The Press. — London, England, 1855-06-23 00:00:00

JUNE 23, 1855. " had done much in its recent meetings to repair omis sions." Your committee notice with regret, that the Cabinet did nut meet in August or September, when these omissions might have been sooner remedied. Lord John Russell also observes, that " the House of Commons would expect, after six or seven months' deliberation, a final ar rangement of th War Department." Your committee can find no trace of these deliberations ; and any evils that may have resulted from delay in such arrangements are, there fore, properly laid to the charge of the Cabinet. At the date of the expedition to the East no reserve was provided at home adequate to the undertaking. Mr. Sidney Herbert states in his memorandum of the '27th of November, " the army in the East has been created by discounting the future. Every regiment at home, or within reach, and not forming part of that army, has been robbed to complete it. The depots of battalions under Lord Raglan have been similarly treated." The men sent out to reinforce the army were recruits who had not yet become fit for foreign service, and the depots at home were too weak to feed the companies abroad. In December the power of reinforcing the army with efficient soldiers was so reduced that the Government thought it necessary to introduce a Foreign Enlistment Bill for the purpose of raising a foreign legion. Your committee must express their regret that the formation of a large reserve at home, and also in the prox imity of the seat of war, was not considered at a much earlier period, and that the Government, well knowing the limited numbers of the British army, the nature of the climate in the East, as well as the power we were about to encounter, did not at the commencement of the war take means to augment the ranks of the army beyond the ordi• nary recruiting, and also that earlier steps were not taken to render the militia available both fur the purpose of obtain ing supplies of men, and also, in case of necessity, for the relief of regiments of the line stationed in garrisons in the Mediterranean—measures which they found themselves compelled to adopt at a later period. Of the SECRETARY FOR WAR: On accepting the Secretaryship for War, the Duke of Newcastle found himself in this disadvantageous position —he had no separate office for his departments—he had no document prescribing his new duties, no precedents for his guidance, and his under-secretaries were new to the work. _ _ . The duke was imperfectly acquainted with the best mode of exercising his authority over the subordinate depart. ments, and these departments were not officially informed of their relative position, or of their new duties towards the Minister for War. His interference was sought for in matters of detail, wherein his time should not have been occupied, and he was left unacquainted with transactions of which he should have received official cognisance. Feeling his large responsibilities, he took upon himself to remedy innumerable deficiencies which were brought to his notice, ai.d, in the meantime, matters of paramount necessity were postponed. The evidence, moreover, shows that the duke was long left in ignorance, or was misinformed respecting the pro gress of affairs in the East. He was not, mil a late period, made acquainted with the state of the hospitals at Scutari, and the horrible mode in which the sick and wounded were conveyed from Balaklava to the Bosphorus. Lord Aberdeen has signiiteantly observed that the Govern ment were left in ignorance longer than they ought to have been of the real state of matters in the East. The Ministers, he says, were informed of the condition of the army from the public papers and private sources long before they heard it officially, and not hearing it officially they discredited the rumours around them. Thus, while the whole country was dismayed by reports, and was eagerly looking for some gleam of official intelligence, the Cabinet, according to the statement of Ministers, was in darkness. Harassed by these rumours, and perplexed by the in• dissreet silence of those who should have enlightened him, the duke sent a commission to inquire into the state of the hospitals at Scutari and in the Crimea. The commission was issued in October; it did not report until April. A form of proceeding suited to redress grievances at home, or to become a basis for legislative measures, was ill adapted to relieve the pressing wants of 5,000 men suffering under mismanagement and neglect. Of the SECRETARY-AT-WAR: — The authority of a Secretary of State, when exerted, must necessarily override the control of a Secretary-at. War. Mr. Sidney Herbert, as Secretary-at-War, had no power to originate anything ; but from praiseworthy motives, and with a view to relieve the Duke of Newcastle, he undertook to do a duty which was not the business of his office. Of the ORDNANCE DEPARTMENT : In April, 1854, Lord Raglan, the Master-General of the Ordnance, was appointed to the command of the forces in the East; and shortly afterwards Sir Hew Ross was named Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance—an office which had been for many years abolished, but which was now revived. Lord Aberdeen, in making this appointment, had to some extent in view the abolition of the office of Master- General. This subject had not, however, been considered by the Cabinet, and in the meantime the Ministers believed that the Lieutenant-General would have all the authority of Master-General. The Lieutenant-General does not possess this power. He is only a hoard officer. During the summer and autumn of 1854, a board officer, the Surveyor• General, was also employed abroad ; so that during a period when the pressure of business was heavier, and when the expenditure of this department was larger than in any previous year, two officers were wanting whose functions the most economical Administrations had been unable to dispense with in times of peace. The evils arising from the absence of the Master-General are abun dantly exhibited in the evidence, while it would seem THE PRESS. from the language of Sir Hew Ross that he was imper fectly acquainted with the constitution of the board of which he was a member. From the evidence it will be seen that a conflict of authority arose between the members of this board. At a time when urgent business required their attention they were engaged in disputes, in preparing statements, and in making appeals to the Secretary of State for War. In noticing the unseemly conduct of this board, and the differ ences which were brought prominently forward in the evidence, your committee observe with regret that the public service has suffered from the want of judgment and temper on the part of officers who were intrusted during a critical period with important public duties. Your committee must express their dissatisfaction with the administration of the contract system under this department, and they consider that no change will be offective wbich does not lead to a revisal and amendment of this branch of the office. The committee then proceed to advert in succes sion to the transport services at home, in the Bos phorus, the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean ; the commissariat service at home and in the East; the land transport, the road, the depots, the commis sariat supplies ; forage; the medical service ; the hospitals at Scutari; on all of which topics state ments and comments are given at great length, but presenting no facts or judgments with which the public are not already familiar. The report then concludes : Your committee have now adverted to the chief points ' contained in the replies to above 21,000 questions ; and in noticing these various subjects they have divided them under distinct heads, in order fairly to apportion the re- aponsibility. Your committee report that the suffering of the army resulted mainly from the circumstances under which the expedition to the Crimea was undertaken and executed. The Administration which ordered that expedition had no adequate information as to the amount of the forces in the Crimea. They were not acquainted with the strength of the fortresses to be attacked, or with the resources of the country to be invaded. They hoped and expected the ex pedition to be immediately successful, and as they did not foresee the probability of a protracted struggle they made no provision for a winter campaign. The patience and fortitude of this army demand the admiration and gratitude of the nation on whose behalf they have fought, bled, and suffered. Their heroic valour, and equally heroic patience under sufferings and privations, have given them claims upon their country which will doubtless be gratefully acknowledged. Your committee will now close their report with a hope that every British army may in future display the valour which this noble army has displayed, and that none may hereafter he exposed to such sufferings as are recorded in these pages. THE Queen visited the military hospitals at Chat ham on Tuesday. When inspecting the invalids at Fort Pitt, her Majesty was conducted by Dr. George Dartnell, P.M.O. to No. 6 Wardlwhere afew extreme cases prevented their appearing with their comrades in the gardens of that establishment. In this ward were two men, one with a white cap of very light texture on his head, the other lame and his face bandaged, who particularly attracted her Majesty's attention. After their cases had been described by Drs. Dartnell and Perry, her Majesty kindly inquired where they felt their pain, expressing the hope that they would soon be better, and concluding the inter view by taking both their cards away, doubtless to be remembered in due time. The wounded man with a light cap is Thomas Walker, 95th Regiment, a very young man, who at the battle of Inkermann was valiantly making his way against the foe, when a shell, bursting over his head, took a considerable por tion of the top of the skull away, laying the brain quite exposed. He became unconscious, and in this state wandered about for four or five hours, being se parated from the main body, and was making his way to the very front of the enemy, when two Zonaves kindly took him in charge to his camp, where he was received into hospital. This young man had three pieces of his skull removed at Scutari, one piece on board the Sydney, and last Saturday underwent another operation, when two more large pieces of the skull were skilfully displaced by Dr. Perry, under the inspection of Dr. Dartnell, the principal medical officer of the fort. Walker has displayed a great amount of moral courage, and is most grateful to the chaplain, Mr. Stimson, for conversing and condoling with him : he will occasionally say, " It was a nasty rap—was it not, sir?" ONE among the many interesting objects in the British Camp before Sebastopol is the Sappers' Church, Right Attack, where the Rev. Mr. Taylor officiates. Its structure affords an excellent example of the adaptation of local circumstances to a parti cular object. It is built wholly of siege apparatus, but these are neither injured nor rendered unfit for their ultimate purpose; on the contrary, the mate• rials are so arranged that they are only in store, as it were, ready for use as soon as required. The articles employed in the construction have been scaling-ladders, gabions, fascines, timber ready cut and shaped for gun-platforms, a few planks, and some pieces of rope. THE BALTIC FLEET. (From our own Correspondent.) JUNE 7.—The mail that should have been here on the 4th has only just arrived, having been detained by fogs, which are very prevalent at this time of the year in this part of the world : they sometimes last two and three days. We hear from Faro that the first lieutenant of the Duke of Wellington, Lieutenant Hannant, who was in command of the Princess Alice, has died of smallpox at the hospital there. Poor fellow ! he was a great favorite in the fleet, and is universally and deeply regretted. Two more of the Mike's men have also died, making five in all. Arrogant has arrived here; the crew much improved in health, although it cannot be said yet that she is clear entirely of the smallpox. Colossus and Hogue have sailed to-day for Bero Sound, to watch the movements of the Russian fleet in Sweaborg, Baro Sound being a most convenient anchorage for that purpose. It is about twelve miles as the crow flies from Helsingfors Harbour; and from the top of a lighthouse which is placed on a small island within a quarter of a mile of the anchorage they can see every movement of the enemy's squadron. The Magicienne has just gone on a reconnoitring cruise again towards Biorko and Viborg, where she will have a famous chance of making some prize money. Grand dinners are going on between the English and French admirals. The officers also are amusing themselves, and exchanging civilities with our allies ; so that the entente cordiale, so desirable in these days, is very apparent amongst us. JuNr: B.—News has just arrived by the Lightning, who is the bearer of despatches from the blockading squadron, of the most painful and harrowing nature, which makes my blood ran cold to narrate. It ap pears that the captain of the Cossack, who was cruising off Hango Head, overconfident in the idea that the troops were withdrawn from that neighbour hood—having himself some days previous to the occurrence I am about to relate landed and taken a walk—sent a boat on shore to land some wretched fishermen who had been taken in wood vessels. Fearing nothing, the lieutenant in charge of the boat (Geneste, se"ond of Cossack) took with him but few arms, and allowed the surgeon and the captain's, gun room, and midshipmen's stewards to accompany him to purchase provisions. It appears that on the boat leaving the ship she palled in for the small village of Hango. On arriving at a small jetty they showed a flag of truce, and proceeded to land, the lieutenant carrying the flag in his hand on a staff, when some five or six hundred troops appeared sud denly from amongst the houses, and the officer in command, advancing, called out, in good English, " I know nothing about your flag of truce," and turning to the men he ordered them to fire. Poor Geneste and all those already on shore at once fell, pierced by a hundred bullets. The ruffians then rushed en to the boat, and deliberately shot every man in her. They then stripped the bodies, and let the boat float away. A black man (the only survivor), who formed one of the crew, and who was shot in three places, thus describes this melancholy and disgraceful affair. He accounts for his being saved by stating that the Russians, supposing him dead, left him in the host, and that a light breeze off the shore drifted her to seaward. The ship, which it appears was at anchor out of sight, and knew nothing of what was going on, stood in the next morning, and picked her up riddled through and through with musket-balls. I cannot describe the indignation that is felt by all here at this atrocious infringement of the usages of war—this villano us murder of un armed men, including their own countrymen. So barbarous a proceeding I should say has no parallel in modern days. I shall refrain from giving an opinion as to the discretion shown by the captain of the Cossack in leaving his boat thus to the mercy of a treacherous enemy, as a court-martial or inquiry will certainly be held, and it would be unjust to pre• judge so serious an affair. The Pylades is sent to relieve Cossack, and in a few day s the opinion of fourteen captains will be recorded, and the publio will be able to judge for themselves. You will see by this, and by what I am now going to relate, that times are getting much more stirring. Yesterday the Merlin and Fire fl y — the former with the French admiral and staff on board, besides several captains and officers from the different ships—went to the northward of Cronstadt, to have a look at the fortifi cations, &-c. As they were passing over the same ground that they had surveyed on previous occasions,