The Sun. — London, England, 1855-03-02 00:00:00

professors ; but after being so crammed he was often iun able to answer the questions put to him, and sent back for not being able to give the date of the death of ITero's second wife. (Laughter.) Ho did not think it necessary to ascertain whether he had certain specific attainments, but whether he had good natural abilities. On his eexami nationfor a captaincy, he might be examined on higher ground, and asked as to his military knowledge, as to out post duty and such matters. That was the way in which he thought the question ought to be dealt with. It was incompatible with that of promoting any large number from the ranks at present. But if the exam i n a t ion was made the main test for admission, and t h e so ldi er should be brought to a high state of cultivation, that system would not produce all the materials necessary for a good officer. He had seen many men of high rank to whom no amount of politeness would induce him to apply the word " gentleman ;" and, on the other hand, he had seen many men in humble life whose conduct entitled them to that appellation. But if an education test was applied, they might have men whose intellects were crammed up to a certain point, but who would not inspire confidence in those under them. It was for the advantage of the lower ranks of the army that there should be frequent promotions from the ranks, but he objected to lay down any fixed proportion and say, because there are so many men in the ranks so many shall be promoted. By that meats the best men might not be promoted, and a sys tem of class legislation would be established. He might here take the opportunity of saying that the gallant general was wrong in what he thought was the intention of the Government in promoting one sergeant-major in each of the regiments in the Crimea. It was not the in tention of the Government that these promotions should be—to use the expression of the gallant general—patronage to the commanders of regiments. The measure was in tended to be a reward to the regiment in the person of that non-commissioned officer who, by his good conduct and gallantry, was the best entitled to it. With regard to Sergeant Sullivan, ho had no hesitation in saying that if, besides distinguishing himself in the field, he was a man of respectability, a great injustice would be done to him if he was net promoted. (Cheers.) He only hoped that the gallant general had represented to Lord Hardingo the claims of Sergeant Sullivan, because he was certain that the Commander-in-Chief would refer to the colonel of the regiment for the reasons why he had not recommended him ; and he had no doubt, if the reply was favourable — and he presumed it would, after what the gallant general had said—that Sergeant Sullivan would at once receive a commission. But the question more immediately before the house was, were promotions in the army to be by pur chase, or seniority, or merit ? He admitted at once that, in argument and in fact, there was a great deal to be said against the system of purchase ; but before the house blindly decided how they wou ld deal with it, and to what extent, he hoped they would maturely weigh some con siderations of a not unimportant character. It was their duty, in the first place, to estimate what the cost of any change would be. His hon. friend the Under-Secretary for war had put it down at 100,0001. a year. He had not come to the same conclusion, and only that morning he read in one of the daily papers which supported the pre sent motion, that the value of commissions sold annually was 5,000,0001. Mr. PEEL explained that, when he mentioned the sum of 100,0001. he was speaking merely of the amount which would be necessary to induce persons to retire. Mr. HERBERT would pass on to another point. Ho . sat last year upon a commission appointed to inquire, among other things, into the subject now before the house, and in that commission they discussed very much the means of rendering the army more efficient in its upper ranks. Among the members of the commission wilco were civilians were Lord Panmure, Earl Grey, Mr. Ellice, and other gentle men intimately acquainted with the subject, and who enter tained very liberal opinions upon it, and there wore at the same time in the commission many military men of the old school who were much wedded to the system under which they had been reared. Ho would not say that the report of that commission embodied all his opinions upon the subject of protnotion.s in the army, but, at any rate, it was a step in the right direction. The commissioners laid down th, rule that professional merit and exploit ought to be rewarded by pro fessional advancement, and that without reference to sail ority. (Hear.) He believed that principle was not popular in the army, where seniority was regarded as their great safe guard against favouritism and jobbery, and it was so to a cer tain degree. He was an advocate for rewarding merit with out reference to seniority. But he could not conceal from himself the fact that it was liable to very great abuse. (Hear.) The commissioners likewise proposed to guard the promotions to the upper ranks in the army by the greatest possible pub licity—that the grounds for the promotions should bo stated —that, in short, they should be surrounded with greater form and solemnity so as to attract public attention and prevent abuse. (Hear, hear.) But he observed that, even when honest promotions were made, it was difficult to avoid mis conception. He recently read iu a newspaper of a scandalous job perpetrated at the Horse Guards in the promotion of Rowland Hill Gough —au aristocratic name—to the Guards. Now, what were the facts ? He took the trouble to inquire into the matter, and he found that Lieutenant Gough was the officer who the other night, when a sortie was made from Sebastopol, himself with a small picket kept the Russians at bay until Col. Waddy came up with a larger force. (Hear.) At the present moment there was a great tendency to praise the Indian army. It was worthy of great praise ; but if they compared the Indian army with the Queen's, they would see there was a great difference between them. They would find that the age of the officers in the Indian service was so great that out of those who were at the head of the army there were a smaller number of men fit for scrviee than there were in the Queen's army. Let them recollect, too, that iu the Indian service the pay on retirement was much larger than in any other army, and that the system of expenditure was such as would not bear the scrutiny of one year's army estimates in that house ; and yet there was not sufficient youth among the officers to make the army efficient in its upper ranks. He repeated, tlaerefote, that when they con sidered the present system of purehitie they must also look at the mode by which they must get rid of it, and to the system they desired to substitue for it. He would not say that it was defensible on principle, but, at the same time, he thought there was a great deal of misconception as to what purchase in the army was. Some people imagined that whenever a vacancy occurred in a regiment it put up to sale and knocked down to the highest bidder. Now, that was not the fact; and he said, moreover, that the system of purchase did not necessarily retard any person's promotion in the army. If a purchase did not take place, the officer of the rank imme diately below the vacancy remained exactly where he was ; all that happened to him was, that a man with a different name now stood above him. He admitted, however, that there were occasional injustices perpetrated by the system, as indeed there were by all systems, and this one among the number, that the family of an officer who died lost, to them, an immense amount of money. (Hear, hear.) The truth was, they must weigh the whole of this question together. But then look at the manner in which it was propounded by the noble lord the member for Huddersfield. It was doubt ful whether the non-commissioned officers themselves would like to do away with the system of purchase. They looked forward to increased pay, with the prospect of a pension. Their wives probably earned a considerable sum of money weekly by taking in washing. Well, they made of these men an officer. His wife instantly was obliged to dress like a lady ; at any rate she could no longer engage in her industrial pursuits. Supposing there was no purchase, the officer so promoted had nothing to leek forward to but his pay; he could not get half pay until ho had served twenty-one years ; and after that time he would find his half-pay not much bet ter than the pension ho would have received as a serjeant major. But under the system of purchase the case was diffe rent. The non-commissioned officer came in as an ensign ; perhaps in course of time he became a captain, and then ho sold his commission and retired from the army with 800/., thinking he had made a good thing of it. Was that an adven tags to the service or not ? He believed in many cases it was. Nor was it truo to say that no men rose from the ranks under the system of purchase. Many instances could be given of the contrary. The case of Sir John Elly had already been mentioned. General Cureton was at one time a corporal in the 4th Dragoons. He could name many others who bad been almost as successful. Many of those who had risen from the ranks were excellent officers ; but some of them were said to be deficient in the power of commanding others. That might be denied ; but it was the opinion of the men who served un der them—a circumstance of considerable importance. (Hear.) The house was referred to foreign armies. In the French ser vice, one-third of the officers were necessarily raised from the ranks. But the French were under conscription, and gen tlemea of small means in the country, could not afford to pay for substitutes, allowed their younger sons to be taken, and those younger sons—gentlemen by birth and education— were in course of time selected for officers. (Hoar.) That was quite another thing. Ho would tell them what they said in the French army. They said, "The advantage you have is that your officers are all gentlemen ; your men obey them more wil lingly than they would do officers of another class." (Hear.) In Russia every officer was obliged to pass through the rank of non-commissioned officer. That, again, was quite another system, and could be compared to nothing found in this coun try. Our army volunteered ; and looking to the class from which the men were drawn, its physical and intellectual con dition, it would be impossible to lay down a fixed rule that so many non-commissiored officers should he promoted. It had been said that when a young officer joined his regiment in the Crimea, ho was 'lauded+ over for drill and instruction to a sergeant ; and hence it was inferred that the sergeant was more fit to command the regiment than he. So he would be for that day, but what would ho be at the end of six months? (Hear.) To drill was one thing, and to commard was another; and there was an old saying in the English army that the sergeant drilled the men, but the officer commanded them. But, after all, he admitted that there ought to be a fair pro motion of men every year from th e ran k s. It wou ld encou rage volunteering up to a certain point, and induce persons of character and education to enter the army with a view to ob tain promotion. The question was not one of principle, but of degree. He desired that the system of promoting a certain .number from the ranks every y ear s h ou ld b e continued, and he o was convinced that the incre ase o f e d uca ti on i n t h e army w ui d justify not only its increase, but its extension. But he asked the house not to sanction an indiscriminate promotion because the or to lay clo, Ten were drawn from a particular class of society, was their int:lu fixed rule, or induce the army to believe it prominoto lay down a fixed rule, for the regula tion of the her Majeety's army. i n theaeny class whatever in the ranks of Sir E. PERRY, ee ; aidat ra -) dress tho house. Out the principle affirmed in doors a i a Popular opinion in favour of growing up, and it must ultimatelynoblewas alre friend's resolution was receive the attention of the house. That principle acted f .i upon by every country but our own. The arga meat right hon. gentle (Mr. S. Herbert) ho characterised as i 7 man and adduced the example of France, Pruw:iTetd:Ts subtleties, favour of the principle of p from opted a in these countries this principle had romotion been aans'' a • By all salvationmeans of , at a time when they were in danger from foreign enemies. Now, when we wer e almost in as great a peril, 1: behoved us to resort to the same principle. (The honourable i n terrupted by cries of gentleman was frequently and " question, and " though ho continued speaki ng ' for some time, but fesseof his sentences could be heard.) Lord PALMERSTON—Sir, it is impossible to deny that the subject which my noble friend has brought this evening under the consideration of the house is one of great import ance, and also one of great interest. It is important because it regards one of the great institutions of the country, an in stitution upon ahich rests the dignity and honour of the country. It is of interest because it contains, I may say, all the classes of the community. I shall, in the first place, how ever, beg to say that I differ from many of those who have . spoken in an opinion as to a fact. I differ from the hon. and learned gentleman who has just spoken, and who has talked of a great democratic movement which he says has been mak ing progress during the last 20 or 40 years. I hear a great deal about aristocratic progress and democratic progress, but if the lion. gentleman means what I conceive him to mean, that the humbler classes of this country have, during the last forty years made great and rapid progress in everything that constitutes worth and value as men, I deny that that is a de mocratic movement. I say it is an aristocratic movement. (Cheers.) lam delighted to see the humbler classes raising themselves in the scale of society by cultivating those virtues and those intellectual qualities which dignify men and entitle them to the respect o f th e i r f o ll ow - men and a h'gh position in thes oc i al c of that democratic to which they belon g . l am no t a f ra id elm d t i veraent. I am gl a d to s ee it, mu d I h ops it will conti nue. differ also a s with regard to the fact. One argument of my noble friend a nd those who have followed him has been, that the system which he has endeavoured to recommend is essentially for the purpose of encouraging the recruiting of tho army : that the present system discourages and prevents that recruiting. Now, sir, that is not the fact. So far from the recruiting of the army having been checked or discouraged by the present condition of things, the recruit ing of the army never went on so prosperously as it has done within the last twelve months, during the year 1854, and the beginning of the present year. Why, in the late war I be lieve that the greatest number of men that were over raised for the army in a single year did not exceed 25,000. In the year 1854 we raised 35,000, and in the month of January in the present year we raised 6,000 men, or at the rate of up wards of 70,000 men in a year. Ido not wonder at that. In the first place the great increase in the population of the country must furnish a large supply of men who are ready to enter the army. But besides that, there is that in the spirit of the British nation that leads the people of this country to • court the dangers of war,and when they see brilliant achieve ments in the field, when they see their fellow-countrymen covered with glory in the contest with the enemy, so far is that from checking the martial spirit of the country that it increases that martial spirit ; and independently of the sys tem of promotion, and of the purchase and sale of commis sions, you will always find at moments of national danger and crisis the spirit of the people of this country will rise in pro portion to the emergency, and you will find them ready to enter the army for the defence of the country, and the main tenance of its dignity and honour. Now, with regard, first, to the question of the purchase and sale of commissions, that is a matter which has often attracted and engaged the atten tion of Parliament and of the country. It is a question which is surrounded by considerable difficulties. I have no hesita tion in saying that if we were forming an army now for the first time, no human being would dream of making commis sions matters of purchase and sale. But it is one thing to de termine what you will do with a system that you are about to establish ; it is another thing how you will deal with a system that has long existed, and has grown and increased with time. I believe myself that the purchase and sale of commissions is a remnant of an ancient system which has ceased in regard to all other things. An hon. gentleman said you might as well make the office of Secretary of State a matter of purchase and sale. Why, we all know it was a matter of purchase and sale ; that in the time of Charles 11. an ancestor of mine was unable to become Secretary of State because he had not money where with to purchase his office. We must therefore look on the sale of commissions in the army as a remnant of an ancient system not peculiar to the army in those days, but which has ceased to exist in almost every other part of our system. Well now, abstractedly, I have uo hesitation in saying it is an evil. In itself Ido not defend it, but at the same time also one must admit that, like many other things which are in the abstract evils, it is not unaccompanied by certain other advantages which in some degree counterbalance the inconvenience. Now one great evil in a military system is the slowness of promotion, by which you get in the upper ranks of the army men who aro by age disqualified for per forming the duties of their respective commissions. It is manifest that in a service where there is no purchase and sale, where officers go on by regular gradation, there is a tendency to fill the upper ranks of the army with men of ad vanced age. That is the case in the artillery, and to a cer tain degree in the East India Company's service. The system of the sale and purchase of commissions, by enabling officers to leave the service who have come to an age at which they have no prospect of employment, and would wish to retire to private life, accelerates the current of promotion and tends to bring in a greater number of young and able men into the higher ranks of the service. That is one counterbalancing advantage connected with the system of purchase and sale, and it is manifest that to contemplate the entire abrogation of that system involves considerations of great magnitude, which would require very deliberate examination, and which would also involve very considerable expense to the public. I therefore am not prepared to say that her Majesty's Govern ment could consent to the sort of off-hand resolution which my noble friend proposes, by which the house and the Govern ment would be committed at once to an opinion as to the principle of the change in the system to which that resolution relates. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) It is a great mistake to say that the sale of commissions im plies that they are put up to auction, and given to the highest bidder, or that men got those commissions simply because they have money to buy thorn. The house must bear in mind that the Commander-in-Chief exercises the same discretion in selecting the man who is to be pro. meted as he would exercise in the selection of a man to be promoted without purchase at all. Complaints have been made that the system of purchase prevents able men from rising to the higher ranks in the army ; and the hon. and gallant officer who sits behind me says the system of pro motion without purchase in the navy tends - erecisely to the same result. The fact is, that every system by which mem bers of a numerous profession are raised f. - oal rank to rank by a superior authority will always be liable to the same im putations. Where one is to be promoted, twenty, or thirty, or a hundred, are to be passed over ; and every man who is unsuccessful naturally imagines that his own qualifications are equal, if not superior, to those of the candidate preferred ; and you will always find that in a large profession, such as the army or navy, there will be au immense number of wen com plaining that promotion is given from the influence of favourit ism, or from some other motive, rather than from the real desire to choose the most proper man. With regard to the promotion of non-commissioned officers to commissions in the army, I think the line which my right hon. friend the late Secretary for the Colonies, and previously the Secretary at War (Mr. S. Herbert), pursued is the line which ought to be pursued, and which will continue to bo followed. Sir, it is a mistake to suppose that peculiar talent is allied to any parti cular class of men in society. (Hear.) Nature has scattered with an indiscriminate hand, among every class of society, those intellectual and moral qualities which fit a man for any station in which mere qualities can enable him to act. (Hear, hear, hear.) You will find among the private erol diers of the army, as among the humblest classes of society, men of whom it was well said by my honourable and gal lant friend near me, that they are " Nature's gentlemen" men who by' „their high qualities and their noble feelings are qualified, so far as that goes, for any situation in which they may happen to be placed. But for the purposes of military command more than natural faculties are requisite. There must be acquired knowledge, there must be capacity, and experience, to enable a commander to deal with the events of the day, and also to entitle him to the respect and obedience of those placed under him. We are to!d to look at the experience of France and other continental coun- tries; but my right hon. friend (Mr. S. Herbert) has well pointed out the essential and fundamental difference there is between the army of those countries and our own. In France and continental countries armies are raised by conscription, which sweeps men from all classes of society—taking the educated as well as the uneducated; and among the privates of the French array you find young mon who have received as good an education as any whom you meet with in the higher racks of life— (hear)—and a man of that kind who has passed his period of probation is as much fitted to be an officer as any man in this country who, after receiving the best educa tion, is allowed to purchase his commission. But in our army the privates necessarily come from the humbler classes of so- ciety. They are taken at an ago wizen education can scarcely have made any considerable progress. What pbrtions of the humbler classes of society are likely to enter into the army ? It is not those who in the ordinary occupations of civil life find profitable employment. Those who enter the army are usually young men of an aspiring and daring character—men of action rather than of study —men who like the dangers, the vicissitudes, and the adventures of a soldier's life, and who have not had opportunities of paying any great attention to the cultivation of their minds. It is true after they do get into the army that they do require an education which, per haps, they would never have enjoyed if they had not enlisted into the ranks. (Hear.) But, eves with these advantages, it is not every private or non-commissioned office.' that can obtain that intellectual education which would befit him for the position of an officer. (Hear, hear, hear.) Again, the position of an officer entails certain expenses which a pro moted sergeant is not usually able to bear—(hear, hear) — and which render his position disagreeable and painful to his feelings. And, moreover, we all know that men who have passed a considerable period of their lives in certain ass•cia tions do not really adapt themselves to become members of a profession composed of a different class of persons. It may often be that the promotion of a serjeant, instead of being an advantage to him, places him in a position really painful to his feelings, although ho may be gratified by the honour which has been conferred upon him. Sill, I agree that it is desirable to hold out to privates and non-commissioned offi cers that good conduct and distinguished services before an enemy will obtain for them a commission, if a commission they desire to have. Very little short of one hundred of such commissions have recently been given to persons of that class who have distinguished themselves i❑ the Crimea. It was certainly never intended that those commissions should be given as matters of favour •r patronage by the colonels of regiments; on the contrary, the only intention must have been that they should bo conferred on those non-commissioned officers of each regiment who lad most distinguished them selves in the course of the campaign ; and if iu any case the colonel did not select the non-commissioned officer most worthy of promotion, he was guilty of a dereliction of duty. It only remains for me to say that it will be the anxious de sire of her Majesty's Government that the system of promot ing a certain proportion of well-conducted non-commissioned officers to commissions shall bo continued, and I am satisfied that by the increased education which is given to the pri vates and non-commissionad officers of the army there will always be a considerable number of sergeants who will be fit to receive commissions, and who by their education and good conduct may hope to rise to a higher rank of promo tion in her Majesty's service. Such being the desire and in tention of the Government —such being the opinion we enter tain in respect to this motion—l should hope my noble friend who has submitted that motion to the house will not divide the house on this matter, and so give an erroneous impres sion to the public that on the main principle there is that dif ferenea of opinion and sentiment which a division would ap pear to indicate, and that he will leave it to the Government to follow out that course which has been so properly begun under the auspices of my right lion, friend (Mr. S. Herbert), being assured we shall fully appreciate the great impoutance of holding out to the humbler ranks of the army those prizes which—l will not say are necessary to stimulate them to the performance of duty, for they need no stch stimulant —but those prizes which are the proper rewards of good conduct, and which, while they must he gratifying to the feelings of those who receive them, must tend also to inspire their fellow- _ . _ comrades with a respect for the institutions under which they live, and the conviction that good conduct in the humbler classes of the army will be sure to meet with its appropriate reward. (C heers.) Lord GODERICH said he confessed the two speeches made that night from the Treasury bench had not led him to the conclusion that ho should be fulfilling the task ho had under taken if ho wore to withdraw his motion. He thought the first part of the speech of the noble lord (Pa'merston) answered the last part of it, and, however much he regretted not being able to accede to the noble lord's request, he should feel it his duty to divide the house. After a few words from Mr. OWEN STANLEY, The house divided. The numbers were— For the motion.. Against it 114 153 C°4l‘orsrlie7DEUEMNOajNoriTtily EagaAhßisVlt itY BEFORE SE BAS 4 T 4 O POL, tuted as it ough :Nl owb i li n i o oa ved that Sir G. B. Pechell be added to this committee, he did not think would be consti fession serving upon ia t i . f it had no member of the naval pro- Mr. ROEBUCK must re i terate' the objection he had brought against this propoosfaitta the preceding day. He had no objection to the name o p f ro t p h o e se c d o i' m w n h d o tlee h e ; believed, had voted for the ap p ° o l M fue t e e i e b n e t r onirtiwere concerned, he ie committee ; but, Clovernmant, lie so that, as far as his individual should wish the hon. baronet to be having made an arrangement with th e sllo u 1 d wish to abide by it. Colonel NORTH—Dues the hon. and learned ge ntleman Mr. ROEBUCK—I do. Mr. BENTINCK was not inclined to cavil in any way at the names of the members selected to discharge this duty, but he could not admit that hon. gentlemen on that side of the house had been guilty of a breach of contract, as insinuated by the hon, and learned member, because they had not sub scribed implicitly to an arrangement in which they had not been consulted, and in which they hail no share. Admiral WALCOTT felt bound to say that he thought it would have been conducive to the object of the house in ap pointing the committee—that of instituting a full and search ing inquiry —had some naval ran been chosen to serve on it; THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH _2, 1855. but he must say that he apprehended that the opportunity had now gone by. Lord W. POWLETT supported the motion. Mr, FREWEN thought it important that there should be a naval officer on the committee, and should therefore vote for the motion. Colonel DUNNE said the Government seemed afraid to have a naval officer on the committee, and yet a naval officer was indispensable for the due prosecution of the inquiry. The whole question turned on the neglect of the transport service, and unless a naval officer was on the committee it could not have the confidence of the country. The house di tided — For adding Sir G. Pechell to the committee 61 Against it Majority against the motion —3B POOR REMOVAL COMMITTEE. On the motion of Mr. BAINES, the name of Mr. John Ball was discharged from the committee, and that of Lord Naas substituted. THE TEA DUTIES. The house went into committee on the Customs Act, and a resolution for suspending the reduction of the duty on tea to ls. till one year after the declaration of peace was agreed to. The Exchequer Bills (17,183,0001.) Bill was read a second time. The house adjourned at half-past one o'clock. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISION. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MARCH 1. PROMOTION IN THE ARMY. Motion made and Question put, " That an humble address be presented to her Majesty, praying that she will be graci ously pleased to take into her consideration the present system of Promotion in her Majesty's Army, under which non-commissioned officers rarely attain to the rank of com missioned officer, and scarcely ever to that of field officer, and humbly to represent to her Majesty that it is the opinion of this house that the said system is injurious to the public service, and unjust to the private soldier in her Majesty's Army, " The house divided ; Ayes, 114, Noes, 158. AYES.-114. Acton, J. Forster, J. Anderson, Sir J. F'vc W. Ball, E. Gardner, R. Ball, J. Goodman, Sir G. Barnes, T Gower, F. Bass, T. Greenall, G. Biggs, W. Green, Capt John Bland, L. No. E. P.r. n C Gwyn,eni. ell i Chas. ilouverie, Bowyer, G. Hadfield, G. Ilramley-Mooro, J. lianmer, Sir J. Bright, J. Basile, Alex. Brocklehurst J. 'Wile, Archd. Brockman, E.D. Heywood, J. Browne, W. Heyworth, L. Campbell, Sir A. Howard, C. Challis, T. Nutehins, Z. Cobbett, J. M. Ingham, R. Cobden, It. Jackson, W. Cogan, W. H. F. Keating, R. Cowan, C. Kennedy, T. Craufurd, E. 11. J. King, P. Crook, J. Kinnaird, A. Crossley, F. Laing, S. Currie, Raikes Lang ton, H. G. Dent, J Laslett, W. Da Yere, S. Lee, W. Dillwyn, L. Lindsay, W. Divett, E. Mackie, J. Duke, Sir J. Macgregor, John Duncan, G. Maguire, J. Duncombe, T. Mangles, R. D. Dunlop, A. Marshall, W. Ebrington, Viscount Miall, E. Ellice, E. Milligan, R. Ewart, W. Milnes, li. Fagan, W. Morris, D. Fenwick, IT. Mestyn, T. Ferguson, J. Mowatt, F. Forster, C. - Murrough, J. NOES-158. A'Court, C. Gsulburn ' 11. Adair, R. Graham, Sir J. Adderley, C. Greaves, E. Archdall, M. Greene, Thomas Baring, 11. Gregson, S. Baring, Sir F. Gray, Sir G. Baring, T. Grey, R. Baring, F. Grogan, Edward Bellew, T. Grosvenor, Ld . R. Bennet, Capt P. Hale, R. Itent:uck, G. Halford, Sir 11. Beresford, Rt. Tin. W. Hall, Sir B. Ile:lceley. C. Hamilton, G. A. Bethell, Sir R. Hankey, T. Brains on. P. W. Harcourt, G. Brand, 11. B. W. Ilarcourt, Col. F. Brotherton, J. Hardinge, Bon. C. Buckley, Gen. Ileathcote, G. Carnac, Sir J. Hen?age, Geo. F. Cas:lero;se, Viscount Herbert, S. Cavendish, G. Herbert, Sir T. Ce , ;il, Lord It. Hervey, Lord A. Chelsea. Viscount Ho Wain, Lord Child, Smith Jqinstone, Sir J. Cholmondeley, Lord Jones, Capt. T. Christie, Samuel Kendall, N. Clive, RN Kerrison, Sir E. Colville, C. R. Knatchbull, W. Cimper, W. F. Knox, Col. B. W. Dalrymple, Viscount Knox, W. S. Dering, Sir E. Langton, W. Duckworih, Sir J. T. Lennox, Lord A. F. Duff, J. Lenin', Loi d 11. Duncombe, 0. Liddell, H. G. Dunne, Col. Lovalne, Lord Du Pre, C. Luce, T. Egerton, E. Lushina ton, C. Elcho, Lord Macartney, G. NI liot, J. - Macgregor, Jas. Elmley, Vie. Malins, R. Emlyn, Vis. Mandeville, Vie. Euston s Earl In eux, Sir 11. Filuser, Sir E. Mlles, W. Fitzroy, llon. H. Milner, W. Floyer, J. Michell, Dr.W. Forester, Col. Molesworth, Sir W. Fortescue, C. Monck, Viscount Franklyn, G. Morgan, 0. Freestun, Col. Mowbray, J. Frewen, C. Napier, J. Gilpin, Col. IT. Newdegate, C. Gladstone, W. North, Col. J. ..itadstone, Capt. J. Pakenliam, T. H. Goddard, A. Pakington, Sir J. Norreys, Sir D. North, F. O'Brien, P. O'Connell, D. o.way, A. Parker, R. Patton, Sir J. Pechell, Sir G. Pellatt, A. Perry, Sir T. Phillimore, R. I. Pl^,-ott, F. Pilklngton, J. Reed, J. Ricardo, J. Ricardo, 0. Roebuck, J. Russell, F. C. Scholefleld, W. &obeli, Capt. G. Shelley, Sir J. Smith, J. B. Stanley, W. Strickland, Sir U. Strutt, E. Sullivan, Michael Thompson, G. Vivian, H. H. Walmsley, Sir J. Warner, E. Wickham, 11. W. Wilkinson, W. Williams, W. Wise, A. TELLERS Gcderich, pis. Layard, A. H. Palk, L. Palmerston, Visct. Peacocke, G. Peel, Sir R. Peel, F. Peel, Gen. Pennant, Col. E. Philipps, J. Pinney, SW. Portman, W. Powlett, Lord W. Price, Sir R. Pritchard, J. Repton, G. Meant°, Robertson, P. Ruche, E. Sawle, C. Seymour, Lord heymonr, IL Shelburne, Earl Shirley, E. Sihthorp, Col. Smith, Abe! Smith, J. G. Stafford, A. Stafford, MaNuts Stanhope, J. Stanley, Lord Steel, J. Stuart, W. Taylor, Col. Thornely, T. Tomline, G. Traill, G. Tyler, Sir G. Vance, J. Vernon, G. Villiers, C. Walcott, Admiral Walpole, S. Walsh, Sir J. Walter, J. hatman, J. Whitbread, S. Whiteside, J. Whitmore, H. Wilson, J. Wynn, Lieut.-Col. Wy rill, M. TELLERS. Hayter, W. Mulgrave, Earl of THE REASON WHY. (Front the Derbyshire Courier.) Everybody is blaming everybody else for the mourn ful disaster which bas befallen our expedition to the Crimea. First and foremost the !Arne is laid on the War Ministers. And most justly so. Whatever the system might be, whatever the circumstances of the war under that system and these circumstances, the late War Ministers voluntarily undertook to conduct the war. Had they succeeded in carrying on the contest with Russia with only a moderate degree of success, had they even succeeded in supplying with food, clothing, and medi cine, the brave men whom they have exposed to the ne cessary severities of a winter campaign in the Crimea, the country would so far have been content, and the War Ministers would have had the principal share of the praise. As it is, they must bear the chief share of the disgrace. As we proceeded in the war it became. evident that the Government—and the people who had taken their opinion from what the members of the Go vernment told them—had greatly under-rated the mili tary capability of Russia. But our army in the Crimea has had to contend with a worse enemy than Russia. No men could have contended more bravely or more successfully than our troops have done against the Rus sians. But they have been starved to annihilation. A want of the commonest foresight and common-sense capacity for the management of every-day business on the part of the heads of Departments, at home and abroad, has proved an enemy too powerful for our once splendid army. But then the excuse for these culpable officials is that the system prevented them from doing what they were anxious to effect. Well, we believe that the corruption and jobbing of years in the appointment of Government clerks and officials has eventuated in a bad and inefficient system. Bat had we had men of sagacious mind and strong will at the bead of our War Departments, they would have provided for our army in spite of the system. It is not so much, as it appears to us, a better system as better men to work the existing system that th country requires in the present emergency. But then comes our contemporary, Blackwood, and takes a deeper view of the subject, and tells us that we must look at principles, and blame ourselves. The in sane mania of reduction common to all classes, says our contemporary, made our present inefficient system, and lies at the root of the evil. Joseph Hume, says Sir F. Head, the demon of economy, has destroyed our mag nificent army by the miserable system of retrenchment which'he introdhced. We are ready to admit that the country, and Joseph Hume (who in that respect represented the feeling of the masses) have carried retrenchment too far. Had we not " cut down " •ur army so severely to a peace establish ment, we should doubtless have been better prepared for war ; nay, the war itself might have been avoided. But what caused the mania of reduction ? Wbat raised up Joseph Hume, as a power in the state ? The mania of reduction did not spring tip in a day. It gradu ally grew up after the proclamation of peace in 1815. Nor wag such a mania, a necessary attendant on peace. With pas and plenty a nation would rather be in clined to be liberal and lavish in its expenditure. It was peace and poverty which led to the mania of reduc tion. The dreadful distress of 1816, " without prece dent," said Mr. Tierney, " since the Norman Conquest," the calamities of 1819, the agricultural distress of 1820, 1821, and 1822 ; the great panic of 1825 ; the agricul tural distress of 1829, and 1830, the panic of 1837, the miserable vicissitudes of trade from that time up to the panic of 1847—a1l these events had engendered in the minds of the British public a very natural mania of re duction. Are we to expect the English operative, or the little trader, to think of British honour and British glory while his family is starving ? Certainly not. Ignorant of the causes of the national distress, the suffering classes called loudly for the reduction of taxation at all risks. And if we now suffer the effects of this system, let us know the reason why. Peel's monetary system, by paralysing the national energies, and again and again producing the most severe national suffering, is the great moving cause which lies at the root of all our national misfortunes. If the British soldier has no sward, why has he not? Because he has sold it to buy bread. Mind we don't say that Peel's Bill has done all the evil. But we do say that it has created national evils which would not, without it, have existed, and that it has aggravated the evils which were inevitable. The reason why we have now been able to buy a sword, and draw it, is, that Australian gold has alle viated the evils of a bad monetary system. But let not the nation dream that they have done with Peel. He has not done with them. With twenty millions and up wards to pay for war expenses, a restricted currency, and consequently depressed trade, we shall, should the war proceed, be forced into an inglorious peace to avoid the unbearable pressure of the expenses of an honourable war. " Let the rich," says our enthusiastic contemporary, "submit to a double income tax, the poor to enhanced spirit, tea, and house duties." And so we verily believe they would, with cheap money, and a sufficient supply of it. But not without. Should England fail at this important crisis, let it be remembered that Peel's Bill is the reason why. 4 I s. r , Itgbff • SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock. DEATH OF THE EMPEROR NICHOLAS. We have just received the following very im• portant telegraphic despatch from our correopon dent at Berlin : " BERLIN, FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 5 P.M. " I hasten to inform you that intelligence has just reached Berlin of the death, this forenoon, of the Emperor of Russia, from an attack of apoplexy. " The news has created a great sensation ; and it is thought that the event will give a new aspect to the war." IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS.--(THIS EVENING.) The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woo sack at five o'clock. Lord LUCAN appeared for the first time in the house this evening. His lordship entered into an ani mated conversation with the Earl of Clarendon and Lord Lyndhurst. His lordship appeared in excellent health and spirits. DEATH OF THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA. The Earl of CLARENDON rose amidst profound silence, and said—My lords, I think it Joy duty to inform your lordships of the contents of a telegraphic despatoh which I received half an hour ago from her Majesty's Minister at the Hague : "The Emperor of Russia died this morning between 12 and 1 o'clock, of apoplexy, after an attack of influ. enza." I have also, my lords, received - a, despatch from Berlin, also informing me of the death of the Emperor of Russia. An hour before this despatch arrived, J received an account from Lord John Russell, who is at Berlin, stating that the Emperor of Russia was at the point of death, and that he had already taker leave of his family. I apprehend, said his lordship, although this event occurred at so late a time as between twelve and one this morning, thecae can be no doubt of the authenticity of the informati on. Under these cir cumstances, as this unexpected event must exercise an important and immediate innuence on the war. and upon the negotiations for peace, and possibly upon the policy of Russia, I think that my noble and learned friend (Lord Lyndhurst) will agree with me that it might be attended with much inconvenience if he per severed in bringing forward his motion, of Which he had given notice. I therefore trust, upon public grounds, that my noble friend will accede to the request which I now make, namely, that he would postpone his motion. Lord LYNDHURST—My lords, after the statement of my noble friend, I feel it is my duty not to proceed with the motion of which I have given notice in reference to our relations with Prussia. Bat I beg to state that I shall not withdraw it, but mertly postpone it till a future opportunity. THE CHARGE AT BAILAKLAVA. Lord LUCAN said he trusted tb.eir lordships would indulge him with a few moments, while he explained why he was here and not present at the seat of war. Immediately he bad arrived in this country he had waited upon the Commander-in•Cbie, and had demanded to have his conduct investigated by court-martial. Un til this had taken place, he would not make any remarks whatever on the subject. He should merely read a portion of the correspondence that had taken place. He entertained a confident hope th.at there would be an investigation into his conduct by military officers a: they would be the most competent judges. The noble lord then proceeded to read the correspondence that had taken place between Lord _Raglan, the home authorities, and himself, with a view of showing that he had net misconstrued the order sent to him by the Commander-in-Chief for the cavalry charge at Bala klava, and he was allowed no discrelcion in respect to it. Earl GRANVILLE complained of. the irregularities of the proceeding of the noble lord. Inasmuch as he (Lord Lucan) had confined himself merely to reading of the correspondence, he did not feel it incumbent on him to enter into the question. LUNACY REGULATION ACT AMENDMENT. This bill was r, ad a third time. CONSOLIDATED FUND 3,:300,000/. BILL. This bill was read a third time a. - ad passed. CONSOLIDATED FUND 20,000,000/. BILL. This bill was read a third time and passed. COMMON LAW PROCEDURE ACT AMEND- MENT. On the motion of the LORD CHAN CELLOR, this bill was read a third time and passed. Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(THIS EVENING.) The SPZAKER took the chair at four o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following{ bills were read a second time and ordered to be committed :—Paisley Burgh ; Saint George's Harbour ; Shrewsbury Improvement ; Execu tor and Trustee Society ; Phcenix, South Metropolitan, London, and Surrey G as C ompan i es. On the motion for the second reading of this bill, Mr. W. WILLIAMS opposed it, because it was in tended to establish a great gag monopoly on the south of the Thames. He moved that the bill be read a second time that day cis month , . Mr. A. PELLATT supported the bill, and declared that it would protect rather than oppress the public, with regard to the prices, quality, and measure of their gas. _ _ After some observations from Mr. Bouverie, Mr. Wil son Patten, Mr. W. A. Wilkinson, and Mr. Greene, Sir T. DUKE, who had charge of the bill, said the Company were quite willing that the maximum price of their gas should be 63. per thousand. The house then divided, when there appeared, For the second reading .., Against it Majority The bill was accordingly read a, second time, and or dered to be committed. BARNSTAPLE ELECTION. Mr. G. BUTT brought up the report of the Barnstaple election committee, declaring that Mr. Guinness was duly elected, but th a t M r . L'awley was not, and that so far as the latter was concerned the election was a void election. LIVERPOOL IMPROVEMENT BILL. Mr. M. GIBSON moved that standing order No. 90 be suspended in the case of the Liverpool Improvement Bill ; and that it he an instruction to the committee of selection to add such local members to the committee upon such Lill as they may think fit. After a brief conversation the motion was withdrawn upon the understanding that the Liverpool members do not sit upon the committee. PETITIONS. Mr. FERGUSON presented a petition from Carlisle, praying that public-houses may be entirely closed on Sundays. Mr. WYSE presented a petition from Stafford against the Public-House Act of last session. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE presented a petition from Finibury against the sale of intoxicating liquors. Mr. T. PARKER presented a petition from several local papers against the newspaper stamp. Mr. WALTER presented a petition from the Not tingham Waterworks Company against certain clauses in the Public Health Bill. . Mr. MOWATT presented a petition front the Cam bridge Mechanics' Institute, in favour of the purchase of the Bernal Collection by the nation. Several other honourable members presented similar petitions. MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. Mr. LAYARD gave notice that on Monday he should ask the Under Secretary at War whether an order had been issued to the medical officers serving in the Crimea not to answer any questions put to them, so that they might be unable to answer the questions of the commis sioner sent out to inquire into the conduct of the Medical Department. He should also ask whether Dr. Lawson had been appointed to an office in the hospital at Scu tari, Smyrna, or Rhodes ; and, if so, by whose authority had he been appointed ? Colonel SMYTH wished to ask the Under• Secretary of State for War, whether any arrangement has been male to send either to Scutari or to the camp in the Crimea those surgeons of militia regiments who have volunteered their services in accordance with a circular addressed to them from the War-office ; or, whether any arrangements have been made to send out the civil practitioners who have offered their services. Mr. PEEL said a circular was sent from the War office to the surgeons of militia regiments, requesting to know whether they would proceed to the East. It had not been out more than a week or ton days, and he was informed no offer had yet been made in answer to that circular ; but the head of the medical department had been directed to engage the services of ten civil practi tioners. BREECH-LOADING ARMS. Mr. MAGUIRE asked the Under Secretary at War whether any steps, and, if any, what steps had been taken by the War Department to improve the arma ment of the cavalry, artillery, or other troops, by pro viding them with a breech-loading arn.?_ Mr. PEEL said several were under the consideration of the Ordnance, and they were being tested by a corn :nittee of artillery officers. ARMY IN THE CRIMEA. Mr. T. DUNCOMEE asked the Under-Secretary for War, whether there is any objection to lay upon the table copies of any letters or despatches that have passed between Lord Raglan and the Minister for War rela tive to the wants of the army in the Crimea. Mr. PEEL said there would be no objection to pro duce the correspondence. Cohmel GREVILLE wished to ask the Under Secre tary for War, whether the salaries of the Chaplains at tendirg the army in the East were fixed during the past year by a War-Office regulation at 10s. fir the Church if England, 7s. 6d. for the Presbyterian, and ss. for the Roman Catholic, for the performance of their respective duties ; and, if so, whether it is the intention of the Go vernment to make any alteration with a view of placing the clergy of each denomination on a footing of equality while engaged in this arduous service ? Mr. PEEL said the pay of the first was 16s. a day in addition to allowances and ration.. The Roman Catho lics were paid at the rate of 1501. a year in addition to allowances and rations. PENSIONS IN THE MILITIA. Colonel NORTH asked the Under Secretary for War whether those serjeants of regiments of militia who are now pensioners from the army, and who have volunteered for foreign service, will be allowed to count their service towards increase of pension? Mr. PEEL said those serjeants received is. 6d. a day in addition to their pension while they served in the militia, and if they enlisted in the militia twenty years they would be entitled to a further pension. Those who volunteered for foreign service received a bounty of 31., and their service in the Mediterranean would not be allowed to count in the manner suggested by the gallant officer. LANDLORD AND TENANT BILL. Mr. NAPIER asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether the sanction or support of the Government in both Houses of Parliament is intended to be given to so much of the bill recently introduced by the honourable and learned member for Kilkenny, as consists of the bill of last session, which was rejected by the House of Lords, and which is contained in the first seventeen clauses of the present bill ? Lord PALMERSroN said the intentions of the Go vernment would be stated on the second reading of the bill. DEATH OF THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA. Mr. F. FRENCH—Sir,--There is a rumour in cir culation that the Government have received intelligonce respecting the death of the Emperor of Russia. May I ask if the Government have received such intelligence ? Lord PALMERSTON said—The Government have received two telegraphic messages—one through Berlin, and the other from the Hague—to the effect that the Emperor of Russia died in the course of this forenoon. This announcement was received with intense sensa tion. NATIONAL EDUCATION. Mr. DUNDAS inquired whether the Government intended to further the bill introduced by Lord John Russell, on the subject of National Education, or whether they intended to postpone any further proceed ing in regard to it until the return of the noble lord. Sir G. GREY said that, the further proceeding in the bill had been postponed in accordance with a suggestion from the noble earl himself until after Easter. IRISH BUSINESS. On the motion that the house at its rising do adjourn until Monday, Mr.' NAPIER called the attention of the house to the legislation for Ireland, and the state in which the Irish business stood, by which great injustice was done to Ireland and the Irish representatives in the house. He complained of great neglect and delay in reference to the progress of measures through the house. Lord PALMERSTON said he was not at all sur prised at the anxiety clisp'n,yed by the hon. gentleman en the ; but he thought the lion. gentleman did the house great injustice in charging it with neglect in ~his matter, considering the amount of time bestowed on Irish business last session. He did not begrudge the time which had been so occupied, ind he was sure there was no hon. gentleman in that house who would feel disposed to treat any measures for the welfare of the interests of Ireland with indifference. (Hear, hear.) As to the Jurors' Bill, he could appeal to the caltdour of the hon. gentleman whether he attributed the circum stances attending the delay in the progress of that bill to any fault on the part of the house. He hoped thehon.gentlemen would not consider the Government at all presumptuous invoting for a postponement of important Irish business until an Under-Secretary of State for Ireland, and responsible law officers of the Crown had been appointed. (Hear, hear.) Hitherto any delay had arisen from causes over which the Government had no control. Mr. WHITESIDE said his hon. friend never charged the Government with wilfully neglecting Irish business ; he had only complained of the state of doubt in which every bill before that house connected with Ireland at present stood. Under these circumstances he (Mr. Whiteside) thought his hon. friend was qutte right in calling upon the Government to explain its intentions. Sergeant SHEE, who excited some amusement by speaking from the Ministerial side of the house, de fended the conduct he had taken in reference to the Landlord and Tenant Bill, which had been adverted to by the noble lord at the head of the Government in the course of his reply. He assured the noble lord that he and several of his honourable friends bad determined not to support, the Government, unless it would set these Irish questions at rest; and the noble lord well knew that no Government could succeed or have a strong foundation which was not supported by Irish members. Mr. F. FRENCH said his complaint was not as to the way in which Irish business was treated by being brought forward at a late period in the evening, but the unintelligible nature of the business when it did come on. Look, for instance, at the Militia Bill. He trusted his noble friend would take this matter into hie con sideration. Colonel DUNNE also complained of the' confused state of Irish business. The motion before the house was then put and carried. NEWSPAPER STAMP REPEAL. In reply to Mr. T. DUNCOMBE, - Mr. WILSON stated that it was not the intention of the Government to proceed with the second reading of this bill until Monday. ARMY BEFORE SEBASTOPOL COMMITTEE. Mr. ROEBUCK said ho had to perform a disagreeable duty in asking the house to make this committee dis agreeable, because much misconception had arisen in regard to it. The committee had unanimously come to the conclusion that the committee ought to be secret, but have divided as to the means of accomplishing this end. One way was by excluding the public and admit ting lion. members of this house—and another was by excluding the public, and asking hon. gentlemen to be kind enough not to insist upon themselves. Under these circumstances, the committee had determined to appeal to the house to make the com mittee secret in the fullest sense. In making this request the committee asked the house to have confidence in them in executing the responsible trust confided to them. The committee felt this diffi culty—if the proceedings were threwn open they would be published daily, and accusations would go forth to the world. But there was a still greater reason in the minds of the committee which he was only at liberty to shadow forth. We were at present in alliance with a great Power, and to maintain an amicable understanding be tween the two countries, lie premised was the permanent desire of the house. Therefore they had felt that if public there would not be that opportunity afforded to witnesses of speaking their minds without fear and reserve, which was absolutely necessary to the efficiency of the inquiry. Tie felt himself unable to repress his sense of the respon sibility which the committee had undertaken—(hear) — but at the same time if the house would have confidence in their discretion, he trusted it would consent to the committee being secret. He would therefore conclude by moving that the committee be made secret. (Hear.) Lord SEYMOUR wished to state the reason why he had himself objected to the committee being made secret. At present the house was precisely in the same position in regard to the inquiry as it was before the committee was appointed, for they had transacted no business, and had examined no witness. The common course of committees was to be thrown siren, and he should have been glad if this one could have been made the same. But there were obvious difficulties in the way of such an arrangement. In the first place, the room would he inconveniently crowded by the impulse of curiosity. Then there might be difficulties as to the manner in which evidence or portions of evidence was accepted or rejected. But the house was sacrificing a great deal of counterbalancing advantage, on the other hand, by making the committee secret. He considered the attempt to make this committee secret was a very foolish one. The hon. gentleman said all the members considered tho committee ought to be secret. Such was in fact, not the case. It was presumed that if members came in they would betray what they heard; if he (Lord Seymour) could not trust hon. members, how could he trust the members of the committee. (Cheers.) He did not think excluding members of the house would do any good. With regard to the press matters would naturally ooze out ; but, if anything appeared in the press, they would all naturally feel humiliated from the fear of being suspected of supplying the information. There fore, he did not see the policy of excluding the peers. He would only say, if the house determined upon making the committee secret, let them take all the re sponsibility ; for his part, he did not seethat any ad vantage could accrue from it. Mr. VILSON PATTEN rose, and was (LEFT SPEAKING.) THE LONDON GAZETTE. (THIS EVENING.) I. PAR-DEPARTMENT, MARCH 2. Lord Palma - tire yesterday received a Despatch and its Enclosures, o f which the following aro copies, addressed to his Grace thi Duke of Newcastle, by Field-Marshal the Lord Raglan, G.C.8., Before Sebastopol, February 17,1815. _ MY LORD DUKE, I have the , satisfaction to acquaint your Grace that the weather has improved since I last addressed you, and the country is &lemming drier. Two days ego the thermometer WAS up at GO, It wee somewhat lower yesterday, and early this morning it was down below freezing point, and at this moment it is _ _ I mention these particulars in order to show your Graco how variable this climate is. No movement has been mr.ae upon the part of tho enemy. The garrison of Sebastopol is engaged in deepen ing the ditches, and improving the defences of the south front, and in constructing works on the north side of the harbour. I have received information that the Russian army, in the neighbourhood of Bakshi-Serai and Simpheropol, is suffering much from the want of provisions, and from pri vations of all kinds. I am happy to be able to say that the railway is making considerable progress, and that every hope is entertained that in the course of a very short time it will be available for transit as far as Kadikei, which will accelerate the conveyance of stores up to the camp. I enclose the return of casualties up to the 16th inst. I have great pleasure iu stating that Colonel Bell, of the Royal Regiment, who received a slight wound in the side from a musket-ball, when commanding in the trenches on the night of the 14th inst., experiences very little incon venience from it, and has felt well enough to continue to discharge his duty with his accustomed zeal. I have, &c., RAGLAN, His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, &c. &c. &,. (Enclosure 1.) RETURN OF CASUALTIES FROM THE 12ru TO 16TH FEBRUARY, 1855, INCLUSIVE. Ist Regiment of Foot-1 officer, wounded. 19th Foot-1 rank and file, wounded. 38th Foot-1 rank and file, wounded. 44th Foot-1 rank and file, wounded. 47th Foot-1 rank and file, wounded. 77th Foot-2 rank and file, wounded. 89th Foot-1 rank and file, wounded 90th Foot-1 rank and file, wounded. Total-1 officer, 8 rank and file wounded. , B. BUCKNALL ESTCOURT, Adjutant-General. Enclosure 2. NOMINAL LIST OF OFFICERS WHO HAVE BEEN WOUNDED FROM THE 12TH TO THE 15TH FEB., 1855. WOUNDED. FEB. 14. Ist Royals—Colonel George Bell, slightly. J. B. BUCKNALL ESTCOURT, Adj utant-General, Enclosure 3. NOMINAL RETURN OF NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND PRIVATES WOUNDED FROM THE 12TH TO 15TH FEBRUARY, 1855, INCLUSIVE. WOUNDED. FEB. 13. 44th Regiment of Foot. Serjeaut Isaac Mclllory, slightly. 77th Regiment of Foot. Private Thomas Mclineight, dangerously Private Daniel Rurden, dangerously 89th Regiment of Foot. Private William Murray, severely. FEB. H. 38th Regiment of Foot. Private Thomas Collins, severely. 47th Regiment of Foot. Private John White, slightly. FEB. 15. 19th Regiment of Foot. Private Maurice Bennett, severely. 90th Regiment of Foot. Private James Hobbs, severely. J. B. BIICKNJ.VLL ESTCOURT, Adjutant-General. BUCKINGHAM PALACE, FEB. 28. This day had audience of the Queen : The General Della Mamoru, Commander-in-Chief of the Sardinian Contingent with the Allied Armies : The General was accompanied by the Marquis D'Azeg lie, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from his Majesty the King of Sardinia: TD which audience he was introduced by the Earl of Clarendon, K. G., her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State f,..r Foreign Affairs, and conductea by Major-General Ilonourable Sir Edward Curt, K.C.H., her Majesty's Mas ter of the Ceremonies. FOREIGN-OFFICE, MArten 1. Tho Queen has been pleased to approve of Don Vicente Alsina as Consul at Gibraltar, for the Queen of Spain. The Queen has also been pleased to approve of Mr. Adolph() Edward° Serendat, as Consul-General in the Mauritius, for the King of Portugal and the Algarves. CROWN-OFFICE, FEB. 28. MEMBER RETURNED TO SERVE IN THIS PRESENT PARLIA MENT. Borough of Swansea—Lewis Llewelyn Dillwyn, of Bryn Nuvydd, in the county of Glamorgan, Esq., in tho room of John Henry Vivian, Esq., deceased. WAR-OFFICE, MARCH 2. 2d Regiment of Life Guards—Lieut. F. Marshall, from the Ist Dragoon Guards, to be Lieutenant, vice Sherwen, who exchanges, March 2. Ist Dragoon Guards—Lieut. P. Sherwen, from the 2d Life Guards, to be Lieutenant, vice Marshall, who ex changes, March 2. sth Dragoon Guards—Cornet James Hayes, from the Ist Dragoon Guards, to be Cornet, without purchase, and Adjutant, vice Godman, who resigns the Adjutancy only, March 2. 4th Light Dragoons—Cornet E. L. Paxley to be Lieu tenant, by purchase, vice Martin, whose promotion, by purchase on 10th November, 1854, has been cancelled, March 2. 13th Light Dragoons—Troop-Sergeant Major William Cresdee to be Q aartermast er' vice Foster, deceased, March 2. Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards—Serjeant-Major Evan Colins to be Quartermaster ; Assistant.Surnon Jas. John M. Wardrop t o b e B a tt a li on Surgeon, March 2. Scots Fusilier Guards—S u s sex - Vane Stephenson, Gent., to be Ensign and Lieutenant, without purchase ; Lieute nant and Captain Reginald Gipps to be Adjutant, March 2. Ist Regiment of Foot—Brevet-Major the Hon. C. D. Plunkett to be Major, by purchase, vice Stewart, whose promotion by purchase, on the 19th January, has been cancelled, March 2. 4th Foot—Lieutenant F. F. Hamilton to be Captain, by purchase, vice Roberts, who retires, March 2. 7th Foot—Lieutenant G. H. Nevill to be Captain, by purchase, vice Persse, who retires, March 2. 13th Foot—Lieutenant R. Gostling to be Captain, by purchase, vice Boyd, whose promotion, by purchase on 13th February, has been cancelled, March 2. 14th Foot—Lieutenant Frederick Smythe to be Captain, without purchase, vice Strode, deceased ; Ensign F. G. Armstrong to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Smythe, Feb. 17; Edward Raphael Francis Mansergh, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Armstrong, yromoted, March 2. 20th Foot—The Honourable Adolphus Vereker to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Waterfall, appointed to the 95th Foot, March 2. 21st Foot—Ensign Peter Herbert Delamere, from the 4th Royal Lancashire Light Infantry Militia, to be Ensign, without purchase, March 2. 24th Foot—Alexander John Colvin Birch, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchas e , M arc h 2 . 29th Foot—Captain R. F. W. Cumberland, from the 96th Foot, to be Captain, vice Nugent, who exchanges, Dec. 26. 33d Foot—Lieutenant H. St. Vincent Marsh to be Ad jutant, vice Barrett, promoted, March 2. 33th Foot—Ensign F. J. Rooper to be Lieutenant, with out purchase, vice Gordon, promoted in the Coldstream Guards ; John Alexander Caldecott, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Rooper, March 2. 39th Foot—Henry Rudkin Vigors, Gent., to-be Ensign, without purchase, vice Gould, appointed to the 97th Foot, March 2. 41st Foot—Lieutenant James Queenb'rough Palmer, from the Worcestershire Militia, to bo Ensign, without purchase; Assistant-Surgeen George Smyth King, M.D., from the Staff, to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Woodley, placed upon hal-pay, March 2. 42d Foot—Honourable Randolph Henry Stewart to be (Ensign, without purchase, March 2. 43d Foot—Captain T. E. Holmes, from the 84th Foot, to be Captain, vice Du Vernet, who exchanges, December 26, 1-354. 44th Foot—Lieutenant W. A. Wood, to be Adjutant, vice Preston, promoted, M trch 2. 46th Foot—Serjeant William Cross, from the Grenadier Guards, to be Ensign, without purchase, and Adjutant, March 2. 49th Foot—To be Lfiutenants, without purchase—Lieu tenant G. B. Coulson, from the 55th Foot ; Ensign Edward Mackay, March 2. .'") , lthFoot—Lieutenant William Humphreys, from the kd Foot, to be Lieutenant, rice Beetham, who exchanges, March 2. 55th Foot—Ensign J. 11. Sharpe to be Lieutenant, with out purchase, vice Coulson, appointed to the 49th Feot ; Ensign James Scott to be Lieutenant, without purchase, March 2. 57th Foot—Ensign Thomas Grace to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Windham, appointed to the Rifle Brigade ; Edward Gould Hasted, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Grace, March 2. 60th Foot.—Paymaster E. R. Haunam to be Lieute nant, vice Fitzpatrick, appointed Paymaster; Lieutenant F. Fitzpatrick to be Paymaster, vice Hannam, appointed Lieutenant, March 2. 62d Foot.--Lieutenant T. Milsom to be Adjutant, vice Sauudereon, promoted, March 2. 634 Foot—To be Lieutenants, without purchase—En sign W. S. Marson ; Ensign S. H. B ruce , M arc h 2. 68th Foot—Ensign J. P. Cox, from the Cape Mounted Riflemen, to be Lieutenant, without purchased, March 2. 77th Foot—To be Captains by purchase—Lieutenant W. J. Carden, vice Brevet-Major Battley, who retires ; Lieu tenant A. Lempriere, vice Forster, who retires, March 2. ' 79th Foot—To be Ensigns, without purchase --Theophi his Robert Howkins, Gent., Feb. 28 . Edward Everett, Gent., March 1; Herbert Burrows Adcock, Gent., March 2. 84th Foot—Captain W. D u V erne t , from the 434 Foot, to be Captain, vice Holmes, who excha nges , D ec . 26. 85th Foot—Ensign E. . Beadon, to be Lieutena n t, by purchase, vice Roope r , promoted, March 2. 88th Foot—To be Ensigns, without purchase—Lieu tenant George Stratton Watson, from the Royal Notts Militia, Feb. 28 ; Edgar Edward Austen, Gent., March 1 Wyrley Birch, Gent., March 2. 89th Foot—Joshua James Bowness, Gent., to be En sign, without purchase, March 2. 90th Foot — Quartermaster- Sergeant James Barr to b e Ensign, without p urc h ase ; Lieutenant A. G. Daubeny to be Adjutant, vice Crealock, promoted, March 2. 92d Foot—Lieutenant D. Beetham, from the 54th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Humphreys, who exchanges, March 2. 93d Foot--To be Ensigns, without purchase—Ensign Samuel E. Wood, from the 9th Foot ; Charles Warner Losack, Gent, March 1; Roderick dhu Glenlyon Hamilton Burgoyne, Gent., hfarch 2. 96th Foot—Captain St. George M. Nugent, from the 29th Foot, to ba Captain, vie,: Cumberland, who ex changes, Dec. 26. 97th Foot--Ensign A. R. N. Gould, from the 39th Foot, to be Ensign without purchase, March 2. Rifle Brigade—Lieutenant S. S. Windham, from the 57th Foot, to bo Lieutenant, March 1. To be Ensigns, without purchase—Sergeant John Simpson Knox, from the Scots Fusilier Guards, February 27 ; Sergeant Joseph Ashton, from the Coldstream Guards, February 28 ; Fre. deric Arthur Riley, Gent., March 1. To be Ensign, by purchase—Cecil Webb Craig, Gent., March 2. T o be As. sistant-Surgeon—Assistant-Surgeon John By Cole Reado, from the Staff, vice Reynolds, !promoted en the Staff, March 2. 2d West India Regiment—Ensign 31. Eurleigh to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Ruinley, deceased, Dec, 30; Ensign J, Kavanagh to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Burleigh, whose promotion on January, 18:5, has been cancelled, Jan 26; 17' Mauuseil to be Lieutenant, without purchi' n;igb, whose promotion on the 2d February, • cancelled, Feb. 2. Caps Mounted Riflemen—Lieutenant C. J Captain, by purchase Tice Kenyon, who rearA. A. it. Fowler ,to be 'Lieutenant, by purchase, March 2. LAND TRANSPORT CORPS. TO BE CAPTAIN OF A DIVISION. Captain Robertson Larkins of the 49th T Infantry, Jan. 26. TO BE QUARTERMASTERS OF BRIG. Sergeant George Ross Caldwell from the Feb. 6. Lieutenant L. Isacke, of the 2d Madras . ment, Feb. 0. Sergeant-Major John Jones, from the 7th goons, Feb. 28. Corporal Alexander M`Lean, from the 2d Mitch 1. Troop-Corporal Major Charles Hutton, from Guards, March 2. PROVISIONAL DEPOT BATTALF Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel H. D. 0 , 1 Major, half-pay Unattached, to be Major, Lieutenant-Colonel William Slater, who has full-pay, March 2. Captain John Frend, 55th Foot, to be tant, March 2. BREVET. The under-mentioned officers of Royal been placed upon retired full-pay, under th• rant for the Ordnance Department, dated 3 a to have the honorary rank of Major-Genere l s - Colonel William Furneaux, Feb. 7. Colonel Richard Goodwin Bowen Wilson, Lieutenant-Cololel Richard James Decree, Artillery, having completed a service of three present rank, to have tho rank of Colonel under the Royal Warrant for the Ordnance Nov. 3, 1854—March 2. HOSPITAL STAFF. „,,„ Actin.. Assistant-Surgeon Thomas Ege r ''' . Assistant-Surgeon, vice Reade, appointed to gado, March 2. Acting Assistant-Surgeon James Macert il iie tant-Surgeon, vice King, appointed to the Mach 2. TO BE PURVEYORS TO THE FOBC' . Charles H. 12oller, Gent., Feb. 20. Sydney C. Harrington, Gent., Feb. 20. OFFICE OF ORDNANCE, 3 1 .. ...1 ROYAL REGIMENT OF ARTILLYA b 0 Brevet-Colonel Charles Bertie Symons vice Sweeting, deceased, Feb. 25. Captain William Hamilton Elliott to Colonel, vico Symons, Feb. 25. 000 l Second Captain Gustavus Hamilton Lock° Lieutenant .40. to be Catain vice Elliot, F eb. 25 tooo- * be ec°ll First Gronow Davis S vice Milman, Feb. 25.t0y Second Lieutenant John R o b er t —g toS Lieutenant, vice Davis, Feb. 25 • Biaa - Second Captain John Frase r LodingtonFed Captain, vice Brevet-Major Young, decest,..ut 9 to) , fig i First Lieutenant Edgar Gra n th a m Brea* , to )0 Ca S ptain, vice B Lieutenant Charles 2s Orde Brow ° Lieutenant, vice Bredin, Feb. 25. OFFICE OF ORDNANCE, 3,0""--11 ye l' 00 111 2$ 0$1. Royal Regiment of Artillery.—Gentlev 3 4 Second Lieutenants—Henry D ow d e swellP l lO Keene, promoted, Feb. 28. tid 1700 Hale Young Wortham, vice Doyne, Pr° l3l . 2 o o4Fi - Henry Barlow Maule, vice Daubuz, p 1 m oo' Charles Wills Walrond, vice Hodson, Promo' William James Smith Neill, vice Irsug"" Feb. 28. Henry Le Guay Geary, vi ce M au d e , PTO 181 re # Walter Brook Rice, vice Law, promot 0 ; 00 , 1 George Uchter Knox, vice Downes, po o to , William Norton Persse, vice Light, Pr.,,,tt, ~, Osborne Hall Goodenough, vice Nil"' Atr Feb, 28. co lir e James Hamilton Pringle A n d erso n, Yi '_j, • moted, Feb. 28. yo Pr: Josesh Nathaniel Po r tl oc k D a d so n, 10 0 0 k moted, Feb. 28. vice Sti' 4 Henry Charnberlayne Farrell, Feb. 28. E award McLaughlin, vac® Hanwell, Prl t iti ° Charles Fy s h o R o b er t s , v i ce Betty, Pr,,* j Arthur St ewar t H un t er , v i ce Sap°23l. • Feb. 28. fio' f Graham Reginald Thackery Stevenson, i worth, promoted, F e b. 28. Od George Adam Crawford, vice Moore, Pr°43.5.,,e , CORPS OF ROYAL ENGIN tO,-fri Gentlemen C a d e t s t o b e S econ d Li e nteno porary rank. ~, i fir ag. William Adolphus Frankla.nd, vice il''` . A r Feb. 28. fi e 0, telly. 4 0 Wm. Simeon Boileau, vice Duff, pren 3 .s.b. _,y e Alex. Dirom, vice Philips, promoted, ";„"007,014 , Walter M. T. Campbell, vice Martin,Pfyite oh Douglas Gossett Waldegrave MoncrieP , p sl o moted, Feb. 28. Morgan Crofton Molesworth, vice 0:44114 11° P.. Feb. ic 2 h B a . f rd Betton Rimmingtois, vice 171°11 ,10 11 ei Richard Feb. 28. f ice „ a Percy 'Guillemard Llewellyn Smil' 'o' ' meted, Feb. 28. 0 ,Jo a: Edward Daniel, vice Townsend, pro 1 04). Aior BANKRUPTCY ANNVlA' d ioee' William Littell Tizard, mechanical 41131 ' ilk City. John Walker BroßvnA, dieser. Henry Shaw Goodman, Tarnish-maker, 0.171 Hammersmith. Thomas Cooke, th e e ld er , ca ttle 01 0013311 V Hants. N u K-R phoYst P e T re B r ., Sloan' Henry T. Ryde, d ea l er i n mining shy' L.l road, Middlesex. , Henry Mills. tobacconist, Great Port lan cl°- lebone. Coventd' ~James Rum se y, li cense d v i c t ua ller, 00 0 00 James Harrop and Joseph Harrop, I v turers, Westbury, Wilts. Evan Edwards, grocer and leather do llies -'fr botIS Glamorganshire. 00 r e Benjamin Bray and Wm. Bray, draper , r To Richard Lear Mugford, tailor and dor 'ditAl l , George Elston, boot and shoe maker,_ u m ,r e g is. John Crocker, tallow chandler, Wyk°, _lOO James Smith and John Holmes, worste d Denholme, Yorkshire. hes t l;(l 6l Alexander Jack son , watchmaker, lia ll i ,, c - s i j e Richard Popki ss , R o b er t Griggs Fop'''. Meller, timber merc h an t s, Brantford. i plAe" 4 Charles Fox, li cense d v i c t ua ll er, Staf f er Matthew i Matthew Ri c h ar d S co tt , West India ra ' A T place, Marylebone. sot ()P ii f • James Norton W ee k s , h o t e l k ee per, E i Wight. 0 0" e William Edmund Ch am pi on , b r ick in joh ton-terrace, Limehouse. William Pickersgill, d ea l er i n e arthen a re 14 street, Barbican, City. Ai BANK OF ENGLAND' (nr is4 An Account pursuant to the A c t 7th an d Sth Vi e , d — rem the Week ending on Saturday the 24th clBl v* jo t DOUR DEPARTMENT. ' l e A , d e bt''. , Notes Issued ...•• .... 26,362,055 Governmen ' .. .2 ,1" Other securiv.llooo/ LI e .. Gold coin an ~. Silver bullioa... iso .. MAIISOA—• 426,362,055 Dated the Ist day of March, 55. TARTMENT• Ad•ttletje 411 Goverrillie___,ltt.--0-140 ((nCIUdg•P"" ..‘ Annuity) if( Other Notes • • Gold anisill'or • mensßA 0 1$1' PRICE OF SUGAl t _,% f r liptel - The average price of Brown or Mang? 0. tile puted from the returns made in the vileti 0 o' Feb., 1855, is 21s 4id per hundred the duties of Customs paid or p a yable " portation thereof into Great Britain. o lf• / A Y" • , ~.‘ ‘• V 0 Gibraltar • /; Leghorn • • ; 0 1 / 2 Genoa •• • ~ 01 liilan •• • 0 . • 0 • ,31 Venice.• " .• * ,•••, ' Naples """ Palermo • .•• •••, Messina • / Lisbon •• ••'/ I Oporto • •• lilo JaneLce„, • D ig / Buenos AS'6O d5y,..0.;0.0., New yorX• .• •'01 1, „,1 1 1 0 • 11 01$ 11 1 • 1- 01 ° 0 ratcEs rhila-e_ o f 0 0 0 T„i0" 0 0 14 I Foreign 4a 0 Portugal ...• 0 ° Diezica n n - 0 1101 1 • , 1,1 ••-" r o • citiver 0- i.A OUNDLE RA • COURSE OF EXCE Amsterdam ............ 11 16 u Ditto, three months .. 11 185,', Rotterdam 11 1851 Antwerp ....... • 25 30 13russels .... • • •....... 25 30 flarnbargh 13 634 Altona .. • ..• • • •• •• • • J Pari5........ .. • • .... 25 15 ;;Ditto, three months .. 25 40 , t Marseilles 25 40 Bourdeaux ........... _.Franltfort-on7Maine •• 118% Berlin ................ Vienna .......... •• .... 12 55 •• .• •• •• •• •• 12 55 Petersburg 3551 Madrid ......... 49% Cadiz ........ • • Barcelona ............ Seville.. •• •• (THIS DAY.) Eight ran. Fe k k k1 4 4 41 N. b. /V hole Drew, n for it . lal nder °I . Life. a 6 18 4 4 6 0 1 6 1 3 41 \ 1 ' g 1 *,,,.. cb , _ .... -- i ' l't ki . 41 qaNt„ t rtira a ,ta , w - C tr 9 It k I ;q t ho , ''''bolti i:i ----' .10 l' e°l3ll AS ion on %, I'l' PI Tof _.,,j, eonti, ) 1 1 , , 6 . r'l.'"... ill ai I d a : (~,A tn v hap, vice '4 itt!itLy Of Of , c t e t- y, 1.0 , 111". 4 Et e d fs!ltAilli, :). . 13e0 toy ta wooci.?tindati retires;, 4 0,„ chase,vit. ,„,-,,,,,,.A.5yvi PS. li g ihrar, ozu,s fleets4liit3 Wel?ll°P'g:lt 31Ni3engS1 5° 4 ti ll t° e41,el eXa . 1 cernOepremcuttadaa 1), ai c t GIDESn.so. . Y Ili; urolstpoo74 ~, 4: 1::::/tu:rtrilioonoonf ansio Of I kft, 7th 1; 1 1 1A ' . klig a, EOTo, 000 St:eirePare 2d Life ,4, t Itgill'alite'cit:lder From the le 1ta,419, tirleadYclfli( 1 , 14 .. tillaarnted: 77 ' 'ALTOS. o s aB o r i . i - y Ilidlorsnm., St rit.sh pUaG ii, a •Ce Pie Ahk . jor, v 3 ,a 1 a ,2, th has of ____ _ if 4k m , ! l ' ° A Assistant - A t t.eireated by i , Zi4-en:', Pice„i ,01 , houl:, ce to , Artillerififf A 6 1 ?„ , (1 , eDo s i t ° B °d a the ltor J OIt tk : 1 2 . t. p;°ued trail I3d 10f" ' ti-it o r aur.u, i r rsl, ce vis.:' hZdit, rnbalan 1 t 3 k i to„,-„d drafts , Febl'ioo /htiabirtltZhai4t 1,0, roe, ef _,,weio 4 44 ter: of , e aT'd bre° Y;4 b4kttliee,"lbzi{s7l" el in tbe I,4444c°,4„,TlPlthnoet: ice Do l ,ictro-'llbeth 4 4 '4-ci teu r 'a - stre , ,s,i t i t ! ' 41411,111idiP, lc teori:linhtotriii4o: H'"5........!t 1 ic — l_ iiii:::: Y if I It IT the .'"" N . 1 A erectN 1, Pr ince k 4hteraibY Sp 4E ICES. kia 4.4) 111 A Ball is , t 4 kakes of 1 , '' pi':nly re' bt., , re F en. c k hil r r ch tet \~ cR D Y ~~ GIITc li t I ' ll l4 t bi t tit A t ;,t; sun 10 44 , 14(Tarr S kk'Dkall° 1 (3 1 43- kit 41: 41,11, 41% /,,, r 4414 " t 14 te 1- 11 1tt 0,, t ‘lllsa i t% :. rn e4 tz 1 4 t q-er Ni tk ito t e tsi V t ar ia tr k ,„7 lAtei tti 911 4 t ," 4 11g, t lll4 -‘1) i • j 1 0 ,_ t 411 ' 7 ot4 V l tt , • of '44 ku kh. , BANKING DE: Proprietors' capital .. 14,553,000 Rest 3,303,241 Public deposits (in cluding Exchequer, Commissioners of National Debt, Say ing's Banks, and Vlliyidend Accounts) 4,855,455 Other deposits 10,449,182 Seven Day and other 131118 ........ . 883,850 £34,041,728 Dated the Ist day of March, 1 (BY ELECTRIC TEL FO.O 1 Abd-el-Kader ...... FOX-HUNTERS' S TAKE.S •••••••.... ~„,. '''''''''''''''''''''''' Litigation ............................ Seven ran• General Maria Day British Yeoman ,•••• :00A5V:..„,./ ~...• S HANDICAP STEEPLE' ************************ ''''''''''''' BißT,lls' OF A 301 4 . e t_ On the 28th ult., at 33, Slo ane -Are Seaton 01 0- On the 2S th u lt., the Awil?:,7l'prg.ndhaliA 50y. On tne Ist inst., at • iliStil. 31BaRrki's,Elfaill rd, of Verulam House, St. Job ° a p, nester, eldest daughter of T. G. Cod s, Halsted, Essex. • LONDON : Printed and Published hi n 0 6 % 0 00u of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at ' U.. .. it the v Strani, in the Precinct of the SOO , Middlesex, Friday, March 2, 1856.ilvitocol°topfe.cofelt ---11-11:1100 :I, 1 11 7, 1 •4 1 ; 2 • 2 1 \ • zr, 1z ~: