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

ARMY ESTIMATES

The first vote proposed was a sum of 314,9841. 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 officers of
the medical staff with the army in the East, and eulogised
the exertions of Miss Nightingale and Mr. and Mrs. Brace-
bridge. Ho 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 ho had stated
with respect to the army he had intended nothing discour-
teous ; he 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 could assure the hon. and gallant members opposite
that he was not afraid of any man. (Hear, and a laugh.)
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 fell jus-
tiee 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 be 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-
want. (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 7 • 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. LAYAILD 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- (Hoar.) 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. Ho 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 tents of a similar kind, and MY time should be lost in
providing them. The question of summer clothing was also
one thatshould 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 hon.
Under-Secretary. There was a question which be 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. He was sum-
marily dismissed, although he certainly might have ex-
pected 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 one despatch,
and who bad distinguished himself very much. He had
not received any premotion ; he was still a captain of
artillery. He might have received honours and promo-
tions had he remained on Lord Raglan's staff; but rather
than do that, he welt 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-
mained a captain of artillery. That brava and meritorious
officer had received no reward or promotion whatever.
Mr. H. BAILLIE complained of the beggingletter which
had been sent by the late Secretary
iat War, asking for pil-
low-cases and sheets for the men n hospital at Scutari.
Bat for the exposure made by what was called the " ribald
press" our soldiers in the Crimea would have totally 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 enomies
and the ridicule of Europe.
. _ _

Mr. F. PEEL did not feel qualified to reply in detail
to the several questions put by the noEe lord (Lord
Hotham), and others 'but he 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 pat lsy 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 put by the hon.
member for Inverness—whether the soldiers, on their dis-
charge from Scutari were prOvided with proper clothing
—the Ordnance had ordered the establishment of a store
at Constantinople, where all supplieswere to be procured ;
and now that that store had been established it was not
probable that there could be 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 se 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 Cameo, ought to bo 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, every. obstruction was placed in
their path.
,He knew an admirable surgeon of eight years'
experience who was desirous of going out to the Crimea,
and who 'Made apPlication, but who found that the regu-
ls.tious were anch :that he could not accede to them. A
man wishing to go to the Crimea, and making application
to the department, might bo sent out to Van Diemen's
Land, or to Sierra Leone, or to Scutari, and might never
be sent to the Crimea at all.

i Mr. G. DUNDAS might refer to the case of a young
gentleman who had accompanied a general officer late in
the day on the field. of Inkerinan, 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 13alaklava was alluded to by tho honourable
_member for Aylesbury, but.it was not the want of forager
but the want of some person to distribute it, which was
really felt. When ho (Mr. G. "Dundas) was in the har-
bour of Balaklava v. few i:eeks ago, 'there was a quantity
of forage knocking about, and yot the horses were starv-
ing a: mile from it. (Hear.) 'lie had been surprised at the
, state in which he saw, the horses of our dragoon regiments
stationed a short distance froth the harbour. He saw
the horses standing at the pickets, after two or throe 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 ell' by
their neighbours ; yet all this time there was no want of
forage in the 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. Dan-
das) was there. He saw them himself on the beach. Ve-
getables were greatly required, but on the arrival of the
. Harbinger in the harbour, no one could be found who
would relieve the captain of his charge. No one would take
charge of the vegetables which were on board the 'vessel.
A strong representation having been made at head-quar-
ters, at last an order was sent by the Commander-in-Chief
that the officers and men might go on board and. e.et the
vegetables. A few availed themselves of that order,' but
the great mass of these vegetables began to rot; and at
last that permission, which ought to have been given in
particular,Y
the first instance, was given that officers and men should
gfoorvacibuoiarrd and help themselves. All this was a matter
and that it
was quite clear
; and, although unwilling to blame anybody in
erre?
rigour and abilir
ihasahobteild be inquired into. He thought a griev-
ousthat blame lay somewhere,
responsible were to be perforYnieod
tcommitted in not appointing men of
discharge the various duties that
occurred as trll!'tcheed.
with an intimation that they should
pbaertrantet over which "the; were
what might happen in the de-
was under
. II
.„
°up
ne
idp.
eaerVurasateo:finT,
tad
road
:rt.
haehcoalattmwmtaehidrseee-
undeitsanding had oc
to discharge the various duties%. a
aggravated gr
general whose dtty it was to
was made,
from Balaklava to the camp
that it was not his duty, hut the duty of tinie impression
see that it was made. Between the two no rotexCi'gineerB' to
or at least such a road was made as
Hear Tie eauy the
calamities of the campaign. ( .)had rode over the
road from Balaklava to the natal),lt a sound bottom,
though and deep, and if the horses were'
it
Ivas-v°rlYif things were carried on with a little
wore
more system, those grievousa )
~,
properly fed,
and terrible calamities would
r 'aPicient food could have
not bar° 41314412°d• ( ea— maintain their strength,
of clothing or of
and there would not half° been a want
__ r
had
.01
been conveyed to the soldiers to maa
fuel, or of more necessary requisites. ( 111- )
it hadarmyendured.
(Hoer,
have,stiffered a thousandth part of what
the transport system broken down the :"
would not
(Hop., hear.) The officers serving in the camp had been