The Sun. — London, England, 1855-02-17 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 17, 1855. CRIM .STOPOU the mode of re c 6 30th ult. is u. alfsE WIAL PARMA Ai EN T. nvf rtni e tr j D u perl ° ? ortP ° Vol , e" ;dfau of J bse oc gto tbt l boo r 9 5, f ot o 1 y V" 10 :):'r e ' n ',l3+ at 4 ! Or je b tr , ',l e ) 5 ' 'o ll • I.t/ clo t . I , j e lien Pbeeilir,(go t rig 0, a l: J 3 I , 01;. •co 4 ' i % v nIP n si j ti A4O Cf 1 4 ° 0 -, , c11 v oeg c o' , h e 0' 0 47 8 10 1 .,, LP, 39 igio ti , ' f :' ,c „ ot i f l) 7 !,( lei ) l a va to g el 7° " t ill re r , , e 4 05' i COP/ 1 4 illor) . e t • t ee' . -011 -or tltd to 'l2O en if th ta t already given directions to Lord Raglan that when, from cir cumstances such as these, a' regiment .was so reduced by casualties as to induce him to send it away, that it should 1101toze eie be sent home to this country rather than to the depots in the h,. --.2 , OF LORDS--(YESTERDAY.) A 4 Mediterranean, where it might disturb others, and give a i 6 1113 CHANCELLOR took his seat on tee woolsack l's W e e, , false and exaggerated impression of the hardships of the e t q i 1, do c k . campaign. With reference to the last point to which eh rCIWIS presented a petition from ' a brooch of noble earl adverted, he must say that he quite agreed wit him in thinking that the officer of a regiment, or the captain "Eneand Extension Society against . any of a company, was quite as much, - and perhaps ev en more, The College of Maynontle. entitled to credit and reward for taking care of the men under RAFTESBURY . presented a petition his charge than for leading them •on in the field. (Hear.) ration of spirits from grain. Anoth er point to which the noble earl referred was the selec- THE se ARMY: tion of General Sim p son for service in the East, to ho , ENBOROUGH wished to call the attention claims and character he had hardly done justice. Thewnoble earl appeared to be under the same impression as that of the Gary of War to two pledges which were public in general, that General Simpson had . been b s u c t o t t ha o t ut w t a o s / weeks ago by the noble duke who lately take the command of one of th h e ad va h c e it e n n t o d o i l v i i e s d ions, into action for a namely, that a clasp should be granted to ntthe ease, and e. his F s i o o rvi ra ' services a t that he could learn of the state ight at Balaklava, and that he would corn- . different of th a pu y rPo h a e believed the general staff required to be in- First Lord of the Admiralty, and ewer- spected - from -its head to the lowest member, andte situation done, or was intended to be done, with that there ought to bo an officer in ouheadsr army of departments in h linen engaged in the battles 'in front of Se- of chief of the staff, to convey ,tothe express hi . hope that in a matter so inti- . the orders of the General, and whose duty it should be to see that those orders were properly, quickly, and implicitly carried with the feelings of the army, the 'present out. - There was a corresponding office in existence in the not neglect to do that which the late Go- French army, instituted in the time of Napoleon, and this was ootnised. - The n ble duke had also promised the mission with which General Simpson had been charged. /Id b e f oun d e d on th e pr i nc ipl e o f th a t Of His duty as chief of the staff would b e to take Lord Raglan's Austria, and that of St. Cent° of Prussia, . orders, and convey them- to the quartermaster-general mid adjutant-general ; to inspect and review each of the staff de anon soldiers as well as the officers te obtain ' partments throughout all its ramifications, and to report to 'ewards. He did hope that no time would Lord Raglan the fitness or unfitness e kofntohelevzieouhseohffinceleorsf ,fog an order of such eminent utility, and composin Simpson,g those sbranches.well,ts. From :way for which 'was the more immediately serving in those a epartments and their capability of performingoftheth character w of the officers eir troops were fighting by the side of the the duties devolving upon them, he felt convinced that the Ted on the day following a battle .from the gallant general would make the departments of the Quarter- . iral the military decoration which rewarded master-General and Adjutant-General more efficient than, ho alour. (Hear.) A short time before the was sorry to say, they appeared at present to be. He had 'mike of Newcastle) . left office, he introduced great confidence in the zeal and capacity of General Simpson, 'ice an alteration of great importance, by who had assured him that, though age had crept upon him aiagement of the animals engaged in the since he was engaged in the service to which the noble earl 1 the army and its baggage from the commis- had so handsomely referred, yet he believed himself still ca- He trusted there would be no objection pablo of rendering efficient service to his country. He begged the 'minute or memorandum by which the now to proceed with the duty of presenting to their lordships Istituto& (Hear.) He wished to take this a bill, which he hoped to be able to carry through as speedily 'verting to t w o or three points of consider- ,as possible, for enabling her Majesty to limit the period of Their lordships must have observed that service still further in the army. Their lordships were aware la had been granted " for distinguished that the period of service was limited in 1547 to a period of in some cases very painful doubts had' ten years by the act passed in that year. That act had not :et to the correctness of the judgment been in operation for-a sufficiently long time to enable them eromotions had been awarded; and in or- to judge of the - effect of a short period of enlistment, but in , em, and to prevent them arising in future,. the present emergency, with the view of obtaining a class of 1., that it would be very desirable that, men more capable of enduring the hardships of war than those the nature of the distinguished services who were now commonly enlisted, he proposed to introduce He knew very well that let the honesty a bill to enable her Majesty in Council to declare that she * his exertions to discover merit and re- would accept the services of any man willing to enlist in her hey might, his decision would not in all Majesty's service for any period under ten years, taking those the public opinion of the army. But men at an age not under 24 nor above 32. This would enable iuld be made to render the promotions them to engage a class of men for a short period of service, honours awarded, entirely in conformity who would be fit to undergo•immediately, from the strength 'the army itself. In order to assist the -of their constitution, the hardships of the field, and who, on Is respect, and for other reasons, he would completing the period of their service, might not find them rernment that it would be desirable that selves tied to a profession they had no desire to continue iu. the example which had been set in the This would be taking a step in the right way fee providing oft war, both by the Emperor of Russia their' army with proper recruits, inasmuch as to take young , f France, and send out from time to time men of 18, and send them out to the Crimea within 6 months mid visit the army and return and report after they had left their homes to represent the valour of the that they might become thoroughly in- coun t r y, was t o sen d. th em 't o a t as k f or w hich they were real state in which things were. • (Hear.) totally unfit.' Great complaints had been made—he was not et, he could not help adverting to the ex- in a Position to say whether with justice or not—against the .Unpleasant feeling which had been created in commissariat department of file army in the East. It had promotions having been granted almost been said that that department had been lax in obtaining the staff rather than to regimental officers. provisions and supplies, and in distributing them when ob s was no doubt that officers of the staff were tamed, and that it had to a great extent failed in maintain personal danger—certainly were less exposed lu g the army in the condition which they had reason to ex `time and discoinfort—than the officers of the pect. He had, therefore, determined to send out a commis a' hand, perhaps, their duties were of a mission to inquire into the whole of these matters, and he what more intellectual description. But - had obtained for that commission the services of a gentleman :es performed by the officers of the line whose name he had but to mention to prove to their lord dal to the very existence of an army, and of ships that he had endeavoured to find for it the man most lighest importance that the Government recommended by former services rendered in the East—Sir sly- informed with respect to the manner in John Macneill. That distinguished gentleman had under- Performed. When troops in tie§ field were 'taken immediately to leave the employment he filled with heal fighting, the proportion of cases of sick- so much credit to himself and usefulness to this country in ) the whole number of officers and privates Persia, and to conduct a searching inquiry into all that had :tty much the same. But there was no taken place. He had not the slightest doubt that Sir John lin the Crimea the sickness and deaths Macneill's knowledge of the sources orsupply would prove of rtes had infinitely exceeded the proportion the greatest use, and enable him to render the utmost possi borne to their whole number, according to the ble service on this commission. With respect to the hospi 'of sickness and deaths amongst the offi- tales, they had taken great paius.within these few days to in 'as not aware of any reason which could ac- form themselves as to the exact state of these establishments. enordinary discrepancy, and if the Govern- They had already taken means to clear out the hospital at leer to the Crimea, as he had. recom- Scutari, and place it on a more healthy footing, and ho had the first subject to which his attention sent out instructions to remove from it the depot of troops ,• He observed, from the accounts received qua•teked there with.the women and children, so that the nit there was the greatest discrepancy in the barracks might be placed exclusively under the control of ikness in regiments placed in precisely simi- the medical department. Above all, he had put an end to That was a subject requiring the c,osest that which struck him as the great source of many serious scarcely, possible that a regiment should moral evilso-the sale of ardent spirits within its limits. They as some had been, in such a way that tho had also established an hospital for convalescents at Smyrna, commissioned officers were practically ex- entirely under the control of civil practitioners. They had the officers remained, without there being taken means also of providing opposite to Scutari hospital lay on the part of the commanding officer accommodation for 5,00 e men, in detached buildings or huts, Wherever one regiment or one company apo which would be placed under the charge of a staff of civil More free from sickness than others placed practitioners, for he regretted to say that the army medical ' circumstances, the conduct of the corn- staff was scarcely able to supply the demands made upon it by ker the ca pt a in to whose care of his men this the serv i ce. T hese, i t wo uld b e a d m i tte d , were great and lin o ite e r eceive the strongest marks of approbation portant improvements, which should be carried out with the reein o S i ltrand that he should receive promotion. l eas t poss ibl e d e l a y, f or h e was aware th a t th ere m i g ht b e Peared, as in the case of the 63d Regiment, demands made at any moment for hospital accommoda- N V been almost destroyed without there tion for the sick and wounded, which, unless measures te e circumstances to account for it,, it was were taken b e f ore h an d , it wou ld b e u tt er l y impossi lOpovernment to mark in the strongest man- bl e t o. su pply. H e h a d b een f orc ibly struck b y th e - .tion of the officer in command. (Hear.) . imminent chance of a great danger arising out of the ' Which he desired to advert was this. He state of the camp, occupied, as it had been, by a largo army noble baron had appointed General Simp- stationary in it for- some months. (Hear.) Although the ° tle of the divisions of the army of the Cri- inconveniences thus created might not be perceived at pre eei thought it right to state what he knew sent, when things were locked in the icy grasp of winter, yet the beginning of 1843, when Sir Charles the moment the sun began to'warn them, fermentation would -in Salud a , he (the Earl of Ellenborough) take place, and the refuse of the camp would breed a pesti tensions that, in consequence of his illness, lence unless immediate measures were taken to prevent it. stro ke, the army might be suddenly de- Accordingly, on Friday last, he had addressed despatches 'to . L ;cs; and he had also reason to fear that, Lord Raglan, directing him to take steps in conjunction with iee Prevailing in the army, the command our ambassador at Constantinople to get formed a corps of ,'4 B totally inefficient. Undet these eir- scavengdrs, which would immediately- proceed to perform " 18 (the Earl of Ellenborough's) duty to saaven g er's work in the camp. (Pleat.) In order to have 'lore Indian army the . man whom he C 01181.• proper directions and superintendence in the performance of 3310 for the command. 1-le chose General the work, ho had ,deterinined to avail himself of the services Oharles Napier afterwards told him that he of three , gentlemen connected with the sanitary operations of :looted a better man ; that he was a perfectly this great city, sending out one to the hospital at Scutari, - w who, under all circumstances, would- do andetwo others to Balaklava and the camp, to take the au el be done. Undoubtedly, 12 years, no incon pervision of all sanitary arrangements,' with* the view of ob a man's life, had since elapsed, and he (the viating the danger that would otherwise arise of the ravages tgh) should not have liked now to appoint of disease. Another point to which he wished to refer was , i ' without having ascertained by a private and the transport service of the army, to which his noble friend s4 t ilati l r .`t , rview with him that he felt that perfect cona- who preceded him in office had given his attention, as his i' l k,t t tl Ority lil ti alth was such as to enable him to perform right Lou. friend at, the head of the Admiralty bad turned his ~,"4 41 t - t t ls !etititn, duties of his command. But, supposing attention to theseaservica. His right hon. friend had thonght "k 8 o u lt a e e ltilat interview was satisfactory, he did not it right, and he entirely concurred in the view, to establish r 4 e / lth - li e (17. te nPPointment could have been made ; that a transport board, which during the war should bo charged -e. (kip- - ';aaZ: i llig that the principal commands in the with the transport of our army and other stores, and which t 00. .) i n the hands of officers of that advanced should be iu immediate communication with the Minister 1 of 14 0 . 4 • - War, so that no delay might occur in forwarding st ores to the ee ' after expressing his regret that the noble points where they were wanted. Ho m i g ht mention further vet, hat h _ l an , notice of the questions which he had that, e s General Harr y Jones had arrived out to take the ° quite concurred with him in thinking that command of the Engineer department, ho had t hou g ht it I am re wards were distributed to the army for his duty to recall Sir John Burgoyne to the offi ce he had long filled with so much advantage to this country—that t 'la the field or for their 'good conduct, the o f inspector-general of fortifications under the Board d i of I }, ll ° lt rs were conferred the more weight would Ordnance. Another great subject, though of ow see s o e v n y , , e t-- :, ' he m. And he therefore quite agreed with moment to t the s cthenatditoifoietheofeivtlille alrayn of the nil ' '' ill thinking that no time should be lost in in l itar t y h administration. aawa‘ To this department Government was turning ' t l)l l ° , ini ses given by the noble, duke (the Duke of its attention as speedily as possible ; but until he could say 'no sanction of the Government of which he that everything had been done and was doing in order to re ' more especially those relating to that new class medy trio neglects and' deficiencies that had occurred in the the British army to which reference had been Crimea, and could give satisfactory assurances teat things would go on better for the future, subject to no other casual manner true that much consideration must be ties than such as we had,no control over, he could not promise 'ianner in which those honours were to be con that we might derive the benefit of the ex- to lay before their lordships any statement as to the adminis -1:0113 foreign countries into whose services they tration of the civil branches of the army. But he hoped be fore long to be able to do So,. and" to point out a method by uhoed' but he could assure their lordships which, under the control of one Minister, the civil adiuinis nki be lost in taking steps to enable the tration of the army might be Concentrated, whilst its diseip -1.1 the army and navy to be rewarded imme line-was maintained under the, control of the Commander-in. ' the scene Whore they took place. The next! the n o bl e ear l a d ver t e d was w ith respect to Chief. As soon as they obtained a sufficiency of transports, it was the intention of Government to establish a communication which the entire credit was - clue to the noble every week or ten days between Scutari and England, with held,of Newcastle) who preceded him in the steam-boats fitted up as hospital ships, capablelof bringing and who, so far from having neglected,. having home ' 300, 400, or even 500 wounded or sick, who would be , his ng attended to the interests of the army far sooner restored to - the • service of the army, or at least to ,',k ktil ▪ i'l lts_at ',char . ge, had, as he (Lord Panmure) had h health, at borne, than they could possibly be at the place e es to belieoe, done the utmost to ,conduct -t e where they now were ; for he had been informed, both. by i,„ a department_ efficiently, although, from various medical gentleinen and others, that such was the state of the 14R e wa ma r mainly from the circumstance that we were her- medical in those regions that wounds scarcely ever healed k 4,„, t ind i ,rh a peace establishment—neither .. he nor f properly, and, fever supervening on them, were hardly cur- V Kith able. could have administered the affairs o able. Under these circumstances, it appeared to him that, ZOO, e a Much more success than he had done. Much, with a view to saving the, lives of the men, the most effectual e \Nlit be r ehlained to do; but what the noble - duke had means thatconld bo taken was at once to remove to their ~Oi` the great made the groundwork of future proceedings. homes in this country the sick and wounded, so that they \ kik / N IP : 4 s in theett improvements that these taken place in the might have the benefit of comforts procurable hero, and might 1 14 we eti establishment of orps known as the recover health much more rapidly than if left in the hospitals i t e it ralis t3° , l : miss," which supplied the' place of the abroad. (Hear.) . . i eieliti Lt abed to the Duke of Wellington's army. tiltlte l tt the g officer of this corps, which had been formed The Earl of SHAFTESBURY said the statement of his noble friend at last afforded some hope of mitigating, if not to e xertions of the noble duke, embarked on Mon- L)t - wth tZ4.%1 e seat of war, and the officers and men of the avertin g , the great disasters that seemed hanging over the 1.,,5t i,, quickly as possible rallyround him. He would heads of our army in the East. He was apprehensive, how i7see,, t ee , 8 charge, altogether independently of the com - ever, •that we had not yet retched the maximum of the s eo t - Sb e Viltire land transport of Lord Raglan's army. danger' and that the amount of disease created by the diffi- OsTte of 'to which the noble earl adverted was as to the culties and privations endured throughout the winter would ' ' t i , e nding out an officer to the Crimea, to see and be as nothing compared to that caused by the sun's heat in the coming spring. At present, the hospiatals in the East o K NO the actual state of the army. Well, it was his ol▪ e :o h , the house that the Cabinet had already deter- were in such a state that it was almost impossible that any , eNeNt e " . .‘ out an officer who should report as to the sick our wounded man who entered one should recover ; and ', e ol e . Oe e :f the army, both physically and morally; who only that morning he had seen a letter stating that those in Balaklava were more filthy than any knacker's yard in the t eele eo n illeate with Lord Ra . glan, and be able to inform th O l Vil - ",nt with, espect to his views, not only h :gl i wmas e. city Of London. He felt exceedingly grateful to his noble friend for the steps he had taken to improve the medical and 4, 1 40.7 op e nY, but also as to the . campaign lOOes k eel ': This duty would require forex w ecu le tion an other arrangements of the army, and anticipated the greatest eN t le ° standmg--one, in whom the . greatest confi- possible benefit from the appointment of the commission to exam* into what had taken place. 0 k ' s l' th e ' reposed—and one between . whom and the corn- OtiNlie , rl nY' jealousy could not arise. Having found I The Earl of HARROWBY wished to know if anything was •,t Person he (Lord Panmure) hoped at an early to be done to improve the condition of the harbour of Bala ee'tOe(.lDot M ' possession of his report, and that by that klava. He feared that the appointment of Admiral Boxer k'''le, the l te -- , ° s ve rllment might'beenabled to act on many points to the command at that place was . not one that would beth%et i'l iltile - ' s4e cess thanhadyetattendedtheitefforts. Henow assuring to the public mind, associated as the name of , of LI e '- 'ltee - ° nicht of promotions,. which . was a very difficult officer had been with all the defects in the arrangements elle're, eCnieeect for those to deal with who were at home, the transport service at Scutari. n , , b er refore, not perfectly aware of the services that Lord PANMURE could state that whilst Admiral Boxer Netee to °rated. He believed that - the promotions which had been appointed as the officer with immediate control ; anCaee dabe for " distinguished services in the over the harbour, instructions had been given to Sir Edmund k ti e ll e tt ilee '°t naery as the noble earl had said " for ( Rs - , Lyons, in conjunction with Lord Raglan, to take ever? , step 'i;teZ of: sr viees." Now, if Lord Raglan, or the com- ! possible to see that the existing confusion was brought into a iNil i netlf l s Y e ar nlY recommended an officer for promotion state of something like order. Civil officers, accustomed to Mme heel services in the field, he did not see how the the business of custom•houses, had also been sent out to assist 'eh• " 4 hi." at home could go into further details with re- in landing and taking charge.of the stores. 1 4 !It h „ 4 ‘ t,,, - SerViCes. It must be assumed that .they were The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH wished to knew if Sir John e" ti lelie war riont the general commanding-in-chief in re- , Macneill -would have authority to remove any obstructions kieOl'ilt and his promotion ; for he though:. it would be vet y and redress any grievauce he' might discover, or only to re ek't'tie'he f scn neoehat dangerous for those who were 3,0 A _ port as to their existence. It appeared to him that one great ,70 Of th r ° ll l the xecene of actiop to interfere with the dis- ; ' source of error and delay was to be found in the system of ; 4 C„', 1 1 - ,"2 c onsmender in rewarding stich services. He . accounts, with its various cheeks and precautions. However nt l t ' f 41 .e'ver, co teas that he was Inclined t ae t that ! excellentlythese might work in time of peace, it was vain to oie Jilts oi-litmele occasions een a cliserepineY in the peo- I xnect that they could be efficient in time of war, when cer- Ns„Vr eee w iell those rewards had been allotted to the staff tainty e and despatch in the execdion of orders were the great tli t s:ciol l o.,nlental officet.srespectively - ; and it was his deter- : e . at 4 lea ° ' ° °k- into particularly with respectto I requisites. 0 se t arch the subject, . Lord PANMURE . said . Sir. John Macneill would not have ~s 4 h ear which had been been given to regimental officers. 1 1 powers either of dismissing or appointing persons, but he v ;iz etillg,leeo t 4 he ith reference to what the noble earl had I would be called upon 'to report both to Lord Raglan and tire se comparison be had drawn beto-een the . Orav srument at home, and to 'suggest any changes which he t ,lls,l r rele e ° l ' Jae Men and the offieers he must say that he n.igl ' !t see would be necesary in cocting the business of 44 ,14' n 1e - ' at such a comparison would tend to benefit ! - ithe army. It wool be for Lor s a riaglan to make those 'tae. ' 4 te to C was quits sure the noble earl did not mean to ; . changes on his own responsibility before th report le ached e tt4 eti elea at th© officers had refused in ally way to share the . ! the bands of Government, but it would also be conveyed to N e ' whi e Z' i lheir men ; for h believed there never was an I them, and, whether Lord Raglan should deem any change oi e. Weee,a.attached to tea more devoted band of 41 ; : - ! called for or not, it would be the duty of Government to con eee 111)04 the trenches, or in ce" of th l •," 't was in the. &I'd, in bearing privations, m older whether such changes should be made. • - . V A ) , ' 4 tir o l ' i ° whatever duty they had been i perform, they had cheefully shared with their - The bill - was then read a first time. THE TRA - NKSeOF THE' HOUSE. hied, . le ao lships which the hard duties of the camp in- N e 'll e xist certainly could not account for the disproportion s The LORD. CHANCEL R read a letter received that h e e 'Pe a l e e n d between the sickness of the men and tho offs- morning from Admiral Lyons,L° dated ti 30th of January, ac tq't'llte ' - ' a(l yet to be invest' tedand the &tin of the 63d knowledging the vote of thanks, which was ordered to be le e olee'Particelar was o lga h' '' attention would be entered on the journals. , . • . el 'lth ray dir e & 4 H ne to w leo 110 4 ee ° rem "e • e could not conceive what could have - 'Lord CAMPBELL said their lordships must have observed ke h to th 4 . °11 for the except it an he ' the 4 ' r egiMnt, MOrtality d • kniss which:had taken that the thanks voted by their lordships to members df that er e 3 , h a 17tha + , being very young ' house, who had distinguished thems Ives in tha army, had Roe e ee . d been suddenl called ' to perform very not been communicated 'to those illnstrioas lessons in their alt/4 ..40 1 ,;: ter a' from b e t , h t e e more o certainr e y laborious uP o o e n w hseh the officers places by noble and learned friend on 'the woolseek. He xtent, relieved. Ile had t gladly gave his noble and learned friend an opportunity of explaining why the course followed ih the other house i"of Parliament had not been followed there. The LORD CHANCELLOR was exceedingly obliged to his noble and learned friend for giving him this (,pportunity. Ho had directed inquiry to be made as to the course taken on former similar occasions, from the commencement of the last century. It was found that the thanks of the house had never been given to the individuals personally present, except to a member of that house who had been commander-in-chief, and never except on a special vote directing it to be done. It was the custom when thanks were voted in the other house that the resolution should be communicated by letter to all the persons to whom the thanks were given except these who were members of the house, and it was directed that to them the Speaker should communicate the thanks in person. But that was not the custom of their lordships' house, and, inlependently of other objections, he had no authority from their lordships to communicate the thanks without special directions from their lordships. It had never been their custom to do so, and whether their lordships would diverge from the ordinary custom it was not for him to say, but he had caused the matter to be looked into, and he was happy in the presence of the noble earl (the Earl of Cardigan) to express to him and to their lordships that there was no blame to be attributed to him, because it was not cus tomary to do iu their lordships' house what had been done in the other house of Parliament. Lord BROUGHAM thought there could not be the slight est objection to depart from the ordinary course of practice, but for one obvious and powerful consideration—that it would tend to throw discredit on former members of that house who had received the thanks of the house otherwise than in person. Lord CAMPBELL did not see the force of what bad fallen from his noble and learned friend. It was better for them to change the course that had been hitherto pursued, and to adopt the course followed in the other house of Parliament. He did not see how it could in the remotest degree be sup posed to reflect upon those who had received the thanks of the house wken a different system prevailed. PURCHASERS' PROTECTION AGAINST JUDGMENTS BILL. This bill was read a recond time. FISHERIES (NORTH AMERICA) BILL. This bill was read a third time and passed. Their lordships adjourned at twenty-five minutes to se ren o'clock. . HOUSE OF COMMONS—YESTERDAY. The SPEAKER took the chair shortly before four o'clock. NEW MEMBERS. Lord PALMERSTON took the oaths and his seat on his re-election for Tiverton. The noble lord was introduced by Mr. Hayter and Mr. Granville Berkeley. Mr. S. HERBERT took the oaths and his seat on his re-election for South Wilts. The right hon. gentleman was introduced by Lord Mulgrave and Mr. Bouverie. Mr. SAMSON RICARDO took the oaths and his seat for Windsor. NEW WRIT. A new writ was ordered for Cardigan in the room of Mr. Pryse Lowden, deceased. was any danger in such course of proceeding as may affect the security of his seat in the House of Commons, if returned thereto ? The SOLICITOR-GENERAL, in reply, said that the question was a somewhat abstract one, but the act of Parliament was directed against anything done cor• ruptly, but certainly was never intended to apply to acts of bona fide charity such as thosa implied by the hon. member's question. from their scientific labours. lam sure that medical men, whose time is daily occupied in all the details of the pro fession, have not leisure enough to consider those great sanitary arrangements upon which the health and comfort, and the lives, even, of many thousands of men must ine vitably depend. Lord Raglan has been authorised and instructed to send to Constantinople, and to procure from thence a corps of labourers, whose sole duty will be to cleanse the camp—to cleanse it from that accumulation of various things, which every man, who knows anything of the habits of a camp, and of the calamities which have be fallen us in the Crimea, must know are perpdtually accu mulating, and which, when the warm season comes in, might, if precautions were net taken, be attended with dis astrous results to the men living in that camp. Then again, sir, many complaints have been made, and I am afraid not without some foundation, of a want of system in the com missariat department (loud cheers)—of mistakes and want of organization—(repowed cheers)—both as regards the I supply and as regards the issue of things requisite for the army. (Cheers.) A commission is going out, at the head of which we have placed a vary distinguished man, well known for his abilities andhabits of organisation--I mean Sir John Macueill—once our minister at the court of hernia, and now employed in the poor-law department of this country. lie will be the head of that commission, and he will have col leagues competent to act with hi m . Th a t commiasion will go for the purpo'.eo of cxunining into all the defoAs to be found iu the commissariat ma ga zi nes i n th e L e v an t, t o se t them all to rights, and to organise them on a more efficient basis. In the British army th ere h as not hith er t o ex i ste d an officer of that description who in foreign armies boars the title of the chief of the staff. The consequence has been that all the details of the e.ttiterinasier's and adju taut-genFral's departments have been brought to the com mander-in-chief, much to his inconvenience, and abstract ing his attention, perhaps from matters of m ore ser i ous an d greater importance. Major-General Simp son , an o ffi cer of distinguished services, who is well known for his ser vices in the Peetineula, at Waterloo, and in India, is going out immediately as chief of the staff, to hav e the control and comuaand of the quartermaster's and adjutant -general's departments, and with power to recommend to Lord Rae lam any change which he might think ought to be m a d e in the different persons belonging to those departments ; and Lord Raglan will no doubt think it his duty to adopt any recommendations which Major-General Simpson may make to him as to those matters. There has been also a complaint and I believe a just one, that the medical establishment of the army has not hitherto furnished a sufficient supply of medical officers for the wants of the officers abroad. A hospital is going to be erected at Varna, which will be placed entirely in the hands of civilian medical men, and civilians will be entitled to ask and offer their services in any other part of the arrangements abroad in which their medical services may be wanted. Bat the Secretary for the War Department is going te remodel entirely the medical departments at home. I believe that that is capable of great [improvement, simplification, and probably of in creased efficiency, and I am confident that the labours of this s n o evening—to b le my noble friend in that direction will no t b e l ess va l u able than in other departments of the Ad m i n i s t ra ti on w hi c h have been confided sh confid or e tly t — o b c e a l r i e e . ve friend a l presentso pro poses to the other house of Parliament a bill to enable her Majesty to enlist as soldiers men of a more ad vanced age; I need not say more advanced, but somewhat older than the limit hitherto fixed, men still in the - vigour of life, but older than the ordinary range of recruits ; and to enlist them for a shorter period than is assigned te the general enlistment of soldiers under the present arrange ments of the army. I have omitted to say that hitherto the commissariat abroad has been charged not simply with the supply and issue of piovis • • ions and all other things wanted for the service of the army, but has also been charged with providing the means of transporting those things. That has been the source of very great difficulty and inconve nience, and a separate department of land transport has been established which will correspond in some degree with the ancient waggon train, only upon a larger scale, and it will be instructed immediately to set to work, and to col lect in Asia Minor the animals necessary for the service of the army, and no doubt sufficient means of transport will thereby be provided. During the short period that has elapsed since the formation of the Government these things have been done and are doing, and I should trust that the house will be disposed to see the effect which these different improvements and arrangements will produce. I am myself perfectly convinced that the results would be known iu a much shorter period than would be sufficient to enable a committee even to make a report they could recommend to the attention of this house. Sir, so much as regards the arrangements for the prosecution of tho war, though I should state that, in addition to those improvements of system, no efforts will be omitted to provide reinforcements for the army to enable it to take the field when the season shall admit with increased numbers and augmented efficiency— (cheers)—but similarly charged as we are with the interests of a great nation, I have felt that it was our duty, not simply to look to the best means of carrying on with vigour an efficiency that war in which wo have nufortunately been compelled to engage, but that it is our duty also to make every effort which could honourably and safely be made for the purpose, if it were possible, of putting an end to the war by'an adequate treaty of peace. (Hear.) We had learned that certain conditions to serve as a basis of negotiations which had been concerted between the Governments of England and France, had been concurred in by the Go vernment of Austria ; and having been presented to the Government of Russia, were informed that the Govern ment of Russia had acquiesced in them as principles upon which negotiations might be commenced. We deem it our duty, therefore, to embrace the opportunity thus afforded us for at least ascertaining whether peace could now be obtained upon safe and honourable terms. Nego tiations were to be opened at Vienna; but being desirous to give to those negotiations a most solemn, serious, and earnest appearance—being desirous that no man living should question whether we entered into them with a sin cere desire to make peace, pretending that on our part it was merely a pretence to steal away time and to wait till the successes of war might bring to us a better condition in which we treat—we pressed upon illy noble friend, I will name him—Lord John Russell—to act as negotiator. (Cheers.) We felt convinced that when the negotiation was placed in the hands of a man so eminent in his own country, so distinguished in their eyes and in the estima tion of all Europe, so conversant with the details of all the negotiations which had preceded, and so deeply im bued with a feeling of the importance of the matter- to be discussed—we felt convinced that if Lord John Russell would undertake the task we should have a security on the one hand that if peace were obtainable upon honourable terms, no failure arising from tho want of judgment or knowledge on the part of our negotiator would prevent our obtaining it ; and oa the other hand, we should feel that, however the affair might go, we had made every pos sible effort to come to au honourable arrangement of the quarrel. My noble friend honourably consented to under take the task, and I must say that no man ever did him self a high honour than my noble friend did in accepting that under circumstances of such great—l will not say national—but European emergency. My ,noble friend, I believe, will proceed in the early part of next week. Of course, he will pass through Paris, to have a con fidential communication with the French Government. Ho will also pass by Berlin, in order to communicate with the Government of Prussia; and whatever delays those visits may interpose to his arrival at Vienna, I think the time he spends in these capitals will not be misplaced. Now, sir, if we should succeed in obtaining peace upon terms which would afford a security for the future against the recurrence of those disturbances of the peace of Europe which have led to the war in which we are engaged, we should think, sir, that our first acts in undertaking the Government will be as satisfactory to the country as they will be satisfactory to ourselves; but, sir, if we fail, why then I think that the country will feel that there is no alternative but to go on with the war—(cheers)—and I am convinced that this nation will then with greater zeal, with greater alacrity, if possible, than ever, give its sup port to a Government which, having made every possible attempt to obtain peace, should have failed in doing se, and is compelled to carry on the war for the attainment of that peace—a war which the sense and judgment of the country have pronounced to be virtually indispensable and necessary. (Cheers.) We shall in that case throw ourselves upon the generous spirit of Parliament and the country ; that generous spirit I am confident we shall not ask for in rain. (Hear, hear.) lam sure that in that state of things all our minor differences and mere party shades of distinc tion will vanish, that men of all sides will feel that they are Englishmen, and that they ought to support their coun try in its great emergencies. I am confident we shall show the noble and glorious spectacle that, as a free people and under a constitutional Government, there is a life, a spirit, an energy, a power of endurance, and a vigour of action which are vainly to be sought for under despotic rule or under arbitrary sway. The noble lord concluded by mov ing that the Speaker do now leave the chair, and resumed his seat amid loud cheers. tion of the noble lord of the two right hon. gentlemen to whom he has referred. But certainly it never could have been supposed by Lord Derby that if the noble lord after reflection considered it was not in his power to join his Ad ministration, he was at liberty to snake application to two other right hon. gentlemen, stating at the same time that he was authorised by Lord Derby to offer them seats in the Administration my noble friend was about to form ; and that he was thus to take two prizes, though he could have nothing himself to do with politics. (Hear, hear.) I must say, I think, if the noble lord, after having received the proposition of Lord Derby in a tone of encouraging friend liness, found upon deliberation, that he could not himself accept a place in his Cabinet, it would have been a frank and straightforward course upon the part of the noble lord to have informed Lord Derby of that result, in conse quence of which any negotiation with the friends who ad here to the noble lord must have failed. Sir, it was not my intention, for many reasons, to have adverted to these things. It is the noble lord who introduced the subject, and it is in vindication of the conduct of Lord Derby that I allude to the circumstances which the Chan cellor of the Exchequer has in a most marked manner mentioned in a communication to Lord Derby, and which has boon read in another place. Well, air, the attempt of Lord Derby to form a strong Government has felled, not withstanding the encouragement of his overtures by the no ble lord. The attempt of Lord Derby to form an administra tion which should inset the exigencies of the times, the feelings of the people, the wishes of the Throne, and the demands of the country has failed ; but let it not for a moment be supposed that Lord Derby refused at any time to form an adruiuistratiOn with such power as he might possess, provided no other body of public men, except his folio were, were ready to servo their Sovereign. Under no circumstances did Lord Derby refuse to form a Govern ment. The attempt of Lord Derby to form a strong Go vernment has failed. The attempt of the noble lord to form a Government has succeeded ; whether it be a strong Government—whether the noble lord has formed a Govern ment such as the country has a right to look for is a secret at present in the womb of time. (Hear.) The noble lord has certainly felt justified to enter into a panegyric on the great qualifications of his colleagues. They pc asses adminis trative abilities of a high character. They possess, accord ing to the noble lord, great political sagacity. (Laughter.) They are distinguished, according to the noble lord, by truly liberal opinions. Well, sir, there are gentlemen be low the gangway who are better judges of the value of the political opinions of the present Government, and on that subject I need not tench ; but at least I may form some opinion of the administrative ability of the noble lord's colleagues, on which he has dilated, by the advan tage of experience. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) One would have supposed, according to the noble lord, that the new administration which presents itself for the first time to-night to Parliament, consisted of a body of distinguished and experienced statesmen who had for some time been withdrawn from public affairs --who had been remote from the observation and from the criticism of their con temporaries and of the country. (Laughter.) When, how ever, we recollect that that ministry which the noble lord says is so distinguished for its administrative ability, for its political sagacity, consists of the same ministers who only a few days ago were, in the opinion of Parliament, remarkable for their deficiencies—(hear, hear)—were less conspicuous than any body of public men for their politi- Cal sagacity, I say I think it was an unfortunate introduc ' tion by the noble lord when he dilated ou their qualifica tions, and rendered it necessary for me, on an occasion like the present, to make any remark. I should have thought a solemn silence more becoming the occasion. If I had been the noble lord I would have dwelt more upon the future than upon the present, and I do not think he exercised a wise discretion when he recommends himself to the confidence of Parliament on the strength of the ad ministrative abilities of men who have been recently con demned for the want of them—(Hear)—and whose politi cal sagacity has brought upon the country a great and ac knowledged calamity. Well, sir, what was all this a pre face to on the part of the noble lord ?—his allusion to the failure of some, to the success of others, in forming a Go vernment—that dwelling on the distinguished personal qualifications of his colleagues and companions —what was all this a preface to? The noble lord does not appear to me to have been happy in the first address which he has made in this house which he is now to manage, for he has compared the House of Commons to Wat Tyler. (Laugh ter.) This seems a strange comparison for one who ought to be as proud of being leader of this house as of being the chief in this councils of his sovereign. But the noble lord says you have succeeded in your sedition. Now the time is come when you are to return to your allegiance, and re pose renewed and removed confidence in the new Ministers of the Crown—who are the old ministers whom yon have recently condemned. What a strange string of reasons has the noble lord given as his arguments why the house should rescind a resolution which it had arrived after so prolonged a debate and in such a full assembly. The noble lord gives us a catalogue of what ho describes as improve ments in the administration which the newly constructed Cabinet Las decided upon. Of course, it will be much snore easy for ns to gauge tie merits of the measures of the new Cabinet, when we have them more in detail, and have had an opportunity of examining a little into the matured ar rangements. But admit for argument's sake that they are all improvements, necessary improvements, urgent im prevements, inestimable improvements. What a satire on the late Government are these improvements ! (Hear, hear, and laughter from the Opposition.) If these improve ments are necessary, and of so urgent and inestimable a character—if these improvements are to be the means of extricating us from our difficulties, what becomes of the predecessors of the Cabinet—(hear, hear)—of those men who, for so long a period, not only neglected to fulfil those necessaryeduties, but to the last hour of their existence ap pealed to the house to say that these charges were net necessary, and that there were no circumstances which demanded any improvement or any investigation—)hear, hear, no, no, and counter cheers)—and who declared that the desire on the part of the House of Commons to inquire into the causes of the raismano.gement--which is now not only confessed, but is to be remedied—was a vote of want of confidence in the Administration, and condemnatory of their character as public men ? Why, sir, let the House of Commons well consider what is asked to dd. Ono of the finest armies which England ever sent forth myste riously disappears ; disappears, not by tie sword of the enemy, for that we might endure, meet again, and van quish. It disappears by means so mysterious that a most experienced statesman, with all the advantage of the inte rior secrets of the Cabinet, confessed and announced in this house that he could not penetrate or understand the causes of the mystery. The House of Commons must recollect this—that the position in which it is placed is not that of a public calamity which suddenly urges and stimulates some independent member from feelings of patriotism—al though not, perhaps, of prudence—to call for an inquiry, and to re-echo the voice of an anxious nation. Sir, the gravest Minister of the Crown, the First Minister of the Crown in the House of Commons—a man of whom of all parties the house is most proud, who had pre viously been Prime Minister of England for a long period of years—a man whose qualifications, whose sa gacity, whose wisdom, whose statesmanlike qualities have been justly eulogised by the First Minister on the Trea sury bench—a man who, although he had unintentionally destroyed hie late colleagues, had already been employed by them on an august mission—this eminent person came down to Parliament, and told us, with all the advantage of official experience, that ho could not penetrate into the mystery of this national calamity, and that he thought an inquiry ought to bo granted. Supported by this autho rity, and re-echoing the universal opinion of the people of Great Britain, the House of Commons—not in haste, but after a debate which occupied at least a period of many days, with unusual numbers, with members hastening from all parts of the country, and by a majority almost unparalleled in the records of Parliament— declared that an inquiry was not only the duty of Ministers, whoever they might be, but that an inquiry by a committee of the House of Commons was the only mode by which the im provements that might be necessary could be indicated. Now, we are told to-night that the House of Commons is to stultify itself—that this House of Commons, which only ten days ago, under circumstances of such unmis takeable conviction, sanctioned by the high authority of the leader of the House of Commons, the First Minister of the Crown in the house—that this House of Commons which arrived at this solemn decision is to recede from the ground it so triumphantly occupies, and is to rescind a re solution thus solemnly arrived at, and, if they consent to do so, are to inflict a blow on its reputation and public in fluence which a long period of yours will, in my mind, never counteract. What is the strange argument of the noble lord and his reburnished colleagues to induce the House of Commons to do this ? The noble lord has shown that great improvements are necessary, and that Govern ment is prepared to admit the necessity of remedying the present state of affairs. Well, sir, if these are the rich fruits which we have already obtained, what may we not obtain from the inquiry ? I do not know what honourable gentlemen may choose to do on this subject, but I know- what is the course which I shall take. (Hoar.) I shall endeavour to support in every way the decision of the house—(hear, hear)—and what I feel is the strong and wholesome opinion of the country. (Hear, hear.) I am for inquiry, and I am for a parliamen tary inquiry, into the condition of the army before Sebas topol, and into the branches of the Administration which should have prevented the lamentable condition of the troops. Sir, we hardly know what is the consequence of our adhering to the solemn resolution at which we have already arrived ; but I cannot suppose that the noble lord is about to commence his career as First Minister by attempting to control and menace the opinion of Parlia ment, which has been given in so influential a manner. All I can say is, that if so, I am ready to face my consti tuents and vindioate my conduct as their representative. I shall never seek a more favourable opportunity of so doing than when there was an unparalleled disaster falling on the country, and when one of the greatest blows which has ever been experienced by Englishmen has occurred. When following the advice of a great Minister of State, although he sat on an opposite bench, I support such a resolution of the House of Commons. The noble lord has flattered--I will not say held out hopes to - the country that there may be a release, which has so often been pro mised us, but has so often avoided its accomplishment. I need not assure the noble lord on the possibility of circum stances at which we shall all rejoice, that as far as gentle. men who sit en this side of the house are concerned, be cause we feel that no one who occupies the position of the noble lord will over consent to terms of peace which are uusvorthy of the occasion—which would not justify our having had recourse to arms. The noble lord has stated that if these attempts to obtain peace shall fail, ho will appeal with confidence to the support of the house, and to the country. The noble lord will not appeal in vain, but he can receive no support from this side of the horse for the prosecution of the war which his predecessors have not already received ; for never was there an Administration which received from an Opposition so cordial a support—a support so sincere and hearty as that which was received by Lord Aberdeen's Ministry from the Opposition during the time he was inotlice. Never was there a Ministry which entered into a war with such advantages as the late Mini sters and their identical representatives a unanimous peo ple, a unanimous Parliament, magnificent troops, and a magnificent fleet, and, as we know, nut only a cordial, but a powerful ally. How seen with such advantages could hare realised such disasters—(hetsr, hear)—how on such vantage ground they could have so mismanaged the nansirs of the country that with a unanimous Parliament they have yet contrived by the aid of their own political env porters to have been overcome by a crushing majority, the future historian only will be able to explain. But, sir, let us on this occasion—elthough we have the same indivi duals in a now form now regulating the affairs of the country— lot us hope that those men, who a fortnight ago were unparalleled blunderers, may now, fortunately, be transformed into expert statesmen ; let us hope that those men who, with unprecedented resources, realised either no results, or only disasters, may now—a fortnight having elapsed —open new and unexpected scenes of success, of prosperity, and of triumph ; and lot me assure theme that, as long as they attempt to do their duty in conducting this war, they may reckon, so far as the Opposition is con cerned, on the same support which their identical prede cessors received. (Hear, hear.) I doubt not, if disaster be their lot, if maladministration be inseparable from their condition, when they fail they will, like their predecessors the late Government, not be able to impute their want of Mr. DISRAELI--Sir, I was under the impression that, upon this occasion, it would not have been necessary for me to refer to the conduct of individuals in transactions which preceded the formation of the Government of which the noble lord is the head ; but the noble lord has introduced into this discussion the name of a noble friend of mine in sach a manner that I am sure the house will not think it unreasonable on my part if I make one or two remarks with reference to the introductory part of the address of the no ble lord. It is true, as is well known, that the Earl of Derby was honoured by the commands of her Majesty on a recent occasion to attempt to form an Administration to carry on the Government of the country. Under those circumstances Lord Derby was influenced by only one con sideration, which was the expediency at the present mo ment of forming a strong Government for this country. Considering the emergency which now occupies all our at tention, and which demands our utmost energies, Lord Derby was of opinion that it was the duty of a statesman, consulted under those circumstances by his Sovereign, to advise her Majesty that every effort should be made in or der that her Majesty's affairs might be conducted by an Ad ministration that hail the confidence, and more than the confidence, of Parliament and the country. Sir, it was with that view that Lord Derby opened the communication with the noble lord ; but (I am quite sure unintentionally on the part of the noble lord) he has in my opinion conveyed an impression to the house which would induce the house ra ther to misapprehend the motives by which Lord Derby was influenced under t hose circumstances and the object which he attempted to accomplish. It should be borne in mind by the house that this was not the first time under simi lar circumstances that Lord Derby had felt it his duty to open communications with the noble lord in order to form an Administration for her Majesty ; and I believe I may say that on previous occasions not far distant — about three years ago or more--there had passed those communications between my noble friend and the noble lord opposite which convinced my noble friend (Lord Derby). that between himself and the noble lord there was no difference of opinion on all the great subjects of policy which should at the present time prevent their cow -1 ing together and uoi:ine• their energies in order to form that which I believe the Sovereign and the country alike boem with hehad another been desired—a strong 4u.l,efficicut Governmen t . Sir, the noble lord on that preview. occasion had, with a frankness which was becoming enough , inf ormed Lord Derb y that it was quite impossible for a stat esman of his emine nce and suddenly to combine m en with u body of public men, bowever pure, however pat r ioti c, with out suffering a lossin his character, and without b e i ng sub jecttutting, and to misconception iu public opinion, which would mar, and justly mar, his opinions as a public man. It was on that occasion that Lord Palmerston Stated to the Earl of Derby that it was impossible for him to join Lis (Lord Derby's) Cabinet alone, that he had friends whom he should wish . to accompany him, a nd the names of those friends were mentioned in conversation. Therefore, when my noble friend made this communication to the noble lord to assist him iu his endeavours (which have been un successful) to form an Administration, my noble friend an ticipated the position in which the noble lord now stands, and as it were continuing the conversation of a preceding period, he said he was perfectly prepared to meet the diffi culties. Had the noble lord joined his Administration there would have been no difficulty, of course, to the elec. 111-1 1 .1; s e eq. tesszese, • • su Ce Se to the factious conduct of thonef *so esikoppeint*.i... ; to them, but to the recognition by -tlib::iso*sifry eef e tyatis total want of the qualities which the -crisis terinirerb =and "' which the country at this moment is most in need of: , Mr. RICH rose, amidst loud calls for Itleallkieb ne k. rfe begged to remind the right hon. gentleman who had just sat down that the persons whom be had called unparalleled blunderers were about to be put by Lord Derby over his (Mr. Disraeli's) head. He was one of those who had voted for the inquiry, for he was determined that the inquiry should then have taken place ; but it must be romembere I that he had said that, if an inquiry could be instituted which would elicit the truth, and which would be a eubsti. tut. for what every ono knew to ha the cumbrous ma. chinery of the House of Commons, he would not insist on a committee. The noble lord (Lord Palmerston) had ex. plained that various commissions would be sent out to the spot, where the greatest mismanagement had occurred, who would investigate and make reports. \He hoped these reports would be submitted to the house. On the strength of their being so submitted, and believing that if this were done they would he in possession of the required informa tion quicker than it could be obtained from a committee, he would accept them as the alternative proposed by the noble lord, which he was sure was for the interest of the country. If the noble lord made these arrangements, he, for one, was willing to place confidence in him, and lie felt that the disperagemeuts of the right hon. gentleman whe had just sat down were unjust, anti would be proved nn founded. Mr. ROEBUCK—Sir, the committee for which I moved, and which I intend to name next Thursday, has already been decided upon by the house, and the argument adduced by the noble lord to persuade the house to rescind tho re solution is that a new Ministry was now entering upon office for the purpose which he stated just now, that is to say, that the house having determined a fortnight ago that the Ministry was totally inefficient for the purpose, that the army had dwindled away, that disaster and calamity had befallen us in the Crimea, and that is consequence an inquiry was requisite, the noble lord now comes forward and asks the house—to use the words of the right hon. gentleman opposite (Mr. Disraeli)—to stultify itself. He asks this house to rescind the resolution, to retire from its advantage, and to allow the present Ministry to do that which the late Ministry was confessedly unable to do. On what grounds does the noble lord make these demands ? That there is a new Ministry ; but aro there new Ministers No, but the cards are in new hands, which, iu spite of the eulogy of the noble lord, and the qualities whioh they are said to possess, and which I suppose are not improved in a fortnight, the house decided were totally inefficient for the purposes into which' proposed to the house to inquire. Now the noble lord supposes that there is something antagonistic; between the committee sitting and the Government. The threat of inquiry has brought about these revolutions. The inquiry may jog them ou, and we shall get further re forms by the inquiry, if it is carried out by this house. Sir, a committee which has published a blue-book on the Civil Service states that any Administration is totally un able to reform the service, and they propose an Act of Par liament to do so. Now I propose that the House of Com mons should assist Government, for I believe Government totally unable to carry out such an inquiry as is requisite. The Prime Minister, when he is put into power, finds per manent officers upon whose assistance he has materially to rely. Now, nothing but the power of the House of Com mons can enable the political chief to overcome the zis inertia; of the departments ; and therefore I propose, in spite of the noble lord, to continuo the proposition on Thursday next which I have on the books, and I shall move the names of the committee. In so doing I really believe that I shall aid the noble lord to remodel the institutions, and to infuse vigour and pith into the Administration of the country. The House of Commons will lend to the noble lord its assistance to obtain the pith and vigour which he will not be able to obtain by his own unaided power. Mr. MUNTZ said he would not consent to sultify him self, for he had voted for the inquiry in the belief that it would materially benefit the administration of the public service. He still retained that opinion, and if anything were required to justify it, it was the words of the noble lord that night. He (Mr. Muntz) wanted to know what would have been done if that vote had not been passed by the House of Commons ? The House of Commons had done its duty, and put an end to a Ministry which refused all reforms whatever, and he believed that if the house did not do its duty now it would sink to a low ebb in the esti mation of the country. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said the noble lord, who appeared for the first time at the head of the Government, had told the house that Government would be their committee of inquiry, but they had already condemned Government, and they wanted to have nothing to do with the Government, who would only stifle the inquiry. They wanted to inquire into the conduct of Government. The noble lord had men tioned certain reforms, but the men who were to institute those reforms ware the men who had already been con demned. He asked where was the real political change in the Government? It appeared exactly the status quo ante Roebuck. (Hear, hear.) The noble lord stood higher in public favour than Lord Aberdeen, who was supposed not to be qualified to carry en the war, and to have a friend ship of forty 'years' standing for the Emperor Nicholas, whereas the noble lord is said to hate the Czar, and to de light in war—(hear, and laughter)—and this persuasion had placed him in his present position. He (Mr. T. Dun combe) did not think the noble lord had made any reflec tions on Lord Derby. Lord Derby's conduct had been wise, patriotic, and prudent in not attempting to make an Administration on the old terms. Then came the noble lord the member for the city of London. The noble vis count was ready to join him—(laughter)—but the noble lord had been unfaithful to his colleagues and to the house, which bad received him as its leader for two sessions, without au official responsibility, and he ought to have been able to present a better case for his desertion of his post than he had done on the present occasion. Ho (Mr. Duncombe) was not surprised that the noble lord had failed, and he, for one, should have been much disappointed if the noble lord had succeeded. The noble viscount had explained the services which were to be entrusted to Lord Panniuro, as the substitute for the Duke of Newcastle. They had had some experieuce of Lord I'anmure, and he believed that be was the worst of the two. The noble lord the member for the city of London seemed to think that it was necessary that the Secretary of War should be a member of the House of Commons, and should be a man of vigour and mind. Lord Pan mure was not in the House of Commons, and he did not think that he was a man of vigour and mind. The war was to be carried on with groat vigour and energy by the new Ministry, but the noble lord had not explained what he meant by vigour and energy in carrying on the war . The words were in everybody's mouth, but nobody could explain them. Now he (Mr. Duncombe) thought that carrying on a war with vigour was to defeat the enemy's army, to destroy his fleets, to devastate his country, to bombard his cities, to raze his fortifications, to blockade his ports, and to destroy his trade. This was what ho called carrying on a war with vigour and renergy, and what the people of England understood by carrying on a war with vigour and energy. Of course to do this there must be an army and a fleet. There was a magnificent fleet, but they were told that it was "badly manned, and worse disciplined," and a gallant admiral had made that statement. All he could say was, that if they were to judge of the insubordination of the fleet by the conduct of its admiral, it must be in a sad state. It had been said by some parties that there were only 12,090 or 13,000 of our troops before Sebastopol, whilst the Chancellor of the Exchequer estimated the number at 30,000. Now that was a fair matter of inquiry, and mould of course be investigated by the committee. He did not blame the noble lord for attempting to discharge -the order for the committee. No doubt the order was an inconvenient one, and the noble lord said as much the other night when he (Mr. Duncombe) put a question to the hon. and learned member for Sheffield. But the matter was now out of the hands of the hon. and learned gentleman, and the nomination of the committee rested with the house. (Hear, hear.) The motion for th e ap pointment was considered by the Government in the light of a vote of censure, but he (Mr. Duncombe) did not vote for it as a vote of censure. Ho intended his vote to imply mismanagement and distrust. (Laughter.) The moment for censure had not yet arrived. Inquiry was needed, and censure, probably, might follow that inquiry. If the commit. tee should perform its duty it would point out the real de linquents. If they should turn out to be military men, let them be brought to a court-martial and tried for neglect of duty. He did not believe that so much blame attached to parties at home as to parties at the seat of war. In his opi nion the commissary-general and the quartermaster-general had ill supported Lord Raglan, aad if that was the case they ought to be trieclby court-martial and punished. (Hear.) If they could throw the blame on parties at home let them be brought to account, whoever they might happen to be. It had been said that the projected inquiry wont(' impede the Government reforms which were now going on. But why should it do so ? The inquiry was to be into the past, and theicontemplated reforms might at once be proceeded with. (Hoar, hear.) With regard to the negotiations for peace, he supposed something would bo heard from Lord J. Rus sell after his visit to Paris and Berlin. He believed that the people of this country meant one thing, and that the Government meant another. The people had entered in to the war in the hope that the arrangement made at the congress of 1815 would be revised. (Hear.) If Lord John. Russell were now present, he would ask the noble lord not to forget, in accordance with the wishes of the people of this country, the wrongs of Poland, the wrongs of Hun• gary, and the aspirations of that priest-ridden country, Italy. (Hear.) The people expected these questions to be mooted. The house had heard nothing from the First Lord of the Treasury about Sebastopol. If Sebastopol was to remain a fortress in the hands and under the control of Russia, did any one suppose that a permanent peace could be established. That would never be the case if that fortress was allowed to remain to overawe the East and every coun try that might come in contact with Russia. (Hear.) He hoped the House of Commons would say on the part of this country, and that the Emperor of France would say on the part of his country, that they would never rest satisfied until the standards of England and France should be found floating triumphantly over the ruins of Sebastopol (cheers) —and that the Autocrat of all the Russias—this King of Poland, this heaven-born champion of the orthodox race— would be at last compelled to acknowledge and confess that his hypocrisy, tyranny, and lawless ambition must for ever cease and determine. (Cheers.) Mr. HORSMAN thought the Conservatives were so fearful of being thought factious that they had not per* formed their duty to the nation by offering a stronger op* position to the late Government, the history of which, he feared, would be one of the darkest pages in the annals of England. His own side of the house was also to blame for the over-confidence it had accorded to the Governmenti until awakened by the dreadful calamity in the Crimea. He thought Parliament could not safely recede from the position it took up three weeks ago, and should keep thin inquiry in its own hands. Mr. E. BALL said the country never would be satisfied if the house consented to rescind the resolution it had • come to. Mr. PHINN supported , the suggestion of Lord Palmerston to postpone the operation: of the committee until they should see how the Government acted. Mr. LIDDELL said it was a disgrace to this country that almost the existence of our army depended upon the assistance rendered by their allies in the way of food and clothing. He contended strongly for the necessity of pur suits the inquiry. vAN - sarAuT expressed his satisfaction of the ap pointment of the noble toed the member for the city of London (Lord J. Russell) to a mission to Vienna. Mr. LAING urged that the recent change in the Achille nistration did not indicate such an alteration in the minis terial policy as held out an assurance of more vigorous management or warranted the house in rescinding their late vote. Lord EBRINGTON expressed his satisfaction with the measures of invigoration announced by the Prime Minister as being already planned or in execution. Mr. DA,NBy 6EYMOI.T.R had hoped the recent chugs D 1414 Cli .'"8 !der of 101betofp,th etch of E p bas been ent dl T e r gra r f and A Jle E at to ti Russian -- ,01 a , 41. 1 of s ace and opto .1, the disti 11; ied armies oioll 4e t ar , the corner of , the °ob l0 °I. ELL] tuoctehferoso2eNtbseesgtor ki Ni th hh orff th tr e et i 'ont the Britisk a , ktr at " I ce, na of the forces 0 , kb. , 0 4 -N t - a k " who foul ,o bury de ad ,„,10! tcaiwte with th e those of the r e e - et h ad i_e he part of tka 4., e t to t L e 1 : en take place/ 1;0'44701; altila earn fire on both 9 ,,dsi ,_ Nil _ to e , rying• white e w e "terkxe connected e, • 0 r O tt. "gym .e nt would iarties .. ,- u he L ett h 111 d .er, nor 19 ei`.o ' t an or,,au Prorr orks of th e ',',lc !ikta /heresy s'ei. s houl hilt, the I°o7l 14b ie of A. g of trace. t , 0 kto the c o ._ all firing iIS 1,E6,'" mm Juni ides. 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Admiral WALCOTT asked the First Naval Lord what was the cause of the accident which befel the Per severance ? Vv Admiral BERKELEY said the subject was under investigation ; hut, in the meanwhile, he could state that the vessel was not much injured. THE IRISH MILITIA. In reply to Mr. H. lIEREIF,IIT, Sir J. YOUNG stated that step 3 had alraady been taken for supplying the Ireh militia with every descrip tion of clothing. MINISTERIAL EXPLANATIONS. On the motion that the Sr :Jaker do new leave the chair, • Lord PALMERSTON rose and said —ln rising, sir, to move that you do now leave the chair, I feel it is generally expected that a person who fills for the first time the situa tion I have the honour to hold, especially under circum stances such as those which preceded my appointment, should state very shortly to the house what led to his hold ing the office he holds. Sir, that which I have to state will be very brief, because it has been anticipated by statements which have been made by a noble lord in an other place, and by a statement made by my noble friend in this house. It has been already stated, and correctly stated, by the Earl of Derby, that when he was com manded by her Majesty to form a Government, he did me the honour to come to me and to propose to me that I should belong to the Government he was about to form. He at the same time expressed a wish that I should communicate the same desire on his part to my right hon. friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and to my right hon. friend who now holds the position of Secretary for the Colonies. I stated, as was correctly stated by that noble lord, that those habits of long personal friendship which co-operation in office had engendered, and the high esteem which I felt for his personal character and statesmanlike habits, would render me anxious to co-operate with him in a public emergency, when it was of the utmost national importance that a Government should be formed. I said, however, that I could give him no answer till I had had an oppor tunity of communicating with friends of mine; but that one thing I was prepared to say, which was this, that in the present state of our foreign relations I should be un willing to belong to any Government in which the conduct of our foreign affairs did not continue in the hands of my noble friend the Earl of Clarendon—(Dinisterial cheers) — who had shown great ability and success in the manage ment of the department confided to his care. The com munication, as stated by Lerd Derby, was made a little before two o'clock. I communicated as soon as I could with my right hon. friends; I communicated also with that noble friend of mine upon whose judgment I place the most implicit reliance, and whose opinion would guide me in every important transaction of my life—l mean the Marquis of Lansdowne—(hear, hear)—and the result was that I wrote to the noble lord to say that I did not think that by accepting the proposal he had done me the honour to make me I could give to his Government that•strength be was pleased to think my acceptance of office would con fer. It was remarked as somewhat unexplained, that that intention of mine was quoted by ray right hon. friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his answer given at a later hour to Lord Derby. The fact is, that that opinion of mine was formed upon a full consideration, and communicated to my right lion. friend before he wrote in reply to the offer that was made to him also, declining to join the Ad ministration. Sir, that endeavour made, her Majesty was pleased to call upon my noble friend the member for the city of London, and to charge him with the task of forming an Administration. My noble friend did me the honour, immediately after that command was given, to come to me and ask me to accord my assistance. Sir, my great personal regard and esteem for my noble friend, the perfect similarity of political opinions which existed be tween us, led me at once, and without hesitation, to say that, feeling impressed with the full importance of the crisis in which we stood, any assistance it was in my power to give him should.without any hesitation be given —( Ministerial cheming)—and if lie had succeeded in form ing an Administration, I Rhoul,l have felt the greatest alacrity in giving him any a ssistance it might be in my power to render. Sir, that attempt did not succeed, and it was the pleasure of her Majesty then to commission me to endeavour to form a Government, if I thought I could succeed in submitting to her a list of Administration likely to command the confidence of Parliament, and ade quately to carry on the public service of the State. Sir, sI received that command about six o'clock on the Sunday evening, and I was fortunate enough, to be able, on the Tuesday afternoon, to report to her Ma jesty that I had obtained the assistance of such col leagues as I thought her Majesty might fairly approve. as answering the description she had been pleased to give in the commands she gave me to make the attempt. Sir, the Government then was formed, and I trust that that Government contains sufficient administrative ability, sufficient political sagacity, sufficient liberal principles, sufficient patriotism and determieation to omit no effort to fulfil the duties which each member has undertaken, and to justify me in appealing as this house, to Parlia ment, and to the country, for such support as men may be considered entitled to receive who, in a period of great difficulty and of national emergency, have determined to undertake the responsibility of emleavouring to carry on the business of the country. (Hear, and Ministerial cheers.) There is one great departmont which will continue to enjoy the ability, the experieneS, and success of my noble friend the E,l of Clarendon. We have had the good fortune to obtain for the conduct, of the War Department the services of noble friend Lord Paninnre, who combines all the energy, tho firmness, and perseverance which are required for the conduct of that important branch of the public service in the present emergency. I am happy also to have the assistance of my right lion. friend the Chan cellor of the Exchequer in the conduct of that most im portant branch of the public service —(hear)—and my right hon. friend who sits by me, and who is going imme dietaly to propose the estimates for the naval service, needs no panegyric on my part as to the great ability with which he has discharged the duties of the department en trusted to his care. Sir, we begin then the task which it has been the pleasure of her Majesty to confide to our care. In undertaking that task it is useless to dissemble that there is one difficulty which immediately meets us,. and which, I may say, stares us in the face ; that dif f iculty, I mean, which arises from the notice of my hon. and learned friend has given for Thursday next. Sir, I will not at tempt to disguise the fact that I feel the same objections to the appointment of the committee of which he has given notice which I had the honour of stating when the sub ject was before the house on a recent eccasion. Jtly opi nion is, that such a committee would, in its action, not be in accordance with the true and just principles of the constitution ; and that for the effectual accomplishment its purpose it would not be an efficient instrument. (Hear, hear.) Sir, I should hope that this house when it came calmly to reflect upon the principl es involved in the ap pointment of such a committee —when it came calmly to reflect upon the cumbrous machine and the tardy result which would be to be expected from its action—might bo ilied,suspend the appointment of the committee e at a wh ll ie e h ve m n y ts, b t o o n.an and learned friend proposes to name. But, sir, I feel that the only ground upon which they could be disposed to agree to postpone the appoint ment of that committee would be the belief that the Go vernment itself intends to do these things which the com mittee pointed at—which the committee appointed might, at the end of a long period, recommend to be done. And as we all remember the defence of that monarch of Eng land who, in meeting a body of his discontented subjects, and finding that they had lost their leader, rode boldly up to them, and exclaimed, " You leave lost your leader, my friends ; I will be your leader," so I should say to the agree not to appoint this be satisfied cheers)—and Housemee committee—(laughter si:_ o t f e: C : e d m owa m eu o ge n hh s ta , el i rl f tathnhedeny counterswe i w i e whether, leering —t e Govern ment will be their committee--(ironical y w ou e shall make, whether on t . i b s yL a th w h e irtehsutilites in quiriesofhfiatyteobaepepno i o n ii s r ti e t n u e t r ai g on i nt e i. s improvementsa Now, w l labours, :, as for the objects of that commit e, or yon will more formal Parliamentary tinhte nuisances that exist at home and abroad. I imagine, sir, that the object the majority of those who voted for that - committee had in view was to t w :e l , l theynn think must compel the Government to ma k e certain Administrative changes in our military departments at home, and, by in quiries and improvements abroa I, to restore order and regularity in those services Which, unfortunately, have been marked by circumstance s of an unfortunate character in the Crimea and in the East. Now, sir, that which I propose to do I w ill shortl y sketch out detail, but simply as indicating the inte_tions which the Government con template carrying into execution. Sir, the house must be aware that I have net felt it ivy duty to recommend to her Majesty to appoint a Socreta.ry-at-War. The reason why I have so abstained from doing so is that I think an amalgamation can he made between the offices of Secretary at-War and that of the Secretary for the War Department, w hi c h w ill greatly contribute to the efficiency and sim plicity of the public service. 'My opinion is, that in regard to the Ordnance gr eat im p rovements ma y be made—(hoar, bear); that,, spea ki ng generally, but without of course pledging myself to specific details, the dis c ipli ne of the. artillery and of the engineers 13 9 ,1 be transferred to the Commander-in -Chief, like the discipline of the rest of the army—(hoar)—and that the civil department of the Ord nance may be placed under the superintendence and con trol of the Secretary for the War Department. What may be the collateral arrangements which, when matters are examined into detail, it may bo thought best to make, I cannot presume to say ; but that is the general outline, and I do not think there can be any volt material difficulty in carrying it into execution. My right hon, friend the Secretary for the Admiralty .has est a bli s h ed a board to superintend the tra ns p ort sereeeatsea, a service of the ut most importance , and one which has grown i n t o th e cha racter of a great national institution—a service upon which our alliance with Prance has made it necessary to call for groat and increased efforts for the transport and conveyance of French troop' as well as Eeglish troops, And just it is that such should be the case. We ar e engaged in war lik e Trance o perations in conjunc tion with ranee as an ally. We have not the moans of contributing tee same amount of soldiers and mon for the prosecution ,of the war which the larger military establishments of France enable her to send into the field. It is but fair, then, that wo should bear our share of the expenses of the war,. by affording to France those naval MG:MS of carrying her troaps which her less exten sive naval cetetaisliments do not enabl e her to supply. These arrangements involve a much more complicated mass of details than can be well careied on by that limited de , pa; trnent over whichy right lion. friend p ros i l es , an d h o has therefore established a separate board for the purpose, and I am convinced that thataboard will tend beth to the increased economy and the' increased efficiency of that department of the public service. Sir, well-founded com plaints have been male on the subject of the accommoda tion prosi led for 'oar sick in the hospitals in the Crimea and elsewhere. Sir, we are going to scud out a commis sion compesed of eiviliaus—inch not swayed by the bias of professional habit 3, nor yet military iron ; but men who have been accustomed to deal with sanitary questions not only at home, but one o f them has been employed upon a similar service in the West Indies. We are going to seed those three civilians out with ample power to examine the sanitary condition of the hospitels, of the camp, and of the saipe. (Hear, hear.) There was one sent out some time ago but there are three person s now going out simply and solely for the purpose of reviewing those sanitary arrange ments. (Hear, hear.) I an ticipate the greatest advantage PRIVATE BILLS. On the motion of Mr. BROTHERTON leave was given to bring in several private bills. The following bills were read a second time and ordered to be committed : Airdrie Rural District Police; Ashton-under-Lyne Gas and Water ; Basing stoke, Stockbridge, and Lobcomb Corner Roads ; Bir mingham Water ; Bogner Railway ; Cambridge Uni versity and Town Water ; Cardiff Improvement ; Charlbury, Witney, &0., Road ; Colchester Stour Valley, - Sudbury, and Halstead Railway ; Dun dalk and Enniskillen Railway ; Folkestone Im provement ; Folkestone Water ; Glasgow Water ; Glos sop Gas ; Gomersal and Dewsbury Road ; -Grand Junc tion Water ; Great Northern Railway (Increase of Capital) ; Guildford and Farnham Road ; Heywood Water ; Kilmarnock Gas ; Kingston-upon-Hull, Hessle, and Ferriby Road ; Kingston-upon-Thames Improvement ; Leominster and Ledbury Road ; Lightpill and Birdlip Road ; London and Blackwall Railway ; London and North Western and Lancashire and Yorkshire Railways; Newcastle-upon-Tyne Improvements ; Newport Gas j Newtown and Oswestry Railway; North Yorkshire and Cleveland Railway ; Osset Gas ; Peterborough and Wellingborough Road ; Price's Patent Candle Company ; Royal Conical Flour Mill Company ; South Wales Mineral Railway; South Wales Railway Gmsolidation ; Southwark and Vauxhall Water ; Stouebriclge Gas ; Stroud, Cainscross, and Minchin hamptort Road ; Surbitoii Improvement ; Surrey Gas ; Sunderland Dock ; Torquay, Tor, and Saint Mary Church Gas ; Stalybridge Gas ; West Bromwich Im provement ; Woolwich Consumers Protective Gas. ORDNANCE ESTIMATES. Mr. WILSON brought up the Ordnance Estimates, which were ordered to lie on the table. PETITIONS. Mr. SCHOLEFIELD presented a petition from Bir mingham, praying for the repeal of the Newspaper Stamp. Mr. MA.CGREGOrt presented a petition from Glas gow, praying for the vigorous prosecution of the war. Mr. H. BERKLEY presented a similar petition from Bristol, and praying for the re-establishment of the kingdom of Poland ; also a petition from Bristol, pray- ing for the repeal of the new Beer Act. Mr. HORSFALL presented a petition from the Liverpool Chamber of Commeree in favour of the Regis tration of Bills of Exchange Bill. Sir H. HALFORD presented a large number of peti tions from Leicestershire and Derbyshire, praying the honse to pass a bill to prevent the stoppage of wages in the hosiery trade. Mr. M. GIBSON presented a petition from the Cor poration of Manchester, praying for tho repeal of local charges on shipping. ARMY IN THE CRIMEA.—SIR E. LYONS. The SPEAKER. acquainted the house that he had re ceived the following letters from Sir Edmund Lyons ac knowledging the vote of thanks of the house : " Agamemnon, off Sebastopol, Jan. 30. "Sir,—Having succeeded Vice-Admiral Dutndas in the command of this station, the honour.has devolved upon me of communicating to Roar-Admiral the Hen. Montagu Stopford, and to the several captains, officers, seamen, and marines in her Majesty's fleet" in the Black Sea the unani mous expression of the thanks and approbation of the Howe of Commons for the services rendered by them dur ing the present war, and of communicating to them also the unanimous acknowledgments 'of the distinguished va lour and conduct of those who have perished in the strug gle, and the deep sympathy felt for their relatives and friends. All are deeply impressed with the honour con ferred upon them. All are encouraged in the performance of their duty to their Queen and country, and the seamen and marines more so, I believe, than on any former occa sion, for the blessing of education enables them to appre ciate better than their predecessors the thanks and appro bation of Parliament. " I have the honour to be; air, with the highest respect and regard, your most obedient and humble servant, " Rear-Admiia‘ l E a . n L d Y C O om N m S ° ander-in-Chief." " Agamemnon ' Sebastopol, off Sebast Jan. 30. "Sir, have the honour t o transmit to yon herewith a letter which I have received from Vice-Admiral a Bru t, who has succeeded Admiral Hamelin in the command of the French fleet, showing how highly the French navyf 1 h ono ured and gratified by the thanks of Parliament. ee " I have the honour to be , sir , with much respect and regard, your most obedient and Minable servant, E. LYONS, " Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief. " Vaisseau le Montebello, le 21 Janvier, 1855. " ' Monsieur l'Amiral,—Je transmets anjourd'hui memo aux equipages de l'Escadre do Ia Mediterranee lee re merciements publics qui leur ont ete votes par lee deux Chamb. es eln Parliament d'Angleterre. C'est un honneur insigne et rare qui lour est decerne. Jo l'accepte pour eux et pour le digne chef qui les commandait au debut de cette grand° expedition, comme une preciou llianc s° recompensetie leurs services, commo le gage d'une ae plus intim encore, et comae l'heureux augurs de nouveaux succes. " Veuillez agreer, Monsieur l'Amiral, l'assnrance de ma haute consideration, " BRUAT, " Le Vice-Amiral, Commandant ea Chef l'Eseadre de la Mediterranee. "2 To Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, Bart., G.C.8., Commander-in -Chief, " SUPPLY OF COFFEE IN THE CRIMEA. Mr. BALL gave notice that on Monday next he should ask the hon. member the Minister for War in that house, whether the conduct of the person or persons responsible for having issued unroasted coffee to the troops in the Crimea had been followed by censure or dismissal. SIR JAMES BROOKE. Mr. DRUMMOND gave notice that on an early day he should ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he bad any objection to lay upon the table of the house the report of the Commissioner appointed to try Sir •James Brooke for acts for which he had previously re ceived the approbation of the Government, and had been rewarded by the Crown. THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR - - - - - - - Mr. ROEBUCK gave notice that on Thursday next he should move the names of the committee for inquiring into the conduct of the war in the Crimea, on which the house had already determined. He would put the names of the hon. gentlemen he should propose on the votes of to-night. (Hear.) THE CASE OF SERJEANT SULLIVAN. Mr. FRENCH wished to ask the Government if there were any reasons why Serjeant Sullivan, who car ried the colours of the 30th at the Alma, and had the singular honour of being specially reported by the Gene ral in command of his division to Lord Raglan has not been promoted ? Lord PALMERSTON, in reply, said that a special power had been given to Lord Raglan to recommend for a commission a non-commissioned officer from each regiment who was deserving of promotion, With re gard to the regiment to which Serjeant Sullivan be longed, Lord Raglan had recommended the Serjeant- Major for promotion, and as one non-commissioned officer in that regiment had therefore been elevated, no commission could be given to any other non-commis sioned officer. Mr. LA-YARD inquired whether the noble lord had any objection to lay on the table the despatch of General Evans, in which Serjeaut Sullivan's name was so hon ourably mentioned ? (Hear, hear.) Lord PALMERSTON said he apprehended there could be no objection to that, but he would let the hon. member know on Monday. BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS. Colonel SISTITORP asked the law officers of the Crown, whether, in consequence of the act passed 10th Aug., 1854, c. 102, anno dechno septimo et octavo Vic toria-. Iteginw, intituled, "An Act to consolidate and amend the laws relating to bribery, treating, and undue ii,iluence at elections of members of Parliam.mt," there was any prdhibition to a• candidate, who had hitherto exer cised whathedid consider a duty, by giving certain assist ance or relief to persons resident in or near the city or which he represented, by the distribution of coals and other articles of relief and assistance ; though amongst these individuals so assisted and relieved there are and may be some persons, more or less in number, who have voted for, and may possibly continue to vote for, such candidate or representative; and whether there