The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-27 00:00:00

ARMY ESTIMATES.

The first vote proposed was a sum of 314,9541. to defray
the charges of the general staff of medical officers.
Admiral WALCOTT expressed his warm admiration of
the noble conduct and fortitude displayed by the ()Mears of
the medical staff with the army in the East, a.td eulogised
the exertions of Miss Nightingale and Mr. and Mrs. Brace-
bridge. lie also expressed the great pleasure which ho
felt at witnessing the liberality of all classes of the country
in connection with the Patriotic Fund.
Mr. -WILLIAMS explained that in what be bad stated
with respect to the army he had inteaded nothing discour-
teous ; ho had acted merely in the conscientious discharge
of his public duty, and was not to be intimidated from
pursuing the course which he thought a proper one by any
abuse or taunts which might be cast upon him. Although
the name of a military man had something formidable
about it, and although he was not a military man himself,
still he.ceuld assure the hon. and gallant members opposite
that he was not afraid of any man. (Hear, and a laigh.)
Colonel NORTH called attention to the great expenses
to which the Governor of Portsmouth was put in the dis-
charge of his duties, and suggested the propriety of in-
creasing the allowance made to that officer.
After a few words from Mr. FRENCH, in explanation
of some statements made by him on a former occasion, in
which he had been represented as not having done full jus-
tice to the merits of regimental officers in the Crimea,
Lord HOTHAM called the attention of the committee
to the recent royal warrant on the subject of promotion in
the army. He fully concurred in the propriety of the
alteration there proposed—that instead of an officer rising
from the rank of lieutenant-colonel, by degrees, to the
rank of general officer, without reference to the services
he might have performed, a threeyears' service in the rank
of lieutenant-colonel in command of a regiment, or in a
staff appointment corresponding with the command of a
regiment, should he necessary previous to arriving at the
rank of general. He. was, however, perfectly at a loss to
understand why to this wholesome and proper regulation
should have been added the qualification of having served
six years as an equerry to the Sovereign ; for there was
certainly nothing in the duties of an equerry which could
entitle any person so serving to military promotion or re-
ward. (Hear, hear.) Young men going into the army
should know that the way to get on to the staff was by
directing their minds to such studies as would qualify
them for these employments. The staff should be remo-
delled, and made to consist of the best officers; and if it
were composed of highly-educated officers, the country,
would have every confidence in its efficiency. It was im-
possible that anybody could have had any communication
with the army in the Crimea without learning the asto-
nishment felt by the regimental officers .at the honours
and rewards showered on the staff officers there. (Hear.)
Every one, in fact, was struck with astonishment at the
promotions which had been given to the staff, to an extent
that looked as if a page of the " Army List" had been torn
out. He (Lord Hotham) was not personally affected by.
the Royal warrant for regulating promotions; but he could
not avoid directing the attention of the under Secretary
for the War Department to the rules for the promotion
to the rank of major-general, which, he thought, required
revision.
Mr. LAYARD saw, from the last despatch which had
been received from Lord Raglan, that there was a want of
forage in the Crimea, in consequence of the Commissary-
General's not receiving English hay. That was almost
scandalous. Three months ago the horses were dying for
want of forage, and that up to this time forage was not ob-
tained was totally inexplicable. (Hear.) That the horses
in the Crimea should be dependent on this country for hay
was monstrous, considering that chopped straw could be
obtained at any moment in that quarter. He trusted,
some explanation would be given of this matter. The sub-
ject of tents was one also that demanded attention, and
that was of the greatest importance. Nobody knew what
direction the war might take this year—nobody knew
whether we were to have peace or war—but tents were
wanted, and tents should be provided, not so much as a
protection during day as at night. Colonel Napier had
sent him a drawing of a tent for a campaign which was
worthy the consideration of the Government. The French
had teats of a similar kind, and no time should be lost in
providing them. The question of summer clothing was also
one that should not be postponed, and he trusted that before
July some pattern would be determined on and sent out to
the army. These two subjects, tents and clothing, should
immediately occupy the most serious attention of the hen

Under-Secretary. —There was a question which he would
like to have answered. Before the Duke of Newcastle
went out of office, a gallant colonel, now General
Chesney, was sent for from Ireland to take the command
of the Turkish contingent ; but shortly after his arrival
the Duke of Newcastle retired, and Colonel Chesney was
told that his services would not be required. Ho was sum-
marily dismissed, although he certainly might have ex-
pecttd somewhat more courtesy and consideration. With
respect to staff appointments and promotions, there was
Lieutenant-Colonel Dickson, who had lately been wounded,
and who had been mentioned in more than ono despatch,
and who had diAtinguished himself very conch. Ho had
not received any promotion ; he was still a captain of
artillery. lie might have received honours and promo-
tions bad ho remained on• Lord Raglan's staff; but rather
than do that, he went to command a battery, and he had
served gallantly during the whole time the army was in
the Crimea, and now he was wounded. Yet still he re-
mnincd a captain of artillery. That brave and meritorious
officer had received no reward or promotion whatever.

Mr. H. BA ILLIE complained of the beegingletter which
had been sent by the late Secretary at War, asking for pil-
low-cases and sheets for the men in hospital at Scutari.
Bst for the exposure made by what was called the " ribald
press" our soldiers in the Crimea would ha,vetot•dly perished.
He desired to be assured that proper precautions had been
taken to remedy the state of things which existed in the
hospitals, in the camp, and in Balaklava, and particularly
if the soldiers discharged from Scutari were provided with
proper clothing.
Mr. WARNER contended that the inefficiency of our
staff had brought down on us the contempt of our enemies
and the ridicule of Europe.
Mr. F. PEEL did not feel qualified to reply in detail
to the several questions put by the noble lord (Lord
Hotham), and others, but ho would endeavour to answer
them as best he could. The royal warrant for promotion
was to enable her Majesty to employ the best officers, and
it was provided that lieutenant-colonels, without waiting
for brevet, could be employed as major-generals of divi-
sion. With respect to the questions put by the hon.
member for Aylesbury, their importance was undoubted,
and they should receive the most careful attention. (Hear.)
Both the subjects of forage, of tents, and of summer cloth-
ing should receive the immediate consideration of the Go-
vernment. "With respect to the question pat by the hon.
member for Inverness—whether the soldiers, en their dis-
charge from Scutari, were provided with proper clothing
—the Ordnance had ordered the establishment of a store
at Constantinople, where all supplies were to be procured ;
and now that that store had been established it was not
probable that there could bo any want of due provision
for the soldiers. With respect to the staff, that was a
subject on which he did not feel justified in making any
statement, on account of being as short a time in his pre-
sent office, without consulting the Secretary for War.
Mr. M. CHAMBERS thought the question of re-
organising the medical staff of the greatest importance.
That staff in the Ci item ought to be put on a different
footing. It was admitted that there had been neglect by
individual surgeons, but it was clear that they had been
unable, from want of power, to discharge their duties.
The defect had been the defect of routine. (Hear, hear.)
Many skilful surgeons had been desirous of going to the
Crimea, but they had met with all sorts of impediments.
Every facility should be offered to skilful surgeons to go
out, but, on the contrary, ever
their path. He knew an admirable surgeon of eight years'
y obstruction was placed in'
and who made application, but who found that the experience who was desirous of going out to the Crimea,
regu-
lations were such that he could nosh accede to them. A
to the department, might be sent out to T ngan application
be sent
to the er to Sierra Crimea at Leone
a,
11. oto Scutari, and might never
r
Mr. G. DUNDAS might refer to the case of a young
gentleman who had accempanied a general officer late in
the day on the field of Inkerman, and who had received
promotion, though not in action, as an instance of the
way in which rewards are distributed. The want of
forage in Balaklava was alluded to by the honourable
member for Aylesbury, but it was not the want of forage,
yaegto the horses were but the want of some person to distriloate it, which was
really felt. When he (Mr. G. Dandas) was in the har-
bour , there was a quantity
about,afe
starv-
ing a mile from it. (Hear.) He had been surprised at the
w weeksand
state in which he saw the horses of our dragoon regiments
stationed a short distance from the harbour. He saw
of fora of
forage
Balaklava
the horses standing at the pickets, after two or three days
successive hail, rain, and snow, without covering or rugs,
and in the vicinity of the camp he saw the carcases of the
unfortunate beasts lying, their manes and tails eaten off by
their neighbours • yet all this time there was no want of
forage in •th harbour of Balaklava. (Hear.) There was
the ship Cormorant, which had come Into the harbour in
November, and the bran bags were taken on shore,
and
there they were lying on the beach when he (Mr. G. Dun-
das) was there. He saw them
himself on the beach. but on the •
Ve-
getables were greatly required, arrival of the
Harbinger in the harbour, no one could be found who
his charge.
would relieve the captain of .
_No one would take
g char e of the vegetables Nr Inch were on board the vessel.
A strong representation ha.ving 'laeen made at head-quar-
ters, at last an order was sent. hty the Commander-in-Chief
that the officers and men mig
gocnboard and get the
vegetables. A few availedthemselves_ of that order, but
yege •
of these vegetables began to rot ; and at
the great mass
which ought to have been
last that permission,
n that officers given in
and men should
the first instance, was give
go on board and help themselves. All this was a matter
for inquiry ; and, although unwillingto blame anybody in
iwasquite clear that blame lay somewhere,
particular, t
ec .le°. He
and that it should be incoir 1 1.. i, thought a griev-
ousnot
been committed in appointing men of
error had
vigour and ability to discharge the various duties that
were to be performed, with an intimation that they should
might ha )
be made responsible for what
,in the de-
partment over which they were placed. I 11en
Very great inis-
under tsanding had occurred as to the persons who were
to discharge the various
duties. He understood that the
general whose duty it was to see a proper and fit road made
from Balaklava to tho camp was under the impression
that it was not his duty, but the duty of the engineers, to
see that it was made. Between the two no road was made,
or at least such a road was made as aggravated greatly the
calamities of the campaign. (Hear.) He rode over the
road from Balaklava to the camp. t had. a sound bottom,
and deep, and if the horses were
though it was very muddy . d
properly fed, and if things were
terrible
on with a little
more system, those grievous and
Sufficient calamitiesfood
o ul
dwo haveuld
not have happened. (Hear.)
theircstrength,
and to maintain
been conveyed to the soldiers .
and there would not have been a want of clothing er of
fuel, or of more necessary
requisites. (Hear.) Had not
the transport system broken down the army would not
have suffered a thousandth part of what it had endured.
ixtg in the camp had been
(Hear, Lean) The officers OW