The Press. — London, England, 1855-03-03 00:00:00

MARcir 3, 1855. happily (at least in my opinion), the Conservative Government thrust from them many—very many, of their old adherents, by pronouncing definitely against the revival of Convocation. This was a pity, because the subjectwas comparatively little understood. Now, however, that the real object of churchmen is more developed, cannot our Conservative statesmen be in duced to withdraw their proclaimed opposition to it ? lily intercourse with my brethren of the clergy leads me to the decided conviction that a manly recanta tion of a too hastily-formed opinion would go very far to re-establish the object of our hopes—a strong Conservative Government. Use this letter publicly or privately as you deem best; the matter is one of great importance.—Believe me, your faithful servant, FAx. AN INCIDENT IN THE CAMP. Sir,—About eight weeks ago I saw an account in THE PRESS, and other journals, of the capture of a large number of riderless Russian horses in the English lines at Balaklava. The cause of their breaking loose has not, to my knowledge, been men • tioned in any accounts from the seat of war. A few days ago I was visiting a sick man in my parish, who has just returned from the Crimea, where he was groom to a cavalry officer, and he gave me an expla nation of the circumstance. It appears that a large body of Russian horse were picketed close to the French lines, and on the night in question two English sailors (whose courage had, if possible, been raised by an extra glass of grog) obtained leave to make an attempt to cut the picket ropes. Crawling on their hands and knees they succeeded in doing so ; they then returned to the French, who discharged a few rockets among the horses, and of course drove them wild with terror in every direction. This expla nation, which " I tell you as 'twas told to me," may perhaps interest your numerous and (as I can say from personal knowledge) rapidly-increasing circle of readers.—l remain, sir, your constant reader and subscriber, Ciantcus. Fab. 26, 1855. e.r.1••... BANK FOR THE ARMY. Bir,—Although innumerable projects for the bene fit of our army in the East have recently appeared in the form of letters to the daily papers, there is one suggestion of which we have yet heard nothing, but which is of first-rate importance, because it relates to matters of finance, and therefore touches the sinews of war. Having h ad the honour of serving under the Duke in Portugal, Spain, and the South of France, and of serving in a capacity which afforded me peculiar opportunities of forming au acquaintance with the state of monetary affairs at the British head quarters, I in this manner became cognisant of the injury to the public service, the embarrassment, the loss, and often the suffering which arose from the absence of financial arrangements such as the exi gency of the case required, and such as might vary easily have been adopted and carried out. It is now known that the Duke of Wellington, as a remedy for the evils resulting from the state of our military finances in Spain and Portugal, was desirous, while in command of the Peninsular army, to see the establishment of a headquarters' bank. I have also a sort of impression that the army of the United States, in its foray on Mexico, had a bank. Now, that is my proposal for our army in the East—establish a head quarters' bank. But, though induced to re commend this expedient now, by what I witnessed under the Duke during the Peninsular war, I am far from intending to represent the two cases as strictly parallel. There are many differences as to circum stances; there is a difference as to the monetary ar rangements. Moreover, the financial evils of our Peninsular campaigns gradually grew more aggrava ted by time ; those of Balaklava are now but incipient. Yet, from the little we can at present gather on the lilitary finances the Crimea from Indent 217 wanted, if to be had at all, were to be had only at rates most exorbitant. (toe thing I painfully recol lect, and one thing only : a dollar a bottle the standard price for English porter; said bottle only obtainable, if obtainable at all, by no end el breath less inquiry and spasmodic effort. Memory fails me as to the sums asked for articles of clothing, saddlery, groceries, &c. ; but prices were fabulous. 3. Another very serious evil was the high rate of exchange. When pay was all spent, regimental pay, staff pay, everything in the shape of pay and allow ances, many officers, the saicas of noble or wealthy families, bad the power, iu souse eaten aulimitaid, of drawing bills on England. But, thou, at what a sacrifice ! The dollar, issued to the traps at 4s. 6d, in these bill transactious generally stood at a far highs; figure, especially when dollars were most wanted. Common rates were 65., or Os. Od. The price at one time reached 7s. 6d. In this case, if an officer stained 1(k) dollars, he had to give a bill on Eugland for 371. Ios., to procure what was worth, at par, at the utmost, 221. 10s. 4. But the chief evil attending our financial diffi culties, was the damage to our military csedit, the loss of our good name, and, as a consequence, the additional uncertainly and delay ha obtaining supplies for the troops. The native dealer, land holder, or purveyor, having furnished the provisions or stores required, received, indeed, the commissariat bill for the amount, but very frequently found, on presenting it for payment, that there was no order to pay. In this case, if the army was on the move, hie only resource was to follow head-quarters from day to-day, uncertain when the order would come out; and sometimes men were thus drawn away from their homes many days' journey ere they got their money, if ever they got it at all. But tbis was not the worst. The money once paid, their sorrows in creased tenfold. The town or village being full of troops, probably they had no lodging where they could deposit their dollars in safety ; and every available conveyance being impressed for the service of the army, the means of carrying away the cash to a place of safety were all but unattainable. Four thousand dollars are a load for a mule ; and much higher amounts were often disbursed to individuals. Then, again, supposing a horse and cart to be at length forth Coming, still the difficulty wee not by any means surmounted. Tile next question was how to reach home in safety, through a country swarming with camp-followers, stragglers, and marauders of every class and kind, with a load which too palpably betrayed itself, and which was too well calculated to make any honest varlet a highwayman. Robberies and murders under such circumstances were ke quent; and it was no marvel if, as the consequence, the native producer was tardy in coming forward with such supplies as the army needed, though the prices paid were good. As I find that I cannot confine my remarks within the limits of an ordinary communication, I will, sir, with your leave, resume the subject in your next paper.—l tun, air, your most obedient servant, Ate OLD PEXINSULAIL DAY OF HUMILIATION. TEE following royal proclamation for a day of solemn last, htuniliation, and prayer wax published is a sup plement to the Gazetts on Wednesday : VICTORIA 11. —We, taking into our most serious coma deratiou the just and necessary war in which we are engaged, and putting our trust in Almighty God that he will graciously bless our arms both by sea and land, have resolved, and do, by and with the advice of our I'riv Council, hereby command that a public day of solemn fast, humiliation, and prayer be observed throughout those parts of our United Kingdom called England and Ireland, on Wednesday, the twenty-first day of March next, that so both we and our people may humble ourselves before Almighty God, in order to obtain pardon of our sins, and in the most devout and solemn manner send up our prayers and supplications - the Divine Majesty, for imploring His for ' restoration of ___ - r- ted by time ; those of Balaklava are now but incipient. want of everything • besides which, the very bulk of WC " Li ULLE F'"1"...01 ...`”... 5'‘..... , .. s'.'••••• • ..--e---• ' Yet, from the little we can at present gather on the the dollars w as an additional incentive to getting rid God, in order to obtain pardon of our sins, and in the most devout and solemn manner send n i p our . prayers and subject of our military finances in the Crimea from of them. Suppose a man's pay to be 10s. a day, supplications to the Divine Majesty, or imploring HIS 4 i newspaper correspondents, it is already sufficiently which was my own. Take off is. for income tax, evident that mischief is at work, and it is quite time then ten pe r cent. There remained Os., ---= 2 blessing and istance on our arms for the restoration of peace to us and our dominions: and we de strictly e i to inquire how far we may best check it by wise anti- dollars, the dollars being issued to the army at4s. 6d. and command that the said dry be reverently and devon cipation. Ido not recommend in this matter the Three months' pay, say 90 days, .--. 180 dollars. observed by all our loving subjects in England and Ire operation of Government. It may be said impartially Where will you put them? What will you do with as they tender the favour of Almighty God, and would of all Governments, that they do best when they them ? Ten or twelve dollars are quite as many as avoid His wrath and indignation : and, for the better and avoid dabbling in things which they cannot officially you can carry about the person without annoyance, more orderly solemnising the same, we have given direc- , control, and that they are shocking bad hands at even supposing you are so fortunate as to have a lions to the Most Reverend the Archbishops, and the Right Reverend the Bishop* of Englaud and Ireland, to compose anything in the shape of what in the City is called remaining pocket , a n d supposing that pocket not to a form of prayer suitable to this occasion, to be used in all business. No; the head-quarters' bank, if it is to be have a hole in it. At all events, from whatever churches, chapels, and places of public worship, and to take established to do any good, must be established by causes, the large amounts of specie issued from time care the same be timely dispersed throughout the respee- private enterprise, and carried on under private to time by the military chest speedily disappeared tive dioceses. God save the Queen. management, on the ordinary principles of any other from circulation; so that the destitution of the great mercantile speculation involving profit and troops soon became as pitiable as ever. Nay, Lord GENERAL SIR JANES MACLEAN, 1111c1CapIall1 LINII l oss. Wellington himself was often without ready cash for li.E., have been in Paris for some days. It is I • As a man of Mr. Peto's professional standing has carrying on the details of the service, and on one they are inspecting the plans and documents of Thee taken his departure for Balaklava for the purp ose o ccas io n was actuall y constrained to raise a private French War-office, with a view to preparing *general of constructing a railway, will it not be an equally loan for the purpose of send i ng a u im p ortant p lan of organisation for the English army on the patriotic act if some gentleman in the banking line, despatch ! basis of the French. qualified by abilities, position, and character, versed 2. Another grave inconvenience which we expe- GENERAL THE MARQUIS ALPHONSE DE LA M 4.1110114 in finance and finance operations, yet capable riemed at head-quarters (and I shall presently show Commander - in - Chief of the Sardinian contingent to of adapting both his ideas and his energies that it had its origin in monetary derangement, not the Crimea, accompanied by the Marquis de In to new circumstances and a new position, should in the mere difficulty which the suttlers found in Rovera, and Count Balbo, srrivs4 at Dover on Mon- repair to the British head-quarters for the purpose getting up their supplies) was the enormous range day , and p r o ceeded thence to Loudon the hullo of establishing a military bank ? I hesitate not to of prices. Comforts, 114100111111Cidel all things most evening. . • NO 1 I _ - - _._ _____. _ ..._ .......__ ___ 1. 1 1 - 1 u PRESS. express a conviction, grounded on facts which came under my own observation, that such an undertaking, properly conceived, properly started, and properly carried out, would soon commend itself to the mili tary authorities at bead-quarters, and would most eminently conduce, not only to the comfort and well being of our army, but to its effectiveness ; and prove at least as serviceable as miles on miles of roadway, even where roads are so greatly needed. But as my plea for a bank at the head-quarters of the British army now in the Crimea is grounded on the evils which resulted from our want of such an establishment in the Peninsular war, 1 would here crave permission to enumerate some of those evils, speaking as one who was not only a witness, but an observer. The subject is touched upon in the able histories of Alison and Napier, but I believe the full amount of the mischief has never been placed on record. Our difficulties chiefly arose from the unavoidable necessity, in the absence of a bank, of making so large a portion of our payments in hard cash. To this end, every quarter of the world was ransacked for specie, which had to be conveyed to the Penin sula, and brought up to head-quarters. When, in deed, the position of the army was favorable for instance, when head-quarters were not far removed from Lisbon—some payments, such as those for com missariat supplies, were made by bills on the British treasury. With these paper transactions, however, the military chest, to which I was then attached, had nothing whatever to do. Our business, as a depart ment, was only with the cash payments of the army, which, however, were enormous. The pay of the troops, regimental pay and staff pay, was always issued in specie. This, then, was our duty under all circumstances. But when our army was up the country, far advanced into the interior, in out-of-the way places, where payment by bills on London would have looked like no payment at all, then it also de volved upon us to cash the commissariat bills, which had been given in payment for supplies, such as cattle, corn, wine, spirits, and forage. When there was specie in the military chest, the commander in chief issued an order at such time as he deemed most expedient, and we took up the bills of the com missariat, or paid the troops. When there was none, the only remedy for both troops and bill-holders was patience. The specie with which the payments were made was generally Spanish dollars, sometimes with a portion of Spanish gold, sometimes with other varieties. Occasionally we had large supplies of cash at head-quarters; much more frequently we were short. The financial evils from which the service then suffered, and which, doubtless, gave occasion to the Duke's wish for the establishment of a military bank, were manifold. Among them were the fol lowing:— I. After some heavy disbursement in hard cash, to the extent of tens of thousands of pounds sterling, the first remarkable occurrence at head-quarters was the rapid disappearance of the whole amount. In a very few days everybody, or almost everybody, was as poor and penniless as immediately before the issue, when all were inquiring for it with hungry ex pectation. This sudden evanescence of so much hard cash may be deemed strange ; but it was only the natural result of existing circumstances. The native claimant, when he had presented his bill for goods delivered, and got his cash, of course carried it away at his best speed, as he was able, to his owu home—happy if he escaped being robbed or murdered on the road. Then, as to the pay of the troops, the privates divested themselves of their own portion in a remarkably limited period, and with officers the case was not very different. Each, probably, when he received his pay, officer as well as private, was in want of everything ; besides which, the very bulk of the dollars was an additional incentive to getting rid of them. Suppose a man's pay to be 10s. a day. off -