The Press.
London, England, 1854-12-16 00:00:00

1207

the circumstances under which the sailing of that fleet
was inagurated. It occasioned a debate iu the House of
Commons, and, therefore, I have no doubt it will be in the
recollection of every one present. The head of the Admi-
ralty of this country, the profound statesman and expe-
rienced senator who had so long presided, at various
periods, over that department himself, was a guest at a
public dinner which was given to the commander of that
Important enterprise. A veteran statesman, one who had
presided long over the foreign affairs of the nation, a de-
partment which, it is supposed, imparts a peculiar charm-
ter of discretion to human conduct—that noble lord was
also present upon that occasion, and, in the face of Europe,
and before an applauding country—these, two of the moo
of whom, in this house, we are moat proud, statesmen to
whom Europe looks up with respect and awe, were the prin.
cipal guests at a public banquet given at a political club, is
order to inaugurate the captaincy of this great enterprise.
What were the expectations which these speakers per-
mitted the country to indulge in ? We are at this moment
entirely engrossed in the important affairs which have
taken place in the Black Sea. For more than two months
the feengs of every hearth in this country have been there
absorbed ; but at that moment no one thought of the
Black Sea, or of Sebastopol. They were of minor im-
portance and of diminutive proportions as compared with
those vast preparations and that enormous armament
which was draughted from our shores under the blessings
and the benison of our most experienced statesmen, and
had the advantage, moreover, of being commanded by
true Reformer. (Laughter.) Well, the Secretary-at-War
pretends that the capture of Boniarsund was all that was
intended or thought of at that moment. I will not say
that the Secretary-at-War had then never heard of Bomar-
sund, because he is a well-informed gentleman, and it
might be personal ; but this 1 do know, that 1 have reed,
in an authoritative document, that it was not only pro-
jected, but that at one time it was settled, that the half-
finished fortifications in the Baltic should he destroyed
preparatory to the entrance of our fleets into that sea ; and,
therefore, under those circumstances, and remembering
the policy which was afterwards partially followed, I hardly
think it was worth while to send for a Marshal of Franc
and 10,000 French troops to destroy that which a company
of marines would have finished in a few hours, and which,
at all events, was not accomplished by that vast armada
which had been sent out. Surely, then, my right hon.
friend was not irregular in alluding to the expedition to the
Baltic, and saying that, although one of our greatest enters
prises, it has not been attended by any results at all com-
mensurate with the expectations of the country. If my
right hon. friend were not justified in this observation, why
did not the noble lord the President of the Council pro-
pose a vote of thanks to those who were concerned in that
enterprise? (Cheers from the Opposition.) Had the noble
lord proposed such a vote we should have been enabled to
make inquiries, and the Ministers might have been able
to throw some light on that perplexed and obscure sub-
ject, and might have afforded some satisfaction to the public
mind.

Then, sir, I come to the second act of this war, which,
let me impress upon you, was entered upon with advan-
vantages which no Ministry ever yet experienced, and
with a combination of circumstances in our favour
which never can occur again probably in the history of this
country. What did you do with the army which you sent?
You explained your conduct, and you explained their
course; but your explanations do not affect the result, and
you cannot deny that they have accomplished nothing—
that the plans which you had devised were barren and
fruitless. The Secretary-at-War tells UP that the Govern-
ment were watching all that time the course of events, and
that such troops as might have been spared by the pest,
which was not contemplated, would have acted at the right
moment and in the right quarter on the Russian forces;
but he has not told ns that if it was necessary to move
those troops there were any means to move them. What-
ever might have been the fate of Silistria—whatever might
have been the conduct of the Turkish army on the Danube
—you have not answered the question whether you had
prepared adequate, or any, means to move our army from
Varna to the scene of action ; and I think the member fur
Aylesbury has fully demonstrated that you had not. What
is your next act? Yon attack with a force of 20,000 or
30,000 men a fortress probably as strong as Gibraltar,
and better provisioned. And under what circumstances
did you undertake this enterprise? The Secretary-ate
War tells you that their object was to strike at the heart
of Russia in the south; and therefore they attacked Sebas-
topol. It was true, he admits, that in so doing our army
was prepared with no reserve. Brave words, these ! But
why attack the place at the wrong time, and with in-
effective means. It may be a question whether there
should be a campaign in the Crimea; none that there
should not be s winter campaign But you have chose&
a winter campaign, and what have been your prepa-
rations for it? In November you gave orders to build huts.
You have not yet sent out that winter clothing which is
adapted to the climate. My right hon. friend (Sir John
I'akington) fell into a slight error (which I am ante he
will permit me to correct) in his allusion to the loss of the
Prince. He said that the winter clothing had been
despatched by the Prince, and that the Government were
exonerated because that clothing was lost. The right hon.
gentleman (Mr. S. Herbert) speaks the truth, and frankly.
lie seems to think there is nothing like a clean breast for
a Minister in a scrape, and he takes great credit for this
specific clothing for the Crimean climate; hut the fact is,
that the cargo of the Prince did not contain any special
winter clothing. (Hear, hear.) It was only the common
warm clothing for the troops, and not a cargo in any way
occasioned by the winter campaign, which your policy has
rendered necessary. (" Near, hear," and cheers.) You hare
invaded the Crimea; you have attacked Sebastopol; bat
you have chosen to do so at the very worst period.
(Cheers.) You have commenced a winter campaign in a
country which almost of all others should be avoided.