The Express.
London, England, 1855-05-10 00:00:00

MR. ROEBUCL'B COMMI
The Right Hon. Mr. Sidney Herbert was em.
maned yesterday, end gays his evidence with groat frank-
inss and presbdea. After technically describing his official
poltioo, the bon. gentleman, in reply to questions from the
chairman as to tlio precise character of his function', said—
The See: Mary fee War was strictly a financial officer. He
ezeredeed • control mad a cheek over all the expenditure of
the army, and no attendees in matter of promo.ion or of
discipline involving any increased outlay could be carried'
into effect by the Commander-in Chief without his seetelionsl
He had other civil duties to perform connected with alibi.
meat and reforms in the army, such as the organisation of
petitioner', the regimental schools aid the normal schools at
Chelsea, the preparation of such a measure as the New Mutiny
Bill, end of the estimates, on which it was his provisos
to advise from time to time. His polities as a member of
1 the cabinet did sot interfere with his position of Secretary
for War. His only relation as Secretary for War with tho
Commander in-Chief wra is the way of checking the at
peeditursof the army ; and he had oothiag whatever to do
with promotions, unless they entailed additional e amass. Tim
office of Secretary-et-War virtually wee not abolished, but
that office was held simultaneously with the Secretaryship
of State for War by Lord Penman, it being necessary to
continue the nominal existence of the oleo,, In cessequenoe
of the 'gateau of particular acts of parliament, which it
would be necessary to repeal formally if chi office wen
altogether abolished. The Secretary for War appointed all
the paymasters and purveyors, and all persons, excepting in
the commissariat department, who had control over the
financial arrangements of the army. The Secretary of
State for Wu had complete control over all the military
departments; but the Secretary at Wu had under him
the delegation from the Treasury of the financial basinsea ed
,'he army, where it was either too complicated, too minute, nor
too vast to be controlled by the Treasury ; but the Treasury
had still the control over all expenditure by the Secretary as
War. He (the Right Hon. Mr. 8. Herbert) discussed the quo-
ties of the policy of the war with the Cabinet sot as Seers.
Lary at War, but as a member of the Cabinet. As regarded
the sending tut of the expeditionary force, to the East, the
first order was given at the Horse Guards on Inns 29, by
the Duke of Newcastle ordering the troops out to Varna.
The instructions originally sent eel to Lord Raglan con-
tomplatad,9nt, the defence of the Balkans, but subsequently
he received fuller instructions to proceed on to the Crimes,
with a view to the investment of Sebastopol. Consequent
on the determination to attack Sebastopol, an additional
force was sant out under Sit George Cathcart, and Admiral
Boxer was also sent out to assist in carrying oat the expedi-
tion. Preparations were not at drat made for • long stay
in the Crimes, as it was intended to take Sebastopol
by a mop de main. He (Mr. Herbert) had nothing
to do with the commissariat at this crisis, or with the medial
department, which was entirely in the hands of Dr. Smith,
whose daty it was to make all necessary preparations far
army surgeons and stores • sad Dr. Smith, in thus matters,
with the exception of the expenditure part of them, wee
entirely under the control of the Commander-in-Chief. The
first communication be had with Dr. Smith on mat:ere con-
nected with the medical department of the army was when
Dr. &mita first drew out a plan relative to the number of
persons to be employed and the amount of stores to be sent
em, and also when a question arose between Dr. Smith and
Dr. Guthrie as to whether it would be better to take more
vestments' or more assistant staff surgeons, and ultimately
Is turned out that it would be better to have taken more
MI surgeons. Where any army was miviog in the field,
11 was ao doubt better to take regimental surgeons ;
but where it was statioaery, as to the Crimea, staff surgeons
were better. His attention, however, was not called to
these matters until after the battle of Alma, when accounts
came to him, in October, of the failure of the hospital at
Scutari, the responsibility of which rested with Dr. Hall,
the chief medical officer of the expedition ; and when the
army left Varna Dr. Hail left orders that all necessary
stores and medical comforts should be sent on from there to
Constantinople ' • but whether from deficiency of transport
or misunderstanding this practically was not done ; and on
the occasion of the first importation of sick and wounded to
Scutari there was a great want of medical comforts sad
stores, and great exertions were afterwards made to induce
the admiral at the station to send on these stores from
Varna. The surerietendences of the hospital at Scutari
belonged to the head of the medical staff, and
ho remembered, on first hearing of a deficiency, a tele-
graphic message was immediately sent on to L.rd
Stratford de Redcliffe, to ascertain the state of things, and
to remedy them it necessary by every means in his power.
He (Right Hon. Mr. S. Herbert) also kept up a continuous
correspondence with the medial officers and purveyors there,
ordering them to exert themselves, to purchase on the spot
ever, thing that was obtainable, and to let.them know what
were their present and what their future wants. He ap-
prehended that the first direct authority for the establish-
ment of the general hospital at Scutari proceeded from Lord
Raglan, the medical men providing, under his c'immand, all
OA necessary medical mean,. No doubt, in dcci ling on
the selection of Scutari, Lord Raglan and Dr. Hall ado,,ted
it as the result of communications with Mr. Covert, who
was out there and who had considerable local know-
ledge. He did not know that it was necessary to
make any particular distinction in the way of pro-
viding between • hospital in the field and • general
hospital, as • general hospital was frequently of a locomo-
tive chaseter in • campaign, end followed the army at
• distance. He (Mr. Herbert) took every necessary
precaution that neither forms nor economical considerations
should militate against the efficiency of the hospital esta-
blishment at Scutari, and he accordingly wrote to Dr.
Moneta., the head of the medical department, and to Mr.
Wreford, the purveyor, and to Major dillery, the than com-
mandant, urging upon them strongly the simplification of
all forms, and every effort was made to purchase whatever
could be had on the spot; and though a check upon capes.
diture was very necessary in time of peace, in time of war
pounds shillings and penes were not to be put in competi-
toa with human lite. These mammal/lotions were in
writing, and were made in consequence of statements that
appeared in the press denouncing in strong terms
the deficient state of the hospital. He received,
however, letters from Dr. Mensies, contradicting
these Instantiate in the strongest terms, the feet he believed
big that there was plenty that would bear contradiction
end plenty uncoatradicted, sufficient to condemn the 'ye-
a= ; and he wrote as these matters without being able to
well weigh the evidence, and possibly in so doing he might
have done injustice to persons whom subsequently he found
mss oppressed with gnat difficulties, and who, though un-
onegessfully, were doing their best. Lord Raglan sent Dr.
Hall to inspect the hospices, at Scutari, and Dr. Hall re-
turned with a flourishing amount of the state of things,
seem after the battle of Mr. Herbert then proceeded
* read • letter he addressed to Mr. Wreford, the
, oa the llth Deessaber, directing him
to gaminhie special Mention to the supply of proper
emommeiseim and Mires for the expected influx of
doh eel sounded, is the shape of additional beds,
=mesa end stores, and giving him a curie
sis all Mess mallets as regarded the expenditure.
Hs (lb. Marburg Ai nee make these commons to
eisesuarodned. or apses authority, hat only sash com-
munisations se were may ; and be thought it better
tesemmaudeallo seam fa this way to NM Wreford, than
M pet a rememames spa pub& mord, that would M-
emo knows to mbewlimates. It did mot essays his attes-
ting that whoa a tarp muncher of sick and isiouded wens
to arrive at Sealed, that a high military Meer of mow
would be required, sad be eassedingly resommeaded to tho
Disks of Newoostio. to Dumber, that Lied Wm Paula
should take the pies of Mee Wary in imamand. TM peel
pressure on the Mende. sal the calamities that aim mss
in them, took lime muse the emend of He*
Ulm, who was appointed by Lend Raglan. who thought
Major Mary we a IN and prayer press, bat who was se
officer without fretnee, but of kip family. No doubt a
great part of the diffiealtise that marred arose from not
bevies an efficient military oxfameredent. His belief, from'
all be had heard, was, that Meier INDery was a man who
worked very indefatigably I. his own departmeet, according
to kis own light, bat he we net a man of that rank is
the army that suglt to lava hem pissed in charge of se
=ea eetaNishmsa It was priestly true that Me*
had net by way mem an adeopolo staff for en bee.
pitel of WO M s wg people, end sash en establishment
would mosesearily rewire a very Imp see to impel it
Mead report es ite oradidee. Iss admicdotration maw
was in Omt wpm defective, Mt it tem
ranediadall=ar Lewd WBllsm Paulo. Major Ninny wee
appointed by the Cemmewier
The Chairman—Be that the Demermisria-Chief wm
entirely reepoesibie tor the imMiromy of Major I3illery.
Right Hem. Kr. Ifeehmta—Tee. If at the time he wee
writing to Kr. Wideed es , that gentleman, as no.
ported by the oommiwienere ted to -inuire iato tho
state of affairs at &Mari. did net keep any account of the
storm, though he bed the asperielendmimo of the upon&
tare, he (Mr. Herbert) amid net menet hr it.
By Lord ileparmr-8o thee the sable an the we bail
had mot the advents.* of any Meek ea the expenditure ter
coirmaspostios tote supply, sell the soldiers is the
Crimea ea the ethr head bed net the MnosiMp
et the medial steams l—Thal I cousin wee mig es
mesh the fault of the spasm so a pew derellelka et eft
es dm part of the Wittiest. ofmmood. It it wee rope.
aria 4 the masses that sifter pus eseemadant, the
purveyor, ace apothems poetise* his iaR7 peopmly. be
meld set amosat he it, though Ywas Inksieed that the
urmayerwen a ma of shifty sad Drake MUM Mr.
wW"Mto read a letem Pt Mamma to
S Mien was la elossmal, few
Wales dmillai te those eammented is the me
to Kr. Wieffird. es Sanitary at WI., be (Kr. Her.
berg might set be the pope peruse No write thses Mows,
ba fits totem a leiinft of uspedbllley be eelluisieed, es
aisabw et the mg as marries • respeesible
Wits ta Kameda with the war. He was sums dist