The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-01 00:00:00

THE SARDINIAN CONTINGENT.
_ .

The Earl of ELLENBOROITGI4, seeing the noble.
earl the. Minister for War in his place, wished to call his
attention to a circumstance that had appeared in the
papers of Saturday. A letter appeared, dated the 22d
inst., from Genoa, by which it appeared that, .
reference to the Sardinian troops that had sailed
for the East, the Commissary-General in the
Crimea had declared himself unable to supply those
troops with provisions. Unless there was a secret mili-
tary convention entered into between us and the Sardi-
nian Government he did not think that this
.Government
bound itself to supply the Sardinian contingent with
commissariat stores. If the British Commissariat had
bound itself to supply provisions to the Sardinian troops
as well as the Turkish troops, it must be prepared at
least to meet a demand of at least 70,000 rations a day.
He begged to ask the noble earl the Minister of War for,
information on the subject.
Lord PANMURE bad heard with some surprise that
the necessary supplies for the provisioning of the Sar-
dinian army had not been sent out with the troops to
the Crimea. In the first instance, it was understood
that the Sardinian Government was to send a transport
withonemonth's provisions beforethe sailing of the troops.
There was no second convention entered into with
the Sardinian Government, but Commissary-General
Filder had received instructions to supply those troops
upon the usual regulation prices, and he had no
doubt that that officer would find any difficulty in doing
so. By the last mail a letter was received from Sir J.
ArNeil, who had been, sent out by the Government to
make special inquiries into the state of the commissariat,
and that letter of the gallant officer stated that there
was an ample supply of meat and grain to be
found in the Crimea to meet the demands of
the army, and, therefore, no apprehension need be
entertained as to the falling off or scarcity of provisions.
MILITIA (IRELAND) BILL.
Lord PANMURE moved the third reading of this
bill.

The Earl of WICKLOW complained of the manner in
which this bill was being hurried forward. The noble earl
also objected to the manner in which the bill was drawn
up, as bethought it most unfair to demand a higher
qualification from Irish officers in the militia than were
required by the English militia. He concluded by mov-
ing the addition of a provision to one of the clauses,
rendering such officers eligible upon the qualification:
which they possessed at the time the commissions issued,
or which they possessed at the present time.
Lord PANMURE had no objection to the alteration
proposed by the noble and learned lord.
After a few words from the Earl of DERBY the
amendment was agreed to.
Lord PANMURE proposed another amendment,
which was also agreed to.
The bill was read a third time and passed.
TROOPS ON BOARD THE ALMA.

The Marquis of SALISBURY put a question to the
Secretary for War, relative to the embarkation of troops
on hoard the Alma. The troops were embarked in their
old clothing,' without any sufficient provision for the
summer months, and without the new clothing which at
this season should be supplied to them. They were also
sent with their old arms, and without that invaluable
and indispensable arm, the Mieie r:fle.
Lord PANMURE said, with respect to the arms, he
could not believe it possible that the report to which the
noble marquis referred had any foundation, or that any
of her Majesty's troops had left this country for the
Crimea armed with the old musket. The noble marquis
should know that every regiment in the service now in
the Crimea had the ride. He should, however, make
strict inquiry, and he would admit the whole ground of
complaint if it should turn out to be true that the troops
had left with the old arms. With respect to the sun- -
rner clothing, the Guards always embarked with a suit
of clothes peaty worn, and not with their new suit ; but
the new was sent alter them.