The Press.
London, England, 1856-05-03 00:00:00

413
faults of tits
Palmerstoo's

MAY 3, 1856.

Vrocabings arliamtnt.

THE FALL OF KARS.
mr. WHITESIDIC, on Monday, moved the following
resolution
That, while this house feels it to be its duty to express
it, admiration of the gallantry of the Turkish soldiery. and
of the devotion of the British officers at the siege of Kars,
it feels ►t to be equally a duty to express its conviction that
the capitulation of that fortress, and the surrender of the
army which defended it, thereby endangering the safety of
the As►at►c provinces of Turkey, were in a great measure
ewing to the want of foresight and energy on the part of
her Majesty's Administration.
The hon. and learned member first dwelt on the
importance of the war in Asia, and insisted that as
Russia always struck at Turkey in her Asiatic
provinces, it should be our policy to strike at Russia
in Georgia, which was the root of the Russian power.
He detailed at length all the circumstances connected
with the appointment of General Williams as her
Majesty's commissioner to the Turkish army in Asia,
and the neglect observed towards him by Lord Strat-
ford in leaving fifty-four of his despatches un-
answered. Who was answerable for the misconduct
of Lord Stratford ?

I beg to ask the house one or two plain questions upon
that point. Is the ambassador responsible to the House
of Commons? I say, "No ! " Who appoints him ? The
Crown. Who exercises authority over him ? The Minister.
Who can call him to account ? The Minister. Can we
call him to account? No. We operate upon public ser-
vants through the medium of the Minister, and to call
upon the house to enter upon the consideration of the
misconduct of a public officer is to ask the house to
assume the executive. The house can neither appoint
nor dismiss. We can only exercise control, by making
known our opinion of a Minister that fails in the perform•
ince of duty in a matter of great public interest. (Cheers.)
How does this case stand? Take it as put in the strongest
possible manner for the Government, ' Lord Stratford de
ROA& is an extraordinarily intractable and clever man.
He was our ambassador at Constantinople. He failed to
perform duties required of him, and the Foreign Secretary
censured him." Hut where, I ask, is the ambassador ?
He is there still. (Cheers.) He misconducts himself,
and therefore the Government retains him. It is in exact
consistency with that principle of Government, latterly
adopted. which rewards a man according to his demerits,
and, in daring defiance of public opinion, promotes him in
exact proportion to the excess of his fault.
After the quarrel with Lord Stratford had been
settled, and after Lord Palmerston's Cabinet had
been formed, General Williams addressed on the
sth March a despatch to Lord Clarendon, urging the

importance of sending reinforcements to the amount
of 20,000 men. The reply to that urgent demand
was to be found in the note of the War-office of the
12th April, and of the Foreign-office the 15th April,
stating it would be advisable that the Porte should
he urged to comply with the request of General Wit-
ham; when the more urgent need of the services of
the Ottoman troops elsewhere should have ceased :
With great labour and at much expense to the country
these despatches were concocted, and when they were de-
livered, the Seraskier replied, " Oh, we know all this as
well as you—if we had an army of our own we should not
want you as an ally, nor if we had a full treasury should we
ask you for money !" (Cheers ) I am aware it is not
possible for a great man to do great things every day of his
life; and no wonder that, exhausted by this last stopen-
dons effort. our War Minister soon relapsed into an official
alumber—(laughter)—until, unfortunately, he
.awakened
into mischievous activity in the month of July following. I
have heard it said that there are members of this house
who are prepared to vote that " energy and foresight" in
this matter have been displayed by the War Department of
England! But l will not believe it until I see it recorded
on the division list. Let me warn hon. gentlemen that it
is of little moment what becomes of a Ministry, but of the
last consequence what becomes of the character of this
house. (Cheers.) If a body of English gentlemen, the
representatives of the people, who have sacrificed their
blood and their treasure in a great struggle, are of opinion
that when four British officers are inclosed in Kars and
Erimatu, heroically fighting their country's battles, a
document such as I have read acquits the Minister of all
responsibility for the disaster which occurred, then I say,
talk no more of constitutional Government, but give us
inatitationa consistent with national safety, and with the
Prinisry ends of State policy. (Cheers.) Compared
With the War Minister, who evinced such signal imbecility,
soy that the man whom the noble lord the member for
London overthrew was an intellectual giant. (Cheers.)
Tim hon. and learned member then reviewed the
subsequent conduct of the Government, dwelling
"1111 great force on the ignorance displayed by Lord
Clarendon in rejecting the proposed Turkish expe-
dition to. Georgia, on the ground that the route for
a relieving expedition was by way of Trebizoud
the noble earl objected to sending succour anywhere
rePt to Trebizond That was the plan of strategy
nlgiruced the noble earl. Now, the opinion of the
The r earl or of the noble lord at the head of the Govern-
"t
question of foreign policy, no doubt, would be
very valuable, hut on a matter of strategy the case is not
eequite the same. Does anybody living, any military man,
nt
was
num the opinion now that the plan of the noble earl
good sue? Could the nobly earl have known any-

thing about the country or the means of transporting
munitions and ►aateriel of war? Why, the proposal made
in this luminous despatch for an army, with all its
materiel and artillery, to march from Trebizond to Erze.
roues wonlil have occupied from three to four months.
(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") The road was merely a
mule path over which it would be almost impossible to
drag artillery, and, in point of fact, in the last war, Paskie-
witch, when within four or five miles of Trebizond, found
the road impracticable for artillery, and did not attempt
the passage. Now, how was this proposal looked upon by
military men who had bad the advantage of experience to
guide them? Why, sir, the opinions of Otner Pacha, of
General Guyon, of General Mansfield, of Colonel Simmons,
of the whole of the members of both French and English
embassies, were in direct opposition to the opinion of Lord
Clarendon and of the noble lord the Secretary for War. I
repeat that the opinion propounded by Lord Clarendon in
this despatch was upheld by nobody.
He showed that through Lord Clarendon's objections
the expedition of Omer Pacha was delayed until too
late to be of any real service, and contended that the
fall of Kars was most clearly traceable to the neglect
of our Government to render it any direct assist•
ance

I asked a military man, acquainted with the country,
what sum of money would have saved Kars. He thought
50,0001. would have been sufficient, but 100,0001. would
have been an extravagant sum. Will any one telt me that
if the Minister had asked the house for that sum to save
the key of Asia Minor he would not have obtsined it ? A
Ministry that undertakes the conduct of a war cannot
escape from responsibility by saying that they did not
choose to [ask for money. If they had asked and been
refused, the case would be very different. At the time of
the Spanish war the Government—we then had a Govern-
ment of ability—did not ask for permission ; they did
what they thought necessary. Surmising what may be the
answer to this part of the case, I will now show that one
more futile was never attempted. I undertake to say that
itiwas determined to give no assistance to the army at
Kars. This is a strong assertion, but I make it delibe-
rately. After the debate in this house upon the Turkish
Loan Lord Panmure, in another place, expounded the senti-
ments of the Ministry with regard to the conduct of the
War A noble earl, who, in the other house,
from first to last endeavoured to hammer some sense into
the heads of the Government (the Eatl of Ellenborough),
said, upon the 3rd of Au just, relative to the necessity of
relieving Kars :

I have, from the very first, earnestly, but fruitlessly, en-
deavoured to impress upon her Majesty's Government and the
honse the necessity of attending to the war in Asia. . . . . .
You may depend upon it, if 'once Russia is in possession of
Erzerourn, she will hold that place, and Turkey in Asia, and
Persia also, will be at her command, and she will have gained
as much as she will have lost if you should capture Sebastopol.
Now a more direct appeal to the Government to know
what had been done in Asia Minor could not be imagined.
Lord Panmure, in reply, spoke these words. He said :
My lords, In reference to the position of affairs in Asia, I
mutt say that I regret this as much as the noble earl. But
Turkey Is in that quarter able to maintain herself against her
enemy; and I should have some hesitation, considering the
difficulties to which I should expose her Majesty's troops, in
piecing them in that part of Asia where the Russian troops
now are. The noble earl has threatened her Majesty's Minis-
ters in the month of November with a visitation of public
opinion.
Now, I ask the house whether a grosser deception could
be put upon the people of this conntry than that represen-
tation of Lord Panmure on the 3rd of August, when he
was charged with a neglect of duty in the prosecution of
the war—when he was asked what he intended to do, and
when he intended to do it. The Turkish Loan was then
before Parliament. Let this sentence never be for-
gotten :—" Turkey is in that quarter able to maintain her-
self." (Loud cheers.) Now I appeal to the house and to
the country to say, is that candid? Is it fair? Is it
true? Did the Duke of Newcastle ever do anything like
that? Did Lord Panmure write a despatch on the 11th
of July to say that there was no room for hope ? (Cheers.)
Did' this noble lord, who is the War Minister of England,
write a despatch to say it was " too late to regret the
policy which has left General Williams and his army ex-
posed to such straits "? Did he read that despatch of the
3rd of August tothe French Government? He did. And
yet, when asked in public for information relative to the
war, he says, " I think Turkey in Asia will be able to
maintain herself." (Hear, hear.) Why, if the house will
pardon that conduct on the part of a Minister who is bound
to speak the truth—if it will tolerate conduct such as that—
talk not to me of Ministerial responsibility. It is a farce—
an idle ceremony. ( Hear.) That statement was made to
lull the public suspicion—to calm the public mind. It
was made as this Parliament was about to break up for the
session. I impeach this Minister for shameful neglect,
and I charge him with having perverted his duty, not only
to his allies and to his sovereign, but to the sacred cause
of truth. (Cheers.) Kars was beleaguered and starved.
Those gallant officers I should be ready to thank upon my
beaded knees for what they have done for England. Is
there any man in this house who believes that when our
plenipotentiary entered the council•room at Paris he was
not met by the conquest of Anatolia and the capture of
Ken? I was not there, but I believe as firmly as if I had
been there, that the first thing Lord Clarendon heard at
Paris from the Russians was, " We shall give yon very little
of Bessarabia, because we have taken Kars and Anatolia."
The lion. and learned member reflected on the
" good taste" of Lord Clarendon in writing that
sarcastic despatch to the Turkish Government on
the fall of Kars, in which his lordship said :
The neglected garrison 'of Kars will at least have the
satisfaction of knowing t.,at their sufferings troubled the
sleep and repose of the Turkish Ministers, who, in default
of all ordinary measures of relief, never ceased to pray for
their safety and success.

He showed that whatever might be
Turkish Government, the faults of Lord
Administratisn had been still more glaring, and he
appealed to the house whether it could rents() to
affirm the resolution he had placed before it:—
I ask you fearlessly—not appealing to one party more
than another, because I believe that all parties are equally
desirous and resolved to maintain the honour and uphold
glory of our country—are you satisfied with the prosecution
of the war? How is it possible that you can be so?
Are you prepared to say that England could do no
more than send four men and a doctor to cope in Asia
with the resources of the colossal empire of Russia, leaving
them, moreover, to perish without the least atom of assist-
ance ? Will you refuse before Europe to acknowledge your
obligations to the Turkish army? I have placed that point
first in the resolution, because it deserves the best and
most prominent place. The Turkish troops are worthy of
your thanks. They gave to your countrymen all they
could; they shed their blood for them; they endured
famine and suffering in every form and shape ; they
followed the gallant Williams proclaiming to the last,
" Such a pacha we never saw before ! " Once only were
they observed to use the language of murmur and com•
plaint. When commanded to surrender to the victorious
enemy, it is recorded that they dashed their muskets to
the ground and cursed the country which they served and
the country which had betrayed them. But in that
moment of distress and anguish they mistook the Governs
ment for the people of England. There is not an artisan
in the country who would not have shared his last crust
with them—who would not have shed his blood to M.
them from destruction. (Cheers.) Will you refuse to
make public and joyful acknowledgment of your dt
gratitude to the English offieerswho took part in the de
of Kars? I hardly think there will be a dissentient to
against that proposition. The gallant Williams speaks to
you from his captivity—from his bed of suffering—tellin
you in penetrating tones that the fall of Kars
the Asiatic territories of Turkey and involved
interests in fa great and terrible peril. Can
further to say that there was a want of foretrlght
part of her Majesty's Government? Where is
foresight—where the ability—where the brilliant
prise, well conceived and ably executed—where the
prehensive design—where the judicious use of the weal
of the world or of that mighty fleet which is said to be able,.
to sweep the seas? Search through this mama of
and you will look in vain for the evidence of
vigour. Here you have idle words for brilliant
polished phrases for prompt and decisive actions.
expected and deserved more from England, as*
sir, I plum this resolution is your bands, intoillsolfli
support the votes of a patriotic Parliament, as I widisip*/*
the approving voice of an indignant people.

. .
The ATTORNEY•GENERAL rested the defense of
the Government upon the fact that, so far as tbe
relief of Kars was concerned, Turkey had no rams to
spars, and the English troops were monopolised by
the siege of Sebastopol. The real question was,
what could the British Government have ease
to avert the fall of Kars which it had not done?
Could the allies be held responsible for that event,
especially when there was a force in Turkish Armenia
sufficient to preserve Kars if the Ottoman comman-
ders had done tbeir duty? Because there was a
differ ence of opinion among military men as to the
plans for the relief of its garrison, were her Majesty's
Ministers to be censured ?

Lord J. MANNERS contenried that the loss of Aare
presented a fatal blot upon the military fame of
England, and was attributable solely to the want of
energy, foresight, and ability on the part of the
British Government.

Mr. J. G. PHILIIMORE moved the adjournment or
the debate.

The LORD ADVOCATE observed that in the conduct
of the war the alternative lay between leaving Kars
unassisted, or jeopardising the siege of Sebastopol;
and it was not a want of foresight, but a deliberately-
formed conclusion, which led to the selection of the
former contingency as involving the risk of least
consequence.
The house then adjourned.
The debate was resumed an Tuesday by Mr. J.
Purt.t.imoaE, who axgaed that the capture of Sebes,
topol was the main object of the war, and that no
Minister could have imperilled those operations by
removing part of the troops from before Sebastopol
to Asia Minor for a subordinate purpose. The real
cause of the fall of Kars was the dilatoriness of
Omer Pacha, the cowardice of Selim Pacha, and the
conduct of Lord Stratford. The question for the
house to consider was, what would have been the
result had General Williams received proper support
from Lord Stratford ? All that foresight, energy, and
industry could do was done by Lord Clarendon, but
the most obvious duties were neglected by Lord
Stratford, whose conduct merited the severest
censure.

Mr. hEs SEYMER moved as an amendment that
" The circumstances connected with the fall of Kars
should not be considered until the treaty of peace
was brought before the house." Since the original
motion had been announced the treaty of peace and
protocols had been laid upon the table of the house,
and a larger question n,,w arose,—What was the
effect of the fall of Kars upon the Peace Conferences ?
The CHANCELLOR Of the EXCHEQUER could not
support the amendment, which meroly postponed the
question. The Government were desirous that the

, ,_, • .
-'.., • • . .
. ' . .
MAy 3, 1856. THE PRESS. 413
thing about the country or the means of transporting He showed that whatever might be the faults of the
.----
VrattblngS in Varliamtnt. munitions and materiel of war? Why, the proposal made Turkish Government, the faults of Lord Palmerston's
materiel and
in this lumiartillerynous despatotcmarch from Trebizond
for an army,wi
to alErze.
l its Administration had been still more glaring, and he
appealed to the house whether it could refuse to
, mum wonlcl have occupied from three to four months.
THE FALL OF KARS. (Loud cries of "Hear, hear.") The road was merely a affirm the resolution he had placed before it:—
Mr. WRITEsIDE 'on Monday, moved the following
mule path over which it would be almost impossible to I ask you fearlessly—not appealing to one party more
drag artillery, and, in point of fact, in the last war, Paskie- than another, because I believe that all parties are equally
resolution:— witch, when within four or five miles of Trebizond, found desirous and resolved to maintain the honour and uphold
That, while this house feels it to Turkish itednt9o.M. "Press. the road impracticable for artillery, and did not attempt glory of our country—are you satisfied with the prosecution
its admiration of the gallantry of the
i.s idiery. and the passage. Now, how was this proposal looked upon by of the war? How is it possible that you can be so?
the devotion of the British officers at
.t. the siege of. Kars, military men who had had the advantage of experience to Are you prepared to gay that England could do no
itffeels ato be equally a duty to express its conviction that guide them ? Why, sir, the opinions of Omer Pacha, of more than send four men and a doctor to cope in Asia
the capitulation of that fortress, and the am•render of the GeneralGnyon, of General Mansfield, of Colonel Simmons, with the resources of the colossal empire of Russia, leaving
army which defended it, thereby endangering the safety of of the whole of the members of both French and English them, moreover, to perish without the least atom of assist-
the Asiatic provinces of Turkey, were in a great measure embassies, were in direct opposition to the opinion of Lord ance ? Will you refuse before Europe to acknowledge your
swing to the want of foresight and energy on the part of Clarendon and of the noble lord the Secretary for War. I obligations to the Turkish army? I have placed that point
The Turkish
,irhlaecey
her Majesty" Administration. repeat that the opinion propounded by Lord Clarendon in first in the resolution, because it deserves the best and
The hon. and learned member first dwelt on the this despatch was upheld by nobody.
most
prominent
thanks.
e of the war in Asia, and insisted that as He showed that through Lord Clarendon's objections your 'gave countrymen mareenwalorlthtyheoyf
importance of the war in Asia, and insir'ted that as He showed that through Lord Clarendon's objections your thanks. 'they gave to your countrymen all they
Russia alwa s struck at Turkey in her Asiatic the expedition of Omer Pacha was delayed until too could; they shed their blood for them; they endured
famine and suffering in every form and shape • they
prousysiinaces, it shouldy be our policy to strike at Russia late to be of any real service, and contended that the
" Such a what we never saw before ! " ,
followed the gallant Williams proclaiming to the lest,
in Georgia, which was the root of the Russian power. fall of Kars was most clearly traceable to the neglect
Once nly
lle detailed at length all the circumstances connected of our Government to render it any direct assist they observed to use the language of murmuroand cwom-
with the appointment of General Williams as her once :
plaint. When commanded to surrender to the victorious
Majesty's commissioner to the Turkish army in Asia, I asked a military man, acquainted with the country, enemy, it is recorded that they dashed their muskets to
and the neglect observed towards him by Lord Strat- what sum of money would have saved Kars. He thought the ground and cursed the country which they served and
50,0001. would have been sufficient, but 100,0001. would
ford in leaving fifty-four of his despatches an-the country which had betrayed them. But in that
have been. an
. extravagant sum. Will any one telt me that moment of distress and anguish they mistook the Governs
answered. Who was answerable for the misconduct .
if the Minister had asked the house for that sum to save
in the country who would nose ave shared his last cruet
ment for the people of England. There is not an artiean
of Lord Stratford ? the key of Asia Minor he would not have obtained it ? A
I beg to ask the house one or two plain questions upon Ministry that undertakes the conduct of a war cannot with them—who would not have shed his blood to Mill
that point. Is the ambassador responsible to the House escape from responsibility by saying that they did not them from destruction. (Cheers.) Will you refuse to
of Commons? I say, "No ! " Who appoints him ? The choose to task for money. If they had asked and been make public and joyful acknowledgment of your debt of
Crown. Who exercises authority over him ? The Minister. refused, the ease would be very different. At the time of gratitude to the English officerswbo took part in the defence
Who can call him to account ? The Minister. Can we the Spanish war the Government—we then hail a Govern- of Kars? I hardly think there will be a dissentient voice
call him to account? No. We operate upon public sex-ment of ability—did not ask for permission ; they did against that proposition. The gallant Williams speaks to
rants through the medium of the Minister, and to call what they thought necessary. Surmising what may be the you from his captivity—from his bed of suffering—telling
upon the house to enter upon the consideration of the answer to this part of the case, I will now show that one you in penetrating tones that the fall of Kars endangered
misconduct of a public officer is to ask the house to more futile was never attempted. I undertake to say that the Asiatic territories of Turkey and involved even *PT
assume the executive. The house can neither appoint itiwas determined to give no assistance to the army at interests in fa great and terrible peril. Can you hesitate
nor dismiss. We can only exercise control, by making Kars. This is a strong assertion, but I make it delibe- further to say that there was a want of foresight on the
known our opinion of a Minister that fails in the perform• rately. After the debate in this house upon the Turkish part of her Majesty's Government? Where is the
rice of duty in a matter of great public interest. (Cheers.) Loan Lord Panmure, in another place, expounded the semi- foresight—where the ability—where the brilliant enter-
How does this case stand? Take it as put in the strongest ments of the Ministry with regard to the conduct of the prise, well conceived and ably executed—where the coma
possible manner for the Government, ' Lord Stratford de war A noble earl, who, in the other house, prehensive design—where the judicious use of the wealth
Reich& is an extraordinarily intractable and clever man. from first to last endeavoured to hammer some sense into of the world or of that mighty fleet which is said to be able
He wu oar ambassador at Constantinople. He failed to the heads of the Government (the Earl of Ellenborough), to sweep the seas? Search through this mass of ' n,
perform duties required of him, and the Foreign Secretary said, upon the 3rd of August, relative to the necessity of and you will look in vain for the evidence of ' IR
censured him." But where, I ask, is the ambassador ? relieving Kars : vigour. Here you have idle words for brilliant '
He is there still. (Cheers.) He misconducts himself, I have, from the very first, earnestly, but fruitlessly, en• polished phrases for prompt and decisive action*. tab,
and therefore the Government retains him. It is in exact deavouree to impress upon her Majesty's Government and the expected and deserved more from England, asell
consistency with that principle of Government, latterly house the necessity of attending to the war in Asia.... I plow this resolution in your heeds, inedible). ft
adopted. which rewards a man according to his demerits, you
emr
°az:lld depend dw i
l"--
7PhoOrld I:it that place, .I)olnaecee Ratuilsili,urizein
ipnosAsessiastonanodf
support the votes of a patriotic Parliament, as I isiiiiirlit
and, in daring defiance of public opinion, promotes him in Persia also,' will be at her command, and she wyill have gained the approving voice of an indignant people.
exact proportion to the excess of his fault. as much as she will have lost if you should capture Sebastopol. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL rested the defense of
After the quarrel with Lord Stratford had been Now a more direct appeal to the Government to know the Government upon the fact that, so Aar as the
settled, and alter Lord Palmerston's Cabinet had what had been done in Asia Minor could not be imagined. relief of Kars was concerned, Turkey had no roes to
been formed, General Williams addressed on the Lord Panmure, in reply, spoke these words. He said :
spare, and the English troops were monopolised by
sth March a despatch to Lord Clarendon, urging the My lords, In reference to the position of affairs in Asia, I the siege of Sebastopol. The real question was,
must say that I regret this as much as the noble earl. But
importance of sending reinforcements to the amount
Turkey is in that quarter able to maintain herself against her what could the British Government have dame
of 20,000 men. The reply to that urgent demand enemy; and I should have some hesitation, considering the to avert the fall of Kars which it had not done?
was to be found in the note of the War-otlice of the difficulties to which I should expose her Majesty's troops, in Could the allies be held responsible for that event,
12th April, and of the Foreign-office the 15th April, phieing them
, in that part of Asia where the Russian troops .
are. The noble earl has threatened her Majesty's Minis• especially when there wail a force in Turkish Armenia
stating it would be advisable that the Porte should tenor: in the month of November with a visitation of public sufficient to preserve Kars if the Ottoman commene
be urged to comply with the request of General Wil- opinion. ders had done tbeir duty? Because there was s
Items when the more urgent need of the services of Now, I ask the house whether a grosser deception could
diner ence of opinion among military men as to the
be put upon the people of this country than that represen.
the Ottoman troops elsewhere should have ceased : its garrison, were her Majesty's
'on of Lord Panmure on the 3rd of August, when he plans for the relief of •
With great labour and at much expense to the country Ministers to be censured ?
wastati charged with a neglect of duty in the prosecution of _
these despatches were concocted, and when they were de- what Lord J. MANNERS contended that the loss of Kars
the war—when he was asked he intended to do, and
livered, the Streakier replied, " Oh, we know all this as
when lie intended to do it. The Turkish Loan was then presented a fatal blot upon the military fame of
well as you—if we had an army of our own we should not before Parliament. Let this sentence never be for. England, and was attributable solely to the want of
want yuu as an ally, nor if we had a full treasury should we
energy, foresight, and ability on the part of the
ask you for money ! " (Cheers ) I am aware it is not gotten :—" Turkey is in that, quarter able to maintain her-
self." (Loud cheers ) Now I appeal to the house and to British Government.
possible for a great man to do great things every day of his the country to say, is that candid ?Is it fair ?Is it Mr. 3'. G. PHILIIMORR moved the adjournment of
life; and no wonder that, exhausted by this last stupen- true? Did the Duke of Newcastle ever do i.nythinglitiltie the debate.
dela effort. our War Minister soon relapsed into an official that? Did Lord Panmare write a despatch an the to
alumber—(laughter)—until, unfortunately, he awakened The LORD ADVOCATE observed that in the conduct
of July to say that there was no mom for hope ? ( Cheers )
of the war the alternative lay between leaving Kars
into mischievous activity in the month of July following. I Did' this noble- lord, who is the War Minister- of England,.•
have heard it said that there are members of this houseunassisted, or jeopardising the siege of Sebastopol ;
write a despatch to say it was "too late to regret the
who are prepared to vote that " energy and foresight" in policy which has left General Williams and his army ex- and it was not a want of foresight, but a deliberate)
this matter have been displayed by the War Department of " 9 Did he read that despatch of the formed conclusion, which posed to such straits . led to the selection of the
England! But l will not believe it until I see it recorded He did. And former contingency as ,;rd of August to the French Government? . involving the risk of least-
on the division list. Let me w hgentlemen that it
warn on. yet, when asked in public for information relative to the consequence.
is of •
hide moment what becomes of a Ministry, but of the
war, he says, " I think Turkey in Asia will be able to
last The house then adjourned.
consequence what becomes of the character of this maintain herself." (Hear, hear.) Why, if the house will
The debate was resumed •)n Tuesday by Mr. 3'. G.
house. (timers.) If b •the a hod of English gentlemen, pardon that conduct on the part of a Minister who is bound ~e,
representatives of the people, who have sacrificed their - • it • - . r-HILLINORE, who argued that the capture of Sebum
!eel to speak the truth—if will tolerate conduct such as that-
-1 e and their treasure •
in a great struggle, are of opinion talk not to me of Ministerial responsibility. It is a farce— topol was the main object of the war, and that no
that when four Minister could have imperilled those operations by
1 i British officers are inclosed in Kars and an idle ceremony. ( Hear.) That statement was made to
Erstee
I Inn, heroically fighting their country's battles, a
document such as I • . lull the public suspicion—to calm the public mind. it removing part of the troops from before Sebastopol
I
have read acquits the Minister of all
responsibility for the which occurred, then I say, was made as this Parliament was about to break up for the to Asia Minor for a subordinate purpose. The real
I talk no more a
es . disaster
naututional Government, but give us and I charge him with having perverted his duty, not only cause of the fall of Kars was the dilatoriness of
Omer Pacha, the cowardice of Selim Pacha, and the
r institutions consistent with national safety, and with the to his allies and to his sovereign, but to the sacred cause conduct of Lord Stratford. The question for the
primary ends of State policy. (Cheers.) Compared of truth. (Cheers.) Kars was beleaguered and starved. with the War Minister, house to consider was, what would have been the
, .
the er, who evinced such signal imbecility, Those gallant officers I should be ready to thank upon my result
had General Williams received proper support I i say that man whom
the noble lord the member for beaded knees for what they have done for England. Is
I Tendon overthrew was an intellectual giant. (Cheers.) there any man in this house who believes that when our . Lord from Stratford ? All that foresight, enemy, and
The hon. and learned member then reviewed the Plenipotentiary entered the council-room at Paris he was industry could do was done by Lord Clarendon, but
r subs by the conquest of Anatolia and the capture of not metthe most obvious duties were neglected by ord
subsequent conduct of the Government, dwelling
• with great force ignorance Ken? I was not there, but I believe as firmly as if I had Stratford, whose conduct merited the severest
on the Clarendon in rejecting the proposed Turkish ex e- ditinn to G Paris from the Russians was, "We shall give yon very little Mr. KER SEYMER moved as an amendment that
eorgia, on theground that the for
route of Bessarabia, because we have taken Kars and Anatolia." e The circumstances connected with the fall of Kars
4 a relieving • •
r expedition was by way of Trebizond : should not be considered until the treaty of peace
The •
The lion and learned member reflected on the
e noble earl objected to sending succour anywhere * t was brought before the house." Since the original
except to Trebizond That " good tee " of Lord Clendon in writing that
s enibruced by the was the plan of strategy .
despatch hTurkishG sarcasticto t eovernment on motion had been announced the treaty of peace and
noble earl. Now, the opinion of theprotocols had been laid upon the table of the house,
noble earl orofthe fallof Kars, •which his lordshipsaid
in -
9 The_
„h the noble lord at the head of the Govern-and a larger question new arose,—What was the
) ", &question of foreign nof Kars will
very valuable but policy, no doubt, would be The neglected garrison . at least have the
effect of the fall of Kars upon the Peace Conferences ?
quite the _,,,h, on a matter of strategy the case is not satisfaction of knowing tat their sufferings troubled the ,,
• The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER could not
wertainge_ e. Does anybody living, any military man, sleep and repose of the Turkish Ministers, who, in default
was sssue opinion now that the plan of the noble earl of all ordinary measures of relief, never ceased to pray for S support the amendment, which merely postponed the
4 PIM sue? Could question. The Government were desirous that 0*
the noble earl have known any- their safety and success.
.. _
• A

414

question should be fully diseussed and sifted. With
respect to Mr. Whiteside's speech, it was wholly
irrelevant. In the first place, nothing could be more
remote from truth, or at variance with fact, to assert
that the English Government were responsible for
the defence or fall of Kars. By sending a commis-
sioner into Armenia, they did not render themselves
responsible for the operations of the army or its
failures. Although he acknowledged that the
English Government did regard the operations in
Asia Minor as of some importance, yet they were
felt to be inferior to the capture of Sebastopol, the
real object of the war; and to have withdrawn troops
from before Sebastopol to secure a merely secondary
object (the safety of Kars) would have been highly
impolitic in a strategical point of view; and as to the
political point of view, the fall of Kars had been
utterly without influence on the treaty of peace.
With respect to the application of the Turkish Loan
to its proper objects, Sir G. C. Lewis denied that any
unnecessary delay bad taken place on the part of the
allies. The loan was contracted on the 20th August,
and 500,0001. had left this country by the 15th Sep-
tember, and on the 24th of October a meeting of the
commissioners took place at Constantinople, when a
memorandum arranging the securities to be given by
the Turkish Government for the application of the
loan solely to the purposes of the war was discussed.
The Turkish Government declined to promise any
detailed account of the expenditure of the moneys.
The discussion was adjourned, the money remained
locked up in Constantinople, and the commissioners
did not meet again till 24th November,—the day
Kars fell—and it was not until January that the
mere erandum, after many modifications, was ulti
=tab, agreed to.
au• JOHN PAKINGTON was surprised at the extra-
ordinary line taken by Sir G. Lewis. He had
laboured to prove that the capture of Kars had no
influence upon the terms of the peace ; but he would
find it difficult to persuade the house and the country
that the terms had not been influenced by that
di aster. His avowal that the Government were in no
degree responsible for the defence of Kars was denied
by every line in the blue-book, and by the instructions
given to General Williams by Lord Clarendon, which
contradicted that statement, and showed that the
Government did make themselves responsible, in a
very great degree, for the defence of Kars, which,
with Erzeroum, was a frontier town of the highest
military importance, the very key of the Bosphorus
on the Asiatic side. He should not attempt, he said,
to vindicate the conduct of Lord Stratford in neglect•
ing General Williams, whose power and usefulness
had been thereby very much impaired; but, at the
same time, he was bound to deny that the conduct of
the ambassador towards the general, though repre
hensible, had any material effect in causing the fall
of Kars, which he attributed to the subsequent con •
duct—the vacillation and want of vigour and of
prudence of her Majesty's Government. Lord
Clarendon's despatch of the 13th July, rejecting the
orga wised plan of the Porte to despatch 36,000
effective men to create a powerful diversion in
Georgia by Kutais, predicted also that in case of
such an expedition for the relief of Kars by Redout-
Kaleh being attempted, the Turkish troops would
fall ill between Redout-Kaleh and Kutais, and be
defeated between Kutais and Tiflis." Besides as-
suming dangers to exist of which there was no proof,
the despatch was written in a tone the most dis-
couraging and the most certain to damp the spirit of
the Turks, and was one of which the Government
ought really to be ashamed. To this despatch Lord
Stratford replies (30th July, '55) that a" most serious
dilemma" is the result of the unfavorable judgment
passed by her Majesty's Government upon the
Porte's plan for the relief of Kars. Two months
were wasted in doubt and uncertainty, when a diver-
sion was at last allowed to be made by way of
Georgia. How then was it possible in the face of
these two letters, and the ultimate diversion made by
way of Georgia, to deny the responsibility of the
Government with respect to the measures adopted
for the relief of Kars'—

After having distinctly taken upon themselves the re-
sponsibility of refusing to adopt the proposition made by
the Porte, I cannot understand how the right hon. gentle-
man can defend himself and the Government by saying
that they were not responsible for the defence of Kars,
and that it was altogether a Turkish affair. There is
only one other point to which I will advert. It is the
answer of Lord Panmure to General Vivian, dated the 14th
of July, 1835, who, in speaking of this plan, calls it a wild
and ill-digested plan. He says—" I place such full
reliance on sour professional ability that I feel no anxiety
lest you should undertake any expedition of a nature so
wild and ill-digested as that contemplated by the Porte."
Is the house aware that at the very time Lord Panroure
was waiting this despatch to General Vivien that gallant
general was writing home a letter, in which he says—" I
don't entertain a doubt of the advantage of the proposed
measure, provided it can be efficiently arranged." (Hear,
hear)

LAYARD believed that the original sin lay with
Lord Aberdeen's Government, in not taking sufi•
cient precautions in 1853 - 4 to prevent the inva-
sion of Asia Minor by the Russians. He justified