The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-09 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS--YESTERDAY.

-- -
The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock ; but there
sing only nine members present the house was imme-
diately adjourned.
Almost directly the SPEAKER declared the house ad-
journed a considerable rush of members took place from
the lobbies and library, but of course too late, and the
Opeaker then at once retired.

,ARMY BEFORE SEBASTOPOL COM-
MITTEE.

The committee assembled yesterday moriing at the
usual hour.

Sir Thomas Hastings explained a former statement
made by him, to the effect that the Board of Ordnance
received no order from the War-office with reference to
the contract for huts for the Crimea. He had since
ascertained a letter was received from Sir F. Smith
on the 18th of November, 1854.
Mr. Monsell's examination was then resumed.—He
first explained that the work at the laboratory at Wool-
wich was not executed until after a schedule of prices
had been sent in, and the sanction of the board obtained.
Since giving his evidence yesterday, he had ascertained
from reference to the minutes that the expenditure of
7,0001. by Captain Boxer was not authorised on his own
responsibility. Some of the minutes of the board were
made on loose paper, and others involving great prin-
ciple on the minute book. It was not to be understood
that in placing 7,0001. at the disposal of Captain Boxer,
it was not the issuing of money, but the authority of
purchasing machinery to that extent, and the bills for
the payment passed according to the exact forms of the
office.

Sir J. Pakington—Were the accounts checked in the
cash account office !—They were certified certainly by
Captain Boxer, but he could not say if Colonel Wilson's
name was attached.
Sir J. Pakington—l wish to know whether in any
way whatever the public had any security for the ex-
penditure of this money !—I imagine that in every in•
stance there were tenders for the machinery Captain
Boxer ordered, and before the money was paid he cer-
tified the machinery had been delivered and properly
erected, but whether Colonel Wilson's name was at-
tached to the bills he could not say.

By Mr. Layard—ls there an auditor connected with
the Ordnance-office ?—There is one in the Paymaster's
office. Every account is minutely scrutinised in the
cash account office before being paid.
These bills were passed in the ordinary way of the
office ?—No question.

Can you detect in the office if there be any irregularity
in the accounts ?--Yes, if any formal irregularity. In
ordinary instances it would be necessary for Colonel
Wilson to sign the bills, but in this case Captain
Boxer was personally charged with the work. What-
ever irregularities might have occurred with respect to
the initiation of the work, it was sanctioned by the
board almost immediately after the work was com-
menced.

The honourable gentleman was examined at great
length with reference to a difference of feeling existing
during the progress of the works between Captain Boxer
and Col. Wilson, his superior officer, and the course he
pursued with reference thereto, and the appeal trade to
the Minister of War on the subject.
By Colonel Peel—l imagine Captain Boxer has no
independent position in the laboratory. He was intro-
duced there for a special purpose.
By Lord Seymour—There were no cholera belts
ordered for the army in the Crimea before the 24th of
November—he found it was the practice for one board
officer only to wen the orders for most of the warm
•lothing and comforts for the troops.
By Mr. Layard—Messrs. Hayter and Howell were
appointed packers of goods by the Board of Ordnance,
from the pressure of business, and he knew no reason
for assigning why they were selected for the work. Mr.
Hayter is a brother of Mr. Hayter, Secretary to the
Treasury—formerly, all goods were packed at the Tower.
The barracks at Aldershott were being er..icted
differently to what was intended when the House of
Commons granted him 250,000/. for that purpose. He
was at the Ordnance when the war broke out, and he at-
tributed the difficulties that had occurred, and which had
been complained of, from their being an insufficiency
of stores, the means of purchasing, and the manufacture
of fusees, for which Parliament and the Government
were to blame. The Board of Ordnance worked har-
moniously together until the beginning of November.
At that time strong differences arose between Sir Tho-
mas Hastings on the one hand and himself and Sir H.
ROSS on the other, and in consequence of the unfortu-
nate difference between Col. Wilson and Capt. Boxer, he
and Sir H. Ross did not work so harmoniously together
as they had done before. He was the sole communica-
tion between the Ordnance and the War-office and
Horse Guards. In the month of April he was the only
officer attending the office. The public service had not
suffered from it, because "we" executed all the orders
forwarded to us.
Mr. Layard—You do not mean "we ;" you mean
4‘ I." (Laughter.)
Mr. Monsell—Never knew of an instance where the
guns were not ready before the ships to take them. The
Baltic and Black Sea fleets were fitted out in a very
short space of time, which was attributable to the ad-
mirable working of the department at Woolwich.

By the Chairman—Ws it not insinuated that you
applied to Lord Panmure to deprive Sir H. Ross of the
appointment of clerks, because be was disinclined to pro-
mote a person on your recommendation ?—lt was so in-
sinuated, but I distinctly deny ever having done sp.
The Secretary at War issued an order for 300 huts for
the troops on the 17th Nov., and the Secretary for War
sent it to the Ordnance on the 19th. Within 25 days
the contracts for the huts were entered into, the huts
constructed, and 757 despatched to the Crimea. The
contractors had contracted for the huts the very day on
which the Board of Ordnance received the order from
the War-office. Messrs. Price's contract was to supp'y
the huts at 27/., delivered at Glocester, and Mr. Chand-
ler's 341., delivered on board at Southampton.
Sir Frederick Smith, commanding engineer of the
south-western district, gave evidence to show there was
no delay on the part of the Board of Ordnance, nor any
of the officers of the department in procuring and send-
ing huts to the Crimea ; double canvassed tents would
have answered the purpose quite as well as the huts,
and would have been more easily and rapidly trans-
mitted and put up.
By Mr. Layard—The first huts left the 3d December.
As a military man, he would not have sent out huts.
The contract was taken for vertical roofs at 271., and it
wasnotuntil the 7th December after many had been made
that the question of roof was finally settled, and then
Messrs. Potter and Price bad 11. 10s. per hut more for
the horizontal roof. Tools, nails, and a plan of the huts
went out with each cargo. A sapper also went out,
capable of properly erecting them. All the huts from
England went out perfect.
The Committee adjourned at half-past three o'clock.

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