The Sun. — London, England, 1846-03-03 00:00:00

. _ IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, March 2. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY took his seat orethe Wool sack at Five o'clock. IRISH RAILWAYS. Lord MONTEAGL'E rose to present a petition from certain individuals in Ireland, praying that some trifling irregularities which had occurred in the serving of notices on parties connect d with a line of railway between Wexford and Carlow, might not impede the passing of those works through the Standing Orders' Committee. The expediency of passing measures to facilitate the providing employment for the Irish people was denied by no one; and their Lordships, as well as the other House of Parliament, seemed to feel that these rail roads were the most natural and most useful source of employment. They complained that a stop might be put to these works unless the House interfered. He gave notice that to-morrow he should call the attention of their Lordships to the petition. PROTECTION. The Duke of RICHMOND presented thirty-six peti tions from various parishes in Montgomeryshire, praying that protection to agriculture may be continued. He also presented a similar petition from Fermoy, in the county of Cork. PROTECTION OF LIFE (IRELAND) BILL. Lord BROUGHAM said that highly approving of the general scope of this measure, introduced by the. Noble Lord (Earl St. Germans), and as there were some important amendments to be proposed by his Noble and Learned Friend Lord Denman, who was absent, he (Lord Brougham) should, as the organ of his Noble and Learned Friend, suggest that the Bill be considered in Committee to-morrow, or they might commit it pro forma now, and re-commit it for the consideration of the amendments to-morrow. The LORD CHANCELLOR suggested that it would be better to have the Bill printed and laid on the table te-morrow, and that they should go into Committe on Friday night, which was agreed to. IRISH COERCION BILL. Lord GREY rose and said, that unless some change took place in the Coercion Bill, respecting persons who were found out before sunrise and after sunset, he would feel it his duty to move an amendment. Lord CAMPBELL said that a power should be given, when it could be made to appear that a fair trial could not be had, to change the venue to some country or other place where a fair trial could be secured. A NOBLE LORD suggested the propriety of post poning the second reading until Monday, when Lord BROUGHAM said his Noble Friend was not aware that the Earl of St. Germans was leaving town on Friday. After a few words from Lord BROUGHAM and Lord CAMPBELL, Earl GREY said that he had not had the opportunity of seeing the amendments introduced by the Lord Chief Justice, and he could, therefore, only say that unless these amendments embraced one which he intended to propose—namely, to mitigate the punishment of those who might be out after sunset—he, considering that Iran portation was much too great a punishment for the offence alleged, should such an amendment not have been introduced, he would feel it his duty to divide the House upon the subject. The LORD CHANCELLOR believed that the amend ment of his Noble and Learned Friend embraced in sub stance that contemplated by the Noble Lord. THE VICTORIES IN THE EAST—THANKS TO THE ARMY. The Earl of RIPON then rose to move the thanks of the House to the officers and men employed in the army of India. Tht it Lordships were never niggardly in effericg their thanks to those whose services were given to their common Sovereign and their common country, who had exercised all the powers of their minds and the strength of their bodies with the view of promoting the honour, and the interest, and the safety of the country ; and their Lordships might be well assured teat they never tendered their thanks to those gallant men without inspiring them with feelings of gratitude which must tell, and did tell, in their future exertions, and contri buted to produce those resolute actions for which they were that day called oa to return their thanks. It had always been the desire, in order that the expression of their Lordships sense of gratitude might be tendered in the most gratifying and graceful manner ; it had always, he repeated, been their Lordship's desire that no thing in the words in which the thanks were expressed, or in the manner of recommending them, should prevent their Lordships from coming to a unanimous vote upon the subject. That was the course which he intended to follow on the present occasion ; and in the mode in which these resolutions of thanks had been worded, he thought ttfat he would give occasion to no expression of d;ssent from any of their Lordships. It would be his en deavour, of course, in the observations he should have to make to them, to avoid saying anything that would be inconsistent with this principle. Their Lordships would bear with him in proposing this vote, if he stated as briefly as possible, the circumstances con nected with these affairs, for which they were about to give the thanks of their Lordships' House. The papers which had been laid upon the table, were not placed there for the purpose of calling on their Lordships to express an opinion with regard to the political ques tion involved. Those papers were laid upon the table for the purpose of exhibiting to their Lordships one singular feature in the state of affairs in the city of Lahore. In trigues of every kind, violence of every kind, murder after murder from time to time practised against those who bad obtained power in that state. All those circum stances occurred time after time for a bog period, extending disorder and confusion to a degree that bad no parallel even in India itself. seeesee anes state of things could not fail to excite the constant anxiety of the Government, still the policy which was pursued by the Governor, on which he (the Earl of Ripon) did not call upon their Lordships to express any opinion--was that it was not desirable for this country to embark in hostilities for the purpose of attempting to put an end to the horrors which were taking place. It appeared however in the course of these transactions, that an idea was en tertained among the ruling powers of the Punjaub, who were exposed to constant apprehension fur their own lives a notion became prevalent among them that their best chance of securing their own lives against this powerful and mischievous, and, as it must in truth be called, mutinous army, was by inducing that army to pass the frontier and commit itself to hostilities with us, not for the purpose of conquests in our territory, but for the purpose of com pelling us to commence operations against them, which should end in the destruction of the army itself. He believed that this was an unparalleled circumstance in the history even of uncivilised countries. But it was not that circumstance alone which justified the Go vernor-General in assenilline ' an army for the purpose of pa-sing the frontier asid carrying on the war. It did, however, render it necessary, in corn ection with the other events which had occurred in Lahore, for the Governor-General to consider how he should meet the contingencies which might or might not arise, and with that view he directed a considerable force to ass mble near the frontier. There appeared to have been great vacillation in the councils of the enemy. At one time they were for war, and at another they wi re terrified at the prospect of it. It appeared that the person who had exercised the ruling power —the brother of the Ranee, the mother of the Sovereign on the throne—it appeared that he, a drunken profligate, was influenced by a sort of ambition, and was also terrified by the prospect of be;ng put to death by the rivals of his power ; an 1, in order to secure him selr, it appeared that he caused the assassination of a certain Singh who was reputed, al - he was not supposed to be, the son of the late Runjeet Singh; and that murder was exceedingly dis tasteful to the troops, and induced them to threaten his life. He subsequently met with his fate, which of late years had been common to those who bad ob tained power in that country; he was himself assassinated. At length there did appear some distinct grounds for supposing that some mad project was in contempla tion. About the end of November intelligence was conveyed to the Governor-General informing him that the Seikhs were collecting i in the neighbour hood of the Sutlej. The information received was to the effect that the plan of campaign which they (the Seikhs) had undertaken, was to move out of the,r territory into ours, and attacked it, with several divisions at different points. This plan of ope • ration, if it had taken place, would have had the effect of detaching, on several points, the Seikh army, con trary to all military principles, and subjected them selves to being operated on in different quarters, so as to be defeated in detail, while their chances of success were very small. In consequence of this the British army, or that portion of it, at the head of which was the Governor-General, concentrated its force at those points which were threatened. Eventually the Seikh leaders altered their policy, and several portions of their army, which had been detached at a considerable distance from each other, collected near Peshawur, to the num ber of about 8,000 men, and 24 pieces of light artillery, while they had in reserve, partly mounted, from 30 to to 42 pieces. The Noble Lord here gave a number of details respecting the collection and concentration of the Seikh forces on the Sutlej, and the steps which were taken on the part of the Governor-General and the British army to meet the threatened invasion. As soon as it was evident that v descent was to be made on the British side of Sutlej, it was deemed expedient to collect the largest possible force in the shortest time to meet the enemy. That was done by forced marches, and subjecting the troops to great fatigue, which they willingly bore, with that cha racteristic fortitude which the British army has always evinced. They arrived at Peshawur in perfect order, and were immediately prepared, if called upon, for action. He took up a position in that neighbourhood so as to give him the greatest command ; in fact, he took it cn the right flank, and the pass of that district was consequently rendered exceedingly formidable, and, under many circumstances, most dangerous. It was ab solutely necessary for him to interpose between the ad vane ; of our army from Moodkee to Ferozepore. The opposite force was approaching within a com paratively small distance, and he was deter mined to make an attack. The remainder of the army amounted nearly to 40,000 men, and ho believed that forty pieces of cannon were moved forward to make an attack upon our advance forces. It was an nounced that he had taken possession at Moedkee, and it was necessary to take immediate steps to repel that attack. It was obvious that that policy was a very becaus it would bring the other forces i n to s ee tii4 puOiest possible moment. Our troops were e.'etretereertnearivitnee, and the two armies were brought oosa contact. A sharp action occurred, and the v e ; , tnee t ee f44 . B"- ealefe,ly repulsed with a very considerable r i thaleemettand nineteen pieces of cannon. The eseeffecrevast that risii enemy retired into a position which adverse t 4 -4 r interests. Communication w ith Ter4tepore vikess4itablished by, taking a position on t h e •• ;Wit There re no Om of the battle, or he hQ4d THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY MORNING, MARCH 3, 1846. refer their Lordships to it for further explanation. At Ferozepore a junction was formed for the purpose of uniting the forces, and when united they took the enemy's entrenched camp. Tne effect of that junction was apparent on the morning of the 21st, and the po sition which we then occupied (which was about half-past one) was, as far as he could make out by the dispatches, an oblong, and which enabled us to entrench the enemy's camp. It being still within three or four hours of daylight, it was deemed advisable to make a further attack when day should appear; a wise and noble proceeding, although there may be, and I believe there are some, who con sidered it was rasfi to do so. The attack, in spite of all difficulties, in spite of the great number of the enemy, was determined on and made with vigour, and after a severe conflict, a portion of the camp of the enemy was taken, and his hopes of effectual resistance abandoned. The darkness of the night rendered any further attack at the instant impossible, but the work was only begun; it was necessary to press forward, and it was determined in the morning, as soon as day broke, that an attack should be made. I need hardly say that the night was passed in considerable anxiety, but they determined to maintain their position, and follow up the success which they had gained. During this bivouack the enemy made an attack, but they were the first, and immediately driven back. This was one of the most gallant portions of the proceedings, and it seemed to have paralysed the enemy, who con tented himself for the remainder of the night with a distant cannonade. In the morning the troops at day break were again put in motion, and in half an hour swept the whole lino of the enemy's entrenchments, and captured many of their guns. It was immense success, particularly when you consider what their position was. It was taken up, with regular entrenchments formed and the cannon fixed, some of which were so heavy that the enemy considered themselves perfectly safe when they got into the rear of them. To recapture these guns they made three several attempts, and they were at length obliged to abandon the position, and left us in possession of the field. They retreated to a village in the rear of their entrenchments, but here they had no position in a country perfectly flat, from which they were obliged to retreat across the Sutlej. Now, my Lords, I believe that is a brief account of the transac tion, and I feel how truly inadequate I am to describe the merits of those engaged in that great battle, for I believe there never was an occasion in which British valour and military skill was more remarkable. In these desperate and hardly-fought engagements, there were of course moments of critical importance when all the resources of a general are called for to meet the emergency of the occasion, but of course there were moments when the skill and the energy of the ge neral are most called upon, and when the general shows himself worthy of the country and the man. My Lords, there are some things personal with respect to the Go vernor-General, which, although he does not mention, I believe it necessary to mention, as they not only concern him, but because they happen to show the peculiar cha racter of the proceedings of that day, and because more over they indicate at the same time the invincible reso lution and untiring energy of the general and his men. My Lords, the Governor-General was placed in a most critical and dangerous position, during the night of the 21st. When darkness had completely closed in, he had ordered the four European regiments to lay down upon the field, and in order to show them an example of the advantage of cool self-possession and intrepidity, he went with his companions in arms to lay for the night amongst them. What, my Lords, must have been his feelings when taking that position, and what must have been the feelings of the men on this occasion, whom he commanded, when they discovered that their commander, and he found that his men, were comrades in arms in the Peninsula. It was, happily, unnecessary to rouse their courage in the com bat on the following day ; but still the influence must have been considerable. In order to show the great danger to which he was exposed, 1 have only to state that during the succeeding day that every officer on his staff was killed or wounded, with the exception of one. The Governor-General, my Lords, had five officers in his staff killed, the only exception was one from whom he had received great assistance during that day ; this was an aide- de-camp, a little boy only sixteen years of age, his own son, who had only recently joined the army, and was entirely ignorant of warlike movements, but who was actuated by the noble intrepidity and excellent example of his father, and was employed during the whole of the day in conveying orders to different parts of the field. I would not use any words on this topic, for his father does not mention the circumstance, but I thought it but right that this statement should be made in justice to the boy, who may some day emulate the high qualities of him by whom he was commanded.— (Loud cheers.) The Governor- General had, at the same time, the assistance of another son, who, although he was not a military man, yet continued to render his assistance throughout the engagement. He had been originally intended for the army, but, in consequence of a severe accident in his youth, he was obliged to suffer an amputation of the foot, and was, consequently, obliged to adopt some other profession. That young man continued with his father throughout the whole of the day, but the Governor- General conceiving that he might distract his attention, with a fatherly anxiety, and much against the young man's inclination, had compelled him to retire.—(Loud cheers.) This, my Lords, is but a small portion of all that the Governor-General had to go through, but it is sufficient to give you an idea of the perils and anxieties he had to, endure. But, my Lords, we cannot too highly estimate the vast advantages to our country by the result of the battle. These advantages, however, were not gained without very heavy loss. One of the most distinguished men in that or any other field fell nobly in the cause of his country. Who, my Lords, does not know the character of Sir Robert Sale ? His name is on the, ten t snes of all, and who is it that did not glory in the honours which were showered upon him by a grateful country ? It is not only necessary that we should take notice of his great actions, but it is our duty to keep his fame imperishable in the annals of his country. I may say of that distinguished man what Lord Hutchinson said of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, that the memory of his glory should be as a living meuu rnent in the history of his country. There is another, my Lords, who has fallen, and we must not forget how highly he had been spoken of by Sir Hugh Gough. I allude, my Lords, to our political agent, who fell bravely in the field. He performed many actions in his political capacity, with great service to the Government of India. lie was well acquainted with the whole country and the feelings of the people, and therefore he was most admirably qualified for the position he had filled. But while performing his poli tical duties, he did not forget the duties of his military character. If there was anything which could be said by the way of regret in connexion with this officer, it was that he was ever forward in the face of danger, even where his services were not called into action. Let us look to the objects of the enemy, for it is by looking to the objects of the parties that we shall be able to judge of the important results. The object pf the Seikhs was to overrun the whole country, from the Sutlej to the Jumna; and then, after having gained possession of tin country, to attempt to turn the timid from their allegi ance, and in acquiescence with their plans, to coerce those who might hare felt it their duty to remain with us, and eventually drive us with disgrace from our territories. All these objects had failed. The objects of the British troops had been to force them back, to beat them out of the city of Ferozepore, to compel the doubtful to adhere to their allegiance, to support and confirm those who were friendly to them, and to show the enemy that they would not be insulted and invaded with impunity. All the objects of the Scikhs bad failed—all their objects had entirely succeeded. When they considered that in the short space of three weeks their objects had been attained when they considered the combination of courage and exertion that was necessary to gain these great battles—battles which the Seikhs would not be likely soon to forget, he thought that these thanks were well claimed at their hands. The Seikhs were a warlike people, but he (Lord Ripon) entertained considerable doubts whether they were not greatly averse to personal conflict ; but he thought at all events they had received a lesson which they would not easily forget ; and they, in that country, had a right to suppose that these victories had given that security to the Punjaub which it was of so much importance should be maintained. He (Lord Ripon) had been led to speak personally and particularly of the Governor-General. Ile had been led to do so, perhaps, from his intimate knowledge, and he would add, his affectionate regard fur him ; and he might, perhaps, have, in consequnce, passed over the gallant deeds of others. But he would bear his willing testimony to the admirable spirit and gallantry of that experienced and tried officer, the Commander-in-Chief—(Hear, and loud cheers)—of a man who had served his country under the great man who sat next to him (Lord Ripon), who had fought the best years of his life, he believed seventy, for his country, who had served in most of the quarters of the world with undoubted credit and high renown, and who de served well the honours with which her Majesty had been pleased to reward his exertions. It was the duty of Government, with all the means in its power, now that the war was brought upon them—forced upon them— it was the duty of the Government ,by every exertion which they could make, to contribute to the success of these operations. The Governor of Bombay, with infi nite activity, forwarded a considerable reinforcement of British troops and artillery. He also held in reserve two more regiments of cavalry, who were ready to serve if required. Troops had been ordered from Poonah to join the army upon the Sutlej, and every exertion had been made by Sir J. Macmahon to give effect to these movements. When he moved the troops to Kurrachee they were under the command of as gallant a hero as ever wore a soldier's uniform, Sir Charles Napier.—(Cheers.) He collected all the means at his disposal for the purpose of brinp,ing them to bear upon the point where they could be most efficiently applied, and any one who knew Sir Charles Napier must know what his military talents were, and above all what was his talent of inspiring unlimited confidence among those whom he com manded, and should it be his fate to take part in the operations of the war, they would find the glories of Meance and Hyderabad revived in his person, and they would again be called upon to return him their thanks for his services. Everything, continued the Noble Earl, has been done, at least I hope so—everything that was possible with the view ,of facilitating any ulterior opera tion. 13ut you may depend upon it, my Lords, that that which we propose to you to do—to tender to these gallant men your thanks—is not among the least efficient modes of exciting them to future deeds of valour, and of leading them to renew on other occasions those heroic actions which have given imperishable renown to our arms. It is therefore with these feelings—conscious how little worthy I am to state questions of this kind, and to make military operations intelligible to your Lordships—it is with these feelings, which lam sure you will respect, that I beg to move the thanks of this House to those who have been concerned in these great battles, in the full confidence that I shall have your unanimous support ; and all those who are conctrut:d, and whom we are about to thank, will feel that they are serving not an ungrateful country. The Noble Earl then moved the resolutions, which will be found in another column. The Marquis of LANSI)OWNE said, it must be the opinion of their Lordships that such resolutions as those proposed by the Noble Lord the President of the Council, and such events as those resolutions were founded on, ought not to pass without some observatious from other quarters. Although he (the Marquis of Lansdowne) felt that the Noble Lord had done full justice to the subject, it was grateful to his feelings to state, that after perusing with the greatest attention the documents which herMajesty'sGovernment had laidbefore their Lordships, and also after examining the particular terms of the resolutions founded thereon, and proposed by the Noble Earl, he must give, in the sincerest manner, his testimony in favour of the troops that had been engaged. And he hoped that their Lordships would not merely give their acquiescence to the resolutions, but their sincere support.—(Cheers.) Those resolutions went to prove the expression of their grateful admira tion at the valour, zeal, and devotion to thepublic service evinced by the whole army ; and also to express their satisfaction of that distinguished officer who filled the situation of Governor-General, and whose energy and ability had been employed and placed at their disposal, to repel the invasion of the Seikh army.—(Hear, hear.) To both these objects, he (the Marquis of Lansdowne) gave his most cordial support. From the particular tactics and the particular course of military operations that had been pursued during the conflict, which lasted four or five days, and also from those papers which had been laid before their Lord ships, he would venture to say that there was ample evidence that the zeal of the British army during that conflict had known no bounds, and had never been ex ceeded in any country.—(Cheers.) It was impossible to peruse those papers without observing that every con currence of circumstances—all of which were inevi table, and most unfortunate—were attended with those glorious results of which their Lordships had heard. The armies, in the course of great movements, were compelled to submit to privation and disadvantages, tofatigues, and occasionally to disc urage ment—(Hear, hear)—and it was necessary to display their valour in the face of a superior enemy; and in the course of one week every one of those unfortunate cir cumstances was brought to bear in the most unfavour able manner upon the situation in which those troops were placed, and yet by the combination of all those cir cumstances a result was produced—the glory of which he would not say was unparalleled, but was one which he would venture to say would add the most brilliant lustre to the British armies. And it was to the zeal and devotion displayed by that army that we owed the addi tional lesson which had been afforded to the nations of Asia—(Cheers) —and that the military and the not military of that country had been made to see that the starof British power had shone on this occasion, not with diminished but with increasing lustre, and had added to those claims of gratitude and confidence which should be shown towards us by those nations which he trusted it would ever be our fortune to defend. He was sure the Noble Earl opposite (Earl Aberdeen) would pardon him for adverting to the papers that had I eon laid before their Lordships, but he would say that they showed that not merely did our European forces. but that of the Sepoy—(Loud cheers)—employed on the occasion, had acted in a manner which, whenever it was exhibited tended to strengthen and to cement the ties that ought to e Kist between the two nations. Their con duct was worthy of the greatest praise. —(Cheers.) In this day, when they were giving thanks for public ser vices, he hoped that the public services and the peculiar services which had been rendered to the country by the Indian army would not be forgotten. With respect to the distinguished Commander-in-Chief, it was not to be doubted that in the position in which he was placed during a week or fortnight previous to the invasion of the Seikh army, his conduct was that both of a civilian and a military man. His position was most peculiar, he may venture to say most unusually so, but, neverthe less, that distinguished military man did not only do his duty as a civilian, but when he found it necessary to draw his sword, as a soldier; and, what was even more valuable, added to the glory of the day by the example which he set in inciting to deeds of valour. lie, therefore, thought that on that particular occasion he eminently deserved the approbation of the country. He would not, for the same reason that the Noble Earl had assigned, attempt to dwell on the merits and great abilities of Sir Hugh Gough and the other commanders who had exhibited such prowess on that occasion. Their Lordships, he was sure, would feel that they were all entitled to share in the approbation of the country, and on that subject he was sure they would be all unanimous. He would not follow his Noble Friend into the political allusions which he had made, but he was sure, if it should be necessary to make any inquiry into the circumstances which had preceded the events in question, they would come to the conclusion that the policy would prove deserving of their warmest approba tion, being of a pacific nature. He was sure their Lord ships would feel that every effort was made to avoid all unnecessary war, but at the same time, to go beyond that, would not be consistent with the duty which they owe themselves and the country they govern. It was palpable to all *the world, that if ever they acted the part of aggressors in India, it was not on the present occasion; but that was a consideration into which he did not wish to enter, or pronounce any opinion upon, although if he were, it would be of a favourable nature. The Duke of WELLINGTON rose and said, I should be particularly cautious, and not say one word, if I was of a different opinion on the question now before the House relating to the military operations in India. But, my Lords, I could not omit an occasion of this kind without adding to what had been stated by the two Noble Lords my own unqualified approbatiow of the conduct of the troops, and of the officers who commanded them, particularly we-my . tkma overt:tor- General ; who, after having made all the arrangement appertaining to his duty as Governor- General, in order to collect all the resources of the country for the pur pose of fighting the great c intest—having collected all the troops, and made all the arrangements that were possible, he gave his assistance to the officers in command, in order to secure the public approbation of the country. My . Lords, it is seldom that an officer is placed in a situation to take that course—there is, per haps, no similar instance of a man giving such an example —an example, my Lords, which I hope will be always fol lowed. When he found his services would be useful in the field, his situation as Governor-General did not pre vent him acting there, and overlooking every military operation, and volunteering his services in that great contest. My Lords, the Noble Marquis said truly that the army did all in their power to obtain great results. My Lords, it may not be generally known, but the coun try ought to know that the position of the enemy was completely closed in by entrenchments, and that it was more a fortress than simply a fortified position. Not withstanding the disadvantages which the troops in India laboured under, they performed their duty to their entire approbation ; notwithstanding their singular dis advantage, being without water for twenty-four hours; because the villages were distant, and those whose duty it was to supply them could not do so, and they were in consequence for twenty-four hours without refreshment. They carried the position of the en. my certainly with very great honour, and he hoped the affair had not left them in a state to be inefficient, if their services should be called into action on any future occasion. My Lords, I have not for a length of time known any occa sion that has given such full and entire satisfaction as this affair. But there is one matter connected with it which I regret. It is said that a panic was felt in one regiment, which I hope was not the case. I see, my Lords, that by a comparison between Eng land and France that the general to whom that officer has referred lost five-twelfths of his number within an hour -after he entered the action; and I learn by this report, that in the course of this attack that within the first quarter of an hour one-third of the officers fell. I find, upon inquiry, that there are several inaccuracies in the report of this general officer in the number of killed and wounded, which in his report, have been greatly exag gerated. In that report it is said, that as they were moving on to the attack the men and the officers were actually mowed down with the severity of fire to which they were exposed. Now, I find, my Lords, that the regiment to which this reference has been made had been serving, without intermission, for sixteen years in the East Indies; that during the forty years which it had served, it had :served thirty-three years abroad, leaving only seven years for duty within the bounds of the United Kingdom. I find moreover, upon inquiry, my Lords, that during its service the East ;tidies, that during that time, it has served in all parts of India, and that during that time, of the men who were engaged at the moment of this attack, nearly three-fourths had been only seven years in the service. My Lords, I have felt it my duty to examine into the allegations respect ing this regiment. I find a great many inaccuracies in the report of this general officer. I only wish he had written a much more detailed report of the action, but I will read a paragraph to show the real conduct of that regiment, with which I think you will be satisfied,--o (The Noble Duke searched among his papers but was unable to find the one he wanted.) I can't find it, my Lords.. I can assure you, my Lords, that it spoke in the most unqualified approbation of the devoted bravery of that regiment. I should, indeed, my Lords, have great pleasure in reading this report to you, and I deeply regret not having it.(Hear, hear.) The fact of two-thirds of the men having been mowed down speaks highly of their conduct, and calls for our most unqualified praise.—(Cheers.) The Marquis of LONDONDERRY felt that after the speech of the Noble Earl who bad first addressed their Lord ships, and more especially after the speech of the Noble Duke who had just sat down, he could not say much in addition to the question before their Lordships. There was one point, however, which he thought bad nut been sufficiently adverted to, and that was the most extraordinary devotion of the gene ral offieers who had been engaged in this most sanguinary en gagement. The conduct of the officers who had fought was above all praise, for they forgot anything like personal feeling, and mingled in the fight. It was welt known that the per sonal bravery of our officers had a great effect upon our men. If the soldiers were to see our general officers backward in per. sonal bravery, it would cause them to relax in their devotion. The point which he considered to be overlooked in the despatch was that of the morning after the engagement. When the morning dawned, after a night spent as described, the Governor- General, in passing from one regiment to another, exhausted as he was with hearing the cries of the wounded on the one hand, and the savage cries of the Seikhs on the other—when the morning dawned, true to his saying that he would die on the field rather than relinquish the territory he possessed, he placed himself on the one &ails of the line, and the Commander-in-Chief on the other, at least thirty yards in front of the whole line- —fearing lest the troops should rashly rush upon the intrenchtrients, he placed himself thus in front to keep the men steady• in their position ; he marched them forward, reserving their fire until close to the enemy, when the intrenchraents werm taken at the point of the bayonet. lie thought there never was a battle in which any movement was attended with more success than this. It was impossible that a victory like thin should not be attended with great and corresponding loss. VT ;mu they Sir Hugh Gough, one of the bravest men in tt.. e army, thus incurring of rashness by placing hi - self in t he saw front of the battle, they slight be sure that it - eas no orognary circumstance that coop pelled him thus to encourage his troops. It was true that this was but a lesson from the olden school, for he well knew that the Noble Duke was ever the first to expose himself at the post of danger. In reading the discussion which occurred on Fri day the impression produced upon his mind was, that an animad. version had been cast upon the situation in which the two officers, Sir Henry Hardinge and Sir Hugh Gough, had been placed. The manner in which these two officers had conducted themselves in the engagement was most commendable.— ( Cheers. ) There was one point which he wished to alltide to, and that was, the youth of the commanding officers of the various regiments. Four regiments were commanded by majors. He did not know whether this arose from economy, but if it did it was a most unwise economy. It was a great advantage to go into a genera action with a sufficient comple ment of field officers, and that the commanding officers, in- stead of doing general duty should go into the aetton at the head of their regiments. To Resit the number of officers, as had been done, was a most niggardly economy. The Duke of WELLINGTON said the Noble Lord was quite mistaken in attributing the economy he spoke of to her Majesty's Government, the whole army establishment being paid by the East India Company. It had been the invariable practice in India, both at the time he was in it and since, to require field officers belonging to the regiments of the army to perform general duty—that is, to command brigades according to their rank. There were not sufficient general officers to command the brigades. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY, in all humility to the superior judgment of the Noble Duke, said he did not think he had answered the question. He (the Marquis of London derry) said the general officers were not sufficient, and that commanding officers should not perform brigadier duty. The Duke of RICHMOND said he would not have risen had not the Noble and Gallant Marquis referred to him, find ing fault that he had not given notice of putting the question he had done to the Noble Earl at the head of the Board of Con trol. He (the Duke of Richmond) did that which was more regular. On the Noble Earl laying the papers in relation to our Indian affairs on the table, he (the Duke of Richmond) asked whether any order or instructions had been given respect • ing the Governor-General officiating as second in command in the army. He had not, as alleged, made any attack on the Go vernor-General, for whom he entertained feelings of the greatest respect, but notwithstanding those fee ings he (the Duke of Rich mond) could not pass over this most dangerous precedent. It was a general principle that there should be only one com• mending officer in the army. In making that observation he was far frpm saying anything against the Governor-General ; and he now begged to state that he most cordially concurred is what had fallen from his Noble Friend at the head of the Board of Control. He most cordially concurred in everything that had fallen from his Noble Friend that evening, and also that which bad fallen from his Noble Friend, the Gallant Duke, and the Noble Marquis (who had then left his place) with respect to the good conduct and the heroism of those men who had been engaged in the late splendid battle.—( Cheers.) He had also seen with the greatest satisfaction that Sir Henry Har. dinge had intimated to the army by a general order his inten tion of awarding to the officers, and, non-commissioned officers, and private soldiers of that army a medal, as a reward to those brave men who had the good fortune to participate in the late splendid battle. It would be a medal which would record their unparalleled bra very. He did hope that her Majesty might be advised to take this opportunity of ordering a favourable answer to be returned to a tiemorial most respectably and numerously signed by the war and veteran officers who served in the Penin sula—men who, he could assure their Lordships, feeling not the slightest jealousy, but, on the contrary, highly approving that their successors in the very regiments in which they had served in the Peninsula should receive medals, but all enter taining the deepest feeling that there could be no reason why they who served in times gone past should now be the excep• tion, and not the general rule, having nothing to show except indeed their numerous wounds. They stated that they, too, had often received the thanks of Parliament for the very able, efficient, and honourable manner in which they bad served their King and their country in a time of the greatest danger. He hoped and trusted that their prayers would not be rejected, and he must now request his Noble Friend, the President of the Board of Control, to consent that the names of the non commissioned officers and of the private soldiers should be pub lished in this country. They were aware that many soldiers could not write, and that many others were incapable in an arduous campaign of becoming correspondents. He believed he was correct in stating, that whenever there was a naval engagement the name of every private marine and of every private soldier was invariably published in the Gazette.— ( Hear, hear.) Such a proceeding might be considered to be difficult with respect to large armies, where there was a considerable loss ; but he helieved his Noble Friend (the Duke of Wellington) would bear him out in saying that the birth place of every soldier was registered in the War-office, and the list of their names were made out and sent to the different local newspapers for insertion. He was quite sure his Noble Friend would agree with him, that it was most desirable to re lieve the deep anxiety and the agonising suspense which the parents and relatives of those brave men—(Hear, hear)—many of them in the humbler situations of life were now suffering under, to show what was the fate of those whom they loved the most. From his (the Duke of Richmond's) practical experi ence, whilst residing in the country,in mixing with the labourers in his neighbourhood, he could assure their Lordships that such a course would give the greatest satisfaction to the hum bler, but honest fellow. subjects.—(Cheers. ) He had thought it right to make this suggestion to his Noble Friend, because he could not see, since they admitted this principle with regard to the navy, why they should not also carry it out with respect. to those who served in the army in foreign and distant places. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH perfectly concurred in what had been said by the Noble Marquis opposite (the Mar quis of Londonderry). He would not attempt to add anything to what fallen had from the Noble Duke (Wellington), because he knew that one word of approbation from him—Cheers) — was more valued by the soldiers—(Cheers)—than any complimentary words whfch might possibly fall from any other person.—(Cheers.) But he hoped their Lordships would forgive him for not allowing this discussion to close without taking that public opportunity of expressing the deep gratification with which he had witnessed the last victory whieh had been achieved by the army with which he had been so recently con nected ; and also of expressing the entire confidence which was reposed in them on this as well as on every g forrner occasion, and by their late splendid triumph they had even increased that confidence. Their success must be satisfactory to all, and par ticularly to the troops esineerned. But when he said that the British army had done their duty in the most praiseworthy manner, he Must not forget to add that the native troops had conducted themselves in a manner quite as satisfactory as that which had been alluded to by the Noble Duke, with respect to her Majesty's 611 Regiment.—( Cheers.) He knew too that the prea.rut Gto-eeenoe-csenerat's confidence in those troops had been increased by their recent conduct. He (the Earl of Ellenborough) was extremely satisfied by the manner in which the Sepoys had conducted themselves on this occasion—they bad endured the most serious privations in the most severe dis trict.—( Cheers.) In their long marches they had scarcely any food or water, and they had to bear the most destructive fire of the enemy. Their con duct was certainly entitled to the greatest praise, Having had the opportunity of observing the fidelity of those troops to their colours, he could hear his personal testimony to the high honour and military fidelity of those troops. They had been encamped within forty miles of the Seilh army during a period of eighteen months, and throughout the whole of that time, although they had seen successive crimes, followed by successive donations, until the pay of the Seikh troops had risen to double the amount of their own, and yet, after those troops had passed the Sutlej, not a single man had deserted from his colours, or shown the slightest inclination to desert his allegiance to his colours. He rejoiced in this, not only because it had been productive of great advantages, but also because it was the presage of future triumphs, and he knew, not only that they had driven the Seikhs across the Sutlej, but that they would follow them to Lahore. He was induced to express his feelings upon this subject, because he had intimate knowledge of the troops who had fought this gallant actien, and the more so because he felt it was necessary to sustain the Governor-General in the harassing and anxious position which he occupied, for he felt that that Gallant Officer required all the sustenance which moral courage might give by the vote of that House to-night.—( Cheers. ) The Earl of AUCX LAND had but few observations to ad dress to their Lordships, but he felt the debate should not close without expressing his feelings, as he had been intimately acquainted with many of the officers of the gallant army to which this discussion referred. He was glad of an opportu nity of expressing his perfect concurrence in all that had fallen from the, Noble Earl opposite, and was glad to give his assent to the vote of thanks to the noble and gallant army who had just achieved this splendid victory. The vote was then passed riemine dissentien!e. The County Works (Ireland) Bill was then read a third time and passed. Several Bills were then advanced a stage, and the House ad journed. HOUSE OF COMMOIVS, March 2. The SPEAKER took the Chair at a few minutes before Four o'clock. NEW MEMBER. Mr. HILDYARD took the oaths and h:s seat for South Nottinghamshire, in the room of the Earl of Lincoln, who has accepted the office of Secretary for Ireland. The Hon. Member was received with loud cheers on his entrance from the protectionist benches. SECOND READINGS. dispatches hc.d been received from Lieut. Shiel, giving reason to believe that he was then in prison. Dr. Wolff, who had recently left that country, had, how ever, heard that this unfortunate officer had been inhu manly murdered. So many incongruities existed, that no dependence could be placed upon this information, and the petitioners therefore intreated the House to take measures to ascertain the fate of Lieutenant Wyberg. He should to-morrow put a question, founded on the petition, to the First Lord of the Treasury. THE TEN HOURS' BILL. Mr. WILSON PATTEN presented apetition in favour of a restriction on factory labour to ten hours a day. THE CHARTIST CONVICTS. . . Mr. SHARMAN CRA WFORD presented a petition from a place in Lancashire, praying for the liberation of Frost, Williams, and Jones. RECLAIMING OF WASTE LANDS. Mr. VCIONIEI7I.; presented a petition from a place in the county of Galway respecting the propriety of reclaiming the waste lands of that county as a means of employing the people. THE GOVERNMENT MEASURES. Mr. WALKER presented several petitions in favour of the commercial measures proposed by the Govern ment. ENROLMENT OF THE MILITIA. An Hoti. MEMBER presented a petition from Saffron Walden against the enrolment of the militia. Mr. T. DUNCOM BE presented a petition from Edinburgh to the same effect; also one in favour of a total and immediate repeal of the corn laws; and another from Hertfordshire in favour of the Ten Hours' Bill. Lord J. RUSSELL presented a petition, sig..ed by the shipowners of the city of London, the petitioners stating that they did not concur in the views expressed in a petition of the shipowners of the north of Englawd against any alteration of the timber duties. They there fore prayed the House to reduce the present duties on timber. The Noble Lord moved that the petition should be printed with the votes.—Ordered to lie oa the table. THE ANDOVER UNION. An Hos. MEMBER presented a petition from the medical officer of the Andover union, Mr. Westlake, complaining that the guardians are about to dismiss him for having exposed abuses existing in the union, and praying the House to insitute an inquiry into the matter. THE CORN-LAWS. Mr. M. GIBSON presented a petition from Ipswich in Favour of the Government measure. Mr. COBDEN pres..nted a petition from Goatacre, signed by 2,500 persons, praying fur an immediate re peal of the corn•laws. NOTICE OF MOTION. Mr. EWART gave notice of his intention, on a future day, to move for a reduction of the duty on the importa tion of toreign books. SIGNATURES TO PETITIONS. Mr. BERKELEY said that he wished to call the at tention of the House to some circumstances connected with a petition which was presen:ed on Friday last. He understood that tha petition came from Cheltenham, but he had ascertained that it did not emanate from Cheltenham. but from Manchester. He e ,nsidered that to be a breach of ,the privileges of the House. He was quite ready to adopt any suggestion that could be made by the House. He had letters in his pocket to prove that a great number of the signatures to that petition were forgeries, and many of the names would never have been sub,cribed to the prayer contained in that petition. Under these circumstances he left it to the It ruse, whether it would think proper to carry the business any further. It was a subject worthy of the avention of the House, as it was a very general complaint that the petitions of the people did not command any con sideration in Parliament, and, indekd, he did not wonder at it, considering the means used in getting signatures. He therefore moved that this petition be referred to a Select Committee, before who the sig- natures should be examined. _ _ _ Mr. NEWDEGATE said that he was glad to have that opportunity of making a few remarks with respect to the practice of forging sJgnatures to petitions. He would call the attention of th House to the proceedings of the agents of the Anti-Corn-law League, with regard to the petitions that had been presented—(No, and hear) —as forgeries to a great extent had been proved therein. —(Hear, hear.) The privileges of that House were in fringed when petitions falsely representing th• opinions of the people were presented, and when wholesale fraud was adopted to misrepresent the feelings of those who had a right to vote. He was anxious that a Committee , should be appointed to inquire into the subject then be fore the House, and that the inquiry should not be confined to that alone, but should inquire into the far more serious question of undue in terference with the registration laws of the country. The Hon. Gentleman then proceeded to detail a case where 30,000 notices of objection were posted in one night in Manchester. Mr. HUME rose to order. He would be most happy to hear any statement connected with the regis tration of voters, but he submitted that the state ments of the Honourable Member had nothing whatever to no with the question before the House. If the Honourable Gentleman would make any motion for an inquiry, he would support him, but at the present time it was sorely the more proper course to abide by the forms of the. House. He had no wish to prevent the question from being brought forward at the proper time. Mr. NEWDEGATE replied that he would abide by the decision of the Speaker. He only brought torward his statement in corroboration of the facts stated by his Hon. Friend. The SPEAKER decided that, unless Mr. Newdegate wished to move an amendment upon the motion, he had better confine himself to the exact question before the House. Mr. NEWDEGATE begged to give Deuce that ne would move that it be a further instruction to the Com mittee to make particular inquiry into the case of each particular name attached to the petitions. Mr. BRIGHT, said that o❑ a termer night he offered to second a motion for a Committee, if moved for by the Hon. Member for Cheltenham; but, having received an explanation, he thought it might be well to submit it to the House before the motion was disposed of. He held a letter in his hand from the secretary of the Anti-Corn-law League at Man chester, in which it was stated that several sheets of the petition were sent to Manchester not pasted together, and the clerk, or party there, found the first sheet without signatures, and accordingly transfer red five names there to. The Member for Cheltenham was reported to have ■aid that a Mr. Barry, a miller, whose name appeared attached to a petition, had never signed it, nor had he ever authorised any person to attach his signature thereto, but Mr. Berkeley was reported in the Morning Herald to have said that he had a letter from his agent, in which it was stated that he (the ag: nt) was present when Mr. Barry did sign the petition in question. The individual who had transferred the five names to another sheet of the petition, did it in order that the petition might be such as it should be when presented to the House. That individnal had acknowledged the fact, and although it was nit one of the most prudent or regular things to do—(Protectionist cheers)—yet there could be no eoubt whatever that it might have been done without the slightest intention of infringiug the rules of the House, or presenting names to that House which were not genuine, and had not been affixed to the petition. He (Mr. Bright) had just to make an ob servation by way of explanation, and he should rather hope that the House might be satisfied with that explanation—(Cries of " No, no; from the protec tiunists)—and not feel itself bound to take any further steps. If it did, he should be most happy to second the proposition for a Commits' e to go into the matter in the most rigid manner possible, for he was quite sure that neither petitions nor anything else could be done sa tisfactorily unless the petitions were the genuine ex pressions of those who sent them. Mr. HINDLEY wished to know whether there was any other flaw in the petition that had been alluded to? Mr. BRIGHT said that the letter which he held in his hand did not refer to any; but he had no doubt, whatever from the heading of the petition, that it was the original petition sent from Cheltenham, because the wording of it was different from that in the circular which had been issued by the Anti-Corn-law League. He be lieved it to be a genuine petition, and that there was no irregularity in it except what had been referred to. Mr. FERRAND said he had received a letter front Sheffield in corroboration of the statements which he had made the other night in that Howe. He had also an extract from the Leeds Intelligences to the same effect. He had also a letter from a gentleman who resided in London, and referred him t o the engraving which had lately appeared in the Illustrated London News, as a perfectlt true re present ation of the manner in which the Anti. Corn-law Leaguers procured signatures to their petitions. And yet the petition, which had been referred to by the last named paper, had been presented by the Noble Lord, the Member for London (Lord J. Russell) : it was in fact signed by mere children, who had signed their names two ur three times over. He had also a letter which was only a dozen lines, and he would therefore trespass upon the time of the House while he read it. That letter was as follows :—" If any further information will be of any use to you in your opposition to the Anti-Corn-law League—(Opposition cheers and laughter)—l should feel great pleasure in forwarding to you the name of a man who is engaged by the League, and has affixed about 14,000 signatures to one petition from that body. There are twenty persons similarly employed.—(Loud laughter.) I also know ano:her case, in which 500 names were affixed to a peti tion by one party before he left the room in which they were written.—(Laughter.) I have no doubt that many other instances of the same kind might be brought for ward." He (Mr. Ferrand) concluded his observations by stating that be would move, as an amendment, that a Committee be appointed to inquire generally into the method adopted by the Anti-Corn-law League, in ob taining signatures to petitions to that House ?—(A laugh.) Lord J. MANNERS wished to say a few words with respect to the remarks of the Hon. Member for Durham (Mr. Bright). He happened to be walking down Gros venor-place the other day, When he heard a comfortable looking baker's:,boy say to one of his companions, "I say, old boy, have you signed the anti-corn-law peti tion ? I have signed it three times."—(Roars of laughter.) This was an isolated case, as he believed that parties were in the constant habit of signing these petitions as often as they happened to pass along the streets in which they were exhibited.—(Protec tionist cheers.) Parties were allowed to put down their names ea often as they thought proper. The SPEAKER inquired if Mr. Ferrand intended to include the case he had referred to in the motion he had submitted to the House, in order that it might be investigated by the same Committee to which the peti tion from Cheltenham had been referred. Mr. FERRAND replied in the affirmative. Mr. C. BERKELEY was anxious to say a few words The following Bills were read a second time, and ordered to be committed, viz.:— Colchester, Stour Valley, Sudbury, and Halstead Rail way. Burnley Improvement and Waterworks. Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway and Tyne Dock. Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Carlisle Branch Railway. Kennington-lar.e, &c., Lighting, kc. Mitcham and South-Western Railway. Derby, Gainsborough, and Great Grimsby Railway. Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Chester Junction Railway (Crickheath and Wem Lines). Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Cheater Junction Railways (Extensions and Deviations). North Wales Mineral Railway (Deviation and Branches). Monkland Canal. Great North of Scotland Railway. Bromsgrove Improvement and Small Tenements. Rochester Bridge. Electric Telegraph Company. Salford Hundred Court. City of London Coal Market and Improvement. Billingsgate Market. Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne, and Manchester Rail way (Peak Forest and Macclesfield Canal Purchases). Huddersfield and Manchester Railway and Canal (Old- ham Branch). lluddersfield and Manchester Railway and Canal (Hud dersfield Diversion and Cooper Bridge Branch). Wishaw and Coltness Railway (Greenhill Branch). Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock Railway (Harbour Branch), Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock Railway (Polloc and Govan Branch). Scottish Midland Junction Railway (South Inch of Perth Branch). Scottish Midland Junction Railway Branches. Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ardrossan Railway. Aston Rates. Eastern Union and Harwich Railway and Pier. London, Newbury, and Bath Direct Railway. Great Western and Uxbridge Railway. East Lancashire Railway (Deviations and Branches). Great Western and Wycombe Railway. THE CASE OF LIEUTENANT WYBERG. Dr. BOWRING presented a petition from the sisters of Lieutenant Wyberg, praying the attention of the 'louse to the circumstances attending his captivity in Bukhara, and praying the Government to take some measures, with the view of ascertaining whether he is alive or dead ; and if the former, of demanding his liberation from the Ameer of Bokhara. The facts of the case seemed to be that Lieutenant Wyberg was, in the year 1835, sent by the East India Company on a mission to Shiva, but in proceed ing through Bokhara, he was detained by the Ameer, and, it was believed, thrown into prison. Wale inquiries were ihstitated by his family, and on the subject before the House. He was bound to say that ho viewed with very great suspicion any petition from Cheltenham which came from Manchester. lie had represented Cheltenham for 14 jisars ; and ho Nino of opinion that if his constituents had any great grievance line and to military habits by European officers to complain of, they might place it in the form of-s peti- of great skill and ability. The wish of my lion. and Gallen tion, and transmit it to him to his residence in Wigrnore- Friend was, that a Seikh Government should be established in street. There was t:o necessity to send it first to Man- the Pun j aub, b y the establishment of a Mussulma n or soy Chester. He had received a cornmun;catien from Mr. Hen. other form of Government. At the same time, although DI 13 nessey, a person residing at Cheltenham, who, he believed, Regression, and although Le refused to entertain every aro' was an Irishman, and like the generality of his country- Gallant Friend was determined to resist every attempt posal' that was made to him to interfere in the d o mestic affairs men, was liable to commit great blunders.—(Great o f t h e P un j au b— an d i t must b e remem b ere d that a word front laughter.) This person stated that his name was at- him would have incited rising of the Mussulman inhabitants of tached to the petition, and that it followed that of a per- the Punjaub against the Seikh Governmant—.my Hon- an d , son named Poring, or that Pering's name followed his. Gallant Friend up to the last moment continued steadily 11 0 " Now he (Mr. Berkeley) had searched the petition with determinedly to adhere tie his resolution of abstaining frost great care yet he could not discover Mr. Hennessey's all interference in the domestic affairs of the Punjaub. WI name.—(Protectionist cheers.), my Gallant Friend had to defend, against a licentious an After a few words from Mr. ENTWISLE. abandoned army, a territory extending over a distance of on e hundred miles. It was not the intention of my friend to for . ot a Mr. P. BORT HW IC K. deprt cated the practice of copy- anything lke a connexion of fores, which would justitit: ing the names of parties to a petition, even although remonstrance on they had voluntarily signed it, because the practice was the part the . Lahore Government. "I Gallant Friend took that step which he thought most necessary liable to be abused. The Anti-Corn-law League might fur the interests of this country. At Ferozepore is stationed 1 consider the practice perfectly legitimate, but force of about 8,000 men ; at Loodianah is stations.. he considered that it interferred with the European regiment, seven regiments of native infantry's" e , rights of the people, and was liable to destroy two regiments of native cavalry. There are twenty-four Da'" the efficacy of the petitions to that House—(ileac, hear) guns, and mounted in position at Ferozepore are thirtysi ve In his opinion the Committee would do much to effect guns. My Friend intended that this should. bet: l l an alteration. advanced p ost of the British arm y , and it was s o °celery' as to be _ capable . of resisting any attack. At a dist_ .s a s a_c e „! Mr. BRIGHT then rose and stated, that in looking over a petition which he held in his hand he discovered easterly, of seeenty-six miles higher up the Sutlej, at Loodt a'' was collected a force of 5,000 men. My Gallant Prieto; the names of five petitioners, which were pasted over. object was that these two divisions of the army, stati cu l . These names were transposed and placed in another part severity-six miles from each other, should act on the illanb,' °- of the petition; he contended that, although this might any army from the Punjaub, which might be intended toes be irregular, it was clearly nu fraud. wade the British territory. At a distance, more in the Weill Mr. FERRAND rose amid loud cries of " Spoke, at Umbal!ah, was stationed another force of expo men, or a t Order." . least 7,500. The impression of my Gallant Friend was, tl ia erOY The SPEAKER having put the original resolution, it was improbable that any attack should be made by an el 0 Mr. FERRAND moved, as an amendment, " Thet it. from the Punjaub on the British forces. He knew the:4, conduct on his part would justify such an attack, and b t ee should be an instruction to the Committee teinquire into the manner in which the Anti•Corn-lew League had every assurladrastaenwth.icehtchoeuld inference, felt that neither justice n th , obtained signatures to the petitions." He believed reason bownould sanction e to mad enough re seek that a e ri army conflict from with the that the petition purporting to be presented from Chel- British l troops at Loodianah, or at Forozepure. There We l l tenham was not signed by any person in that town, but good reasons why my Gallant Friend did not for the last tt that it emanated from Manchester. or three years .raise an immense British and native arieffr; Mr. HUME said, if the amendment of the Hon. the Sutlej. Seeing within a few miles of him an array s° „a Member for Knaresborough were agreed to as it at from all restraint, my Gallant Friend did not consider it,"er present stood, it might he inferred that the Anti-Coin- that his troops should have constantly before ...e l 4 law League had been guilty of malpractices eyes the bad examples of discipline which they . o_c v nial f in getting up petitions. No 4', he had no ob- But there were military reasons for not . te 1i r. ) ..... . the main body of the army on tbe left-0, 1 e ,. / to jection to the amendment, it' it were made general, bank of the Sutlej as well as olitical. It as impess" - and if the inquiry should extend to the protection so cieties, and all societies. in general ? say to what point . an attack, if aggression w were- intenclideill would be directed. On the left bank of the Sutlej are n? Sir ROBERT PEEL had not the slightest objet - States which belong to the Punjaub protected by the P1: 1 ,,,. tion to any inquiry which the House might think Government—in these dominions, are many forts of COOT. fit to institute with respect to the practice of get able strength, and between the probable points of at tack tY cit ting up petitions for presentation to that House. were no less than t went y for ds which were consta ntl y cbaugiae,i Would it not be better to give notice for another day of their position, from the nature of the river. My H o t, to a motion for a Committee to inquire into those abuses? Gal lant Friend therefore chose to p lace two strong 1)470.0 Several inquiries might arise en the facts that might be guard the Sutlej. The one at Feroz-ore, and the ~u_re. Y ieo roe serve. His whole force for the purpose of resisting arm a stated to the House, and it would be snore in conformity Loodianah, and to keep the main body of the s"- with the usual practice of the House to decide the attack amounted to thirty regiments of native infantry; site,subject, so as to give one question to each Committee. regiments of European infantry ; twelve regiments of l e r Sir R. H. INGLIS said that he entirely concurred in cavalry. and three regiments of European cavalry. I t ot the suggestion of his Right lion. Friend, but he thought f ore think that th e House will consider that the Gove r f ee eta that there ought to be a distinction between the took every measure that possibly couldhe taken te secure se ott es two cases. The Hon. Member for Montrose had At an early period of the year, the Governor-Genr e th tall proposed to include in the inquiry all petiti , ne presented miffed to the Council his opinion, that our relations ,r i i . t ab' from the protectionists, and he placed himself in the Court of Lahore became exceedingly precarious. ,r_i .oe e to same position as the lion. Members who had already mitted his opinion that it would be advisable, with referee to spoken. The Honourable Member had made out no t l h n e dia le n ft in h t a e e r k es , t , s f , that tbe Governor-General . should p . l .7: t o rr oa the Sutlej, to give the oecessary.sl.7o, case for including the three subjects in one which, at the distance of a thousand miles, might net u` 0 00' q and it must, therefore, be some other Member pria e.The unanimous opinion of the members " t that he to state similar abuses on the part of the protectionists. c il was, that it was necessary f or th e p u bli c interests , o pt' It would be better to refer to one Committee the para. should proceed to the army, and, in conformity with °s o sa cular charge which involved a breach of the privilege of nion, he proceeded in October to join the army. 1.40 . 0„ the House, as the remaining questions might be made early period in December, the opinion of Sir Henry t toe matters of inquiry before a court of law, there being a was , that th ere would not be an irruption from the rif:oath; penalty provided by the Act. The labour of the Corn- of the Sutlej; and so certain did he feel, that he ch c e te W e e miitest might, if this course were adopted, he confined to xc u totio h n that no such thing could take place L a a,r et pa!: two (Sr three days ; but if the suegestion of the Hon• het u ld e guid . ed by experience, my Hon. and G . ': L a bo7; was perfectly right. In 1843 the Lahore army 'w ha t sra Member for Knaresborough were adopted, they might and went towards the Sutlej, and in 1844 returned, The Mr. continued for two or three months.bo ot, ce departed. In 1844, the army, eager for prey or IV s eta l Mr. NEWDEG ATE said that he had no wish to instigated by the chiefs, contemplated an irruption• the extend the labt.urs of the Committee. It was not his counts reached my lion. and Galland Friend toward s ae rie° wish to be otherwise than guided by the opinions of November, which led him to look on the rumou r as frees! of the Right Hon. Baronet; but he must say that You will find in the papers recently presented to th i e rest ed to the two casee, as put forward by the Gallant Member foe that a letter was written by Major Broadfoot, and ea . : 4_ 4f; Cheltenham and the Hon. Member for Durham (a well- the Commander-in-Chief and the Governor-Gen e ,' h et. known supporter of the League), affected one ape- contained the following passage :—" Str,—Sinee,eliters :ki 7i cific party. Their plan of operatten on the registration honour i of waiting on you, I have received Lahore t he t he l eo laws showed an extensive system of forgery and deceit. e l f Bt t h ha " t nst., which state that on the night of the Wu does V'ilea army agreed on the following elan of opera f 0 He should move on the next day that the case of the army has been divided into seven 'divisions, fou r ° tit° Warwickshire election should be inquired into. • '3ll ter s to/ are to be employed in an attack on the British b to Mr. CHRISTIE did not conceive that it was very It was then determined that four divis ons of t p h o e et S io e bots pot a t o ,. conCucive to the purposes of justice that each pro- should make four separate attacks in various tectionist Member should rise to make statements territory. The Durbar considered that they e u e g e eagb e e, to the House, always assuming that a forgery had make an united and concentrated attack, but tufg dieit;ad been committed. cross the Sutlej at four different places, andes4 e res_yth Mr. FERRAND—Why, it is admitted—(Cries of consisting of 8,000 or 12,000 men, to make four f . - oo dl o i t simultaneous attacks on the British possessions. it s w_ej eha s e w e " No, no")—the Hen. Member for Durham admits that a forgery had been comtnittecl.— (t :ries of " No, no.") hail cto h b e e e r e ( print d, they the willll House referhe difficult t e h e e lt dl i r lso re to ) • 1 Well, there is no difference between transferril,g , a sit , - 7- , foreseen the ' ultim'ateleYdecsiosn see how th w e posers at,l' a .,lbs i lra nature and committing a forget y.—(Cries of " Order.") will observe in the account which was - written att' - ero , e t, Colonel SIBTHORP had been accused of being e sultation at Lahore, in a letter written by m a jor .ter es . e fa member of a certain society for the protection of home that of the 21st November, to the Ranee, or feu: ;eriog a tt grown corn, and he had been pestered for the last three one of the chiefs, declared, while the t.ooes we r e to b b l years with a number of anonymous letters by members their villages, that if something was not done . : to y t Rig of the Anti-Corn-law i.eague, especially by a person his way to Ferozepore. M any of the Seikh ' f tb . o • - tbs of the name of Rawlings, in order to obtains from him that these proceedings would come to n othing. - 5 1,00 1 7 er e..) the number of renters on his estates—a sort of low fellow, Hon. Baronet then referred to other docurn e ee n t :we i g ot ter 0 0 not worthy of notice perhaps, but he only wished that Proceedings before Decemberthe battles the B ti o s h t It e l e o d od n k a e t i a 0 k n ative trn 00: t he these gentlemen would call at his house, for he felt very march from Umballak to the banks of the buti e j . ...l 1 0 ,,4,1 4 much inclined to apply to them the argament bacu- w h o le p rocee d ings o f th e Governor-Ge tu " e hers et ' - tb s linunt. One gentleman had very obligingly r quested Commander-in-Chief on that day were bed o 0 ee, him to become a member of the Anti- Menopely by the greatest prudence. They niarcto fer°s:oo Association, and had particular begged for his assist- 11 th from Umballah, with 7,500 since in that most sacred cause.—(Laughter, and cries where they found, through the provident t' f r o f f e eted aj r tba f of " Order, order.") But, without any further re- Governor-General, abundant supplies, and . _ it he tte_ e risk. fere, ce to the Members for North Cheshire, South with the troops at Loodianah. They thougutit to sou t i w e tir. Lancashire, South Cheshire, and the West Rs ding of concentrate their forces and expose Lootneasurad theeso,ooooori Yorkshire, he begged to ask wisest the Noble Lord, the rather than to divide the army. They h t , , amounting t ° „000- °r a w late Member tem South Nottineehemehire, the present.v_ehale of the arm > of the a. a , ,"p u lt. . - bill bO,OOO, men Iran crossed the Sutlej. ch. ro _ A Chief Secretary for Ireland, was like's to be in his place ? Hole and Gallant Friend were justified by the They b 7 Oh Perhaps it might be that he was rather hasty in snaking was a force of 7,500 men in Ferozepore. .„„ tose poic; tbs the inquiry, but he wished the House and the country to thirty-five heavy gusts in their possession at r` t tb , that ws o f - il he put in possession of the information as soon as pus. the addition of twenty-four smaller pieces,' m eans ..4 st Bible.--(Cries of "Question.") DY 11 0 '0 amount of the Ferozepore army, and it was s e dt , oa ct I s After a few words from Mr. COLLETT, in which he small army that Ferozepore was saved. . I wa s sa tteo o, was understood to withdraw a motion, notice of whi c h Loodianah hearing that the directGovernor-Genel its a seids; he had previously given, with a term from Umballah, determined to ea the eV, sudden attack uP" er ebere o reo Mr. BRIGHT - presented a petition, signed by 650 to Ferozepore, and made a .„,, of oec „ i _ o p inhabitants of the town or Reading (as we understood and native forces at Moodkee ..n the i?'a: miles of (onc e ; te?, e , the Hon. Gentleman), praying that the House would marches, suffering been x r marc i hing fr L i " wao t I the t . n t . not record'a vote of thanks to the troops engaged in the elicit, however, 's was the e d t is e erp e lin Y e and g allaittrY b l of 11 : 1 :4 is late affair in India, which was ordered to lie on the though inferior in number, they repelled the w e sne re 'ss ib ' ber au" noed i noll table. taclung force of at least treble the num ._„ .t . 0 0 , 'Thretbougb!,o4o THE INDIAN ARMY. capturing seventy odd guns. The Send) ?ir ie te it e froe s ehei e thus repulsed by a civisien of our army . b :table i ut . r e:lolo l° of from Umbaliah, retired into very Wray f a pare. e f e the glacis of which extended in true farm e.. p ip M ee Ror k ' i a mile in leng.h and half a mile in breadtb°, 00.3110,11.101 t. that great army, supported by 150 guns. the Lo .. w et te . , manship. his Hon. and Gallant Friend and triatte an et Pi a in-Chiet, Sir Hugh Gough, determined t . °_,. oe sitr e ieftt so t They advanced to within three miles of. ht s l o t tt i l; eo : i e ,ei enemy, and after nnanceuvring to the u,_ e e r h ig lcia en -d eist , .i r ef, consequence of a previous notice to ti l l sele / isll to Sir John Littler in the course?' of we - .r 'O obtained an addition of 7,5 00 men nt Fr ie°- 'd , ' l ' b .iir The Commander-in-Chief and my Galla . oto ssa_ e aer .„ previously offered his services as second itllhreoeorthe pee, services had been cheerfully accepted bY , farc e 0 oe fer' a f thAt e c grorc es: ll o,4 - s i C a h u t h c , f, h a e f i t d e r e e effect e n r g e h t e h e i s , j a u a n d c t itohne withresult n_e e 1. was a resolution at once to attack the epentiaiao vote gi., that attack proved the velour of the Brit" ._° ..ow i e elger oe . , She paramount degree, and the warmest acal at ocea' oo of due to them for their great exertions on ea r i s her ' l IVA, 0 4 I believe the night of the 2lst of De.c coun try., rt ittee, r o most memorable in the recores of this h great ' ° ,.01 Os!' lery of the enemy was maintained with Br i t ish „ psy m t es energy. The right wing of the the left. . I .'.;' toad they led on by the Commander-in-Chief , an d ' d lOvi bat o il lent Friend, who was second in con tn ai n dayligh t _' e fterttas attack during the three retraining hours o ..t.ieh w as_ ..o33 , la had not time to complete the v ictorye n T er " o f the are plot so successfully obtained when the remal * he deteli t ' or eet it ish Lahore came u to their assistanee• a ,..' eira ele.c: soo a."ers by both Commanders-in-Chief with admit the ',fettles there have been private letters received I ., ,ner jay_7 oo , o o a t o speak of the action with less formality, an , " r . id 1 the - u t fe.e P o ill' force than the &patches. Perhaps, O cc ur , Gall o wo f%,ber give me for reading a letter written by bee j 0( his t)/ P ecc l i .d ° Governor-General of India to a luem,he 2 1st we iter' o es-, The letter commenced by stating ibs e t i lf - of tb e . h g ameye h ,i, e hie par hst was the most extraordinary day 10 • me nt vi• • t ish v , t t found himself in company with a regl.f. the NO so s es. 4 s for itself immortal fame in the annals ' 0 e very r e ieoroe,..er in th u sh e r ,' vs s hi s ° Getler s ebt 4 m we ea m n a t a h t e fig B h U t th it re e g e t t m ; regiment . melisitseatntastevi;rl‘l::lit! e rie t til? f i rie .... 9 :ll o, lr. o l daybreak, or die honourably sary for me to read the letter, as it ,! ot old the ". get tire. ( Hear, hear.) The Ga l , l a Do w ~ers tO . oe fe commanded with him says: B r itish e°lal close 0 ; it i° occasionally called to the he carne tnG e rlent fro ° ol up anti punish the Seikhs when t Y Morning li t a 131. 3 wet era impudent.—(Laughter.) I n the e w i t han - sesa ge sed as , true English style, and we drove 01 m i. .. o ur P aces , . P. O lop s extremity of the camp to the other°. us me i r e ae tel , is. t o ot;: u about 40 guns, which were fired 0 1 u e tr r th t e o r - e t ejoece a s g ul re :p a s s : a w el e m h i a r v ah e i s y us s t e a r i e n e e d d . in T officers,h e m e r f n w f killed. The fire was very heavy, 4 Fre nch , we nt 1 ota! The Seikhs were trained by the u ri my frieueotted!ooo,_; ° trona I°° P e fficer li 'sreell . e most warlike men.—( Hear, hear..),..., ou the i ta ee d 1111. e a% giment to regiment as they were t . l Y e Ta . fie l e ) . 1 00 0111; 00 o PL. thiepythlBeirysepariraitesf age,and i a e ni f m re a e t t in e l th u g drive had 01° err lshg eo es l l: o o °- 0 that they might not fire, but mightere f r iend re _ eoa e o t h ere s guns by the force of the bayonet . ~_i' t h e p v s eye j t; barite of them was a civilian. He sai h d int lo ' whe c°° aficer ,6 det a 0 disturbed him, and he ordered _.„.. e ras :al io wore fief 0 while the presence of the other,o°..l7 to giv e ri to aw ed — boo military duty to perform, served r ... „ s ov er, o °. d 00 0 , o ho mo p resolution. When the clang: we t he battle, ae ne oerir the t w t ets a l ? s r a e ir t - r7 th a e fee l f e l f• tb el ei s e i l t es iii i; took the son, who had m be ig e h n t i the Sepoys, that they lost a hand, and his the wh° h ad as well a lo ceetio to h sir s iv e casualties occurred to the highestbefore , th e e 0 I t osot 1 . of ranks. Sir, as I have statedith so touch [lea rn sure thei gar ebe b oo tary operations are give° ° L ief , ant I a u f t ,„ ever/. h thel e stir Gough and Sir Henry Har e statement s ploits " oat ear tioeP ee o produced by further allant e all ° t d i° r ut - t faction derived from these g . _ hic k, we les offee eel counterbalanced by the regret w rose o f th . e 6 lot. th, illosi reading of the loss of so m any t° en ~a , latheeentireeuasde,wrihthatmlucwhir niv::e;satihis,fefamectitinhoeen..egkebtevnellietbortaitooree:ol whom on many former occa i c losed a if for 00 0 i n so Robert Sale has h i o sse o f a i t .0 praise. Sir n which he ht wor t "..i Itr Csj ee o° l o We have had the misfortune ao°l::htaTiea-ribgesetrreseeectroo! Itiols; glory in a manner . i , p ee inent i ln e e f 10 0 , er t ast ad d We have also to deploeif the I D°' --- eividua' s "r 0 09 r ies 'As Major Broadfoot, two of net refer to in e their Etta 0111° ( else of the country. I will . that his gallant ex I can assure to t bese be 0 ° do A s t e ling plods steiatllhbee I t o rg f Ge ol.- 0 iptprao,,s.., a t L o f t hisos it might appear invidiou"sin hear. d ID° eible et. es testify tlie t : o r p : tho e t bout etbile7ollo°,l will be conveyed to every r were eicc a3l° s eecial l Y i t oosr e e tb --(Hear, hear.) If there _ ieht he r e the ..„, 0 , .. to re House and the courwitirlyl egnnent an. n 9 so. refer.rep e e th m e i i n r ea v t al m ou e r e ,. onside by in v e " a ter of some particular for, c • e d . il is . 1 . is not one s os tain in soo t ent t o feel the present evere losse er °c c 0 0 of es' tation, and the a on form stog i e , iia vel ri iee§* 0 re iments on this as. 5 , o f a he VD er se w en s g ht a deficiency . ohe t ._ (several, rd , i a to say t a f recollectio of L eer t he , ' os (;ether put out e and the g lory t u bs , tbe 00 4 a. tha t w ad former achievements, certain • due re e_eand see°. e. Sir, lam • e their eror ( aid ( Hear, hear.) men.—(Hear, dilreeagrintents in 6 , of their country— (every ma n its he vs WI House will give t° c y t o -T t i le rs will .- cheering.) sir, I do. ra engaged in this aff ai(riar,rehceealar, azdnipcgitettils4.......oo .......,..4 Sir R. PEEL—I am about, Sir, to propose that one of the highest rewards that can be bestowed on suc ceesful gallantry be conterred by this House. I am about to propose that the thanks of' the Commons House of Parliament of this great empire shall be offered to the officers, and men under their comman t, who have recently, on the banks of the Sutlej, under very trying circuinsta• ces, by their discipline and valour sustained the reputa tion of their country, and proved themselves worthy of the service to which they belonged. Sir, I was not prepared, until interrupted by the Hon. Member for Durham, to believe that it could be possible that Enelishrnen, who, seeing the circumstances of unprovoked aggression which called for the exertions of these men, who, seeing what th• it just cause was amid their devotion to the interests of their country, could sign a petition such as that which now lies on the table of this House.—(Loud cries of „ Hear, hear.") I say, I believe it hardly possible that in this country any body of men could be found to sign a petition grudging such a vote of thanks to the Indian army as that I am about to propose.— ( Hear, hear. ) Sir, the resolution which I intend to propose will not touch upon any matter of merely a political nature. In conformity with established usage—an usage which we have become accustomed to in this country ; the preposition which I have to submit will be confined t the acknowledgment of military skill, ability, and valour; and those who may be disposed (if any there be) to question the policy of the Governor- General of India will not be in the slightest degree compromised by the vote of thanks I mean to propose. Sir, however I may be convinced of the justice and moderation, and wisdom which has characterised the con duct of my Gallant and Right Hon. Friend, the Governor- General of India, yet 1 shall studiously abstain, even in the observations which 1 shall make, from any reference to his po litical policy, except such as may be necessary to elucidate the military operations in which our arms in India have been latterly engaged.—( Hear, hear.) Sir, with that country which is immeiiiately concerned in these military operations, with its position, with its government, with its population, we have become internally acquainted by the events of the last five year,. The Punjaub, and the history of the Punjaub, is probably well known to every one whom 1 am addressing, from the connexion and relation with the neighbouring country of Caubul. The House .s well aware that by the ability and energy of Runjeet Singh peace was established in that country, and that for many years, through his energy and ability, he ruled the destinies of that 'great country in a powerful and beneficial mariner. But from his death, which took place in 1839, great. changes have ensued. Since that year there has bees a series of acts of cruelty and intrigue, in consequence of the murder of his predecessor by Runjeet Singh. That Government has presented a picture of licentiousness and debauch ry so extravagant, that it might be calculated to cause a smile were it not for those instinctive feelings of horror which the contemplation of such acts would produce when considered in relation to the welfare ef so many millions under the control of such a Government. The acts of this Government have been mainly directed and controlled by the soldiers, by whom Runjeet Singh had established himself by means of his great victory. That power has, since his death, been constantly controlling the civil and military power of the Punjaub. It is difficult to speculate upon any of the stets that may have been committed by a Government in s•_ ch a state; but it appears clear that the chief objects •f the Government of that country, and the prin cipal landed proprietors and chiefs in that country, has been to provoke a collision with the British army, in order, not to sustain their military reputation or their fame, but as a means of saving themselves horn subjection to that licentious army, by sacrificing it in a conflict with the British. That appears to have been the main object which has been kept in view, and which has guided the decisions of the councils of the Pursjaub. I well know, however, what was the object of my Hon. and Gallant Friend, Sir H. Hardinge, in undertaking the Government of India. He made great sacri• flees to a sense of public duty. He held a prominent place in the councils of thit country. Ho was beloved, without re. ference to party division, and he was held in general esteem— ( Hear, hear) —as well by his political opponents as by his colleagues in office. He was regarded by the army as its friend, because he was a friend of justice to all ranks. It was proposed to him at a period of life when ambition offer less of a stimulus than at an earlier period ; it was proposed to him to leave his place in the councils of his Sovereign, to forego the satisfaction which he had in seeing that he was the object of general respect, to separate himself from that family of which he was the chief, to perform a public duty, which he thought he owed his Sovereign and his country, and un dertake the arduous duties of Governor-General of India. He went there with a high military reputation. Ile went not to establish his fame by obtaining victories on the Indian continent; his object was to gain a name in the annals of England as be ing the friend of peace and promoter of civil welfare in India —( Hear hear). Sir, I believe it was in a great part the military character and reputation of my Gallant Friend that enabled him to kesp in cheque and subjection the enemies I , of India. He thought the dominions of the British crown in India were already sufficiently extensive, and while he was . op posed to making forcible additions to them, he was e'etermirred to resist every attempt at aggression on the part of neighbouring powers. His desire was to see a n ative go vernment established in the Punjaub, capable of maintaining its . institutions, and res toring discipline and subordination in the greatr army of the Lahore. The Lahore army was composed en of gretat natural valour and great r bys:cal itreogth, traine d to silavr.