The Express.
London, England, 1855-03-07 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 7, 1855.

!republic that would justify the arrest of every indivi-
dual that happened to be suspected of entertaining
the sentiments often expressed in public and private
circles by General Concha previous to and during
the late short and profitless struggle in Spain. Last
evening there was a meeting of the commercial com-
munity in front of the Palace, upon the Plan
de Armes, and a delegation waited upon
General &ouch& to offer the servioes of the
people, with assurance of their devotion in life,
property, and honour for the protection of Cuban
faith, the union to mother land, ard the punishment
of the Queen's enemies wherever found. It wu re-
ceived graciously, and they were told that the par-
pose of their hearts would be communicated to the
ministry, and they might feel aimed of royal thanks
and royal protection of their lives and property,
which would not be required to subdue the present
Entente.

Our business has been seriously interrupted by the
action of the government, but we trust that the
coming week will find public confidence restored in
the capacity, intelligence, sod integrity of the govern-
ment Itself. They ask no protection for themselves.
Health of the island generally good, and production
more than the average of years past. The steamer
Conway has about a million and • half of treasure
aboard. She arrived this morning, and, being a little
late, leaves this evening.

OF POLAND.

THE ARMY BEFORE SEBASTOPOL action. No winter clothing for the troop had arrived
--w-- when he left the Crimes, bat a great deal
MR. ROEBUCK'S COMMITTEE
Yesterday, the committee resumed their in • t clothing breaking.ttl " tottery ;" but the weatheritiradlie
had since. When he left, the troops, as d
left was They were suffering, but that was
slurry a
12 o'clock. Mr. Roebuck (Chairman), Lord Seymour, Sir mainly attributable to exposers in the trenched', and over-
J. Hamner, Sir J. Pakington, Mr. Ellice, len., Mr. Layard, wok. Comparing the state of things in this respect with
Colonel Lindsay, Mr. Dmmzsond, Mr. Ball, Mr. Braman otar
07ers, he did not think there was anything to cons-
' PBy Sir J. Pekin tou—No doubt the cholera,and diseases
and General Peel. The committee room was crowded.
The examination of General Sir De Lacy Evans was con- generally, were aggravated by the abseace of tes and te-
noned by hie. Layard. He gave it aa his personal opinion Posers in the trenches. According to the last accounts he
that sufficient provision was not made for the sick and received the men were working in she trenches every second
wounded in the Crimea, probably from an impression on the eight. His opinion was that they ought to have advanced
towufbionsDusifinuaebenttnbduitvisthioesecto
wasTlineoeaqbusoi
part of the highsr authorities that there would be no wounds Pluateeudeeefifcthienecysetiini'teg
to heal, and that no cannon balls would be re• medical staff. The strength of his (the general'e) division
quired to settle the matter. (Laughter.) It turned when he went to Bulgaria was 6,200, and when he left the
out differently, and then those arrangements were made Crimea after Initennann 2,000. While in the Crimea, his
dteinvisit
oofn7hwed received draughts or reinforcements to the ex-'
late in these matters which ought to have been
made at an earlier period. He could not give the exact By Lord Seymour—Did nil think, from the experience he
date when they first had tie ambulances in the Crimea, but had had in military affairs, that there was any ground for
gretted that these ambulances had been sent out at all, as on their panne by sea as to provisions, though there was a
they had frequently used them before in Bulgaria. He re. complaint as to the way in which the troops were cued for
deficiency of vegetables both at Bulgaria and at Constauti-
the y
were far too heavy, and required four horses or mules.
a
conivnevyaanlidees.
fon, Did not
and
dail
wounded
himself of
wthheileFrhenechwmaseathnseroef could reasonably expect. They were generally pretty. ple. There was not much fresh meat, • but the
When the roads were good, they were capable of carrying troops were as well cared for at sea u they
10
well provided with fresh provisions at Scutari. It was very
having sufficient means without. One of the means the roared/IL:seal in rapid military operations that the men were
French had of transporting their sick and wounded was by queerly to
cue
entiant
they laid
though it was fee-
banner on each side of the mules, which, on b-oken ground medical department, as compared i tiv, i t
ty, aformer
:Loup
il t
p. . i Theci
Of over a mountainous country, might be considered an ad. was not perhaps sufficiently numerous, and the distress, foss,
lunge ; but he questioned whether, from their swaying and sickness were probably greater in the Peainsulav
campaign. The cavalry and artillery suffered much less
aboat, they were so conducive to ens and coin- there from exposure en their marches, as they had the
fort. Many of the regiments landed, some with, shelter of villages, but at Selektive there were no such
and others without, knapsacks, and he was afraid that some " coven." Huts and sheds could have been knocked up
,of them remained for three or four months in the same if they only had the materials. The French made the
English a present of 20,(00 rations of bread one day. Up
, clothes they had on when they landed. Some of the eel- to tne last accounts he heard that his division was fairly
diers had
only a second shirt, and some of the officers only a provisioned, but had net enough of fresh meat or vegetables.
third. Numbers landed only in their cloth pantaloons and Tbe difficulties were the same as had been encountered in
cloaks. The tents were brought out on the 29th Sept. former campaigns, and comparing the hospital tents with
• great many of them were indifferent, and some had been these of former expeditions, he did ant think they were
inferior.
treed in the Peninsular War. Some few of them were good. By
Mr. Lindsay—There were complaints while I was at
lbw others had no lining. The hospital tome were large, Scutari and Varna about the tools, *lnch were considered
and contained some 18 or 20 penises. There were very few to be is tenor and bad. The shoes supplied to the men were
mattresses, and the hay and straw obtained as substitutes also indifferent, and too small
By General Peel—After he had got a good commissariat
was very inadequate. The men had generally something officer ea his division he had nothing to complain of more
leader them besides their blanket., such as bushes, straw, than the
usualoccurrences incident to an army in the field
achy. The depot of the tents was at Baheklava. There against an enemy, and material wants were satisfactory.
Anne not enough tents in his (the g l's) givision, One of the causes of the suffering of the 'nay was almost
sad he had to apply for more. Considered the light entirely to be attributed to the hard work in the trenches,
tents used by the French to be extremely useful and the chief officers of the commissariat did not make ail
for rapid marches, or in summer weather; but the exertions they should have made, and did not supply as
badly soapted for a winter campa*n. Visited Selektive mach fresh provisions as they ought. When in the
us has arrival before Sebastopol, and of course considerable colonies he received 4 ounces of rice per man, but is the
disorder took place when the town was fired on, and when Crimea be received only 2 ounces. Comparing the supplies
the shots made free with the roofs of the houses. Bala- with other campaigns in his experience, the provisions were
klava was ins very indifferent state when be (the general) not bad.
left the Crimea. Captain Hamilton, an officer in the The Chairman—tied you not command of the sea by
Quartermaster General's department, was superintending means of which an unlimited supply of provisions could be
the quays and halbeur. Had the road from Selektive to obtained 7—Yes, that is my impression.
the camp been in the hands of the enemy, thereby cutting General Peel—But thee you had to convey them up from
off intercommunication, the consequences would have been the seat—There ought not to have been any difficulty about
most calamitous, but not irremediable. There was that. The reeimental officers under my command were very
no place for the arrival of troops but at Sanitises, good and efficient.
sad for want of accessibility there* it would have By Mr. Drummond—A very considerable number of
been necessary to transfer the troops to Koosi„eh mules, horse., and beasts died in the camp generally. No
Bay. The Woronsoff road had been declared impassable. use that he was aware was made of their skins. Use might
There was considerable difficulty in the supply of forage have been made of them, if subjected to some process of dry.
for the hones, and gnat difficulties also arose from toe ing, as a covering for men and horses. Scarcely any troops
want of proper, men in the commissariat department. It were lost at the landing in the Crime a. A boat at Varna was
was found perfectly useless to complain to Comininary- rua down by • steamer. Pieferred, es a matter of course,
General Fader, who was under the Commander-in-Che f, young, able, and active aides-decamp in these matters, in
Lord Raglan. He wished to give the committee a short preference to respectable and pertly gentlemen, old, fat, and
narrative of his notions concerning the commissariat gene- incapable.
rally. Oa his (the general's) arrival at Malta on going out, By Mr. Ball—The British forces before Sebastopol were
and before proceeding to the Dardanelles, he was astonished as well tented as the French, and he believed were
to hear from the authorities there that the Commissar y- now fairly supplied with extra dashing. There
General, who had been sent out, as he presumed, to pro- was a deficiency of waterproof boots at Verne.
vide everything for the efficiency of the army, had made The deficiency in transport was known from the first, from
surcely any purchues of mules or carts. The commissariat de- the head is i ommand down to the merest drummer-bey.
pertinent sent out from this country was, numerically speak- It was to be regretted that the coffee did not arrive roasted,
isg, completely inadequate to the duties it bad to perform, and that on the eve of war neither soldiers nor sailors were
more especially in its subordinate impartments. Represent- enlisted, and that then only there was an augmentation of
Latins as to this were made, he undentood, to Commissary- 10,000 troops, ants that the militia were not called out;
General Filder at Malta, and that such and such persons circumstances that convinced many that the government
might be engaged ; but he declined to ecgage them, not thought they could get over the affair without actual hos-
thinking it, he supposed, necessary to Mercer, hie personal tilities. Want of the means of transport caused a delay of
staff, or means of transport or mule.. As they went on to two or three weeks in the transmission of the troops.
Scutari the troops began to accumulate. There were 12,000 By Mr. Layno—Considering the number in new in-
there before Lord Raglan arrived, and there were great ventiens that have been brought to light during the last 40
difficulties about the issuing of rations. Then deficiencies years, do you think they have been applied to the improve-
continued from time to time. There were no adequate ment of our army to their possible extent, and that through
stores. The distribution of forage was slow and limited, as their instrumentality the army might have been more diet-
was also the supplies of meat and biscuit for the troop. lively maintained throughout the present campaign 1-1
Various complaints were made on the subject, and even- know of no materially proved invention applicable to war
tually Lord Raglan arrived and insisted on some improve- be and the metal cap on the knob of the musket and the
nit " itself, and heavier ordnance.
meats being made, and some were made. Great inconveni• " 'II
once was found to arise from the T y regulations. Mr, Layard—l allude to guts percha, railways, steam,
India, rubber clothiag, and ten thousand other things pro
Frequently there were greet delays, and the men had to
dated by art and science daring the last 40 years ? Ido not
wait nor or five hour. for theft rations. There was only
as small store of forage for 1 thousand hones. pretend testy whether these things have been adopted so ex-
During the whole of this time very little was done towards 'naively as tiny ought to have been or not.—Was there
any waterproof clothing distributed among the troops ? I
increasing the number of transport carriages. Some 209 or
do sot know that there was there any waterproof
300 mules were purchased after the lapse of some weeks. As
sheets given to the soldiers to lie on T No.—DJ you know that
the country at the time was full of provisions there would
we have in this 0 .uotry a waterproof species of clothing that
have been no difficulty in obtaining lane supplies. It was a man can carry in his pocket, called a mackintosh / (A
unsatisfactory to find that extensive magazines and stores
bed not been made. He did not make these complaints so laugh.) Yes.—Were any of these provided ? Not that I
am aware.—Do you think they might be introduced into
much against the commissary department itself .as against the army ? I should think they might.—Do you think that
the superior authorities in the camp and cabinet. He
everything has been done to keep up the state of the army
(the general) firmly believed that the present war was
as it ought to be, considering that these inventions have
commenced under the delusion that it was to be settled arisen in the last 40 years ? I have very little doubt there
without the explosion of gunpowder or the necessity of
are very few institutions that might not be more materially
formica magazines at all—(laughter)--and unfortunately all
than th.y have been; and I dare say the army is
who came in contact with the authorities of the Treasury, improved
and the commissariat among the number, acting under among them. (A laugh.) Did not consider the absence of
these appliances is the Peninsular campaign any justifies.
orders, appeared to be innoculated with this peculiar and
lion for the want of Oa m in the Crimea ; or because a man
extravagant impression. Certain it was that the arrange-
on a rainy day walked from the House of Commons to
mints were nut such as to enable the army to take the field
Charing-ctoss without a mackintosh, that it was any justi-
efficiently and at once. When the Russians, however, passed
fication for his not having done so because his ancestors did
the Danube, communications were sent by Omer Pasha
requesting assistance from the allies, and the answer was not do so some 40 years before him.
that there were no means of transport and that they ought to By Lord Seymour—Believed that steps were taken le
have been provided a month before. It was represented keep up the communication between Balaklava and the 1
by the officer who came from Omer Pasha, that Omer coast of Turkey, in Europe and Asia, as a means of pro-
was prepared to deliver 6,000 ponies, or small horses, to the visioning the army, but did not know whether any material
allies on their coming to Varna, together with a consider- supply of fresh meat was brought from those direction..
able quantity of bullocks and arabas. There were probably Did not remember seeing any large woodea sheds built on
about a thousand mules purchased when they get to Varna. the French lines before Sebastopol. He attributed much of
A portion of the French army came to Varna via Adtian• the misery and deaths in the Crimea to the inadequacy of
ople, but the mass of it from Constantinople, as did the the transport service, and from overwork and exposure.
British ; but still, as they were waiting for protocols, and Hurd that there were constant supplies sent to Baleklava,
the result of diplomatic conferences at Vienna, no great and had there been • regular communication between the
exertions were made to put the two armies in • state of harbour and the British lines they would as constantly have
capable movement. All this time the Russians were carry- arrived. Wu not aware that either lime or lemon jai*
lug on the siege of &Innis, the painful details of which was distributed among the troops of his division.
were well known. They could have got up the Danube By Lord Seymour—The arrangements for the supply el
but for the want of transport. When he (the ammunition, on the whole, were good—though there was nut
general) wu about eighteen miles from Varna, he found •great abundance of ammunition. Much of the inoonves
the greatest difficulty in procuring provisions, and had to stenos occasioned arose from the defects in the musket.
send arabas there for them. So much confusion existed at Wu very much satisfied with the Waif. The grouad toil '
Varna that as many as 100 arabas returned from Varna had to cut into was crystallised rock , and without good
without loads of provisions or forage. The heads of the tools it could not be worked well.
commissariat at this period applied to him for assistance, arid Mr. Dundee, M.P. for Linlithgowshire, was then recalled,
he gave them a large number of non-commissioned officers and further examined by Mr. Layard, and deposed to the
and privates to aunt them. These were marten that ought opportunities he had of ascertaining the condition of the
to have been dons by the subordinate officers of the corn- sick in the hospitals and elsewhere. Re cams in the
minaret, and it was somebody's fault in not providing
Tynemouth, an auxiliary screw, with 299 sick and wounded
them. lie thought the commissariat department of from Balaklava to Scutari. The vessel was clean
the army ought to be a civil and not a mill- and wholesome, but there was no particular
tary ore. Comm iseary Ostend Fader had declined prevision made for them. The whole of the 299
to come to his (the general's) division to see what was were placed in the vessel's deck. The atmosphere, particu-
wanted, although it was his duty to do so. The commissary- tardy about hatchweye, wee extremely offensive, and the
g I was under the supreme command of the commander- thermometer was at 45. They were brought aboard in
in-chief, but he carried oc correspondence with the Tres- boats by the French ambulance mules. One of the days
sury. It was in the power of Lord Raglan to dismiss or to was wet, and they came on board wet, and had no change
suspend anyone in the army. The commissariat subordi- of clothed, and they dried on them until they gained Scutari.
Batas were very good accountants, and he supposed the There was no preparation made to receive them in the shape
Treasury thought that a sufficient qualification, but of beds, and it was impossible to get mattresses. Tile Tyne-
they knew nothing of field duties. On the arrival mouth had brought a cargo of horses from Eupatoria to
of the army southward of Sebastopol there was • large lialeklava, and after the vessel was cleaned as well as it
quantity of hay and straw scattered about that might, could be, it was freighted with the sick and wounded. In
rasp, with care, have been kept ; and there were a large some cases the men had only their great coats and
member of horses to consume it. There was no " town a blanket, with their knapsacks for a pillow. There
major" to look after the conduct of affairs at Varna. It was were no hammocks or beds of any kind. The chief
sot, probably, thought necessary, as all the superior officers diseases were diarrheas, dysentery, and gelatin. The
of both armies were there. noisome atmosphere aggravated the diseases, which was
The Chairman—But although these neurior officers were mitigated as mach as possible by burniog charcoal
there, confusion reigned in Varna d—Not more, probably, and gum bensoin. The Tynemouth left Balaklava on Fri-
than in any ether crowded town. Our soldiers were not day at noon, and arrived at Scutari on Sunday morning.
quite us sober as the French, and it was satisfactory to find On reaching the Bosphorus the vessel got a-breast of the
that no disorders took place among the troop. There was hospital, and a few . ete tended the following day, but there
as regular road constructed from /Walden to the heights was no accommodation at the hospital at that time, end the
before Sebastopol up to the time of his leaving the Crimea. last man in the Tjnemonth landed on the tenth day from'
It was only a track, but a thousand men from the camp, or the ship leaving Balsklava harbour. All could have been
from Constantinople, might hale been had to have main- landed in one dsy had there been facilities and ',nematode-
mined or put it in proper order. There was a large encamp- non, but the authorities were not re dy to receive them.
aunt of Turks, and they might have been employed to make There were 33 deaths in all. To add to the men's miseries
the road. His (the general's) division was very indifferently many had their clothes covered with vermin. Did not
supplied with forage during the whole time, and his horses think the deaths were to be imputed to their being kept
fell off in a desperate manner. Contrary to the usual prac- on board the Tynemouth. Visited the hospital at Scutari on
tire, they were reduced to 31b. of forage. They had a different occasions. The French had the hospital at Pen,
pretty good quantity of barley; but horses, particularly and thought the French hospitals were 60 much ketter than,
when the weather became bad, required a lugs quantity of the English, and that there was a much greater degree of
forage. He attributed the less of horses chiefly to the Ova- arrangement, and cleanliness, and comfort about them. The
work, cold nights, and want of adequate forage and sheds. beds of the sick and wounded at Scutari were generally
Did not think it necessary to have • subordinate officer three boards, on which were placed the ma:tress and covet-
sprnially attached to a athlete ts look after the ings. The French beds were much more comfortable.
sanitary condition of the camp. That was the By Mr. Drummond—The gements for attending the
business of the officer in command ; and, if he sick by the orderlies were extremely imperfect. There wen
had any doubt about sanitary matters, he would eon- 800 orderlies in the hospital. They were men of not say
suit the medial officer. He did not see any necessity good character, and he remembered being told by an akar
for having a sanitary staff officer. In his opinion, it would that he overheard one of these orderlies say to another, "Is
be inconveniest. After the battle of Inkermaan, the sanitary is a werry bad day indeed when three of them had not two
state of the camp herniae very bad, but before that there bottles or port wino between them." (Laughter.) He ba-
lms no great inconvenience, and great attention was paid tiered each medical man at Scutari had to attend cn 90 sigh
to it. Had seen the carcases of horses rotting on the and wounded. Are the hospitals of this country very
roads, but not In the immediate vicinity of the camp. His sweet 7—Yes, they are. Guy's, for instance.—Do you
own personal staff consisted of four aides-de-camp and one think there were more offensive smells at &uteri than in
interpreter, and whenever • vacancy occurred the Com- other hospitals 7—ln some there are. It was unavoidable
, mander-in-Chief paid him the compliment to allow him to where wounds were extensive.
I
his successor. It had been said that there was a Hon. Captain Pouonby was then shortly examined by
sort of nepotism or favouritism as regarded the choice of the Chairman. His evidence went to confirm the main
that staff. All he could say was, that he had never seen points elicited in the examination of General Evans and
these offices before, and they were no relatives of his ; and Mr. Duadas, and shortly before four o'clock the committee
although it was thought that the superior officers in the adjourned to this day, at 12.
army had ant suffered much, all he could say was that out The committee would be conferring a runt on the pros
, of his 16 staff officers, 13 were either killed or wounded. It ;and the public if they would make the witnesses, who mast
' was unreasonable on the part of the public to suppose that ,be well accustomed to it "in camp," speak out, as it would
our army, after forty year' peace and inactivity, should be have the beneficial effect of enabling all parties to WWII
se complete as was expected when suddenly brought into themselves correctly as to the tuts.