The Press.
London, England, 1856-04-12 00:00:00

THE PRESS,

&don of the horses, and frequent letters to the
quartermaster-general, complaining of the insuffi-
ciency of forage supplies, yet the facts were fresh
upon his mind. After leavitrz Varna the horses
never got their full rations, 272 were lost on the
passage to Old Fort; and so reduced and so utterly
out of condition were the horses at that date, that he
was compelled to issue immediate (Sept. 18th, camp
Steneskoi) orders to impress upon men and officers
the necessity of the utmost care, the avoidance of all
unnecessary exertion, and the propriety of making
parades and inspections as brief as pos-ible, so as to
preserve the horses at least in such condition as may
enable them to perform those duties which might await
them. In conclusion, Lord Lucan repeated his state-
ment that it was to the miserable supplies of forage
he attributed the mortality among the horses. The
animals were landed out of condition, were ill fed
for weeks, and when the cold weather set in had no
stamina lett to wilistand the expisure they were
compelled to suffer before stabling could be erected.
At the conclusion of his lordship's statement, Colonel
Tulloch was then called, and proceeded to read a
long written statement containing a general reply
to Lord Lucan's assertions. The gallant colonel
denied that the commissioners had any desire to
impugn particular blame to Lord Lucan. They
ha 1 to consider facts, and were not actuated by
personal motives. Colonel Tulloch then referred to
that portion of Lord Lucan's evidence relating to
the mortality among the horses, the number of men
engaged in hutting, and the general statements
connected with the hutting of the army, support
ing the view taken by the commissioners in their
report, and re asserting that the cavalry might have
been saved hal drains three feet deep been dug,
with an embankment of two feet of earth thrown up
in front. Independently of these means, there were
vast supplies of spare sails and spars on board the
fleet, as well as on board the transport vessels, which
the admiral on the station could readily have sup-
plied if application had been made; and, finally,
Colonel Tulloch contended that sufficient ingenuity
had not been s!iown in the measures for the care
and preservation of the horses.
Major Thompson, of the sth Dragoon Guards, was
then called, and gave evidence to the effect that had
he been supplied with carpenters, canvas, and good
working tools, he could have speedily covered in his
horses, drained his stables, and preserved their lives.
The sth Dragoon Guards bad draining-trenches dug
round their stabling ground, but the picks and
spades supplied by the Government were abominably
bad. At tour a.m. the examination of this witness
was suspended, and the court adjourned till Friday.
On Friday morning Colonel Douglas, of the 11th
Hussars, examined by Colonel Tulloch, said that his
horses after the battle of Inkermann were in a very
reduced state, and very much exposed to the weather
whilst standing at their pickets. Temporary shelter
might have been obtained for them by digging
trenches; and it would have been of advantage it'
men could have been procured from the shipping to
have assisted the cavalry in providing shelter. In
December the available number of men under his
command was 108, and every one of them was set to
work to make the best provision he could for himself
and horse, when it was known where they were to
winter. That was known about the middle of De-
cember. Thera was a limited supply of trenching
tools, not nearly enough for the wants of the
regiment.
A portion of the witnesses' evidence given before
the commissioners in the Crimea was then read, at
the desire of Colonel Tulloch, but elicited nothing of
importance.
In answer to several questions from the Judge-
Advocate-General, the witness stated that Lord
Lucan frequently visited the camp.
Colonel Doherty of the sth Dragoons, in the main
confirmed the evidence of Colonel Douglas. He
should have made an application for canvas and
assistance if he had thought it obtainable. He was
unable to state at the date of his examination in
March how many horses had died at that time. He
had forty-one horses left, nine only of which ware fit
for duty. In November he had 141 horses, twenty
of which died; in December 111 horses, thirty three
of which died ; and in January sixty-five horses, six-
teen of which died. Witness declined to answer the
question whether the paragraph expressing want of
promptitude or ingenuity in devising for the horses
the same means of temporary shelter such as saved
the baggage-horses of the Sappers and Miners at
Balaklava expressed his views on that subject.
The court rose at four o'clock.