The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-23 00:00:00

then brought up, and the resolutions having been put
from the chair,
Mr. GLADSTONE said the principle on which the
loan of his right honourable friend had been ccn-
tractecl was fair and equable. He maintained
that bad it been attempted to obtain the money
by means of terminable annuities, a number of disadvan-
tages would have ensued. At the same time, he ob-
served, he had strong objections to the means proposed
for the repayment of the loan at the rate of a mil-
lion per annum immediately after the termination
of the war. He contended that such a compulsory
obligation was unjust. to succeeding Parliaments,
whilst as a principle it was most unfair, as well as pre-
judicial to the public interest. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. MACGREGOR rose and was
[LEFT SPEAKING.]

ARMY BEFORE-SEBASTOPOLCOM-

MITTEE.

(Continued from our first edition.)

In reply to the chairman his Grace the Duke of New-
castle stated that he had received a latter in reply from
Lord Raglan, having reference to various matters, but
he did not think it fair to his lordship to read extracts
only from it. IL thought it proper to real the whole of
it or none at all.

After some discussion it was determined that the chair-
man should move for a copy to be furnished to the com-
mittee, by which course the ground of the objection
would be removed.

Ey Sir J. Pakington—ln my despatch of the 18th of
April to Lord Raglan, I desired him to make secret in-
quiries with a view to ascertain the force of the Russian
army in the Crimea, and the strength of the fortifications
of Sebastopol, and all the necessary information of that
kind.

Sir J. Pakington—ls your Grace aware that an
offer was made by Admiral Dundas, previously
to the advance of the army from Varna, to Lord Strat-
ford de Redcliffe to send a confidential agent whom be
named to obtain all the information ?
The Duke of Newcastle—l certainly never heard of
such an offer having been made until this moment. In-
deed I do not think it at all like'y that such an offer was
made.

Examination continued—The fact of the troops win-
tering in the Crimea was a matter of necessity, not of re-
solution. Immediately after the prorogation of Parlia-
ment, in August last, he ordered a large supply of warm
clothing for the army. These orders were given to the
ordnance, and no doubt they were executed. The warm
clothing sent out in the Prince was part of that ordered
in August. A large portion of these things would not
have been required had the Government bad any assur-
ance that the troops would winter in comfortable bar-
racks. At that time it wAs not known where the troops
would winter ; but as soon as it became obvious that
the troops must winter in the Crimea, I gave instructions
that additional supplies should be forwarded. The com-
missariat department was responsible to me, but was
not under my control until the 22d December. There
had been some difficulties in the way of obtaining reserves.
I do not recollect that a Spanish colonel had offered the
Government to provide 10,000 Spanish troops. Several
offers of that kind had been made, but for various reasons
they were not entertained. One of these reasons was
that there was a strong feeling in the public mind against
the enlistment of foreign troops. Several offers of Por-
tuguese and Spanish troops were made, which I do not
recollect specially ; but it was considered by the Go-
vernment very desirable that neither should be employed.
Whilst I was in office no offer of this kind was made by
the Canadian Government ; but, I believe, some assis-
tance has been volunteered by Canada.
By General Peel—The first 10,000 men sent out were
only intended to be an advanced portion of the army—
it was always contemplated to send out 25,000 men, or
thereabouts. When it became known that Lord PAglan
was in pressing want of reinforcements, it became neces-
sary to draw upon recruits, whom it would, under other
circumstances, have been very advisable to retain at
home for another year.
By Mr. Layard— The bill brought before Parliament
was the very first step taken with a view to the enlist-
ment of a foreign legion. The Government did not con-
sider it becoming to proceed in such a manner without
the consent of Parliament.