The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-27 00:00:00

THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR.

Mr. ROEBUCK then rose to bring forward the motion of
which he had given notice, to the following effect That
a select committee be appointed to inquire into the condi-
tion of our army before Sebastopol, and into the conduct of
those departments of the Government whose duty it has
been to minister to the wants of that army." The hon. and
learned gentleman said,—ln bringing forward the motion
which stands on the paper in my name, I must, in the first
place, beg the kind indulgence of the house to aid in some
degree my physical inability. (Hear.) The question itself i 8
so serious that it requires no apology. We have sent from
this country an army the most unparalleled in its efficiency
and in its numbers that ever left this coast; which has by
its deeds not only maintained but enhanced the glory of
its country—(cheers)—and it now appears by the acknow-
ledgment of the noble lord this evening that this army, by
the neglect of the Government at home, has been reduced
to a condition that wrings the heart of the nation. (Hear,
hear.) Therefore, I say, Sir, when I consider the duties
of this houso, what they aro, and how they are to be em-
ployed, I think the question which I am about to bring
forward requires no apology. (Hear.) But, when I ad-
dress myself to the question itself, I cannot but regret
what has fallen from the noble lord this evening. The
noble lord says that he was unable, as a Minister of the
Crown, to resist this motion. He says that the house
ought to exercise its inquisitorial duties with regard to
this question, and in the same breath he says that he will
not support the motion either by his speech or his vote,
thus neglecting that which, as a patriot, he ought to per-
form. (Hear, hear,) He ought to forget private affec-
tions and personal regards when he considers not only
that an army of England is at stake, but also that the
very existence of the country is in jeopardy. Deserted,
then, by the noble lord, but maintained, as I believe, by
the inherent value of the question itself, I shall boldly ad-
dress myself to that which I have to propose to the house.
The question naturally divides itself into two parts—first,
what is the condition of oar army before Sebastopol ; and,
next, how has that condition been brought about ? Now,
sir, it appears to me, as the noble lord himself has con-
fessed to-night, that about the condition of the army there
cannot be two opinions. They are without shelter, with-
out clothes, without food, and without ammunition. That
is the condition to which they have been reduced, as I be-
lieve, by the incapacity of those whose duty it was to mi-
nister to their wants. (Hear.) We have nothing before
us to make us believe that the position of the Govern-
ment as regards the army is in tho slightest degree
changed, The incapacity that has brought about this
result !still continues to govern—(hear, hear)—therefore,
all I have to do is to submit to this house that inquiry
is requisite as to the causes that have brought about
this state of misery in which the' army now exists, and
when I have done that I think I shall have done my duty
to this house. Now, sir, it may be thought necessary
that I should say something as to the state of the army
now before Sebastopol. I beg, first of all, however, to
say that with the military part of the question I have no
concern; as to the expedition to the Crimea I am unable to
judge. I am no soldier; but as to the conduct of those
whose duty it was to minister to the wants of that army,
when so placed, I think this house is able to judge, and, as
a member of this house, I think I am bound to pass a
judgment on this matter. Now, sir, the first question I
have to inquire into as to the number of soldiers before
Sebastopol. I think it is pretty well ascertained that we
have sent from the shores of this country 54,000 soldiers,
equipped as we have never equipped soldiers before, who
have done all they could to support the honour and glory
of this country. I want to know what has become of those
54,000 soldiers t It appears, from the best information, that
there are now not more than 14,000 men actually in arms
before Sebastopol, and of those 14,000 less than 5,000 are
in a state of health. I have now in my hand a letter dated
January 8, from Constantinople, the writer of which states
that, according to the best information, the effective force
of the British before Sebastopol did not exceed 14,000 men;
that the artillery and engineers have diminished in a simi-
lar ratio ; and that the cavalry had ceased to exist as a
farce, the horses having been taken up for the transport of
previsions. The writer also says he is sure that the British
army will within two months be totally destroyed; and,
speaking of a general who has been out there and has now
returned, he states that, in accordance with his opinion,
and the opinions of those most likely to be well informed,
he is firmly persuaded that a great disaster is about to befall
the army now before Sebastopol. 14,000 men, then, re-
main out of the whole 54,000. I want to know, sir, what
has become of the 40,000 troops who have disappeared from
liherranks of your army? (Hear, 'hear.) This-is a simple
matter of figures, and if your force has been reduced from
54,000 to 14,000 men, I repeat—and I am obliged to ask the
question—what has recome of those 40,000 troops ? (Here
a brief pause intervened, from the evident physical weak-
ness of the speaker. He then resumed.) I feel, sir, that
my strength is very inadequate to this task, and I there-
fore hope that the house will bear with me. (Cheers, fol-
lowed by a recommendation to the hon. and learnedgentle-
man to be seated.) No, no • I will endeavour to proceed. The condition of the army being such as I have stated, my
next inquiry is—How was that condition brought about?
My belief is, that it has been produced by incapacity at
home and incapacity abroad--- by incapacity on the part
of those whose duty it is to minister to that army's wants,
At the present moment I am given to understand that
the harbour of Balaklava is encumbered with stores--
that the country, which possesses means of transport be-
yond those of all the world, has been enabled through
I the enthusiasm of the
.people to lay on the shores of
that harbour stores sufficient to maintain an army twice as
lsaergyeenarasitlhesatinwtherivethenneo, wandextihstast:
therefore, your
having. trans-
ported these stores 3,000 miles across the ocean, another
your forces are
deprived of •
absyatnhea
as
se
it requires for their maintenance
army was sent to Ilse tthites been occasioned ? Why, first,
ineffi-
ciency of those to whom i.l.l)zaryo3
lientlera
avi;sion made here when the
thatt
th
the
hcoonu. n.
andtr y .
learned ( ar
g, and, next, by the ineffi-
cconfided when it reached
[Lt this point of his address
again unable to pro-
ceed, and at length he ebservendi-f-al !sally, Sir, feel my
strength so feeble that I cannot co
tchheeerares)_.olvniztio„nfowr haichis
committeenow in your
q ryhntz-7in,
(cheers)—and, in my present state
ofllnu thiesed
encore
shall at once move
tion of our army before Sebastopol, and into the conduct
of those departments of Government whose duty it waste
minister to its wants. (Hear, hear.)
al havingofebvez dulym o
me eecnotnad oe di a ns
edd
withoutthequestion
.
put, an
nmi on tt ieor,vn
other speaker presenting himself to continuo the discus-
sion. After repeated cries of " Divide," and " Read,
Read,"
Mr. S. HERBERT rose and said,—Sir, I have felt some
hesitation in rising at this moment through that which, I
am sure, has been the subject of pain to everyone present--
namely, the physical infirmity under which my hen. and
learned friend was 'compelled to desist from his attempt to
address the house in support of the motion of which he has
must given notice. (Hear.). My hon. and learned friend, I I-
from the high
sa"which he holds in this house, from the great
y was fully entitled to make that motion
position
• 1- .^r. (Hear, hear.) I
talents by which lie is distinguished, and likewise frona the
• '' gilder which he labours,
still RIOT,' et, _
.tl, some difficulty, inas-
independence svll,'ve,hiiiar!cs
h as there has been no charge wane, no case anbstan.
because it planes me apo _