The Express.
London, England, 1855-05-09 00:00:00

THE ARMY BEFORE SEBASTOPOL

MR. ROEBUCK'S COMMITTEE.
Yesterday, after waiting Some twenty Minable for
Iga shorthand-writer, the committee recalled Br Theses
Benin" who it:pinned some statements arising eat .of
"emotion 18,920, put by the committee. In reply to that
interrogatory, he had steed that the order for the huts was
irregular, but it was sines is his recollection thetas had sub.
mitted • model of the proposed hats to Lord Harding*, and
the Secretary at War gave as order foe 300 *ltem on the
18th of November, and dually the Board of Ordeals@ gave
authority to construct them on the 20th of November. Re
had said that in some case basis's. of importance wee
carted oat by the Ordnance, and was not brought
officially to his knowledge, bat be was wrong is
this as to the sect feta of the sass. He was
of opinion that the plan of individuals purchase" stores,
&e.. eider the ssactin of the Board, if mein out,
weld be productive of evil cossequesees, for whatever
might be the special advantages of employing intelligent
sad clever persons to purchase, no system was so safe as that
of contract. He did not to upon certain irregular
proceedings that took place at the Board, beanie they had
the metion of the Secrettry at War, and because he
thought the clerk of the Ordnance would not do anything
that was income.
Mr. Monsen, who left off yesterday in the midst of an
explanation, continued to state that be had been asked
several questing relative to the erection of the two bays in
the laboratory, and he had said that lie had no recollection
of having sanctioned the proceeding. He had, however,
received • memorandum from Captain Collinson, showing
dist the work was not done until after the sanction of the
Board, and the bricklayers and carpenters' work, on
schedaled prices, was authorised by the Board. He never
gave verbal order, at the Ordnance that were sot followed
up by written ones. and in the cue of authorising Captain
Boxer to expend 7,0001. on • emery, he found it was not
dope without the sanction of the Board. lie could not find
the official este, of this; although the minutes were kept
by him with perfect regularity. In the ease of the 7,0001.,
authorised to be expended by Captain Boxer, it was only
for the purchase of machinery, and the bills all passed
through the suet forms of office, the Board authorising the
plynebts. As regarded any guarantee the public had for
the proper expenditure df the 7,0001 he presumed there
were tenders for the machinery, the erection of which was
duly certified. In the ease of Colonel Wilson and Captain
Boxer, he referred the question to the Minister of War, and
he also refereed the matter to the Chaneellor of the Exche-
quer, who was interested so far as regarded the way in which
the money voted by parliament was expended. The same rule
that applied to Capt. Boxer applied also to Col. Wilson. The
decision of the Board of Ordnance ought in cases of in-
subordination to be final, if the discipline of the elfin
wee to be kept up ; and the Minister of War, in his opinion,
should be constituted a Court of Appeal; bet it would be
ewe, except in • very grave ease ; but the question ia
this case before the committee was one that was worthy of
interference on the part of the Minister of War, involving
as it did the question as to whether the laboratory should be
carried out on the regimental principle or the manufactory
one. The confusion that arose in all these matters oriel-
seed in the fact of the Kraut of Ordnance not defia.ng the
authority of the officers, and it would have been far better
to have given a distinct and absolute power on
these points during the employment of the men ;
and with reference to taking them on, he (Mr.
Mensal) bad never heard before of an officer and
• gentleman connected with the Ordnance having received
sash 1 reprimand and seaman se the one given in the case of
Colonel Wilson and Captain Boxer. It went out of its way
to east redactions, and was, he believed, intended as an
Minh. As regarded the amount of warm clothing purchased
foe the troop', without any official authority from the
Militate or War, he found that • vest *ember of the eon-
emote were signed with the signature only of Sir T.
Hastings, showing that it was the practice of one board
officer to alga them, end from a return he bed caused to be
made out, he found that the number signed by Sir T.
Hastings was 206; by Mr. Moused, 60; and by Sir Hew
Rare, 30. Mien. Hetet and Howell were the packers at
the Tower, bat it was never repteseuted to his that things
had been sent to them and had been lett unpacked fox a
long time in the rain.
Mr. Leyard—Who is Mr. Bayer ?
Mr. Monsell—l believe he is brother to Mr. Halter, the
feentary to the Treasury—(laughter)—but it is only fair
to add that they have been employed by the War-ollim lii
• ling time, and as packers for the colonel. of geglesenft
The eiontroet signed by Colonel Deuce with MOM Yyew
bad not been vitiated by him (Mr. MonesU), beset Col.
Drag's signature was not valid ; and be bad to state In the
most explicit Mantle, that the contract with Mears.
Myer had never ben vitiated at all. The barracks now
being built at Aldenhott were calculated to last 70 years.
They were being constructed as permanent barracks at the
rate of 261. per maa. The Ordnance we not in a state to
meet urgent demand, when the war broke one, as regarded
stone, fuses, itc. Money was not asked for from parlia
met, and therefare parliament were not to blame; bat
whether government were for the deadest state of the
Ordnance was another matter. The Board of Oed-
emas worked very well until the diesgreemeat be-
tween himself and Sir T. Haulage. Peadeg the
proposed alterations in the Ordnance, that department
was ia • son or moribund condition. And this state of
things, he tt, interfered with the p able serves.
Menem bed seed his resignation to the Doke of New•
note ea emeemesten ; bat the duke thought it was de-
arable he sheald remain. There were only three olden at
the (Wesel Beard in November, and the 'Mee was re-
deed at Ono time to saly mas posses—himself; and he
come lap three et her Ness lath* ea.
By Mr. lffies—Ho (Mr. Mesa) **stealMot fully
in the °pieta *erased by the Duke of Newest* as to
the ensatidaseary state of the Ordseee • sad he (Mr.
Monsell) tented it was wrong to leave the raw Master-
General of the Ordnance vacant just at Ow doe dos the
war broke out, as it threw the whole departmeelele • slate
of disorganisation. Although in April, a meet important
period, then was only one officer at the board—hkiself—he
did not think the public service suffered ; that is to say,
said Mr. Moused, " we did do all that was raqateed."
The Chairman—Not " we," you mess, but " I."
(Laughter.)
Mr. Momell—l refer to the administration of the eivil de-
partment, mot the military, which was carried outmost
He did net think that the putnie seefseemffireed
by ▪
the disagreeseats that took place at the bestriiiiiies:
tbeabones of its Men, bat it imposed slug,
mount of work ea these that were la the agatemss.
Die Ordemee deportment set to work is Weide eleeell,lke.
bete the war broke eat, and is antinelft at
To Ream! Peal—The Ordinal. starer Be*, Bellfelet
were *magi' -1 with wessilestel tatgilly ail IBM was
*lay ewe, te the admirable way be latish the Boyd
Denies Heettament at Woolwich isaagelei *elr share of
the the
eeClheintse—He bad to give the men detest end
Modal to the statement be wmiensemed Sin
HlMlngs to haws made, that witasselhad wradlet If
deprive Sir Hew Rees of the power of appeedag slave is
the Ordsameeddes, in *unquote, of Hew Rees TF
teeing to pembles I clerk on wineries ISONlMledation.
The Board of Ordnance received theoefoldjissAr psis ou
the 20th Neveutber, and by the 14% Drag imeglamstkaa
767 hats wailed from lOatbarapton ea bused d ent vessels
tor the Crimea.
To Lord Seymour—Sir Hew Ram end biased were both
of opinion that it was desirable to peen a brim quantity
of Milne rifles from Liege. Sir Themes Illisslege differed
with them on the subj.et.
Witness then withdrew.
Sir Frederick Smith, commander of Ifogiatais for the
South Erie sad Saws: districts, was nest sidled, and
stated the circumstances under which, in November and
December last, l's acted in emnezion with the Ordnance
Department in obtaining a supply of buts, and he entered
into • number of details of ae public intern., with the view
of showing that there h.id bren no unnecessary delay in
wadi g oat those hats ti the Crimea.
In reply to Sir I. Pekington, Leese stated that the ha%
wet,. all constructed of Butic timber, and reacted imper-
nips to wet by being covered with felt. The first huts were
lout oat on the 3rd Member ; the rest speedily followed,
mad bad all been shipped by the middle of that sassisli,
screw steamers, which would perform the Isoussy tom this
country to Benign in about 16 days. He adisited
delay had taken place in the construction of the hats, owing
to • misuudentaadiag between himself sad Messrs. Prise
and Potter, of Glows-ter, the contractors, se to the fens of
roof. A plan of • hut when erected esempaaied each
cargo of hate that was seat, as a gui.'.• for their erestion
when they reached tLe Crimea ; sad he was gaits Outdo
that nose of the huts were cost away without a proper sup
lib of nails. (A Sete )
he committee adjourned at 3 o'eleek, ea hoe earlier
the anal, eta this day, at 12.
'The ploseadiage
void et throughout the day wen nagalsely de-
bitten

4...glknuntar7rzazerr.
simiednesdriteriss& osotaino I
Traißry minute, s allowasoo of
I,OOOL pot ID WUUsim bore" ILCUIL, Dirootor
of Ms Nary Modica Dopotoson,