The Express.
London, England, 1858-02-17 00:00:00

rABi- COMMITTEES.

TRANSPORT OF TROOPS AND STORES TO

iiffie.

Yesterday the select committee of the House of
Commons met for the first time to inquire as to the transport
of troops end stores to India (appointed on the motion of Mr
Ds Lacy Evans). The committee consists of Sir De Lacy
Evans (In the chair),
_Lord Go:tench, Sir J. Pak' Lord
Stanley, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Denby Seymour, Mr.
Captain Vivian, Mr. Human, Mr. Willoughby, Sir B.
Colebrook% Mr. Byng, and Sir J. Elphinstone.
The committee were a long time engaged in private &-
cordon. On the room being opened,
Mr. P. Melvin, Secretary to the Military Department of
the East India House, waa called as the first witness. He
said that in February, last year, then was a deficiency of
about 5,000 men. There had been a number of men with-
drawn in 1854, and remoastranoes had been addressed to
Lord Dalhousie on the subject The events in the North
Western Provinces, including the outbreak at Meerut, oc-
curred on the 10th of May, and as the communication by
telegraph was then complete, the intelligence would be re-
ceived by Lord Canning and Lord Elphivatone the following
day. Lord Canning sent word that he did not con-
sider it to send out a steamer. The news was
received bythe ourt of Directors on the 27th of June, and
immediately the directors asked her Majesty's government to
place at their disposal four regiments to be sant out, in addi•
tion to four regiments of infantry and two cavalry regiments
which wen then on their way. The Board of Control in-
stantly acquiesced in the application. Lord Canning lost tan
days by not despatching a steamer with the news. Ever
since 1844 there had been a deficiency of European troops in
India, and the government promised to make up the defi-
ciency as soon as po,sible. The troops were sent out by
sli
ships, because was it considered there were not saw
dent of colds at the Mauritius and other places to
facilitate the journey by steam vessels. It was decided to
seat out four regiments of infantry in June; but two of
those regiments were intended to supply the deficiency of
two regiments withdrawn during the war in the Crimea.
That was the time the Court of Directors first thought it
necessary to increase the force. They were not sent away for
ten days after the time appointed. No communications had
taken place between him sad the Court of Directors as to
sending out troops by the overland route. It was always
the prunes to send out troops by sailing vessels, except in
ono case when they had to send out a steamer
to ply between Madras and Calcutta, and as
It was empty, they need it to and out a body
of 300 troops by it, but that was completely an exceptional
case. A remonstrance was made in 1854 sealant the with-
drawal of troops from India for the Crimea. When the
demand was mad. fur more troops in June, the government
of India were informed that they might retain the troops
that were about to be relieved. The 29th of Juno was the
first day when the East India Company received a demand
for additional troops. The chief reason why troops were tient
by sailing ships was thedifferenos of expense; the difference
between steam and sailing ships was 601. and IW. a man.
There was a deficiency of two regiments in 1864, and they
were not replaced till 18.57. The troops were not withdrawn
from the Crimea until the end of 1866, for although the
peace with Russia occurred in August, the treaty of Paris
was nct signed until the end of the year. It would have
been unwise to end out troops in the winter, as they would
arrive in India at an unhealthy season. Under ordi-
nary circumstance% the latest period that troops
should be sent out to Bengal would be in
August. Lord Elphinsigne offered to Lord Canning to
send a steamer to Aden to catch the previous nteueer, so
that that vessel might have brought the new, to Eoglend of
the outbreak of the mutiny in India, but Lord Canning de.
aimed to employ it, as it would have been attended with the
expense of 4001. or 6001. Six requisitions were made by the
Court of Directors to the Board of Control, for additional
regiments to be sent to India. No delay had occurred in
making these requisitions, and three of them were made en-
tirely by the Court of Directors without any application for
them from India. There was delay in complying with those
requisitions on the part of the India Board. In February,
the number of European troops in India was 40,000, end
they were then short of 6,000 men. About 4,000 men were
withdrawn from Persia. Up to the 29th of June, he, as
to the Military Department of the East India Cern-
Peiernye,4ll no anxiety about the mutiny. _ Nopart of the
forag sent to Pend& was withdrawn from Bengal. A letter
was addrened by the Board of Directors to the
Booed of Control, on the 31st of August, respect-
ing the conveyance of troops by the overland route.
There was no danger in sending out troops in September or
October, but it was considered desirable generally that troop
should be sent out so as to give them time to setth
before the hot weather set in. It was desirable that they
should get there in the cold weather, so that they might
become acclimatised before the hot weather set in. 'Witness
could not say when they first began to make arrangements
for sending troops through Egypt, as that did not come
within his department; bat he knew that they began to
male arrangements for sending them by the overland route
in September, and that route had been partially adopted
since. He did not consider that it would have been prudent
to send troops from the Crimea to India, u they would have
arrived there in a disordered state, and would have required
,to be equipped. There was always a deficiency of 1,000 men
at that particular season. At the time of the outbreak in India
thus was a deficiency of 8,000 men.
Mr. Mason, Secretary to the Marina Department of the
But India-house said, with reference to the employment of
stesm vessels in the transport of troops to India, it was
decided on the Ist of July that two regiments should go out
by per mailing ships and two regiments by screw steamers.
Hevindicated generally the arrangements which had been
made by the Company in connexion with her Majesty's
government, but stated that as there was but a small supply
of coal at the depots it was not considered sate to send troops
in any great numbers by Mean ships.
The committee then *owned.

RAILWAY AIM OTSBYBILLSI2N PAILIAMINT.
Yesterday the examiners into standing orders dis-
posed of the following bills for new railway works'
%Gaon RAILMAY.—To make a railway from the Wood-
gate station of the Brighton Railway to Bognor. At an
estimated cost of 28,000/.

DAHENTH VALLEY RAILWAY.—For a line from the Dart-
ford station of the North Kent and the South Eastern to
Farninghant. Proposed capital 60,0001., and power to
borrow. _ _

DUBLIN IRON ROAD 01 TIAIIWAY.—TO MAO an Iron
road or tramway from Dublin to ltatbmine and Ilandtown :
pital 15,0001. Abandoned.
Prlt calll RAILWAY AND LOIJOH ALLEN PIE.I.—TO
oon-
unmet railway and yler at • cod of 21,00 W.
Wear END 01 LONDON AND CLAPMAY AND NOIMOOD
JUNCTION RAILWAT.—TO abandon the line rendered tin-
notemwery by tbe Weionissier Terminus Railway Extension
from Clapham to Norwood.
ersitnis PALLET RAlLWAY.—Abandonment and exten-
sion of time.

INNSZCZT AND OLD MELDZLIC JUNCTION RAILWAY.—
For oozetrectioa.

lkscretThc---fsz.zoihrse Comrhxy. —To consolidate
Mara JuNCTION RAII.WAT AND TAN, V•LE RAU-
WAY.—Ther• was ao appwasnal of lb* patios In these two
OSAIN.

LONDONDEIZT A:CD COLZIAINS RAII SC ky AND UL-
VILitSTONI ADD LANCASTRIL RAILWAT.-9tADdlllg orders
complied with.

CITLON RAILWAY.

Yesterday an extraordinary general meeting of
this company took place at the oMces,Hroad-attest-buildings;
PHILIC ANSTIMMIIio Er, Ia the
A report wee read which stated that, while the company
remained in abeyance, It was resolved to discontinue the
general meeting required under the deed of settler° on tto be held
.
in January or ebruary in every year; but ainceactive opera •
time had been resumed, it was desiuble, in accordance with
the usual practice of railway companies, that two general
meetings should be held in the year. The directors hid
secordlngly now called the shareholders together, for the
of rescinding the resolution of the general meeting
:fwar ;let July, 1849, which restricted the holding of ordi-
stay general meetings to the months of July or August, and
also to transact other special burner. Mr. W. T. Dojne, a
gentkenan of high professional attainments, had been ap-
pointed principal engineer of the company in Ceylon. Ac-
companW by a orefidly-selected staff, he bad arrived in the
colony, and had commenced an examination of the country
through which the line would pros, the result of which would
be reported to the next meeting. The late respected chairman,
Mr. Archibald H mete, had been succeeded by Mr. Anstruther,
formerly colonial secretary in Ceylon ' • and Sir J. D. H.
Elphinatone, Bart, M P., had been nominated to the seat in
the direction recent by the death of Mr. Hestia.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of this report,
Informed the shareholders that a sum of 40,0001. had been
deposited on 40,000 shares, and that the balance remaining,
after a due appropriation of certain sums (which would be
mentioned in the financial statement at the next half- yearly
meeting), amounted to 14,6201. On a former occasion it wee
proposed
that a committee of management should be appointed
to conduct the operations of the company in Ceylon ; and,
the question being left to the consideration of the directors,
they had come to the conclusion that such an appointment
would be inconsistent with their contracts with the govern-
ment of the colony, and against the system prevailing there
on the subject of railways. Moreover, a local board of ma-
nagement would be actually useless, inasmuch as the supreme
control in such matters was vested In the governor himself.
At the same time their operations were being carried on in a
wesesser which had secured the moat perfect confidenoe of the
serener; and they were now proceeding to appoint a local
agent le accordance with their deed of settlement.
The report was adopted, and reeoltuions were pared
andeering the holding of the ordinary meetings as recces-
iredad therein, anointing two auditors with salaries of 16
a year ark sanctioning an increase in the rate of
fteen 6 to epee oat., and agreeing to certain altera-
tion le the ad sollimeat with respect to the transfer
of Arm
The rassetig thus soperaid.

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