The Express.
London, England, 1855-03-06 00:00:00

THE ARMY BEFORE SEBASTOPOL.
MR. ROEBUCK'S COMMITTEE.
Yesterday the committee recently appointed by the
Hose of Cemmess o Woes tate the modeles of the
army before Sebastopol assembled is Committee-room No.,
17, for the psrpeesof preending with the tawdry. Although
so penile wilco wog gine of the naiades of the emesittee
to eassaine witamme yesterday, • very large amebae of pew
nose asessibled in the corridor long before the risen wee
thrown open. Twelve o'clock was the hour sprinted, bat
the committee emulated in oonsultatios seedy se bear.
At a few misses before me ewes monseed that thole&
lie would be admitted, sad immediately afterwards Mei
nese cominesseed. TM committee esesisted of Mr. J. A.
Roebuck, chairman; Led Seymour, Sir John Peklagtee,
Sir Joh. lienser, General Peel, Mr. H. Deuemeed. Col
Liadsay, Mr. Ensues, lb. Lerma, .
of. Balloted Kr.
1
Ellice. A lugs Dundee ef members the Ibsen el !
Cowen' were also is attnidame daring the !equity.
amongst whom were Sir De Lacy Beene, Mr. Arthur Gor-
don, Mr. IL Ball, Mr. A. Haede, Mr. Macgregor, Mr. Dun
lop, Ur. 0. Daadas, Mr. Forster, de.
Mr. George Dunces, M.P. for Linlithgowshite, was eta-
maimed by the Chairman—He said that in December last he
mat to the Crimes, for the purpose of eakieg himself
sequined with the state of affairs there. He went, in the
Het instance, to Selektive, and mode a practice of tidies
up to the camp every day the weather would permit. The
cavalry camp was about • mile distant from Baletklava. He
paid a visit to that camp on the day after his arrival there.
The first thing that attracted his attention was the state of
the cavalry horse. They were standing on their pickets,
quite unprotected hoes the weather, and had • very little to
eat. Many of the hones had died recently, and when he
first vetted the place their bodies were lying on the
ground. Every other horse be saw there was dying or dead.
The tails and manes of • large number of them bed been
eaten off by their aeighboun is the agonies of starvation. He
had Men informed that there was • great deal of forage at
that time in um Whom of Balaklave, but that the teoops
meld aot pet possession of it. lie bad himself seen a large
questity of hay flatten about in the horbour; and ma the
chore there was • large geastity of bras—from 16 to 20
tons, he should suppose. The uniforms of the cavalry were
in rags, and altogether they preened • very miserable ap-
pearance. The state of the intern,' wee even worse than
that of the cavalry, principally, he thought, in consequence
of the greater distance of the encampment from Hairlines.
The seas trousers were in reps; and, to protect their legs
from the severity of the weather, they were compelled to
wrap them round with sand bags. The rations issued to the
men were very short ; and he had been told that, on the
day before his arrival, the Third Division had no rations at
MI. It was a very common thing to supply them with half
rations. The quantity supplied was not sufficient to keep
the men in health, when it was considered what labour they
had to undergo. They were very badly shod, in many eases
the soles were parted from the upper loathers in conse-
quence of the continued wet to which theme* wen exposed.
W hen be was there the men were is tents ; but those tents
were a very poor protection, and some attempt was made at
the construction of huts. There was no regular supply of
feel to the troops, although there was an abundance of fuel
within • short distance of the harbour of Hankie's.
That fuel he believed might have been enured and taken
up to the camp, where he believed it would have been of
the moat essential envie..
In answer to a series of questions put by Mr. Layard,
Mr. Dundee said no preparations seemed to be made in the
amp f r any du deiencies that might arise. The hay which
be saw floating in the harbour would not have been useless
if it had been taken up to the camp at once, for the water
might have been pressed out of it by means of an hydraulic
machine. Ile was not acquainted with the reasons why the
horses were left without coverings, and he had not
heard that an offer had been made of an ample
supply of tarpaulins for covering them la. With regard
to the roads he found them in • very bad condition, and
were up to the knees in mod. He remembered seeigg •
sailor with long boots, who bed become so firmly embedded
in the mud near Belaklave, that when be attempted to get
away he drew his feet out of his boots. The water in the
Mebane of Hinkley& was is a very filthy state, but he never
saw, or heard that dead bodies were floating about there.
He thought if such • eirdueMenee had occurred the bodies
would very soon have been removed. He had sees our own
burial ground as well as that of the Turk.. He did not
know how many bodies were buried in one grave, nor what
the depth of **graves might have been, inasmuch as when
be saw the graves they were always filled with water. To
the beet of his belief he never saw • medical man or an
officer present at any of the burials he attended. He had
heard the strongest poseible opinion expressed by medical
men, as well as by officers and others, that the manner of
burial employed woe likely to prove very deleterious, indeed
that as soon es the warm weather set in it would lead to
the most disastrous results. Halals's was in a miserable
state when be visited it. There were U 0 regulations in re-
ference to the occupation of houses. There was one large
well built brick house, called the healquatters, but he
sever saw any one in it. He did not recollect that the name
of Lord Wan was on the door, but be remembered that
the words " Head-quarters" were scratched upea it. Then
could be no doubt that some of the houses might with
propriety have been formed into depots. If that course had
been adopted to doubt a vast deal of misery would have
been steed. At the time he was there there was no regular
pier at Balaklsva, but he had beard that Ceptain Powell
had one in contemplation, and he understood that it wp to
be commenced forthwith. The great amount of misery
which prevailed in the camp he attribute 1 mainly to a
proper want of organisation. Os paying a visit to the hos-
pital at Balakleva he found it in • much better condition
than he had bees led to expect from the various reports
which bad reacted him. At the same time he was
informed that there was a great want of medical stores
in the hospital, and as a natural consequence, a great
deficiency of mediul stores in the comp. The sick men in
the camp had no beds or stretchers for their acoommodatioe,
but were simply wrapped up in blankets. He had not
heard that the tents were teed in the Peninsula, and that
they were so rotten that the rain ran through them. He
believed that the large majority of the hones were
destroyed from want of proper food, care, sad protection.
In reply to Sir John Pakingtoo, the bon. member said
that he did not know how many effective hones then were
in the cavalry division at the tune h' was then. He was
aware that the hones died from starvation, 'revisit, un-
happily, had many opportunities of seeing theist& that state.
The hair of their tails was *Men off by others. There was
an abundance of fuel in the harbour, but there was no
depot in which it could be stored in Selektive. He had
been informed that the sufferings of the soldiers in conse-
quence of the want of fuel wen totems. There was a great
amount of sickness during the time he was in the
Crimea. At the time he spoke of he believed the
deaths is the camp averaged seven hundred a
week, the principal diseases which prevailed being
derriere, dysentery, and gelatio. The weather was very
uncertain. We heard frequent and strongly expressed
complaints respecting the rations, whisk wen tot only de-
deject in quantity, but were not of a sufficiently nutritious
character, considering the work the soldiers had to do. The
ambulance waggets on which the sick and wounded were
placed were very improper things to be used for such a pur-
pose. They had no springs, and, on a bad road, subjected
the poor fellows to a great amount of suffering.
Mr. Dundee, in answer to questions from Mr. Drum-
mond and General Peel, said he believed the Turkish army
bad been supplied from our eonamiseariat, but be was ndt
sure of the tact. The English trenches were about six
miles from Selektive, and the French trenches were still
further distant. He bad not heard that when the horses
lay down at night they became frozen, and were dead be-
fore modem, ; but he could very easily believe such to have
been the case.
By Lord Seymour—When he (Mr. Dundee) was out
there, be slept se board ship. Soon after his arrival the
Jason came in with 250 horses. They slung the hovers into
a long boat and rowed them to the shore. He sever heard
of au accident from this mode of landing the boron, which
was the general mode adopted. He (Mr. Dundee) was five
years in the Rifle Brigade, and he naturally went to impect
the Rifle cusp, which was in a better condition than any of
the other divisions. They had been is campaign previously,
and knew many means of making themselves tolerably ems.
fortable. Another circumstance which was greatly la their
favour was that they were nearer Balaklava, and pressed
greater facilities thnn the others of procuries fuel. Ms be-
Bend that the ration served oat wore salted. Rowena et
mem salt beef with the officers oil several wadies ea
found it excellent ; and the biscuits were she eieleareeily
good. He had been informedthat the reason eiby die Ilk
valry could not get sufficient forage wee, thee Owe wee
some difficulty in getting sigeatures to the venshere sod
receipts—a piece of formality that was new dispersed
with.
Mr. J. Ball made some esquires as to the rumen relative
to the arms coffee, to which Mr. Dundee mated that be
had beard cm the best authority that pass aMbe was Want
to the nee, bet he had n saes them Memel to asset M.
Be made as earamusicatina w Mow meamlseariat ea the
esbjest. Most people with wheys be bad talked mi the
subjeet, attributed the dedisineeise which existed is the
@amp to the fact that the leessreit between Rebbieve and
the ems bad hookas dews. If those bad bees a proper
triages& lbs Mame wadi aot have bees. gnat.
Games' lir De Lay Emu was Ibis galled, bat
be smile his statement@ in so low a use, sad coo hurried
a memeer, that net Om mese, eat el tea stashed the
espeetere. Re eommessed by mMg thee be joined the
may at deetari, whose Miamians& come thee. When he
*sad • peepurtieri of the mg _lad already leaded. The
sea were einthetably_ welded for dories imago&
When they solved at Versa they were well, mad the mm
did sot berms tide. He did apt bare white they em-
barked at Vaasa where they were piss, although from
eireemstuesse OM Moaned be base doubt that they were
gam M Serb Me new @mention In Ike ninth. He
had met Ste boner to be mamba apes lbe matter. The
stn!. M his dillies was by se mesas bail at that time, but
vas a artalasaseat of dagesedes of spirits eaYt-
t Stn
trope, fbeei dole Unfit, bees se
He arrived at vies es Ile 1116 of leas,
' there until die d Mgt,
He
whkii
.sad his cusp three eit bee Yew. ught it
12th owe ISA Vii=bere Met enhed at
Some of the had baupseeks, bat he
eanneity beim& As min was bawd has.

head-quartere, but there wee a greet deal of irregularity
about the . The battle of Alma took place co the
17th or the 18th of September, bathe did not accurately re-
member. Tim Trench Wok MOUSE Seine to entil for the
care of the .waded, • lest be AIM Me *fah they were a'
Plug in mehirg the emetessy moviegoer as the Baglish. He
esseesed loges op the tads by the Nth ei Sepiember. The
weathers*, Gee, het the eights were wog sold, aad the
hugs 51t„..71, ia
was bgeuessab eviesosvudiTtil feel bessme
*NW
INS IN 104 bud
.whes raked it bums paa.
as ammonium served oat to the ten..
rotriduLlemed tbat stood map wad eat, bat ha saw,
tam am. •Tbs *Mates et the Sow was ht
very feiMense wk
he left. Meer .oselso•
des of makes el wises Mods be emends.
Is
reds, mere oisdad *a his loops. (Madams
women, oat there to medeat the oessedosariat department
who mem siesety lammgetest. They might have made
ma, sleeks is the Thasury, hut knew notbieg what-
ever tithe dude. they bed to perform. Oae wee removed
aftei another, end one of them went nearly out of hie 11411/11.
on &cement of the dificultles by which be found himself
surrounded. After these notated unpleasant contests and
agents he sesamed to obtain the ces of Mr. Power,
eman who war very eouipetent, sod under his super
vision thus earned every prospect that difficulties would
speedily cease. With regard to the medical department,
he amid not ley that any great deficiencies existed. Hi.
berme bad frequentiy been without food for a day, in son-
apace of the difficulty of getting receipts signed. With
regard to Vann, he did not think it was so unhealthy a
glees as had ban represented ; but of Nurse, if large
quanti•ies of troops were collected together in hot weather,
disease would be sure to break out. The gallant general
spire highly of our transport ships, which he said were
very superior to those employed by the French.
At • taw minutes before 4 o'clock it was announced that
kir. Speaker wee at prayers.
The Chairman announced that the committee would ad-
journ until tomorrow (this day), at 12 o'clock, red in-
quired whether it would be isconvenient for Sir De Lacy
Evans to attend at that time ?
Sir De lacy Beaus said he would attend with the great
at witnesses,.
The proceedings were then adjourn until to-day, at 12,
when the gallant general's examination will be resumed.

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