The Press.
London, England, 1854-05-06 00:00:00

421

The Earl of HARDWICJE recommended that such
insinuations should be treated with profound con-
tempt.
A conversation followed, in which the instructions
to the fleets in the Black Sea were criticised, but
nothing new was elicited.
The house adjourned shortly before seven.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY.
Sir J. GRAHAM, in reply to Mr. French, said that,
according to telegraphic despatches received that
morning, Odessa had been bombarded by the allied
fleets. The land batteries bad been destroyed,
several ships sunk, after which the fleets proceeded
to Sebastopol. Great care was taken to prevent the
destruction of private property.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL, answering Mr. Cobden, said
that he was not aware if Lord Stratford had been
consulted respecting the expulsion of the Greeks
from Turkey, but he certainly had offered no op-
position to it. Papers on the subject would shortly
be laid on the table.
The house then went into a committee of supply,
when Sir J. GRAHAM demanded 4111,0001. increase
for wages, in great part on account of the increased
means of obtaining men, whereby 5,000 men, cal-
culated for half a year hence, had been engaged at
once. He proposed a reserve force of 5,000 men,
involving an expendittre of 220,000/. As, unhappily,
thee; was little chance of the return of Sir J. Frank-
lin, 20,0001. would be paid to the relatives of the lost
company. 160,0001. was a large but necessary item
for coal; 253,000/. for machenery for steam vessels
to be prepared for the reserve; the largest item of
all followed, 3,090,000/. for transports. 25,000 men

THE 'MINISTER " WITHOUT OFFier--- '—
Your duties are so general that, besides attending to the directions
given above, you have a right to make your presence felt in every
department. This will be the more convenient as you are responsible
for the management of none, and any little self-created liability, in the
shape of a new bill, can be killed off at a moment's notice. At the
same time you can rightly take credit for any such act of the whole
body as displays the stamp of their united honesty and ability ; such,
for instance, as the orders in Council, which not only show a laudable
desire to carry on the war with the utmost gentleness, but give the
German States an opportunity of showing their philosophy in sacri-
ficing the whole Russian trade by abandoning their neutrality.
THE OFFICIAL SERVANTS IN GENERAL.
It is your clear duty to hang together, and not allow any one to
display more zeal or activity than another. It would be flat treachery
in such a one to teach his mistress and the country to expect too
much ; for masters and mistresses you must never forget are only on
the look-out to make poor servants slave themselves to death. If, for
instance, the War-office had gone unreasonably out of its way , and
given itself officious trouble to provide accommodation for the troops
in the East, its example might have been tauntingly held up to the Ad-
miralty, and a piece of work been made about there being no coals
for the fleet, whereas the Admiralty can now point to the War-office, and
the War-office to the Admiralty, while it is very easy for you to
show that by the good management of the one department the troops
have gut the advantage (after so long a peace) of knowing all at once
what " roughing it" precisely signifies, and by the conduct of the
other, the Admiral commanding was kept from running into any hot-.
headed exploit that might have annoyed the Czar, or not given the
Greek insurrection that fair chance which " English fair play " ought
to accord it. Finally, it is your duty to persist in remaining in your
places. It does not stand to reason that your mistress and the
country should know your value as well as you know it yourselves ; and
especially at present, when you are trying the great experiment of
having war and peace with Russia at the same time.
TO THE - LEADER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ;
ON THE RAZZIA OF PRIVATE MEMBERS' BILLS. ,
(A Hint from " The Elide of Lammermoor.")
•
e Luta a ratbkos
Toil thou not with systems new,
wolt4 oux dui!What are law reforms to you ?
1 •
Leave to CAMPBELL " law of nations," . , ,
' • • ' "IP
Touch not Pictures " declarations," • t t,,
'Gainst BOWYER'S projects raise thy finger,
Let the " mortmain measure " linger;
In all of these are trouble's embers,
Give them up to " private members."
If, in fact, you nothing do,
Who dare lay the blame on you ?

DELICATE ATTENTION.
WE understand that the " no House" on Tuesday was out of con-
sideration for Mr. Gi,►nsroNE's feelings after the financial speeches of
Lord MONTEAOLE and GREY the previous evening. What a gentle-
manly Opposition !

were on their way or bad arrived in the East ; 2,500
horses had been sent, and double the number would
be sent forthwith. Improved arrangements had been
made for the transport of the artillery. Even if
peace followed immediately, the effort would not be
thrown away; we had shown the world the means
and appliances we had, and that the freest and most
powerful legislative body in the world could sink its
private differences when the honour of the country
was at stake.
In the committee,
Mr. HUME thought the regulations issued towards
neutrals a great step in civilisation.
Admiral WALCOT Eulogised the plans proposed by
the Government.
Sir B. BALL eulogised the conduct of Admiral
Dundas, in which he was followed by Mr. B. Os-
borne and Mr. A. Stafford.
Mr. COBDEN saw with satisfaction the maritime
revolution, by which we had abandoned our extreme
belligerent rights and dealt a deathblow to privateer-
ing. He would go a step further, and exempt from
capture all private vessels of the enemy, unless vio-
lating a direct blockade. It would be for the glory
of this country to give the first impulse to such a
principle, which was as much for our interest as for
our glory, for we now paid two or three minima for
ship insurance. We had abstained from attacking
private property at Odessa; why not adopt the same
principle on the sea'
Lord DUDLEY STUART complained of the tardiness
of the operations in the Black Sea.
Sir J GRAHAM took the full responsibility of the
conduct of the war in the Black Sea on the Govern-
ment. Admiral Dundas had preserved under

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