The Press.
London, England, 1855-02-17 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-FRIDAY.

Mr. ROEBUCK gave notice that on Thursday be
would move the appointment of the committee to
-which the house had agreed on his motion. He
should put the names upon the order book that
night.
On the motion for going into a committee of supply,
Lord PALMERSTON said that it would be expected
of him to make some statement both as to the cir-
cumstances which placed him in his present position,
and the future conduct of the Government. For
the first he bad been anticipated by statements made
elsewhere. He entered into some details relating to
the late negotiations for forming a Ministry, stating
that be should have consented to join that of Lord
Jahn Russell, if that noble lord had been successful
in his attempts to form one After a warm eulogium
on the abilities and experience of his colleague, the
noble lord declared that the great difficulty which
stared him in the face was the committee voted by
the house on Mr. Roebuck's motion. He still re-
tained his objection to that committee, as not in
accordance with the Constitution, or efficient for its
purpose. He trusted that the house would at least
consent to suspend its decision. The reason he
would ask it to give, would be its belief that the
Government would of itself do all that was possible
to be done. As an English king rode up to an insur•
rection and offered to be its leader, so the Govern-
ment offered the House of Commons to be its
committee. The object of those who voted for the
committee was to compel the Government to such
administrative improvements as would restore vigour
to the service, and to show that this would be effected,
be explained the arrangements already made. The
office of Secretary-at War would be amalgamated
with that of the War Secretary of State; the dis•
cipline of the artillery and ordnance transferred to
the commander in-chief, and the civil branches of
those services placed under the control of the War
Minister. The Admiralty was about to establish a
special board to superintend the transport service.
The civil commissioners of great experience were
about to be sent to the Crimea, with ample powers to
Examine the sanatory condition of the hospitals, the
barracks, and the ships. Lord Raglan bad brought
from Constantinople a body of labourers to cleanse
the camp of filth, the accumulation of which would
be specially disastrous in the hot season. A corn
mission headed by Sir J. M'Neill was going out to
superintend the commissariat, and a new office, that
of the chief of' the staff, had been created, to arrange
details which now came before the commander-in-
chief, and diverted his attention from greater objects.
Not only was a hospital established at Smyrna, but
Lord Panmure intended to remodel the medical es-
tablishments at home. He likewise proposed to
introduce a bill for the enlistment of men of older
age than heretofore, and for a shorter period. New
arrangements had been made for the transport of the
commissariat. He trusted that the house would be
satisfied with what had been done in so short a time,
and suspend its judgment till it had heard the details,
which must be known long before the committee
could make its report. The noble lord then referred
to the negotiations for peace, and the mission of Lord
John Russell. who had been sent to give solemnity
to the negotiations, and take away all suspicion of
pretence. Lord John Russell, in passing by Pans,
would confer with the Emperor of the French, and at
Berlin endeavour to understand the views of the
Prussian Government, The noble lord concluded
with expressing his determinution if the war was
necessary, to prosecute it with vigour, and his faith
in the power of endurance and vigour of action of a
free country.
Mr. DISRAELI said that the statement just made
would convey a false impression of Lord Derby's

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