The Express.
London, England, 1855-04-28 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 28, 1856.

Ramis lea the customer who took twatkirds of all her
deprived bee of almost eh the capitol by anus
of I::nribt sortuneree was carried on ' • whereas our loaf
by the stoppage of our export trade to Russia was only an
eightieth of our whole exports, and the /spits! was still our
owe. The sacrifice we should have to bear would be a
little more scanty supply of hemp, flax, and tallow, and'
one-eightieth part o our whole exports. set this spiett
the Goat of a protracted war, sada on which
side would be the balance ? It might be said
that this would be opposed to the principles of
political economy ; but so was war, and so also was indirect
taxation ? And he would warn noble lords against ad-
hering too closely to politico economical tue,ries is excep-
tional eases like that with which they had now to deal.
Lord bTANLBY of ALDERLEY, who was very indis-
tinctly heard in the gallery, was understood to say that
there would be no objection to produce the papers, though
he doubted their suppij ins the perfect teat the noble earl
required. With regard to the Measliest mess under which
the blockade was first instituted when we entered into the
war with Russia, it was thought inexpedient to adhere
strictly to the maritime law with regard to neutrals, end it
was decided by an order in council that her Majesty should
waive her rights, but not surrender them, and that neutrals
should have the right to carry the enemy's property with-
out being subject to the right of search. The prac-
ties of Russian trade hod been for the merchants
here to make advances on growing pvducto of toe forth-
coming harvest, and the consequence tai that was that all the
Russian produce lying in the ports of the Baltic and the
Black Sea, when the war was declared, was the property of
British merchants, and not of Russian subjects; so that
had the blockade been established at once, and strictly en•
forced, we should have been icflicting injury, not upon
Russia, but upon British subjects, and has confiscated
British commerce. Oa this account it was thought right
to extend the period at which the blockade should take
effect to the end of May. All that tha order in council did
was to allow neutral vessels to take their produce from
foreign and British ports, and it was thought right to
extend the same privilege to British merchants as to coavey-
iog British produce to the Prussian and ether neutral ports.
He denied that dories the whole blockade a single autos of
Russian produce had been exported from a Prussian port..
The circumstances of the Mocha le in the Baltic were some-
what peculiar. It was thought sufficient in the
first instance to have ships at the Bosphorus,
to prevent Russian vessels or Russian produce from passing
eat. As to the legality of such a blockade, however, a
esseeties was raised, and the law officers of the crown de-
lla est it was not legal, and as our ships of war were
in aiding the military operations at the Crimea,
sold not be spared for blockading the Russian ports in
Mr walk Sea, he believed a coueiderable amount of pro-
ems gel imported from those ports. The blockade of all
the I. ports in the Black Sea had been s'nee pro-
dding.s end be bad not heard of its hams been broken.
With sewed to the Baltic, as soon as the ice broke, sad our
fleet owald set, not a single Russian port is that Sal or in
the Galt of Finland but would be under strict blockade, end
there was every reason for believing that in the ensuing
year the trade of Rani', so far as it could be
carried on from those ports, would be entirely
stopped. As to the land transit, however, a trade
would be carried on which it would not be in our power to
prevent. To show that the blockade, as far as it had been
carried, had seriously interfered with the trade of Russia,
the noble lord referred to returns, from which it appeared
that the imports of Russian hemp in the year ending
March, 1866, as compared with that ending March, 1854,
had fallen from 88 per cent. of the whole imports of that
article to 33 per cent., and that the imports of Russian
tallow and flax had decreased in the same proportion.
Referring to the difficulty of ascertaining the origin of any
produce imported, and suspected to be Russian,
he observed that partial manufacture made the
material, whatever it was, the produce of the ex-
porting country when it was subjected to that process,
and tallow being a material partly manufactured would,
though of Russian origin, be entitled to be regarded as
Prussian produce if subjected to the partial manufacturies
process in Prussia, and the same with. hemp and flax. The
certificates of origin would be no sufficient test; and, to
evade the prohibition altogether, all that Prussia would
have to do would be to export her own produce, and supply
its place for her own consumption with that of Russta.
Moreover, by this imperfect contrivance we should inflict a
gent injury upon a neutral power as well as upon ourselves.
He trusted, therefore, that the noble earl would be satisfied
with the assurance that the blockade would be immediately
and efficiently enforced. (Cheers.) When they recollected
that half the Russian trade had been destroyed, and that
her fleets had been swept from every sea, while
the English flag floated in security in every part
of the world, he hoped that the noble lord would
admit that the blockade of the last year had not been quite
nugatory. Next year he trusted that our operations would
be still more effective in crippling the foe, and in making
the Russian landlord and merchant, the Russian prince and
peasant, feel still more severely tooth evils of war from
which he believed they bad already greatly suffered.
Lord BERNERS expressed the gratification he felt at the
announcement that the bloeku:e was to be immediately
enforced. lie should be still more gratified if he could
learn that the same policy was to be acted upon in the
Crimes, and that private property in Sebastopol was nu
longer to be spared.
The Earl of ALBEMARLE could net admit that the
returns proved anything. A great deal of Russian mer-
chandise had come overland, and the unusual continuance
of the fret had delayed the transmission of a great deal
more.-

The returns burin been ordered,
Their lordships nee at five minutes to nine.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-FRIDAY, APRIL 27.
The SPIA.I3II took the chair shoal, before 4 o'clock.

emend the Irish Valuation het ; end it SO, hew soon it
would M introdueed ?
Mr. FITEGIMALD said he had a bill prepared, which
would be soon introduced.

ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.
Colonel DUNNE wished to ask the Under-Secretary for
War whether It wm the intuition of the government to
simulate • eivil pi aotitioser with the military medical
oglcen who directed that department of the army; to state
who had been selected, and what amount of pay he was to
receive; also, whether he wee to become subject to the
articles of war?
Mr. F. PEEL. said that • civil preetitioner had been ap-
pointed. He was not prepared to answer the latter part of
the hon. sad gallant gentleman's question._

JUVENILE OFFENDERS.
ADDERLEY wished to ask the Secretary of State
fur the Rome Department whether it was his intention to
introduce a abon bill to supply. the defect in the Youthful
Offenders Act of efficient provudons for recovering, in fit
eases, from parent!, a portion of the cost of their children's

mainisnanci at rclOrniatories
Bir G. GREY said that he had received suggestions on
this subject, but they ►ll seemed to be open to grays prat•
deal objections. The Under-Secretary of State had sug-
gested some amendments which he thought might obtain
the object In view, without being liable to those objections.
Bat be would not like to commit himself to an approval of
the bill till he had seen it.
BALT DUTY IN INDIA.

Bir J. PAKINGTON wished to ask whether the govern-
meat had yet received any report from the commission
which was appointed to inquire into the mode of collecting
the duties on salt in India.
Mr. V. 8511TII odd that no official despatch had yet
been received. But they received information that the re-
port as regarded Bombay sud Madras had been completed.
and that rapid progress had been made with that of Bengal.
He would communicate with the right hon. gentleman as
soon as he had received the report.
THE WAR MATERIEL.

Colonel WYNN wished to uk whether there was any
truth in the report that many of the fame fitted to the
shells fired from the mortars in the batteries before &has
topol were made so long ago as 1798, 1801, 1804, and 1812 ?
Also whether it was true that the powder emploled to fill
many of the shells was damaged powder re-stored, instead of
being fresh and good powder; whether the new pattern
fumes made in 1852 and sabsequently had not been found
inefficient ?
Mr. MONSELL replied that the 10 inch mortar fosses
were made in 1853 and 1854, that the 13-inch mortar fuses
were of the new pattern. Those that were taken out from
Malta were of an older date, and he could not say how long
they had been made. With regard to the second question
he had to inform the hon. and gallant gentleman that the
insider generally used for filling shells after passing proof
was re.stoved powder, on account of its being softer in the
grain than other powder. The fusses of 1852 were not
found inefficient, but the improved pattern of 1858 was now
in use in the Crimes. (Hear, hear.)
OFFICERS' HORSES.

Colonel WYNN wished to ask the Under-Secretary for 11
War, whether it was the intention of her Majesty's govern-
meet to give any compensation to those ofgosn whose horses
(provided at their own expense) had been destroyed by the
labour they had been subjected to in bringing up from
Balaklava to the camp clothing, medical oomforts, and pro-
I vision for the soldiers. Whether any compensation would
be given to those taken whose horses were left behind at
Varna, when the army embarked from thence for the
Crimea.
Mr. F. PEEL said that officers whose horse. had been
killed in action or were used for a public purpose bad com-
pensation made to them according to a Seed scale of value.
As to whether any compensation would be given in the par-
ticular case stated, he could only say that no slush came had
to his knowledge arisen.
THE CONVICT BURANELLI.- - - -

Mr. BRIGHT moved that ino—holiss---riits rising do

adjourn to Monday next, and availed him of that
motion to bring under the notice of the Secre-
tary of State the case of the Italian Bonnelli.
who was at that moment under sentence of death
in Newgate, and his execution fixed for Monday
next. The point which he wished to bring under notice
was this—that at the trial of this individual Mr. Shaw, the
senior surgeon of Middlesex Hospital, was subpoenaed by
the crown to give evidence—that he attended in court, and
expected to be called to give his evidence—and that the
counsel for the crown had refused or neglected to call Mr.
Shaw, finding that his evidence would be in favour of the
prisoner. He put it to the right hon. gentleman whether,
though &course like this might be perfectly legitimate in a
case of property, it wu right and proper in a case where
the life of an individual was at stake. He could not help
expressing the opinion that the counsel for the crown in
leech a case, repress. ting the dignity and impartiality of the
law, was not justified in refuting or neglecting to call a
witness who bad been summoned by the crown, and
who of necessity knew more of the prisoner's state
of mind than any other witness. The plea of insanity was
the one set up by the prisoner's counsel. Mr. Henry, the
assistant surgeon to the Middlesex Hospital, was called, and
gave his evidence in favour of the prisoner, but though a
young man of promise in his profession, his evidence could
not have as much weight with the jury as that of Mr. Shaw,
who was ready to give the same evidence. The right hon.
gentleman had received a memorial signed by Mr. Shaw,
Mr. Cunolly, of Hanwell ; Mr. Barry, of Millbank ; Mr.
Forbes Winslow, and Mr. Henry, in which they expressed
their strong opinion in favour of the insanity of the pri-
soner. He bad no doubt that the right hon. gentleman bad
given his most anxious consideration to the case, but he
thought the cause of public justice, sad the reputation of
their courts of justice, would suffer from the fact that the
ev.dence of the gentleman who was the most competent to
form an opinion as to the state of the prisoner's mind when
he committed the act, was not called for, because it WAS
known that what he had to say would be in favour of the
prisoner. Mr. Bodkin, who was counsel for the crown,
said that the name of Mr. Shaw was not on the back of his
brief as one of the witnesses to be called, but he (Mr. Bright)
understood it was a very common thing for the medical
witness not to have his name on the back of the brief and
yet to be called to give his evidence. He could not account
for the prisoner's consul not cailiog Mr. Shaw, except that
it arose from a misconception. He begged to call to the
mind of the right bon. gentleman the case of Mrs. Brough,
who killed al of her owe children, end who was re-
prieved on the ground that she must hays been insane to
nave committed such an act. He rejoiced in her escape, and
he was not without a hope that, seeing there was this 'aches
In the trial, this unfortunate man would be saved from the
gallows.
Sir G. GREY said he was sure the house would agree
with him that it would be highly dangerous and inconve-
nient—(cheen)—if that house were to interfere In cues of
criminal trials which had taken place according to the ordi-
nary law of the land. (Cheers.) The facts of this case as
stated by the bob. gentleman had been sent to him on Mon-
day evening, and were signed by several medial men. He
immediately referred the subject to Mr. Justice Elie, who
tried the case. It was reported on fully by him, and he
afterwards maturely considered the case himself, and
the decision to which he, the Under Secretary of State,
bad come was in aceordanoe with that of the learned judge,
that there was no doubt of the criminality of the prisoner.
(Hear, bear.) With regard to the omission of evidence at
the trial, he was not competent to speak, not knowing the
facts of the case; but the opinion of Mr. Justice Erle was
that the learned counsel, Mr. Bodkin, was not guilty of any
lathes in net calling the witness. The witness was in court,
and he might have been galled by the counsel for the pri-
Saner. All the facts haden before the judge who tried
the case, as well as before the Secretary of State. (Hear.)
PROMOTION IN TILE ARMY.—MR. LAYARD.
Mr. EWART said he was sure the house would excuse
him for taking that opportunity of putting a question to
the hon. gentleman (Mr. Peel) on • matter which was
somewhat personal to himself, as it related to • near rela-
, tire of his. The hon. member for Aylesbury (Mr. Layard)
stated In a speech at Liverpool that the only person who
distinguished himself at Sandhurst College, and who was
promoted to the staff in the Crimea, was a relative of his
who held • commission in the 93rd Highlanders, and he
added, that "he did not know if he owed that promotion
to any particular 'Gauge'. He hoped not." (Hear, hear.)
With tepid to the first part of the statement, that his re-
lathe was the only person who, having distinguished him-
"elf at fleadhuret, was appointid on the staff, that was an
ineaseent representation. (Hear, hear.) And he was
searbseed that nothing would be more hurtful to the feel-
=pile relative than to stand In such an unjust and
prawminence. (Hear, hear.) There were many
meribsrious officers on the staff in the Crimea who obtained
the same distinction as his relative. The hon. gentleman, no
doubt, made this statement under an erroneous impression,
by edvertiag to one return and omitting to notice another.
The question, however, which he wished to ask was this,
whether any such influence was used, or seemed to be used,
directly or indirectly, to obtain such promotion for his rela-
tive or whether he awed the position he obtained to any-
Meg else than his endeavour to discharge his duty ?
(Loud chain.)
Ms. F. PEEL said that another hon. gentleman had a
isseamt on the same subject, and as it would be moat con-
lenient to reply to both at once, perhaps he would now put
IL (Hear.)
Mr. H. BARING said that he had seen a letter in the
Times of yesterday, signed by the hon. member fur Ayles.
bury, in which the services of different officers fa the
Coldstream Guards were set down with &gnat show of at-
tention. The last two MUMPS in the 11/4 Lord Burghersh
and Lieutenant-Colonel Harding*, who were made to have
seen lout Denise, had, however, eonsmere service
thanany of the others who dies ea the list.
cr
(Ohm hod s.) Lord Burgher* shim* the essapalga
of the Panjeab in 1846; be bed hem at Alm, ad was se-
lected to bring home the derpalibssemoissirgibeiristeey.
Lieut.-Colonel Harding. hilff Pee theeelh the tleePetie of
the Sitlej, had been is three moral had
two horses killed under his, was press* at was in
the charge at Balsklava with the haft* Greys, was seep
the* by General &alley mad was dee }rennet as lakes-
nun. (Cheers.) Th. vault* *deb he wiled lei* te
the he.. gentles* was
Eto ltre lin Wed Nish*
was applied to these two au% whether he
was aware that their other wee. NONA tem the
renal reseed, as whether the nineties use to be abbot*
ta the bighargibel es& didiop eta* Iwo. isesaber
hr Aylealisey. beams MINIM ems of ma amhenesdoe
end 2111 tho Obit (Lod dielei.)
Gland said IteAMasthat be Mt ft to be hie
duty to' alteades Is @thee of the rime speech of
the her. umber hi . C. Rear, Mar,'• and
lowslolot.) Ale liwogid go hawwould Nino wish Um

that when the hon. member for Aylesbury qualified
aa scandalous the conduct of the commander-in-chief in

reference to promotions, and particularly in reference to
his own son, and had the opportunity presented to him of
vindicating that statement, or apologising for it, he ought to
have availed himself of that opportunity. (Hear, hear.)
He could mere the hon. gentleman that he was not
actuated by any personal feelings towards him. No person
approved more highly than he did the conduct of those who
came forward fearlessly to make accusations against person,
in high positions, if they entertained an honest conviction of
the truth of the representations they made. (Hear, hear.)
Be', on the other hand, he could not expre.• in sufficiently
parliamentary language what he thought of those man who,
for the sake of gaining a temporary popularity, or mo
mentary notoriety, not only male charges, but reiterated
accusations against such men, the truth of which they
must at least have strung reason to doubt. (Loud
cheers.) The passage is the speech of the hon.
gentleman to which he referred was that in which
he said that • friend of his who had seen much
service and had come home sick, had been obliged to pur-
chase his promotion for 3,0001., and why ? In order that
Lord Hardioge's eon, who stood next him, might get his pro-
motion without purchase. (Hear, hear.) This the hon.
gentleman thought scandalous. (" Hear, hear," from Mr.
Layard.) So did ho (General Peel.) (Loud cheers.) There
could be no doubt whet the accusation amounted to.
(Hear, hear.) It meant that one officer was compelled to
purchase his promotion, is order that Lord Hardioge's son
might get his for nothing. (Cheers.) Since that speech
the hon. gentleman wrote a letter, in which he changed his
ground. eCheen.) Now it would be necessary for him to
go over every one of the promotions in the Coldstream
Guards, mentioned by the hon. gentleman. The hon. gentle-
men said in his letter that the two officerato whose promotion
he referred, were not Lord Burghersh and Lieut.-
Colonel Herding', bat Lieut.-Col. 'Burdett and Lieut.-
Newdegete, who had been promoted without purchase.
Now with regard to the first of these officers, he was pro.
muted on the 22nd of August, 1854, which was before the
army went to the Crimea—(hear)—and without disparaging
the services of Lieut.-Colonel Wil on, the services of Capt.
Burdett were at least equal to his. They were all distils-
' guished officers, but one was not more so than another.
(Hear.) But supposing that this system of selection by
merit was*established, he should like to know why Lieut.-
Colonel Wilson should be selected before Lieut.-Colonel
Harding' ? (Rear.) He was the only officer of his rank
who before 1834 had seen any service whatever. (Hear )1
The next promotion was that of Lieut.-Colonel Newelegate,
which took place on the 4th of September, 1854,
also before the army proceeded to the Crimea—
(hear, hear)—and in regular rotation. (Hear.) The
neat vacancy that occurred was filled up by purchase.
The two next officers on the list, seeing the probability of
death vacancies, and preferring to take their chance, with-
drew their names, and Lord Duvkellin accordingly pur-
chued over their head., and on the 3rd November, 1854,
obtained his lieutenant-colonelcy by purchase. The two
next steps occurring by death vacancies in the Crimea
were given to Dawkins and Strong, of whom one had 11
years' service and the other 16. He new came to the ap
?ointment of Colonel Wilson. The next vacancy occurred
in consequence of the death of Colonel Mackinnon ; the
bon. gentleman seemed to think that there was some power
in the Horse Guards to decide whether ; this vacancy should
be filled by purchase or not ; he was entirely mistaken.
No doubt so long u the system of promotion by purchase
and by seniority existed there would be a great deal of
bad and good fortune when vacancies occurred. When the
hon. member said that Colonel Wilson was compelled to'
purchase, be ought to know, and Colonel Wilson must know,
that there was no compulsion whatever; he might have
withdrawn his name even at the very last moment, and
then Colonel Harding. would have purchased over his head.
The next question was whether there was anything unfair
la filling that vacancy by purchase, or.whether, as Colonel
Wilson seemed to think, he ought to have succeeded to it
without. That wu a matter with which Col. Harding. had
nothing to de ; it was entirely a question between Colonel
Wilson and the family of Colonel Mackinnon; and the rule
adopted in that case was one which he was sure the house
would be glad to see extended to all cases where officers
were killed in action, that the money might not be lost to
their families. He would show by precedents that the
same rule had been adopted in other cues ; the rule
was that when a promotion by purchase took place
and the officer promoted was killed or died before he could
have heard of his promotion, the promotion was cancelled,
and his friends received back the money. He heed in his
hand a correspondence between the bon. member and Lord
Harding*, and he would read it only to show that he did
not come forward to make these charges against the hon.
member without full opportunity having been afforded him
for retractation. (Cheers.) The first letter was addressed to
the hon. member by Lord Harding,.
15, Great Stanhope-street, April 25.
" Sir,—l have read a speech of yours made et Liverpool
in which you charge me with conduct se corrupt in the
exercise of military duties, in the case ..of the promotion of
my son to the injury of Lieutenant-Colonel Wilson, of the
same regiment, that you have thought proper to characterise
the transaction as a most scandalous one. I most distinctly
declare your statement to be utterly untrue. My eon's
cotrespondence with Lieutenant Colonel Wilson having
closed, and the letters being in your friend's poueseiou, I
have now to require that you will immediately retract the
unfounded charge made in your speech, or be prepared to
show upon what authority you have preferred it.—l remain
your ob dient servant, " HeaDINGE.
"A. H. Layard, Esq., M.P."—(Cheers.)
To that letter the hon. gentleman sent the following
reply :
"9, Little Ryder street, April 26, 1855.
"My Lord,—ln reply to your letter I beg to ref'r you to
Bares Army List as my authority for alluding to the pro-
motions in the regiment of Coldstream Guards, in a speech
at Liverpool. (Laughter.) It may be impossible to trace
the motives which may have led to such promotions, but, as
a public man, I believe 1 am expressing the convictions of a
very large portion of the public when 1 characterise as
'scandalous' the promotion by purchase of a regimental
officer who has seen loog and arduous service, and the pro-
motion immediately afterwards, nithrsut purchase, of the
two officers nest to him, one of whom is your own son, and
both of whom have been serving on tree Staff. Similar
instances are, unfortunately, too numerous to lead to any
other conclusions than those to which I have come. It is
asserted that Colonel Wilson's promotion took place in ac-
cordance with an invariable rule of the service. In other
cases I have reason to believe such rules have been distinctly
violated. Such being my conviction, I have nothing to
retract from the statement I made at Liverpool—a state-
ment, I may add, for which Colonel Wilson is in no way
responsible.—l have, ibc.,
" The Lord Hardinge." "A. LAYAILD.
Lord Harding. then wrote in answer:
" 15, Great Stanhoeteetreet, April 26.
" Sir,—l have this evening received your letter of this
date. I must remind you that Ido not complain of your
opinion that promotion in the army by purchase is scandalous.
Yon accused me, in your speech at Liverpool, of having
promoted my son without purchase, to the injury of Lieut.-
Colonel Wilson, who had been made by me to purchase his
promotion, and that my conduct in doing so was most
scandalous. This charge you decline to retract, although
your friend Lieut.-Colonel Wilson admits that he attaches
ao blame to the Horse Guards authorities. Your assertion
that the rule applied by me in Lieut.-Colonel Mackinnon's
race bas been violated in others, is contrary to the truth.
[Cheers.] It is a waste of time to hold any further cor-
respondence with one *ho makes such unfounded accusa-
tions, and who obstinately persists therein.—Your obedient
servant, "
" A. Layard, Esq., M.P."
Mr. LAYARD—Read my answer.
.General PEEL would next show the precedents *on
which the return of Col. Mackinnon's money was founded.
The first case occurred in 1847 ; in that year a majority fell
vacant in the 73rd Regiment stationed at the
Cape of Good Hope ; Captain Baker, the senior
for purchase, was promoted on the 12th of Novem-
ber ; he was killed on the 13th of the same month,
and on the 11th of February, 1848, the promotion wee can-
smiled on the ground that Captain Baker could not have
known of it at the time of his death, and had
shed the functions of the superior rank. The next case
warred in the army at Gallipoli. In August, 1854, Lieu-
tenant Skinner, of the 4th, purchased his company, but
died on the 14th of September, before he knew of his pro-
motion: the appointment was uncoiled and the money
returned. The next instance wee one with which Colonel
Wilson might have been acquainted, as it occurred in
that very regiment—the Coldstream Guards. A relative of
his (General Peel's), Lieutenant Disbrowe, purchased his
company, but was killed before he could have known
of his promotion. An officer was brought in from the Rifie
Brigade, and the money returned to Lieutenant Die-
browses family. The rule, therefore, adopted in Col. Mac-
kinnon's case was that uniformly followed, and he wu
sure the house would wish to see it further extended.
(Hear, hear.) If the hon. member wished he would next
niter to the promotion of Lord Burghersh, as he thought
that was a case in which Col. Harding. was badly treated.
Colonel Crombie, an officer in the Coldstream Guards, re-
turned from the Crimea in October, 1864, in pursuance of
the advice of a medical board, having suffered from *everts
illness in Varna; on the Bth of December he applied to Lord
Strafford to be placed on half-pay, in consequence of al-
iments, having been 30 years on full pay; Lord Strafford
forwarded the application, with a recommendation that a
lieutenant-colonel should be brought in from the half-pay
list to sell, and let the step go in the regiment; Lord
Hardinge could not at the moment find • lien:enantcolonisl
on the half-pay list ready to come in; at the same time the
lisittenantoolonel of the 61st Regiment was anxious to go
en half-pay, and the officer of course wished the
step to go in the regiment; on the 29th of Janu-
ary Colonel Crombie renewed his application, and
Lord Harding. then allowed him to exchange into
the 51st Regiment, and this made the step go in that
regiment when the senior major had thirty years' service
instead of in the Guards. Lord Burghersh was then brought
into the Guards. He next came to the promotion of Col.
Heeding% the circumstances of which no one could have
satielpeted. The ale of the service was, that when three
mond dicers died, the senior colonel on the list was pree
mated to be major-general. It so happened after all these
remotioss in the Coldstream Guards, that three general,
officers died within a week between the 7th and 13th of
February, and in consequence the senior colonel in the
service—Colonel Upton, of the Coldstream Guards—was
promoted to be majorgeneral. and Colonel Harding., in
the dee erne of theservice, received his promotion without
parclune. He *might he had nffittiestly explained a
transaction to which the term Mandel bad been applied.
(Lewd (sheen.)

F
a
ts
gentlemen
iufflar.. Mr.
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it
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the
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memberourul of that house soto cl. toe- e
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ma s
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And gellanowtfraseilhhaitiarvedelto,,epalreeirecthadaheehjiahmait,:for liter the otitis hese—
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(Cheers.) With regard to the Bret question put to-lo'r
to the appointment to the stiff of the relative of h'irl
friend behind him (Mr. Ewart), the house would elsod--
what the hon. member fur Aylesbury had elated atr
Immo:
land, which was established in order to make offieein ma;
ble of fulfilling the highest duties in the army, but Hwh
turn of those e- ho have token carat-ciao certificate
at Sandhurst, and who have been placed
ne."
He then allowed it to be inferred that, as the officer i
lion had a relative in the how whose views onnp" :to-
' matters generally coincided with those of her ?dajesuirol -
government,ed
asr 1 ihwt ieucahl
regarded dw,g influence,
ttobeenh s andhPappgioans
ete:hlieotatP
out
thihiel
hadc4 lojop
Major
i q:t mu la
I to sal._ t
el.:G::
isesbotnutticacases
t:pee:
a ques ion regarding such an appointment would be s• 141
ued
to din. i
at college, his experience of toe sad tiffierS fur the
there was not a shadow of foundation for &eying jtewoi
owing to political iufluence, fir, it point of fact, he was aoe—
pl_aced on the staff by any authority in this couidey. (Cheep.)
When the first three was ab :tit to tell Lord Hardin.a
Lord Raglan jointly selected the offirs ce to be placed on ft
staff, but Lora Hardingo lett aft sulnequent uomisetioes es
the general in command of the army. Caot. Lout was age
pointed Deputy !enlist-ant-Adjutant Ocllcral ,U the dike(
September, 1854 ; on the 29th of December be was p
to a regimental majority ; and, by a genteel order of the
12th of February, 1835, lie wee ordered to rtjoin hn tree
ment for duty, and ceased to be on the staff. Tee govern.
ment at home had nothing to do with his appointment. It
was not true that only one officer who 'aid obtained a cern,-
auto of merit bad been placed on ale staff; the eon, maw
her had been led into an error. A return bed been moved
for of the names of all ufficere on the staff in the Crimea
who had obtained certificates; the retain was presented,
and afterwards his hon. friend (Mr. Event) ceded his attem
tion to the omission of his relative's name; a supply
mental return was, therefore, made to supply the
omission, and the only name on it sres that of
Major Ewalt, but the original return contailied the a
lms
of many Officer* now on the staff in the Crimes—(hear, hue)
—ten or eleven, he believed. With regard to the multi*
of the bon. member opposite (Mr. Baring), he need not sp.
pear as the advocate of Lord Hardiuge—tnat task had btu
undertaken by his gallant reletive; hut when he kind it
said that the commander-in-chief of the army had acted ia
a manner to which toe term scandalous was applied, he
thought he was bound to give the b .use same iutormatica
on the subject. (Hear, hear.) What was tee speech of the
hon. gentleman at Liverpool ? He said: " Who ere thine
who have gone up to the cannon's mouth l Your regime.
tal officers and soldiers. Have they gAindi any npei
titian but what the people of England gave them?
I will give you an instance cf a Lend of mine,
a gentleman who served through ail thae battles
and distinguished himaeif greatly. He came over to
this country sick and almost deed. There yore two tea
above him—officers in one of the Guards regiments—eh
hod never left Eoglenta. They were in .mbets of high
families, and they were promoted without purchase; bet
my friend was a poor Damaged they made him pay 3,00e9. for
his commission. And why? Bscauee Lord Hardlogesna
was next him, and got his commission oithout purchase."
Everybody at first supp-sed the two officers meant we
Dawkin and Strong. Wuat was the case with reptile
them? They were both at Alma and Itketinauu—(chwav)
—and neither could be said, in the invidious eto of the
words, in which sense he leered they were used—(" hem,
bear," and cheers]—to be of high families. The boa. gee-
tlenian since that was explained had drawn a didinction of
rather a nice character; he said the officers he meant were
not the neat above—(near, hear)—but were Burdett and
Newdigate. What was the tact with regard to thim l They
were promoted to fill death vacancies occurring at Venn;
they were in this country it was true, but they wetenot
here of their own common • (Cheers) Some oaken mast
remain in this country, and he was sure they caandertd it
a hardship. (Cheers.) If they laid down the rule that
vacancies which occurred abroad shouid be filled by Amu
who were on the spot, to tee exclusion of thou compelled
to remain behind, they would do great mjustace to the latter.
It was perfectly right and just teat thou efficers should b.
appointed to fill those vacancies. (Hear, hear.) He next
came to the case of Colonel Wilson ; that officer was not
originally desirous to purchase, but when he found Dawkiss
and Strong withdrew their names to take the chance of
deaths, he wrote home to his friends to purchase if a matey
occurred; he wished to get the step our their heath, se Iss
was perfectly justified in doing so. Toe battle of
Inkermenn took place, and Dowkine and Strong
got the promotion. Colonel Mackinnon died, sad
Wilson's friends purchased the step for him. Co-
lonel Wilson, however, thinks he had a claim
to promotion without purchase, and says be did know
of the rale ; but after tat preceden:e quoted there could be
on doubt as to the existence of the rale, that wen an
officer promoted died before the notificatico could reach the
head (marten where he was serving in a subaltern rank, the
promotion was cancelled, and the money paid for the com-
mission of which he never enjoyed the auvantage was re
stored, and the vacancy given by purchase. Colonel Wilson
being first tor purchase, cannot say he was ia
any way prejudiced. (Hear, hear) He might hive re
fused; if so, Colonel Hudiuge would have been gled top,
chase over his head. Colonel Horditige derived no Inuit
from the transaction. The hint gentleman had in hie letter
odrawnu pa
(guratO Peel)ua was i
graduated scale o.lin
fethz
tos i,w theervizeofpw
differentee
mcers; he
dent; he did not wish to say sorbing disperagiag
to Colonel Wilson, but 1 e thougnt Colonel ilso
dinge's services vet aid at least Lear comparison with
his. Colonel Harding. was all through the campaign
of the Sutlej ; he was preteut at Alcca end lowa
mann. It was not necessary for him to go to the
Crimea, as he belonged to the batten. to which rt mained
this country ; but he requested permission to go out, and
was thus enabled to take part in all the engagements. Hs
should nest refer to the circumstance under which Colonel
Hardinge got hoe lieut. colonelcy, in consequence of the pro-
motion of Col. Upton to the rank of major-general. Col.
Upton being "(hin of his rank might have sold his core
mission, in which cave the 'recency would have been
disposed of by purchase, and Col. Hardinge would haw
purchued it, but as he preferred to remain in the mein,
not at the suggestion of Lord Hardinge, when he became a
major-general Col. Hardinge succv e led to the unary
without purchase, according to the established. rale.
These were the plain and simple facts of the cams.
The hon. gentleman said in his speech that honesty wee
the best policy. (Cheers) He (Mr. Peel) believed the
government of this country bad been, and is, carried oe te
principles perfectly holiest and honourable. He gave the
hon. gentleman credit for being an ?soma rue, but he
thought he would have only acted the honest pert he would
I expect from any member of the house it, when he wee
shown that the statement he had made at Liverpool wad
in accordance with the actual facts of the case, he had we
conduct was as honourable, and as ready at any inomest to
injuriouse
toforpwasbrldican a
men,
end,mwihttd h
who
were
had
ashuad
honest,
a ate
t,s",tdwaseaboot
be laid before the public, and subjected to the severest
scrutiny, as that of the hoe. gentleman or any other membm
of the house. (Loud cheers.)

Mr. LAYARD said—l will first, sir, address mrelf to
the question of the hon. gentleman the member icr Dun•
fries. I beg, sir, to assure the hon. gentleman that I did
not mean to make any reflection on his relative, nor do I
believe that • single person that heard me put that outran-
' tion on my words. (Oh, oh.) The very fact that be had
!taken • first•clars certificate was for toe sufci.nt tYIOIOOP
that government had nothing to do with his appointment.
(Oh, oh.) I meant no reflection cn him, and at the time I
did not know he Well a relative of the hon. gentlemen. If
I have fallen into error with regard to the return, I think
the government ought to share the blame with me. (ON
oh.) If the returns presented to this house are so Wolf
drawn that gross omissions occur, the government ougbtlo
share the blame. (Oh, oh.) I did not see the first return;
the second fell into my hands, and I admit I was init.:neat
of the previous one ; the second did not appear to be a est
plemental return.

Mr. PEEL—It was so beaded. (Cheers )
but if they had the same information as I have,
Mr. LAYARD—I admit I made a mistake, as I did on
see the first return. (Oh, oh.) The house may say,
they would
see bow returns are worked up for the house to serve the
purpose of government. If, by the omission of the asFe,
I was led into error to a certain eitent, lam responsibleonly fur a share of what has occurred. Now, with tepid
to the second statement, what are the facts? In the fit
place, let me observe that these are matters of a eery painful
and delicate nature, and there are very few men in Oa
hens. who would get up and speak the truth on such assb-
jut. (Oh) Very few dare moot such question, or speak
the truth on such subjects. (" Oh, oh," and cheer!.)lf honourable gentlemen bad seen the letters and
formation I have received within the last few
,days
—(cries of " read ")—no, I shall not read them—(rud Of
" read," "name")—nee shall I give any name. 10 Hams
them here would be ruin to thus officers, and yon know it.
I stand here prepared to take the responsibility of what liss
oeeurred, and what I stated, not of my own knowledge of
the various rules applicable to promotion in the army, bat
as matters of fact of which I had undoubted evidence.
am not going to betray those who gave it to me—it would
be rein to them if it was known from what souroe„111
information came. With regard to the word "strut will
t I°l
me say 1 did not mean anything offensive by it,
given me by a military man. With regard to Colonel list-
oblige, with whom I bays the honour of a per•
sonal acquaintance, I must say, that I do be*
lieu that a more gallant or a more inefitrl
officer does not exist in the service. (" Rear, hear; se
" Oh.") Ile bar been distioguished in more than one
battlefield, and there is no man who can more heartily Ivo
him nooses, or to whom his promotion was more weir*.
(Oh, oh.) It is very well for goatlemen to cry, " Oh, by
,ba:
I state what I feel. I did not grudge him his Pro•'''.6.
What I did nay was, that as the promotion was eztoodod
him, it ought to have been extended to others, altbar
verbal* not so distinguished as he was. I hope the hoof!
will auras' a few moments, end I think 1 have away
their indulgence. The hon. and gallant officer read 110
l otters, but he did not read my answer to the last,
General PESI4—I had not tooottod