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

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 5, 1855.

sot think the noble lord hadaessoved the objection to the
claws sow tinder discussion. The insertion et this dares
was really a retrograde stop is Isaneiel po3ey. This sub-
ject was easefully eonsiellred by a Inancial oesmittosi of
the Hoses of Commons is 1828, rf which he had the he•
nolo of beteg a member ; sad that committee, in their ebbe
report, prepared, he believed, by the late Mr. Berries,
showed that sppropriating • lilted sues fora sinking fund was
• vicious principle. And why was it t It wee because,
while the Chancellor of the ll:chequer paid the sum he was
botied by the act to pa?, ho bestowed the 'mount co deli-
stem bilk ; so that, while be paid off on the oars band, ere
borrowed as the other. Siam that report, the practice had
holm to sareertals the surplus every quarter, and pay off as
mach of the debt as the staples enabled them to pay. The
report also showed that it was often more desirable to
pay off the unfunded than the fended debt, but
this Masse weaned the repayment to the fended
tiebk Another objection to the clause was that it implied
that they were sot to pay off more than a million. Then
the tying up of future parliaments was a complete delasion.
Be saw no possible object to be attained by the clause, and
thought it a delusion epos the public.
Loru MONTEAGLE said, at the close of the last war an
attempt was made to raise a sum on terminable annuities,
but goversesest only succeeded in raising 580.0001.
The bill was then read a third time and passed.
Their lordships adjourned at 7 o'clock.

hovel. ; and pewee being hopeless, it was the duty of
the government of the day to apply to parliament far
the mesas of MOO vigomusly carrying on* the was.
If my noble friend bad gorse to Bt. Petersburg with-
out there having bees any previous discussion with any
other power—sad if the result of a fortnight's or a moath's
negotiation at tit. Petersburg had proved steelier to that to
whisk the right bon. gentleman referred, the eases would
be meek SON parallel than they have been. Now it is
well known that the negotiations which my noble
friend undertook were conducted by the intervention of the
friendly government of Austria. It is well known that
from the corausearnment of the war—and even before the
commencement of the war—Austria, as a power friendly to
both parties, has been ineessant in her endeavours to bring
about a reconciliation of the differences between England
and France on one band, and Russia on the other, and that
it was only a continuance of these efforts which led to the
conferences in which my noble friend took part; those wide
reams did not terminate in a sucoessful issue ; but they
were not broken off; they were adjourned without any spa
cilia time being appointed for their meeting. Even after
my noble friend left Vienna, and even after the °entireness
were adjourned sin. die, there took place, at
the request of Austria, a further conference.
(Lord John Russell—" At the request of Russia.")
At the request of the Russian minister, who stated that
they had further proposals, the conference reassembled.
I speak without being perfectly certain, but I believe that
up to this time the protocols or detailed records of that cow
femme, have not been received by her Majesty's govern .
meat, or if they have it has been within the day. After
the conferences were adjourned my noble friend re
turned. The course which the right hon. gentleman
w:shee us to take is most certainly that which the govern-
ment ought to take if it was the determination of bar
Majesty's government to abut the door to every future poe-
sible—(ltear)—recans of settling the differences on account of
which the war is carried on. If they were prepared to state
their full determination under no cironmstenem to listen to
my further overtures made either by Russia through
Austria, or by Austria herself, as suggesting means of ac-
commodation (hear)—if that was our determination, then un-
doubtedly the course which the right hon. gentleman would
wish as to pursue, viz., to oome to parliament with a menage
Olin that every possibility of accommodation was lost,
end Imes under the circumstances impossible—undoubtedly
list would be the proper course to pursue. But, sir, that
le not the state of things. (Hear, hear.) We have failed
ig the attempt which we have made ; but I are not prepared
to say that there are no other means open by which, through
the intervention of the friendly offices of Austria,propositions

HOUSE OF CO;
The Sraalart took the chair at 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
TRIAD RlADlNOS.—eshton under Lyne Gas sad Water
Bill ; Kilmarnock Gas Bill (Amendments to be proposed,
by the promoters, new title); Regent's Canal (Hertford
Union Canal) Bill; Salisbury and Yeovil Railway Bill
(Queen's consent, on behalf of the Crown, to be signified).
81COND RIADIIIO9. Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and
Woreestenhire Railway (No. 2) BiU ; Grand Surrey Canal
(No. 2) Bill; Southampton Paving Trust, St. Paneras, Bill
(by order).
THE VIENNA CONFERENCE.
Mr. DISRAELI—I wish to have some explanation from
her Majesty's goverment of the unusual delay which has
takes place in laying before the house the stets papers re-
lative to the late aneseceesfal negotiations for pease. The
house is aware that whatever may have been the result of
these negotiations, whether successful or the reverse, who•
they the preliminaries of peace were signed, or the result
such as it appears, the papers which have been ex-
changed daring the negotiations might have been prepared
for the how*, so that when the negotiations had terminated
there might be only a protocol or two, or a last despatch, to
print, and the papers might have been laid upon the table
of the house on the same evening as the noble lord
(Russell) returned and took his seat. If you Sod
that this has been the usual course, I think I

IY, MAY 4.

may ilk the government why the usual course has
not been followed on the present occasion, and why there
has not been that willingness on the part of the government
to plus parliament in possession of the information which
it has certainly a right to possess on so grave a subject as
soon as it was in the power of the government to produce it.
I have searched the journals which should guide us on the
subject, and, as I wish to confine myself strictly within the
techsieal limits of a parliamentary question on this occasion,
I will state to the house, if it permit me, what I found in
the journals to guide u at this momentous crisis, and will
ask her Majesty's government to eaplein to the house why,
on this occasion, they have not followed the precedents that
governed the conduct of ministers under similar dream-
sten•ee. The precedent I shall quote on the present octa-
gon does not differ from others, and I only take it because
it is au of modern date—one of the highest importance,
and very appropriate to the circumstances of.the present con-
juncture. I take the precedent of the rupture of the nego-
tistioas between this country and France in 1796. On the
16th of October of that year his Majesty sent the Earl of
Malmsebury as plenipotentiary to France, to negotiate •
peace, and on the 20th of December it was known to the
country t►at the negotiations had terminated. The Earl of
Malmesbury returned to this country on the 291 h. But
two days before t►at, namely, on Monday, the 27th of
December, the minister came down to the house
with • message from the crown, from which I will read an
'strut to the Maw.

easy sot be made which it may beaus the duty of the
government to take into their serious cenaideration, in order
te determine whether it may not be possible to bring these
differences tea close. (Hear, hoar.) Allow me to say, sir,
that the emu are not parallel, even on the ststernent of the
right ben. gentleman bier elf. He says that in the use of
Frames the basis of negotiation was peremptorily refused by
France ; but the basis of negotiation has been accepted by
Ramie. The four points on which England and France
agreed to negotiate have been accepted by Ruda. I may
seen my that the exact interpretation which Hog-
lead and France placed on them has been
espied by Russia u the foundation on which
negotiate. The only difference has been as to
the mode in which the fair meaning of the points ought to
be carried out in the detailed articles of a treaty. What-
ever the right hon. gentleman may think of the analogy of
the two cues, I think they are essentially different in their
fundamental elements, and that her Majesty's government
woad not have properly discharged their duty if, following
sat the fanciful analogy of the former case, they had taken
*step by which they would have proclaimed to the world
that they had lost all hopes of accommodation. (Hear.)
They would equally neglect their duty if they held out hopes
that might not be realised, end I should feel that ha
Kojesty's government bad entirely violated their duty if
they stated that all hopes had disappeared. I wish to leave
question in the state in which it is. (Laughter and cheers.)
I wish to leave the door to negotiation open. I would not
shut the door while there was a possibility of accommoda-
tion, by taking the step to which the right hon. gentleman
would drive the e We said, sir, that we would

—_ _____ ___ govern-talent. .. _ ____, —, ..... --
The SPEAKER—Does the right hon. gentleman mean predate, the protocols. They will be produced ; end when
to conclude with a motion ? produced it will be for the house to determine whether any
Mr. DISRAELI—I hope I am strictly within the limits step! ontoits
.tart
heshiejtiounldo bildtarenc,uupnotti them.
•Wfoormarse.
of • parliamentary question in stating what has been the Ittieon sTrthich to think consistent with chill:Zs:eh of the
course taken by ministers on a former occasion, and asking country, and consistent with any possibility of putting •
why the present government have not followed a similar conclusion to the differences which have compelled us to
mine; but if you, air, think lam trespassing beyond that embark in a great and arduous contest. While, on
unit, I will conclude with a motion. I was going to state the one hand, we are determined to continue that
contest so long as it is inevitable, in a manner
Weston the 27th of December Mr. Secretary Dundas came consistent with the honour, dignity, and interests of the
dawn with a message from the crown expressed in this way : country, so en the other hand we will not be parties to shut-
"lt is with the utmost concern that his Majesty acquaints nag the door to the possibility of concluding an honorable
the House of Commons that his earnest endeavours to effect and satisfactory peace. (Cheers.)
the restoration of peace have been unhappily frustrated, and Mr. FREksealt3legptlertDo uortLevinstrLtidNof ther
that the negotiation in which we have been engaged what steps have base, taken, and what decision, if any,
have been abruptly broken off by the peremptory refusal been come to in relation to the proposal made by the Earl
of the French government to treat except on a bads of Dandonald for the destruction of the Russian fortress?
evidently inadmissible. His Majesty he. directed that the Lord PALMERSTON requested the indulgence of the
several memorandums and state papers, together with the house to enable him to.ted a higher opinion of Lard Dun-
make a few observations. (Hear,
account submitted to his Majesty cf the final result, be tai hear.) No man entertal donsld than he did: he had had the honour of his acquaint-
' before the hone." On referring to the journals I find that ance fora number of years. lie was of high standing in his
the state papers alluded to in the royal message were of a profession, and of great scientific attsiamenta, and any
'voluminous description, and not inferior in importance or opinion entertained by him was entitled to the deepest con.
His plan had last year been submitted; to the
nmeeber to the papers we now expect. The house will read- eideration.conideration of a certain number of professional acientifie
hit that this was two days before the arrival of the pled- persons and the result of their inquiries was, that there ap-
poteatiery. peered 'to be such difficulties of execution, and such doubt
Mr. RICK—I rise to order. (Oh, oh.) lam very un- It to the remit, that nothing was done. The plea
willing to interrupt the right hon. gentleman. (Oh, oh.) I
vb aernd atoll eani at
, bbeyendrrd Dun d=dt. heT
he me iadtetreer twi oohs setfill hues!:
am most desirous that he should have an epportunity of oossideration ; but it was far from being as free from di&
making a full statement of what he has to say ; but I think eulty:and doubt as the hon. gentleman seemed to imagine.
it will conduce to the order of our proceedings if the right He thought, when such plans were in question,there was no
hon. gentleman confines himself within the limits of a
question. (OS.) advantage io any public discussion. Tim only result would
be to give the enemy some information as to the possibility
of their immediate use or perhaps, to let some inkling of
The SPEAKER—The right hoes. gentleman having in- their nature ooze out. '
rammed that he would conclude with a motion, he is not out THE MILITIA.
of order. (Cheers) Mr. H. BAILLIE, en rising to call the attention of the
Mr. DISRAELI—The boa. gentleman labours wader • tor, regretted tteits:tol
hathe militia force in the United Ki
og-
forced to bring so important •
misconception as to the spirit in which I put the ques- subject before the hone in such • manner. The house was
don; it is for the public interest and the honour of the aware that in consequence of a doubt existing as to whether
country that I should make the statement I aow do. (Hear, • certain portion of the militia force was under the act liable
bear.) Well, when the minister of that day expressed hie to be called on for Benin for • longer period than 66 days,
government decided to allow those in that position to return
intention of laying the papers connected with these impor- ome. A large number availed themselves of the opportn-
tant transactions on the table, he at the same time gave pity, and the result was, the militia force was in a complete
notice that on the following day he would ley the whole of state of dimpalution, and very much reduced in numbers.
the ,ospen before the hone. Accerdingly, on the 28th of That enditios was in • great measure to be attributed
December he laid these papers on the table ; and not only it theirocesdour the thi,
powineeereenhiehttedd trttheeematitU
that, but Mr. Cumin, then Under-Secretary of State for act of parliament. When the hon. member for Midhunt
Foreign Affairs, laid on tho table, for the useof members, a introduced the bill, he stated there were two 111040 a of
most important state paper, oompoud with such ability, raising a militia; one, voluntary enlistment; the other, the
that the hand of Mr. Canning may be traced therein. It ballot. The voluntary system was, no doubt, sufficient to
secure the efficiency of the force in time of peace, when it
was called "His Majesty's Royal Declaration," is which he was a matter of indifference whether the force numbered
informed the house of all the cinamstatess eenneeted with fifty, sixty, or seventy thousand men. In time of war, it
the negotiation, and the causes that lad to its final terrain- was of the fireateet possible importance that the militia
gm. The circumstance, connected with the termination should be mantained at is full complement, because on its
deposited their means of keeping up the
ef tbe negetiatioas in 1796 were so similar to the arena-efficiencyumb of thep. It was obTiou to ems
112111118 utuutoluta with the termination of negotiations ill one that a ;system of voluntary enlistment for the
lie Mine lastaace, as described by the cob;, lord, as to militia must enter into direct competition with the
be limit plesisely ideatical. But in the former case there enlistment for the army—the two could net be Bob
was • mew from the crown ; all the papers wen laid on rifiele I,
out, on together. As Italynkenee itheedni war
the table, seeompealed with a royal declaration, entainin stele foeril.aa=timalerrtleseeintilat. It was end ailmmositen
the whole pith and import of the negotiations; and would be required to prepare the maehitery ; but although
wee than this, the government et that day gave six months had elapsed, nothing had been done. The re-
Mies for the following Thursday—the papers haying cult was that the militia force was so reduced that at present
liiii: btehlieeved it did no
was sLeaustereart43o,,oolimen.
had ;fake
clefloie:2
hem kid on the table on Tuesday—of taking them
Me dultideretion- (Hear, hum-) As I have stn, " fro authority thyat the arm was was now 41,000 menar below the
were." than I expected, I ask the house to compare the complement voted by parliament; and although the govern-
endue* of the government of 1796 towards the House of mint averted that recruiting was going on most favourably,
Osamu with the conduct of the government Id 1866. he believed that the weekly Munn did not then • "Dann
than sufficient to supply the manal more ties that were daily
(Hoer, hear.) I ask whether there has been the same entering. The casualties of the army in time of peace
omelet, on the part of the government to impart to penis- were 24,090 men a wear, and they must now be at least
meat the information so necessary to inemben en • subject 36,000. When the- noble lord was selected to form
es pregnant with important consequences to this country ? a 'pennant, it was considered thatthe selection was based
(awl Has them bees, not only the ams promptitude, on the prenlnt opinion that he was a.snust who would carry
hat the same wise spirit in communicating between the "..`rt ."%.7,7 "Vihaarthlr'er," ; ybastdaivig(
otr. Bettl).
mown and the two houses of parliament ? (Hear.) We He thought even the goverment of Lord Aberdeen had die-
have not at the present moment the slightest authentic in- played more vigour. They had summoced parliament at a
demotion on the eohieet of the prompt negotiations, most unusual period, in order to take measures for 'aiming a
foreign
wlegioli and although the act was passed Ave months
a
(Hear.) 'I he hone has a right to know why there within the last tea days that any steps had
is this singular difference between the 'lodes in bile% takeeen by the noble lord to carry it into execution. The
which parliament his been treated under arensastesces noble lord had, indeed, told them that the language used in
of so such similarity and so much importance by the go• that house had prevented the Osrmaas from enlisting ; but
'manse of that day and the present goverument. (Hier, they Vla= got elies:koefreWhcer iLe: Be knew for a fact,
ben) Parliament has a right to have some means of form- off:rethe senfeeset !lady of Swiss es
pe ;me t.bin imeed°try
kert
lag an opinion on such grave circumstances, which have for weeks waiting for an answer from the government. If
Mused spinach anxiety and agitation in the country. (Hear, as Genies@ were to be had, bow did it happen that the
hear.) Why has then not been a Royal message ?—why nib lord had within the last an days signed a capitulation
We not the papas been promptly laid upon the table T—
or eveseseat with a Brunswiek general, who was to raise a
._ body at troop of which he was to have the command ? What
why heathen hot been a Royal declarations and why eee was the emmeitioa of the administrative departments at the
on
the minister come forward with the frankness that befits present Meant; what was the state of the War Depart-
Ile Weimer of the British satin, to fix the day for taking man ? He believed it had been in • mat efficient state to
as, is, omisidsration j (user, hear) I await with in- the time of the Dube of Newcastle. The noble lord the
Meet the answer to she questions I have addressed to the avltbentr riesebiedoCait7sit, I;,:dtnuteadofq,oila__l§elf
_very
noble lord. (Hear, bear.) The right hon. gentleman con- bar.) He hoped he would be „oats vigilant is looking
eluded by moving that the house at its rising adjerna till after Lord Penman. (Hear, bear.) they had lately had •
Monday. sample of the way ia which affairs were conducted at tho Wa-
r PALMERSTON—Birr, is "'Wee Melee %%iS• Missal". betiyaotaismai imp GtiatdeadhelPialedibeis .eat ttbsposuosmielhe° abet is°
dun pat a me by the right non. Pallisthili I bog tu a gnat hurry te embark, bat that whoa they got there,
einem that he has refund to the ease of asgetletten they fend the vessel half fall of ether deteehmats. The
la whisk it was perfectly clear, hem the wane of the as- detachments were put on Ohara, bad then the Garde were
elation
ma beim
they
were masa* slat asa wal embarked, bat without their baggage, leaving behind their

Gloats, sad *sea their shoes, sad having the old muskets
Instead of Wald rifles. This statement WIN adverted to is
the ether Imes. The minister said he knew nothing of the
feels, bat he did not think it possible that sash things
co, have occurred. Great allowance ought to be made
for Lord Paamore, as his health would not ellow him to
devote all his time to the duties of his office • bat while the
&vestment

—..-.—__ was in such a elate, Me neble lord the member
for London ought to take Ewa/ hie tint (Hear.)
The militia ought at ones to: be up to its full com-
pigment It would, no Mahe, be theternalent to here n-
evus* to the ballot, but when the country went to war it
anew what the oonsequeses would be. He had oppoeed the
mut. Se thought it might have been avoided, but as it had
genimenelsol It should be etuadueted with vigour and effect.
The berm end chasten, of the country were sacrificed by
the mode Ia which it was conducted. England should de.
zei in own 'mourns. They heard every day of new
battalieas being sent out, but they heard
of on* fresh English battalion ; end why, because
the/ Sad no more men, from the mismanagement of their
resennws. He had kit it his duty to bring this matter
sage the notice of the house, because be believed the in-
dignation of the country would not be much longer re-
strained. He begged to ask whet measurer, if any, were in
sestemplation on the part of the government to restore the
effiglerag of the militia fora ?
Mr. F. PEEL believed he wee irregular in again addres-
sing the house, but the hon. member had been more irregular
in the number of topics he had introduced. He had fellen into
several errors. It was not true that no English soldiers had
been sent out within the last two months; upwards of ten
thousand men had gone from this country. (Hear, hear.)
The hat gentleman had referred to the embarkation of the
troops on board the Alma. The feet bad been repeatedly ex-
. plethed. The difficulty simply arose in this manner: the
officers at Liverpool reported the vessel to be capable of
carrying a certain number of troops ; when the vessel
wind at Portsmouth the officials there considered she
could not take so large a number. Under these circum-
stance', a number of detachments of other regiments were
landed, sad the Guards placed on board. It would of
wane have been in the power of the government to
have carried out their original intention, but the result might
have been groat sickness end mortality amongst the
troops in consequence of overcrowding. As to the foreign
legion, it wee not true that several officers bad been refused
commissions to raise men under the act. Two or three
alms had lately proceeded to German y to enlist men,
and in a very short time depute would be established at
Heligoland and in this country. The hon. gentleman had
referred to the state of the militia. It was the intention*of
the government to take every means in their power to plies
that force in an effective state, for the programs of the war
had brought out their dependence on it. When the army
wee sent abroad the slumber of regiments of infantry of the
line usually kept in this country was so much reduced that
it became necessary to embody a number of militia regiments
sad place Nestel of them In ger, in& to perform the
duties hitherto discharged by the infantry of the line.
Lately, in consequence of the necessity of reinforcing the
army in the Crimes, the garrisons in the Mediterranean had
been reduced below their usual strength. In consequence
of that reduction an appeal had been made under the act of
parliament to the militia regiments in this country to volun-
teer for service abroad ; several regiments had volunteered,
and two or three had already left this country to reinforce
the garrisons at Gibraltar and Corfu. It wee no doubt true,
as had been stated by the hon. gentleman, that a consider-
able inroad had bees made upon the effectiveness of the
militia force of this count,/ in consequence of the discus-
sions which had recently taken place with respect to the act
of 1854; but he did not conceive that the government wee
at all responsible for what had happened under that act, nor
did he think it was open to them to take any other course
than that which they had pursued. As regarded that ques-
tion the can wee simply this. The men who were embodied
prior to the passing of the act of 1854 offered their services
under the impression—he might even say on the understand-
ing—that they would only be liable to be called out
for training for a period of from 21 to 66 days In the year,
and would be liable to be called out for permanent duty
, only in the event of this country being threatened with an
invasion. Now, he had no doubt that, considering how im-
portant an event that was, many persons joined the militia
prior to the passing of the act of 1854, under the persuasion
that they would not lose their civil employments by entering
that force. The act of 1854 altered the conditions of service.
That act authorised the embodying of the militia at any
time when this country was at war ; and the country hap-
pened to be at war at the time when it was pulled. Then
the question arose whether that act had a retrospective
effect. The law officers of the crown were consulted on the
subject, and they gave a decided opinion that the act did
apply to the men who were enrolled prior to its being
passed, in fact, that its operation was retrospective.
therefore, the militia had refused to serve for more
than fifty six days, the government would have
been prepared with an answer. He thought, how-
ever, the house must be of opinion that nothing was
more likely to conduce to the effectiveness of the militia
than the maintenance of confidence between that force and
the government of the country,and that this would not have
been secured by arbitrarily taking advantage of the act
which had been passed, in opposition to the understanding
with which the men joined, Under these circumstance., a
circular was issued, giving to the men the option of re-
turning home after they had served 56 days, or else of being
reattested for the unexpired period of service, receiving an
additional bounty of one pound, in censidetation of the
enlarged liability which they contracted under the act of
1854. No doubt the militia very largely availed themselves
of that circular. A great number of the men returned to
their homes, and the militia regiments—although none of
them were actually broken up—had suffered con-
siderable diminution. The honourable gen•lemen pro-
posed to resort to the ballot, as a means of sup-
plyiog the loss which had been thus occasioned.
The fact was that the ballot would not answer the purpose.
The men who were gone to their homes remained upon
the effective strength of their regiments, and when the
period came round next year for their 56 days' service they
would be called upon to join their regiments. C3S3C•
queatly the ballot could not be had recourse to for the
purpose of supplying :the places of these men, unless they
were discharged altogether; and there could be no doubt
that, if this step were taken, the first duty of the govern-
ment, considering the inconvenience of having recourse to
the ballot, would be to ascertain whether their places
could not be supplied by the same process by which they
. originally joined, namely, voluntary enlistment. If the
government failed in that attempt they might thee have
recourse to the balllot. He admitted that even including the
men who had gose back to their homes, the effective strength
of the militia regiments was considerably below the establish-
ment. The act of parliament authorised the levy of 80,000
men for England and Wales. At no time, he thought, had
there been more than from 45,000 to 50,000 men actually
enrolled, and that number had lately suffered a considerable
diminution, owing to the circumstance that so great a num-
ber of men had returned to their home,. The present
strength os the militia regiments in this country did not ex
Med 25,000 men. There was one very important considera-
tion in the case. Great complaints had been made in con-
somme of militiamen having been placed on billets. The
Mean gave great dissatisfaction to the householder upon
wham the men were billeted; and it was equally objec-
. disable on account of its demoralising effect on the men
themselves. At that moment, of the 26,000 men whom he
mentioned, as being under arms is England and Wales,
these were not more than 8,000 in garrison ; the remaining
19,000 being on billets. Every endeavour wee being made
by the government to obtain barracks and hired accommo-
dation for the militia, both in this country and in Scotland ;
and he thought it would be unwise to have recourse to the
ballot, for the purpose of obtaining a larger number of men
than could, for some time at least, be provided with barrack

COlOllOl. KNOX, trILPIN, and NORTH, Mr. BINTINCR,
Mr. BELLEW, Mr. H. MZRBIRT, Sir J. WALSH, and the
Marquis of GRANBY, having criticised the administration
of the department, and offered their sugsestions,
Mr. OTWAY said if the country was unable to keep up
a sufficient military force, the sooner it retired from the con-
test in which it was engaged the better. (Hear, hear.) He
had put a question on the paper that morning to be ad-
deemed to the First Lord of the Treasury ; and he should
am refer to the subject incidentally, because he understood
thet the noble lord was precluded by the forms of the
hens from giving • reply. He .wished to know whether
Ihegovernment considered that it became the dignity of this
senntry to enter into • sort of surreptitious war. H.d the
sweats of this country in Germany the sanction of the sove-
reigns of German y for seeking to carol their subjects ?
(Hear, hear.) He asked this question, because it appeared
that this country bad already been subjected to some humi-
liation by proceedings of that kind. At New York the
authorities had interposed to prevent the enrolment of men
by as agent of this country ; and in that friendly power,
Prams. a decree had been issued for the same purpose.
He wished to know whether, while we were sending agents
to German states to enrol soldiers, we were so doing with
the cognisance of the sovereigns of those states.
Bir G. OBEY rose to answer the questions which had
been addressed to the government by different hon. mein-
here in the course of the present discussion. An hon.
member opposite had complained that his bon. friend (Mr.
P. Peel) bad not given the information which had been
required of him with regard to the militia; and that
eepeelally he had not stated the intentions of the
government with rer,aid to the ballot. Now he (Sir
G. Grey) had understood his hon. friend distinctly
to state that her Mojesty's government did not consider that
the time had yet curie when recourse to that sstem would
be found absolutely necessary. (Hear, hear.) In confirma-
tion of that statement, he could now state that from official
desuments it appeared that a considerable increase in volun-
tare enlistment in the militia had taken platy within the last
swath. Another hon. gentleman had stated that in his
opinion &separate staff ought to be organised for the militia.
But that hon. gentleman should bear in mind that the
militia, when embodied, became • portion of the military
Item of the nation, and as such subject to the same depart-
, meats as the other portions of the army. With regard to
the station of billeting, be admitted that many evils
attiaeiea
IN be; received many valuable communleatithonse
matter
before the Was Department. He could assure the house
not only that the matter had not been lost eight of, but
teen was Isom wish on the part of the government to pro-
vide the required barrack seeemosedation. While apes'
via rubjest, be might mention to the home, that from
• eaters which his hon. friend (Mr. F. Peel) had proennd
IiMOB he addressed the house, it appeared that the number
if militiamen ander arms in the United Kingdom was