The Press.
London, England, 1855-03-10 00:00:00

!MARCH 10, 1853

tocr6ings in Varlizuntnt.

MILITARY EDUCATION.
Mr. Itics on Monday took occasion of the motion
for going into supply on the ordnance estimates to
raise this question. The common soldier had, he
said, of late improved, both morally and intellec-
tually, but a corresponding improvement had not
taken place among the officers. He contrasted the '
army with the navy, asserting that our brilliant naval
successes arose from the more perfect naval educe
tion. The military profession could not be learned
without arduous toil, and that toil would not be
undertaken without reward. But could anyone say
that merit was rewarded in our staff appointments ?
The ordnance had most able officers—why was not
the same system pursued in the army? He ridiculed
the certificates of merit at the military colleges, and
said that every commission given to Sandhurst was
given with regret, and deemed a commission lost.
The insufficient examination appointed for the
general army in 1847 had done some good, as it had
deterred persons absolutely incapable tram becoming
officers. lie quoted the French system, as usual,
and contended that it was the bounden duty of Par•
Bement to insist on a higher standard of education
for those that aspired to higher positions in the

army.
Mr. PEEL said that the Government was now
giving close attention to this subject, and a discus-
sion upon it at this moment was highly inconvenient.
He had no doubt of the great value of education, but
he believed that if the standard was raised too high
the army might lose the services of many valuable
persons. The means of military education in the
country were very scanty, and he thought that our
best officers were those who had passed through our
public schools and colleges, and were acquainted
with the general literature of the country. Mr. S.
Herbert had proposed a plan by which every grade
would have required a distinct examination; the
necessities of the war had interfered with this plan ;
but he thought that it ought to be carried out. The
staff appointments should be the Fixes of the army,
be regretted that this was not the case. He
assured the house that the Government was deeply
sensible of the importance of the subject.
Colonel DUNNE said that there was an easy way of
improving the education of officers, which was by
giving staff appointments to competent persons. We
had not even a book on the duties of staff officers in
the language; our officers bad to seek their educa-
tion from foreign books. The French visitors at
Chobham bad pronounced our regimental system to
be perfect, but found our staff officers sadly deficient
in knowledge of their duties.
Mr. 0. STANLEY deprecated
tion from the ranks.
Mr. OTwAY adverted to the inadequate provision
for the education of the orphan sons of officers, and
commented strongly upon the deficiencies of our staff
officers, some of whom, he said, had no qualification
but that of horsemanship, and while they could deliver
the orders of the commander-in-chief, had no notion
of explaining them. He regretted that no order had
yet been issued on the subject.
Mr. J. G. Pumumoae argued against the require-
ment of too high qualifications from officers. He
quoted the Duke of Marlborough, Marshal Saxe, and
Napoleon, generals as notoriously illiterate.
Lord PALMERSTON agreed that the qualifications
for an officer and a learned professor should be v
ery
different. different. The qualities of a great general
inborn in the man, and rarer than the qualities of a
great statesman. At the same time he thought
n e
that officers should keep up and progress ith
knowledge belong to their profession, and thashould tit
would be very desirable that a military test be
applied, not only at the first entrancepromotion of
officers, so that they might feel that unless they kept
their minds going, azd perfected themselves in those
matters which are essential to a pi open performance
of their military duties, they need not hope to obtain
that promotion which they were desirous of obtaining.
SUPPLIES TO THE ARMY.
A vast mass of details relative to these supplies
were stated by Mr. MothaELL on Monday, in moving
the ordnance estimates. The votes included no
less than 382,5301. for warm clothing, and he men-
tioned that within two days of the arrival of the news
of the loss of the Prince an ample supply of clothing
was ready for transmission. He cited the success of
the Government factory for Lancaster shells, which
not only worked with great rapidity, but produced
shells for 1/. las. 2d. which before cost 61. Three
gentlemen had been sent to America to inquire i
They
nto
the improvement in the gun manufacture.
had reported most favorably of the system pursued
there,
at and the result was the establishment of the
factory Enfield, which would soon be in full opera
tion, and enable us altogether to dispense with
foreign assistance. lie then entered into a history

promo-

THE PRESS.

of the law operations for improved shell manufac-
ture at Woolwich, stating that with regard to the
supply of small arms, the accounts both from Liege
and our own manufacturers were very unsatisfactory,
while the contracts for the Minis rifle were proceeding
well. Besides these, the principal item of public
interest was the increased cost for defences at Dover,
Gosport, and Aldershot, in the shape of new military

barracks.
The entire vote was for 7,808,8421., in which was
included 640,7601. for hospital and barrack furniture,
2,792,3841. for ordnance stores, and 1,387,5001. for
works and repairs at home and abroad.
On the first vote, 1,406,8831. for commissariat and
barrack supplies, a discussion arose, in which Col.
Dunne, Mr. Muntz, Sir J. Paxton, and Mr. Newde-
gate criticised severely the detaining of the govern-
mental arrangements in manufacture; its branhes the
clothing, the hutting, the
SEYMOUR thought that the Government were wrong
in establishing manufactories of their own. Mr.
Moeszu, replied to some of the objections in
and at last
Lord Plamearroit rose and replied to the objec-
tions upon principle. Ho said that this nation was
engaged in a war which, by universal concurrence,
required the greatest exertions to bring it to a
successful conclusion. It was well known that,
owing to a variety of circumstances, there had for
some years past been a great deficiency of small
arms, and the proposal which had been made was to
establish a manufsctory which would probably at an
early period be able to furnish a large number of
excellent weapons, and in process of time render us
independent of other sources, and yet at the very
moment when the Government were prepared to
recommend the establishment of such a factory,
when the state of the country required every exer-
tion to furnish the army, when in Ireland the militia
might almost be said to be doing duty with broom-
sticks instead of guns, bon. gentlemen got up and
endeavoured to prevent the country from having the
advantage of establishments of this kind. Of all
reasons on earth that of his noble friend behind bim
(Lord Seymour) seemed to be the weakest. He
would refuse the vote because the Government were
going to reorganise the Ordnance Department and
improve it; to make arrangements by which the
errors and delays which had on former occasions
arisen might be avoided. What would he have said
if a et ntrary course had been adopted —if the Govern-
ment had said that they thought the department
complained of was so perfect that no change was
needed?
The remaining votes were agreed to without any
remarks of general interest.
CONTRABAND oF WAR AND RUSSIAN TRADE.
Lord BERNERs complained on Tuesday that lead
bad found its way to Russia through Memel from
the very Custom house of London.
Earl GRANVILLE said that there was no intention
of altering the regulations issued last year with
respect to neutrals, but that Prussia had promised
to make a renewal of her transit laws more stringent
and satisfactory. The great amount of import into
this country from Russia had been complained of,
but he repeated that the goods had already been paid
for by English and French houses. The Black Sea
blockade would be stringently enforced, and it was
incontestible that Russian commerce was in a state
of great suffering.
The Fail of HARDwICXE adverted to the mystery
of the Black Sea blockade, and said tbat we had
adopted the very course for injuring ourselves and
strengthening the enemy.
LORD LUC AN.
This gallant nobleman on Tuesday read a corres-
pondence between himself and the Horse Guards, in
which the commander in chief definitely refused is
demand of a court-martial, " after a careful review of
the whole circumstances which bad passed." He
replied by stating that he had only just been suppl
ied
with with a copy of the letter from Lord Raglan to
Duke of Newcastle, which " contained new matter,
and charges reflecting more seriously than before on
his professional judgment." He therefore expressed
his anxious wish that the commander-in-chief would
reconsider his decision.
Lord
discussion in the house upon the matter.
SIR C. NAPIER.
Mr. MALINS, on Thursday, called the attention of
the house to the operations of the Baltic fleet, in
moving for correspondence between the Admiralty
and Sir C. Napier since the 20th of December. He
detailed the circumstances which led to the appoint-
ment of that gallant admiral. The country had ap-
proved the selection, and the Government were
proud of it. He referred to the speeches at the
famous dinner previous to Sir Charles's departur
th e,
as showing the enthusiasm that prevailed, and e
expectations which were formed, and read extracts
rom the speeches amid much amusement,
mand asked
fif it would hare been credable that the an so se-

. . .
lected should be met on his return with contempt
and dismissal. From the day he sailed to the middle
of September, Sir Charles received the unqualified
approbation of the Admiralty. He had had every
difficulty to encounter—undisciplined men, a dange-
rous navigation—for which he ought to have received
due honour. He proceeded to read letters addressed
from Sir J. Graham to Sir C. Napier, observing that
such communications, all relating to public matters,
could not be considered as private. These letters
showed that the first operations in the Baltic were
conducted to the entire satisfaction of the Govern-
ment. They ordered the admiral not to knock his
bead against stone walls, and admitted the impreg-
nabilities from the sea of the great Baltic fortresses.
After all this prudent advice, the Government, when
the fine season was past, and the fleet had to contend
against storms as well as walls, quarrel with the
admiral for following their own counsel. Their ap-
proval was continued in letters containing the highest
praise of the admiral's conduct. At the end of
August, the First Lord expressed himself "more
than satisfied." He then proceeded to trace the
alteration in the opinions of the Government. On
the 20th of June the admiral had reported on the
mode of attacking Sweaborg, inclosing a report from
Admiral Ch ads, stating thatwith proper appliances, and
at the proper time, a successful attack was possible. In
the middle of September the Admiralty again required
an opinion on the same subject, and the admiral
was desired to hold a conference with the
French admiral on certain plans laid down for the
attack. They consulted on the 12th Sept., and
agreed unanimously that the season of the 'ear
rendered the attack impracticable. A second con-
peasmade made was advised,
on but
the Sir
19th Charles said his mind
a up, and the French fleet
returned, the French army having already quitted.
Now, if a great operation could have been performed,
if this could have been done, it should have been
during the presence of the combined fleet. The
admiral called a council of his own admirals on the
19th Sept., they again considered the plans for
attacking Sweaborg, and all agreed that the season
of the year was too late for any such operation. Ho
had, as had been stated, forwarded his own plans in
June, and these very plans were now adopted by the
Admiralty under another commander. Sir Char,les
made a fresh reconnaissance of Sweaborg, and sub-
mitted to the Government two distinct plans, stating
at the same time that neither was then practicable.
This was on the 25th Sept. Here began the dif-
ference between the admiral and the Government.
Mr. Malins attributed the change in the tone of the
Gover. ment to the excitement caused by the re•
ported fall of Sebastopol. They wrote in October to
the admiral to choose Its own day and opportunity
for the attack of one of the Baltic fortresses. This
led to an angry correspondence, during which Sir
Charles said that he had lost the confidence of the
Government, and offered to resign. The corre-
spondence closed on the 10th November. Sir
Charles returned to Portsmouth on the 17th of
December, came to London, and had an interview
with the First Lord, whose behaviour was cold and
almost insulting. Sir Charles returned to Ports-
mouth, and shortly after received an official letter
ordering him to strike his flag and come on shore.
He wrote for an explanation, and was told in reply
that this was the usual termination of a flag-officers'
command. He contended that all this amounted
both to a dismissal and a censure.
After Mr. S. HERBERT had seconded the motion,
Sir J. GRAHAM rose to reply to the charge. In so
doing be studiously avoided, on public grounds, all
references to fact, but said that Sr C. Napier could
find no other member to plead his cause but a Tory
equity lawyer, who came armed with confidential
documents. lia (Sir J. Graham) came into such a
contest with his hands tied behind. He rested his
defence, as far as the October correspondence was
concerned, on the alteration of circumstances. Had
Sir Charles persisted in his first opinion, that Swea•
borg was unassailable by sea, not a word of com-
plaint would base been heard, but after his close
reconnaissance, in September, the admiral sent home
a report which naturally altered the case. The
Government then thought the attack possible, but
still left it to the discretion of the admiral. That
admiral, however, in the subsequent correspondence,
adopted a tone which called for repeated warnings
from the board. As to the official notes on his
arrival, they were in conformity with usage, while he
admitted that the insubordinate nature of the
admiral's despatches, dating from an early period,
would have rendered him, in his opinion, as a very
unfit man to resume the command. An for the pro-
duction of the despatches, it would be aUended with
great injury to the public service, and he hoped the
executive would not consent to it.
Admiral WALCOTT blamed the Government for not
thanking Sir Charles Napier for his services, saying
at the same time that the ordinary official style of
the Admiralty was curt under all circumstances.
Sir CHkRI.ES WOOL said that in Ins experience he
bad never known suck a °woo al that wow Punned.