The Press.
London, England, 1855-02-03 00:00:00

EBRUARY 3, 1855.

Vatt6ings in V arlianitnt.

ORGANISATION OF THE WAR DEPART-
MENT.

In the House of Lords on Monday Earl GREY
moved his resolution on this subject. His object
was to bring the administration of the army under a
single and well-organised department. For this pur-
pose he proposed to establish aboard, with a Cabinet
Minister at its head, and the Commander-in-Chief
one of its members. The head of the department
would be responsible for its actions, and the entire
business of the army would be carried on under a
single management. The patronage of the army should,
necessarily, he thought, be vested in this board, for it
was impossible for any men to be responsible for
actions committed by those whose appointments were
altogether out of their control.

The Duke of NEWCASTLE, in reply, entered into a
laboured apology for his own administration of the
war. He could not deny that many evils existed,
but said that the economies and inexperience of a
long peace had placed us in a disadvantageous com-
parison with the French, Who bad had for five and
twenty years the experience of a complicated warfare
in Algeria. He detailed the working difficulties of
many departments of our administration, and ad-
mitted the necessity for great alteration. As for the
motion, as far as it went to recommend greater cob-
solidation in the War Department, he could not
oppose it, though he appealed to the noble-lord not
to press it at the present moment. If it was meant
that greater harmony and connection between the
different departments ought to exist, he fully acqui-
esced, but he did not think that any single organisa-
tion could do the work. It would be overwhelmed
by detail, and have no time for attention to greater
matter. As for a board, he objected to it for many
reasons. It was cumbrous and difficult of manage-
ment. He had tried some such thing practically by
meeting the chiefs of the various departments him-
self, but he did not think the system would work well.
For further improvement three commissioners had
been sent to Paris to report on the system pursued
there, and Lord Raglan had been requested to insti-
tute similar inquiries in the camp of our allies.
Viscount HARDINGE detailed the improvements
that had been introduced within the last few years,
especially in ball practice and in the arms with which
the troops were furnished. There ive.te many points
in which our systeni was superior to that of the
Continent. The French had themselves borrowed
many things from us, and he thought that our mili-
tary schools did not deserve the censure that had
been cast upon them. A very large proportion of
the inventions of late years bad been made by the
officers of our own artillery. He had, on accepting
his present office, placed the materiel of the ordnance in
a much more efficient state. He praised the regimental
system of our army, as perfect in drill and discipline,
and productive of rare affection both in officers and
men for each other, as a proof of which he instanced
Balaklava. He did not think that an organisation
like that proposed would remedy any of the existing
evils.

Lord CAMPBELL urged that the resolution should
be placed upon the books.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUOIL after adverting to the
inconvenience of such a resolution in the actual
state of the Ministry, questioned whether the con-
fusion of our military system had been the cause of
the Crimean disasters. He had accused, and did
accuse, the Ministers of many faults ; but in justice
to them he stated his belief that the greater part of
the mischief originated in the Crimea itself. He
placed no faith in the creation of a board which would
be iucumbered with detail and minor questions. The
Indian system worked well because it was not so in-
cumbered. He objected especially to placing the
entire patronage of the army in the bands of the
Crown. _

Earl GREY, after a brief reply, withdrew his
motion.