate of 261. per maa. The Ordnance we not in a state to meet urgent demand, when the war broke one, as regarded stone, fuses, itc. Money was not asked for from parlia met, and therefare parliament were not to blame; bat whether government were for the deadest state of the Ordnance was another matter. The Board of Oed emas worked very well until the diesgreemeat be tween himself and Sir T. Haulage. Peadeg the proposed alterations in the Ordnance, that department was ia • son or moribund condition. And this state of things, he tt, interfered with the p able serves. Menem bed see d his resignation to the Doke of New• note ea emeemesten ; bat the duke thought it was de arable he sheald remain. There were only three olden at the (Wesel Beard in November, and the 'Mee was re deed at Ono time to saly mas posses—himself; and he come lap three et her Ness lath* ea. By Mr. lffies—Ho (Mr. Mesa) **steal Mot fully in the °pieta *erased by the Duke of Newest* as to the ensatidaseary state of the Ordseee • sad he (Mr. Monsell) tented it was wrong to leave th e r aw Master- General of the Ordnance vacant just at Ow doe dos the war broke out, as it threw the whole departmeelele • slate of disorganisation. Although in April, a meet important period, then was only one officer at the board—hkiself—he did not think the public service suffered ; that is to say, said Mr. Moused, " we did do all that was raqateed." The Chairman—Not " we," you mess, but " I." (Laughter.) Mr. Momell—l refer to the administration of the eivil de partment, mot the military, which was carried outmost He did net think that the putnie seefseemffireed by ▪ the disagreeseats that took place at the bestr iiii iie s: tbeabones of its Men, bat it imposed slug, mount of work ea these that were la the agatemss. Die Ordemee deportment set to work is Weide eleeell,lke. bete the war broke eat, and is antinelft at To Ream! Peal—The Ordinal. starer Be*, Bellfelet were *magi' -1 with wessilestel tatgilly ail IBM was *lay ewe, te the admirable way be latish the Boyd Denies Heettament at Woolwich isaagelei *elr share of the the eeClheintse—He bad to give the men detest end Modal to the statement be wmiensemed Sin HlMlngs to haws made, that witasselhad wradlet If deprive Sir Hew Rees of the power of appeedag slave is the Ordsameeddes, in *unquote, of Hew Rees TF teeing to pembles I clerk on wineries ISONlMledation. The Board of Ordnance received theoefoldjissAr psis ou the 20th Neveutber, and by the 14% Drag imeglamstkaa 767 hats wailed from lOatbarapton ea bused d ent vessels tor the Crimea. To Lord Seymour—Sir Hew Ram end biased were both of opinion that it was desirable to peen a brim quantity of Milne rifles from Liege. Sir Themes Illisslege differed with them on the subj.et. Witness then withdrew. Sir Frederick Smith, commander of Ifogiatais for the South Erie sad Saws: districts, was nest sidled, and stated the circumstances under which, in November and December last, l's acted in emnezion with the Ordnance Department in obtaining a supply of buts, and he entered into • number of details of ae public intern., with the view of showing that there h.id bren no unnecessary delay in wadi g oat those hats ti the Crimea. In reply to Sir I. Pekington, Leese stated that the ha% wet , . all constructed of Butic timber, and reacted imper nips to wet by being covered with felt. The first huts were lout oat on the 3rd Member ; the rest speedily followed, mad bad all been shipped by the middle of that sassisli, screw steamers, which would perform the Isoussy tom this country to Benign in about 16 days. He adisited delay had taken place in the construction of the hats, owing to • misuudentaadiag between himself sad Messrs. Prise and Potter, of Glows-ter, the contractors, se to the fens of roof. A plan of • hut when erected esempaaied each cargo of hate that was seat, as a gui.'.• for their erestion when they reached tLe Crimea ; sad he was gaits Outdo that nose of the huts were cost away without a proper sup lib of nails. (A Sete ) he committee adjourned at 3 o'eleek, ea hoe earlier the anal, eta this day, at 12. 'The ploseadiage void et throughout the day wen nagalsely de bitten 4...glknuntar7 r zazerr. s imied nesd riter iss & osotaino I Traißry minute, s allowasoo of I,OOOL pot ID WUUsim bore" ILCUIL, Dirootor of Ms Nary Modica Dopotoson, ebe exipreoo.. TO CORVISPOSIDIIOS. • • ' e tdwortimmowta ialwadod tor "Tao Szlwas" LOAM mat le at taw Mos, Boavoriodarast, by Two Veto* ow Ow day at pabboatka. lag it at DOW' (Civil)/ on Woo for tbs putayall off s ,be addressed a lettet to the eliebratid Mr. Fit= on the subject. Witness read to the flatmate, the reply of the latter individual, by which it mum that the writer bad "consulted sestina military officers on the subject, and it was thong/It the soldiers would find, some mess of over owning Use **polities arising from the soma of milk or soles roosters." Here, the., we not only get at hat to the bottom of the great unfrosted coffee question, but also come at] the real sentiments of a man who certainly must be one of the most original character of t h e ago. Mr. FILDIR must not only be a ran of peculiar ideas, but a genius who—in theory at any rate—would overcome the greatest difficulties which could present themselves before him. " Send out tutrosated coffee," he says. Bat how will the troops make it available for use ? " Oh, the moldier, will some means of doing that." Infantry that have to be every other night in the trenches, or dragoons that have to look after their horses, have so much time far recreation when besieging a fort like Sebas topol, that Mr. FILDER'S proposition is about as sensible as the carrying out of the project would have been feasible. Another reason gives by Mr. FILDER that the coffee should be sent out un roasted was, that it would probably have to be taken up the country, and might spoil if car ded roasted and ground. In ether words, the cer tainty of the coffee being of no earthly use to the troops was thought preferable to the chance that a portion of it might suffer from the transit. These was certainly a third course—which we wonder did ast occur to Mr. FILDER'S mind—and that would have been not to send any coffee at all. This at any sate would have saved the money which was paid by the public for an article utterly useless to the troops. ant after a time it was found that the soldiers in the Odessa could not " find means" to roast and grind the preen coffee sent out to them, and therefore mills IMO shipped for their use to the seat of war. How stay of these does the reader suppose were deemed enlitiont to grind about 220,0001bs of coffee! Six ; each mill of ten or twelve square inches! Won derful enough 'certainly, but scarcely more so than the Idea that it was possible for soldiers to rout sad grind their coffee with what Mr. FILDER is pleased to term " some means." To do the latter gentleman justice, he is not the only official who since the war began has trusted entirely to the army " finding some means of over coming difficulties." The Ministry sent out Lord RAGLAN with a meet inefficient army in point of num bers, in hopes that, should war break out in earnest, his lordship would "find some means of overcoming' the difficulties." Once before Sebastopol, Lord RAG LAN seems to have followed the example set him by the English Government, for up to this time he has undoubtedly trusted that the army under his cont inua would "find some means of overcoming the difficulties" which lay in the road over the walls of the fortress. The Staff of Lord RAGLAN'S army are ROB WATNIt AT LONDON BRUM. DAT —ilaralmi. 714. Its Altimia. IL 451 a.. meow —Mania& SI. Its Aitsrasaa, N. lin., LORDON, WSDNIRIDAY, MAY 9. POLICY OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE. COUNT WALENIBII, Minister of Foreign Attila M. DE PIINDONY, Ambassador et the Court of St. James's—these appointments appear to throw some light on the resignation of M. DEOUTN DE LUDYS. M. DI PEESIONT has been understood to be friendly Ito the resuscitation of the Kingdom of Poland, as a bulwark against Russian encroachments. A pamph let advocating this policy, which was published a short time before he retired from office,was generally attributed to him, and without contradiction. The idea of re-establishing Polish nationality must, how ever, be presumed to be inconsistent with the views of M. DROUTN DE Lnuye, if that statesman be ' disposed, as he is believed to be, to beer still longer with the temporising of Austria. The government at Vienna cannot be expected to regard a proposal for the restoration of Poland otherwise than with apprehension. When Poland was partitioned, Austria came in for a large slice of its territory, which, in the event of Poland being recalled to existence as a nation, she might be obliged to refund. True, Austria has been allowed to occupy the Danubian Principalities, and might hope to be allowed to retain them as a compensation for any territory ceded to Poland ; but then the re-establishment of Polish nationality would be a "revolutionary movement," and Austria has a morbid fear of the mere word " re volutionary." No French or English statesman, therefore, who still hankers after an Austrian alliance can think of calling in the aid of the Poled. It is consequently but natural that the recent change in the oouncils of NAPOLEON lIL should be regarded as a triumph of the friends of Polish nationality over its opponents. And it cannot be denied that the steps recently taken for the ergs nisation of a Polish Legion point to the same tea , elegem. It must, moreover. be admitted that the history of the more remelt wars between Russia and Turkey seems to suggest the expediency of striking a home•blow at the former power, by raising Poland against it. Sebasto pol is not a new erection, and the Russian fleet in the Black Sea is not a thing of yesterday's creation. Yet Russia has of her naval preponderance in the Enxine to seise Constantinople by a coup de main; she has always commenced by a land campaign, with Poland for the base of her operations. This strategy no exception to the rule which seems to have governed all persons in authority throughout England for the last twelve months. If the Quartermaster- General in the Crimes had trusted more to his own energies, and less to the hopes that "some means would be found of overcoming the difficulties" of getting clothing and stores from Balaklava to the Camp, we should not have so large an amount of deaths in the army to lament uis now the case. In short, on whatever side or to whatever department we look theFmnza maxim will be found to prevail. Minim tees seem to have lived in hope that something would, sooner or later," turn up," and that, whilst rejoicing over a victory, the public would forget to be angry at the many disgraces the country has had to endure. There are, however, other portions than those we have noticed of Mr. GRANT'S evidence, which must prove extremely valuable to such outsiders as wish to get a notion of the manner in which public money is spent—or rather wasted—in England. The unfortu nate Victualling Department of the Admiralty seems to have been thought for years fair game for every rogue in England to cheat. In spite of "checks," of "sur veys," and of all the means adopted by red-tape for the prevention of robbery, nothing seems to have been provided for this department by the contractors which was worth the money paid for it. A large portion of the port wine sent out as "medical com forts " to the Crimea, was " a mixture of alcohol and logwood." In another instance the Admiralty were driven to establish mills of their own, because "the flour supplied to a convict ship turned out to be mixed with large quantities of plaster of Paris." Contractors who supplied vinegar, " mixed there with a great deal of sulphuric acid;" and so the unfortunate Victualling Department were obliged to establish vinegar manufactories of their own. Bo with the mustard. Poor Mr. GRANT informs the Committee that "the mustard delivered by the con tractors was no mustard at all, but made of pepper and various ingredients coloured with turmeric." Thus the Admiralty had to establish a mustard manufac tory. It may be asked what would have been the fate of any contractor who had endeavoured to impose on a merchant or private individual in such a man ner? His first appearance in public life would have been before a magistrate, his next in a criminal court, and lastly he would probably have been sent to visit a penal settlement at the expense of the nation. But the Victualling Department of the Admiralty seems to be more Christian-like and less vindictive- They allow themselves to be cheated with impunity for years, and charitably conceal the evil deeds of their enemies, until forced by the circumstance of a Parliamentary Committee to bring the same to light. woe dictated by necessity ; for though an edema,. upon Constantinople by the Bosphorus would have enabled Russia to turn the line of Danubian for tresses and the defames of the Balkan, the sinking 'of a few ships of war at the mouth of the Bosphorus would have shut out her navy from the capital of the SULTAN as effectually as the same operation at the mouth of the harbour of Sebastopol has kept oat the Fru& and English diets. Such being the ease, it is the reverse of improbable that the French Govern ment may have entertained the idea of depriving Ramie of her bus of military operations nearest the Turkish frontier, as the best means of permanently searing Turkey spinet her encroachments. These conjectures can only be regarded in the light of possibilities—they do not aspire to the ohs rester of probabilities. That the Allies now esateat plate a more extended plan of campaign than the muss capture of Sebastopol, ecsrcely, indeed, admits els dumb. The intermission of the bombardment, the ramassassances on the Tchernays, the strength ming el Zepatoria, and the hastening up of rein ihresineab both of men and ordnance—all point in that direction. Reports, too, reach us from Constan dimple about the strengthening of the defences of the sky and the construction of an entrenched camp in its immediate neighbourhood, which, if true, indicate a =dation to establish an army of reserve there. Bat beyond what can be conjectured from those indications asthing is known. The Allied Powers preserve, and will eery properly continue to preserve so long as they can, silence as to the ulterior operations they con template. It is right that Russia should be kept as keg as poerib!e in suspense as to the point on which the stens is to burst. The country between Con stantinople and Varna is equally well suited to serve as the basis of operations for a campaign in the Oeimea or for a campaign in Bessarabia, with Poland at the ultimate destination of the invaders. The con diadem above enumerated would appear to favour the Miss that the latter is contemplated by the AMA A statement confidently made in well. idiemed quarters yesterday, that a squadron has less detached from the Allied Beets to occupy Leech, would lead to the inference that the Crimea is to be the scene of operations.—Daily News. The troops composing the army before Sebas topol are about the only persons who find •' some means of overcoming the difficulties" be fore them. When called upon to act, they I fight as only English soldiers can fight. But of what use is courage in the ranks, and amongst the regimental officers, when we find such a mass of in ertness, incapacity, and confusion reigning supreme in every department of the service? Between the War-office and the Horse Guards, the Treasury and the Victualling Department, the Quartermaster- General and the Commissary-General, there is no thing to choose. Confusion worse confounded is to be toned in all divisions and sub divisions of every public office in England. The only hope which the depart ments have, is that expressed in Mr. FUMED'S letter, that "some means of overcoming the difficulties" may be found. Public men seem to forget that GOD helps those—and only those—who help themselves. And yet, so universally diffused is the ►ove of office l or the hops of obtaining Government employment through " interest," that the movement in favour of Administrative Reform will have a host of enemies to contend with. England has yet to learn tha method which makes all the French Administrations so much more effective than our own—namely, that public offices should be formed solely with a view to the public interests, and nut as means of rewarding the relations, friends, or supporters of Ministers.— Daily Neer 4. OXFORD Paormssos or Muinc.—Yesterday moth- N I the venters (the Rev. J. Y. Rolland, M.A. , Now Cot. loss sad tlne Rm. W. F. (Raptor& of All Boole' Colleen), in :km Om appointment is mud, appointed th e R, e t e . Sir Frederick A. G. Oesslay, Dar., WA , D.M. of Chrko Ckarek, Dr. Reader's Professor of Mails, ia lb* roma Of Ow late Sir Hoary Rowley Bkbop. THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 9, 1855. ZOt Court. Thu Qum, attended by the Countess of Gains borough and Major General Beckley, visited the Duchess of Oloneseter yesterday afternoon, at Gioneesta-house. Prime Albert rode on horseback yesterday morning, attended by Captain Du Plat. 1_ His Royal Highness presided in the after:lomat a meeting ef the Royal Comesiesionen of the Patriotic Fund. The Prime arrived at the Palace at Weettainstar shortly before 34Affeek, attended by his Equerry in Waiting. The other Oseasaissioame present were: Earl Grey, Lord Colchester, Lei Bt. Leonardo, the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, M.P., SO LIM Hon. H. Lowry Corry, M.P., the Right Hon. R. VenntO Smith, M.P., the Right Hon. Sir John Pakingtoe, te11.!., the Hon. Colonel Lindsay, Sir Samuel Morton Pito, General Sir John Burgoyne, and Mr. J. Wilma Patten, M.P. Captain Fishbowls*, R.N., anti Captain Lefroy, R.A., the Honorary Secretaries, attended. The meeting broke up at a quarter before 6 o'clock. Prises Arthur and the Primness Helena and Louisa Web a drive in a carriage-and-foam. Her Majesty had a dinner party in the evening. The min , may included the Dachas of Kent, the Princess of liohen -1 lobe Langsuburg, the Princess Adelaide and Prince Victor of Hohenlohe, the Duchess of Sutherland, the Behan Minister and Madame Van de Weyer, the Marquis of Lanadowm, Lady Anna Maria Dawson, Bermes, de Speth, the Earl and Countess of Morten, the Earl of Mulgrave, l Viscount Torrington, sad Colonel the Hon. C. B. Phippe. The Band of the let Life Guards attended in the Palace, and played during dinner. Tim Countess of Gainsberough has succeeded the Countess elDmart as the Lady in Waiting to her Majesty. Log Camoys and Major-General Berkeley Drummond joss succeeded Lord Dufferin and Mr. R. Ormsby Gore as the Lord and Groom in Wasting to the Queen. The Doke of Sam Coburg arrived at Buckingham Palace, from the Coatinent, at 20 minutes past 10 o'clock last night The Dalt, was met at the London.bridge Terminus of the South Eastern Railway by Captain Du Plat, Equerry to Prince Albert, who attended his Royal Highness to the Pekoe, where the Queen and Prince Albert received their i illustrious Madre. The Duchess of Kent, attended by Lady Anna Maria Dawson, visited the Doke and Duchess d'Anmale and the Princess de Salerno yesterday, at Twickenham. A deputation on the subject of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Linoolcshire Railway Bill (Power to Charter or Hhe Vessels) bad an interview with Lord Stanley of Alderley and the Right Hon. E. P. Bouverie yesterday, at the Board of Trade. The deputation consisted of the following mem bers of the House of Commons : Mr. Cobden, Mr. Bright, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Price, Mr. Hadfield, and Mr. Hindley ; and Messrs. Chapman, Shand, Gamble, Lees, Chaplin, Walker, swift, Grey, and the Mayor of Grimsby. . . The Governor and Deputy-Governor of the Bank of Eng land had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his *Arial residence, in Downing-street. The Cathedral Commission stet at No. 1, New-street, Spring.gardens yesterday. The Commissioners present were: the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York, the Earl of liarrowby, the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Orford, the Hon. and Rev. H. M. Villiers, Sir John D. d son, Sir Jobn Patteson, the Bev. Dr. Wordsworth, the Rev. Canon Selwyn, and Mr. Henry Kingscote (secretary). VISIT OF HER MAJESTY TO THE GARDENS OF THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, REGENT'S PARE.-(THIS DAY.) This afternoon about one o'clock, Her Majesty,with Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales, Prince Arthur, accom panied by Princess llohenlobe Leagenburgh, paid a visit to the gardens of the Horticultural Society of London, Regent's Park; the visit being private. The royal party arrived in three carriages and four each, in which were be sides the Queen and her royal guest, the Hon. Beatrice Byng, Major-General Buckley, with the other members of the suite. . . _ . The Council of the Society, on the arrival of the cortege, was is waiting to receive the august visitors, who were immediately conducted over the grounde, which, owing to the flame., of the day, were in excellent condition. Thor' was a very fine and extensive collection of beautiful flowers, many the growth of foreign countries, but which have been acclimated by various artificial processes, and which were much admired by the Queen, Prince Albert, and other august personages. The Royal party remained above an hour and returned through the gate facing Idarylebone church Into Baker street, the route taken in the progress of the cortege to the Gardens, and reached Buckingham Pa lace shortly after. A highly respectable concourse of persons, the majority being of the female sex, were in the Park, by which the n•nal demonstrations of loyalty WON displayed, both on the arrival sod the departure of her Majesty. The Earl of Clarendon has issued cards for a full dress banquet to the whole of the foreign ministers on Saturday, the 19th inst., to celebrate her Majesty's birthday. The Count Flahault's new residence, Coventry hones, is undergoing partial embellishment, preparatory to the noble count and countess and family taking up their abode there. M. Titoff, who, with Prince Gortchakoff, repre sented Runs at the late conferences, has just lust a son at Sebastopol, where he was serving u a lieutenant. We regret to announce the demise of Rear-Admiral C. Strachey, who expired on Saturday last, in the 77th year of his age. The six hundred; and fifty tabiets relating to the linty Apis bulls are to be open to public view in the Louvre about the 20th inst. The mortal remains of the Countess Rossi (Mdme. Sontag) arrived at Dresden on the 29th alt., whence they are to be conveyed into Lusatia, to be deposited in the convent of llarieastern. _ _ _ The Dordogne journals announce that in the de partment the wheat crops :are very fine, end promise an abundant harvest ; also that vegetables, potatoes, and bait trees, In general, are all in exoellent condition. THE VICTUALLING DEPARTMENT. STRANG' to say, the most extraordinary evidence hitherto given before Mr. Rouncit's Committee hes until now been allowed to pas' without imeament. Wonderful as have been the hate brought to light by the examinatiog of Sir Hart Ross and others, nothing semeenspare with the unvarnished tale told on this day week by Mr. GIANT, the Controller of the Vic tualling Department of the Admiralty. This gentle man stated that he had been forty years in the Berries of the Admiralty, during twenty-six of which he bad been connected with the Victualling Department. Until the recent reconstruction of the Transport Board the Transport Service was milder his control. We menden these facts to show how competent this witness must be to speak as to the system and working of the Victualling and Transport Departments. Nor does Mr. GRANT disappoint us in the evidence he gave belbre the Committee. For au official man, he is weederfally truthful. Notwithstanding the length dela, be bee been in the service, he does not seem to bees learnt the Treasury creed, according to which the suppression of the truth is not held to be falsehood. The importance of the evidence which Mr. GRANT was qualified to give, can hardly be overrated. It has tut is the very departments in which he has had mo mask experience, that the greatest blunders have summed during the last twelve months. If to the dement of the troops before Sebastopol, and the eierwerhlng of the men in the trenches, we add the balloon of the victuals provided, and the "Bala- Nava" of the transport service, the various cause of es many deaths in the Crimea will be pretty well 0 reckoned up." Not the least carious part of Mr. GRANT'S evidenes, is the light it throws on the great coffee question. It amain this gentleman thought it extraordinary that rjaw soiree amid be sent out to troops in the field, who had not the mom of routing or grind- ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM. Bruinfonsm.—A requisition to the Mayor of Bir mingham is in course of signature, requestiog his worship to cell a town's meeting, for the puree of oomidetiog the propriety of eo•operatiog with the *metropolitan movement in fortherance of administrative reform. Already the re- qaisition is numucesly and respectably signed. MAIcCRESTE2.—An early public meeting is to be oiled at Manchester on this subject. THE LOSS OF LIFE IN THE CHANNEL. CORONER'S INQUEST ON THE BODIES. (IT st.scriuo T3IIIOIAPE.) PLYMOUTH, TOBSDAY. The coroner's inquest on the bodies of the passen gers loot in the ship Jobs has terminated in a verdict of manslaughter against Captain Rawls, who has leen com mitted to Bodmin gaol. The jury expressed surprise that the Toad was not furnished with blue lights. sad i ream. mended that a light should be placed on the Mammies. They considered that there was not one extenuating circus. stases, before or after the ship stunk, in the conduct of the captain and the crew, all of whom are considered blame able, except a seaman named Elder. H.ll. steam-vowel Avon, Muter A. J. /hitch, has jest suited, with some of the emigrants saved from the wreak, on the Manacles. It appears that the total number of souls en board was 288, via. 289 emigrants, and the crew, 19. Of these, 98 are saved, including in this number the whole of the erew. The court of inquiry, held under the as of last year, has concluded its investigation. The report will be made to the Board of Trade. Tax Immix Mau.—The Oriental Company's steamer Tsui., CAptaiit Joy, Admiralty agent, Lieutenant Morris, li N., arrived this morning at Bouthuapten with the heavy portion of Use Indian mail. She left Alexandria es the 2lst ult., Melia en the 26th, sad Gibraltar on the and May. she Mune 74 pamengen, amour* wh were Colonels sad Gay, and Captain Little, of the Indian army ; Mar t : l 4:ld ;g :, 69th Regiment Captain Chattortoa, ath ti and Lieutenant Chute, 84th muds Th e Two need very boisterous woatlin boulevards. onion, Pamaig.—issmuNce DAT.—May B. Adusla on my/anti 1,046; ditto by sewn Oasts, 371.--Total, 3,417. THE WAR. The NouoeWale of Marseilles contains a letter from before Sebastopol of the 24th ult., which says : " As the French troops are occupied in mounting a battery of SO guns at about 40 yards from the Flag staff Beano°, they only fire in order to prevent the Russians from re-establishing their embrasures, but as soon as this new battery is ready, I expect that the fire will re-open with more vigour than ever. We shall then occupy the Central and Flagstaff Bas tions, and if we do not enter the town by assault, batteries will be erected, which will demolish the whole of the southern part. The sanitary state of the army is very satisfactory, there being very few sick." A letter from Ramiesch Bay, of the 24th nit., says :—" The Jean Bart, screw-ship of the line, and the Meijer., screw advice boat, left yesterday for Eupatoria with troops for Omer Pacha. The vessels of the line Trident and Tnrenne, towed by the steam corvettes Phlegeton and Laplace, arrived here this morning, all bringing troops and ammunition. A new detachment of marine artillery has been de manded by the General-in-chief, and is shortly ex pected—the services of the portion of that force now before Sebastopol having been found very valuable. Our situation may be thus summed up :—Io the Crimea there are two armies in presence; one, which advances constantly, and the other, which, though defending itself well, has not ceased for a single day to lose ground, foot by foot, and inch by inch. It is easy to see with which eventually the advantage must remain." MARSEILLES, 7nr.—The Indus has arrived with accounts from Constantinople to the 30th ult. On the 28th there was a smart fire of musketry at Sebas topol. The cannonade was less active, but two bat teries have been placed in position, in the 4th pa rallel. Officers of engineers have left to reconnoitre Kaffa. 30,000 troops, which were assembled at the camp at Idaslrik, near Constantinople, were preparing for their departure for the seat of war, so soon as the Piedmontese contingent should have arrived. The Journal de Constantinople announces that prepara tions were being made at Varna for an encampment of 25,000 horses belonging to the French cavalry and artillery, and it was therefore concluded that a power ful army was to be collected in Bulgaria. Only one vessel belonging to the allied fleets now remains at anchor in the Bosphorus. BERLIN, TUESDAY, MAY B.—A despatch from St. Petersburg, dated the 7th instant, has been received here; it says :—" On the night between the let and 2nd the enemy, having concentrated 10,000 men, took possession of the lodgments in front of Bastion No. 5, land captured nine small cohorn mortars. On the 2nd the enemy opened a heavy cannonade on Bastions Nos. 4 and 5, and on the adjoining lines. The damage which they did was repaired during the night. We fired with success five mines against the enemy's approaches." The German Journal of Frankfort contains a letter from Vienna of the 4th, which says :—" Intelligence has been received from Sebastopol, vie Odessa, to the 29th ult. The Russian army celebrated the anniver sary of the birth of the Emperor Alexander by a solemn service. The fire of the Allies was suspended during . the day. A letter from Bucharest states that Raman agents were endeavouring to excite dis turbances in the Principalities. Insurrectional pro clamations had been found in the frontier villages of Moldavia. The official journal of Bucharest again calls on all Greek subjects, probably in consequence of that circumstance, to present themselves to the authorities within thirty da ys, and to furnish the necessary guarantees. This is the third time that a delay has been accorded them. Such persons as do not comply will be considered ill-intentioned, and be forced to at once quit the Principality." PRESENT STRENGTH OF RUSSIA IN THE The military correspondent of the Augsburg Gazette writes from the Polish frontier that the rein forcements received by the Russian commanders in the west of the Crimea since the battle of Inkermann beer no proportion to those which have joined the Allies. He says, "Numerically, Omer Pasha's corps alone is almost equal to the entire rein forcements of the Russians. The new Russian troops which have entered the Crimea since the battle just mentioned are the following: The 2nd brigade of the 13th reserve infantry division, and the two brigades of the 14th reserve infantry division, forming together 12 battalions, or at most 9,000 men ; further, the 9th infantry division, at present near Perekop, and numbering possibly 10,000 meo. These and a Greek volunteer battalion make up the reinforcements of the Russian infantry since the bat tle of Inkermann, for the troops of the second in fantry corps, represented by some journals as having marched to the Crimea, and the divi sion of General Wagner, said by the Austrian Military Gazette to be in the Valley of Baidar, are not there; the second corps, in fact, is still in Po land. Before the battle of Inkermann the Russians I had no more than 70,000 infantry in the Crimea; at the present moment they should have about 90,000. The cavalry force whioh has joined the Russian army since the battle of Inkermann consists of six regular regiments. If we reckon the crews of the ships at 8,000, and the Tchernomorskiechen battalion* at 8,000; the rifles, sappers, engineers, and artillery at 15,000 ; and the cavalry, regular and irregular, at 20,000—the Russian army at Perekop, Eupatoria,land Isar Sebastopol will number about 140,000 men." RUSSIA. The Corriere Italian of Vienna says : " The ac counts received from Russia give a melancholy picture of the state of commerce and manufactures in that country. All the labourers usually employed in agri cultural work have been taken to construct redoubts and dig trenches along the line of the Vistula and on the coast of the Baltic. The crops this year will consequently be very scanty, If there be also taken into account the injury which commerce has sus tained by the blockade of the Russian ports in the Baltic and the Black Sea, it will be seen that the ad vantages hitherto derived by the Russians from the coasting trade have been completely annulled. The condition of the poorer classes is therefore becoming worse and worse every day." CRACOW. MAT 2. Russia has been making the mast formidable 'preparations for a long and vigorous defensive war along its whole extensive line of frontiers from Samogitis up to St. Petersburg. Magazines of ammunition have been formed ; stores of provisions laid in, fortresses constructed, the more important places fortified, and cannon mounted. Lutly, it has surmounted the greatest of all difficul ties in a country of such vast extent, the concentra tion of its troops on the spot where they will be most available. All this is the result of the temporising policy pursued by Prussia and Austria, and permitted by the Mies. According to private accounts from Russia, pub lished in the Crag of this town, an extraordinary military movement is now being executed on the whole line of defence from Finland to Lublin in Po land. The troops, which for more than a year past, have been concentrated at certain fixed points, of stratertical importance, and which are partly in their winter quarters and partly still on their march, will in a short time have formed their en trenched oamps. In the province of St. Petersburg two such camps have been formed for the cohorts of the provincial militia. A letter from Warsaw. in Spoter'e Gazette of Berlin, states that official intelligence has been re oeived by the superior authorities of the former city, that the Emperor Alexander is before long to visit Poland. areal -feces- are to celebrate his 'Majesty's stay. The Poles are in hopes that they rill obtain a constitution from the Emperor. They may obtain, it is thought, some ooncessibns. The Emperor of Russia, by a ukase, promulgated the 28th alt., has, in order to expedite the deo tar' of businessin the Ministry of Marine, the f a t t h h e u P I t i rut : dissolution of the General Intendanc t e he e the General Committee of the Intendancy of th Fleet, and the Committee of Accounts. and of Ni ve l Constructions of the division of St. Petersburg, and has placed the Commissariat and the Naval Const rue, Lions under the direct control of the Minister of M. r ime A and lette trh from o C m ou sa Petersburg,t. oof A d Admiralty," ralty o .'; tits Constitutionnel, says: During the last five weeks the Emperor has reviewed th, 44k and Pith battalions, as well as the artillery a e ay e re. News, which goon after commenced their march. De sot. however, imagine that this is the only movement that aa"; taken place in the provinces of the Baltic. We know h a% that a greater activity prevails in the prepar at i ons of defeat. than last year. By temporising for nearly six months , negotiations, the Russians have been able to gain the No necessary to withdraw their troops from the distant cantle, menu, and to organise ree.rvel on the necessary p o i it; Moscow being the centre, so that they have th is been able to overcome one of the greatest obstad al to defensive operations in Russia —the fi ll utgee distance that troops have to be brought in ord er at concentrate them is the frontier provinces. Three d er ago, the Grand Duke Constantine went to Crenated% bet has since returned. Ile there inspected the retention of the flotilla of row bo a ts, formed last year for the menet et the coast of the Gulf of Finland. Being indefatigable to his wish to justify the confidence reposed in him by d u Sovereign, the Grand Duke every day fives proofs of tha t . tivity, both in the council and in his own department. R e has just concentrated and simplified the man ntentent of tf. ' fairs in the technical part of the naval service, and final s maintains his resolution to oppose all condition s of p eat ; tending to limit the naval forces of Russia. The meo w , which arrive from Sebastopol, far from being so satiefa c i n as the 'sprats of General Gortehaknff, announce that ha t . withstanding all the genius of the Russian general., ki t particatuti of Genera.: dlvben, the besieger, every a., advance closer to the foetid:alone sf the elec., The a-4 L before yesterday a courier left this for the held quarters of G 1 Luders, commander in-chief of the army of aye South, ordering hint to accelerate the concentratio n of ki t troops, in order t s paralyse the active co operation gave Iris. If we succeed in retarding the participation di m * in the was until winter, we shall be stronger by a whole army composed of the last levy of recruits. A letter from Vienna of the 3rd, in the Boman. hulk of Hamburg, says:—" The extensive prepar t , dons for war lately made by Austria have, it is produced a strong impression on the Russian di flt matiats. It is positively stated that Prince Gotta& koff has received new powers from St. Petersbarg,g as to be able to make the utmost possible concetsioti when once Austria lays down her ultimatum." - - . _. A holograph will--or to follow the endorsement, "the lest wtshes"—of the late Emperor Nichol% I written in 1844, hate been published at St. Peter,. burg. The following are the principal points of the document: . . . _ .. The first clause is a kind of address to his family, Le n enumerating the various kinds of property belonging to tit Empress, his wife, the Emperor expreeses a wish that he I.:Nasty shall retain for her life the we of her swum% in the different palac. s, and the clause conclude' u fol. lows " The legacy wl.ich I bequeath to my children a to love and honour their mother; to do everyhieg to pm. mote her tranquillity ; to an acipate all her wishes, sod a endeavour to render her old age happy by their da voted attentions. Never most they undertake sop if importance without first asking her advice and dem ' her maternal benediction." In another clause the tee tater bequeaths pensions of 15,000 silver roubles a yea (the silver rouble is something over 4fr.), in add. Lion to the pensions they already enjoy, to Adjuteet-fieteal d'A.dlerberg and his daughter, Julie Banner, the lettuce whom has brought up three of his (the testator's) &tighten, and both of whom he calls his most devoted friends, le other clauses, the Emperor expresses his thanks to a mien of other petsons whom be names as being his devoted kids and servants ; among them he mentions Prince Patin witch,Geaerals Orloff, Tchenicheff, and Mem chikeff, sad it de Nessalrode, and thanks them all in the warmest MUM for the services they have rendered to him and to Oa state. In one clause, which is particularly addrenel to the Emperor Alexander, the will says:-"I sa convinced that my son, the Emperor Almada, will always remain a tender and affectionate son, a he has always been to his parents; and this duty will become still more sacred for him when hie mother is aloes. , In his relations with hie brothers, my son must unite to indulgence called for by their youth with the away fitmnees of a father of a family. He must never suffer up family quarrels which may be prejudicial to the service a even to the state ; and should such circumstances tinhappili arrive, he mast remember that be is Emperor, and thste: other members of the family are by subjects." The concludes by a clause in which the Emperor begs all these whom he may have unintentionally offended to forgive his, as he forgives all who may have off. nded him. Hee:perm his regret that he has not been able to accomplish gins gond that he could have wished, and begs all his triads m ; offer up their prayers for the repose of his soul. AUSTRIA, LEMBERG, L. Perhaps no part of the Austrian dominionsuffers so much from the present uncertain state of dein es Galicia. Independently of the old taxes that have been considerably raised and the new one. import the prices of provisions of all descriptions have bee driven up by short supplies and greater coosumptix to almost famine height, whilst house rents bee reached a figure hitherto unknown. This latter mg! be ascribed principally to the great number of race rior officers at present quartered in this city, whith, contains the head-quarters of the army of °berate on the Polish frontiers. But it is not only private individuals who rode from the uncertainty of affairs. The Austrian flaws' are in such a deranged state that it will require si the energy and capacity of Baron von Bruck to met a general bankruptcy. At this present moment the budget for the army is just as much as all the other expenses of the state put together, and mousy is to scarce in the imperial exchequer, that the civil et o . ployea of government have not received their salve for several months. From Vienna we learn that in the letter of the Emperor of Austria to the Emperor of the Froth, congratulating him on his escape from assassionfol he refers to the attempt on his own life, and adds that "a close allianoe between France and Aniti can alone put a stop to such revolutionary atte m p t,. Every day brings fresh reinforcements for the army in Galicia from Vienna. Yesterday a separate train brought two battalions of Rifles and a &tub meat of cavalry, together with several luggeems filled with ammunition for the army. To-morros another separate train will arrive with beep tad more ammunition. THE ALLIED ARMIES. The Times hu obtained by telegraph the following , from to-day's Moniteur :—" General Canrobert, b I letter addressed to the Emperor, dated April thus expresses himself:—' It is with plume tilt' announce to your Majesty that the Englialt arl* always so solid, has become as fine and healthy aq was in the first days of its arrival in the Eat It 3 , receiving reinforcements in infantry, in caya lr Y , lac in means of transport. I continue to live on most cordial terms with Lord Raglan, and thetw armies continue to be closely united, and c' 3ll° "" upon the other.' " THE BALTIC. The Tinies has received the following telegrsl o despatch from its Berlin correspondent: " BERLIN, 111E00, MO 5 " Our Minister at Copenhagen has given notic! the Danish Government that from the 28th of . the entrance to the Galf of Finland is bloc from Hango Udde to Dagerort." OUR CONSULS IN THE EAST• TO THE EDITOR Or THE 'means. eh, SIR,—In your parliamentary report you Mr. Wise concluded by quoting a letter from s mat I, * telligant Mussalman," &c. Al this proceede d fror s mistake on the part of the heaoureble member, ou or that passage in question wee quoted front my little plgoOlit on Wi " th Oar Consuls in the Rast," p. 12. regard to Lord Palmerston 's flippant a nswer: dol "the charge was supported by no one fact whatever,' IWI to secure his lordship that every charge can be " PPGrile, _ k g " facts ; and I may further remind him that be on that of your reporter, I beg to inform y Minister for Foreign Affairs, had received savers! conP7, against consuls in Turkey, which, howev er, met win "; same result that all questions put to him in the /b._ Commons daily meet, an evasive s um er or as lor promise. —I am, fte., ANGLO.LEVANTINS. Tuesday evening. ..A., I REVIIiIII2 AND EXPENDITLYBE.—On War..., nerstl. return was inked of the estimated net sn u g row - 0 and the estimated expenditure, secludingd incloilisf_, oast of oolloction. The n 88 IVY 86,6 39 . °Cd" ,,, 017, the gross 91,024,9611. The expenditure wee , OM. , excluding the coat of collection, and 91,024 , 9511. ind the semi. i f