The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-30 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

A large number of petitions were pr;sented praying
for a reduction of the duty on stage carriages.
Mr. BRIGHT presented nine petitions from different
parts of the country praying the house to repeal the
newspaper stamp. _ _

WATSON presented a similar petition from the
printers of Hull.
Sir J. SHELLEY presented a petition from the
churchwardens of St. James's, Westminster, expressing
sympathy for the sufferings of our brave army in the
Crimea, and ascribing them to the mismanagement of
the authorities under her Majesty's Government, and
praying the house to withhold its support from the pre-
sent Government, in order that a change may be made
in its constitution, with a view to secure a more vigo-
rous administration of affairs in the Crimea.
RECEPTION OF THE WOUNDED IN
ENGLAND.

Mr. M. MILNES :aid, in the absence of the right
hon. baronet the First Lord of the Admiralty, to whom
he had given notice of the question, he begged to ask
the naval lord present whether any correspondence had
taken place hetween the Admiralty and the authe-
lities of Portsmouth respecting the alleged ne-
glect of suck authorities in making the necessary ar-
rangement for conveying and succouring soldiers and
seamen who had arrived Irons the seat of war in the
Himalaya ; and if so, whether there would be any ob-
jection to produce the correspondence ?
Admiral BERKELEY said he could assure the hon.
gentleman that it was sot from any neglect that the
right hon. baronet (Sir J. Graham) was not there to an-
swer the question, as he was sorry to say the right hon-
ourable baronet was so extremely unwell as to be
confined to his bed. With regard to the question of
the honourable gentleman, he could only say that
the man Williams did not belong either to the army
y
or to the navy, nor was he returned either by the
captain cr surgeon of the ship as being on
board. He was conveyed in the first place to the
Sailors' Home, where he ought to have been re-
ceiveel, the authorities having so knowledge of such
a person being on board, he having been sent home as
a distressed Britisk subject. No public correepon-
, deuce bad taken place on the subject, but his right
honourable friend the First Lord of the Admiralty
i had written to the Superintendent of the Dockyard
requesting him to make the most searching inquiries
into the case. It was an act of justice to say that
the surgeon of the ship had written a strong letter, de-
nying that the man was neglected while oa board.
Mr. M. MILNES said the answer was was confined to
' the case of the man Williams
i
generally to the sick and wounded
When they arrived soldiers
applied
they
Were
improperly rs and sailors.
huddled together, and received no consideration
kept
what-
ever at the bands of the Custom-house authorittoiens
Mr. S. HERBERT said, (Frectly he saw this ma.tter in
1 the newspapers, he lost no time in writing eoLordHardinge
begging that he would institute an inquiry into it, but
be found that his lordship had already done so. He also
wrote to theTreasuryasking whether there was any truth
in the statement as far as it related to the conduct of the
Custom-house officers, and lie was told that no such de-
tention had taken place. He believed the distressing
occurrence arose out of an error. An officer was de-
spatched to meet the Himalaya with the view of making

the necessary arrangements for disembarking the men,
but before he gat back the vessel bad arrived in port.
THE PATRIOTIC FUND.
Colonel NORTH wished to ask whether the widows
and orphans of those men who, serving under the Fo-
reign Enlistment Bill, may fall during the present war
are to participate in the advantages of the Patriotic
Fund ; also, if the widows and orphans of the officers of
our army, navy, and marines, who may fall in this war,
are to participate in the advantages of that fund ?
Mr. S. HERBERT apprehended that the subscribers
to the Patriotic Fund intended that it should be directed
to the relief of the English army exclusively, and it would
not be possible without their consent to apply any por-
tion of it to a purpose for which it was not originally in-
tended.
Mr. S. A.DAIR said, with regard to the second
question, the point was now under the consideration of
the finance committee, but temporary assistance had
already been afforded to such cases which were looked
upon as of an exceptional character.
Colonel DUNNE wished to know if the parties ac-
cepting such assistance would prejudice their right to a
pension
Mr. S. HERBERT should imagine not.
THE CAVALRY CHARGE AT BALAKLAVA.
Mr. H. BERKELEY wished to ask the Secretary at
War, firstly, whether any correspondence and what has
taken place between Field-Marshal Lord Raglan and her
Majesty's Government on the subject of the melancholy
disaster which occurred at thebattle of Balaklava, where
the lives of so many of our gallant men of the Light Ca-
valry were lost, and whether there be any objection to
lay such papers on the table ; secondly, whether due in-
quiry has bean made or be contemplated on the subject ?
Mr. S. HERBERT said—Sir,—ln answer to the
question of my honourable friend, I have to state, first
of all, that in speaking of the charge of the Light Bri-
gade at Balaklava, I should find another term for it
rather than a melancholy disaster. (Hear.) With regard
to the question itself, I may state that Lord Raglan has
made a communication to the Government on the sub-
ject ; but I am not now in a position to lay hie despatch
upon the table. I hope, therefore, the hon. gentleman
will not press h
fort i te, b
attentionut I can f
the assure
G oTheirmn
Government.
.subject
hanot escaped
Mr. H. BERKELEY gave notice that on an early
day he should move an address to her Majesty, praying
that an inquiry may be instituted into the conduct of
Liees.-camerat Loyd Lscan, fur ordering use cnarge of
light cavalry at the battle of Balaklava, under circum-
stances which precluded the possibility of success, but
would inevitably lead to great loss of life.
Mr. C. BERKELEY asked the Secretary at War if
he had any objection to answer these two questions,
viz. :—First, Whether the order which had been pub-
lished in all the newspapers as emanating from Lord
Raglan to Lord Lucan for the light brigade of cavalry
to make the disastrous charge at Balaklava, is the cor-
rect order or not ! It runs thus—" Lord Raglan wishes
the cavalry to advance rapidly to the front ; follow the
enemy, and try to prevent their carrying away the guns.
A troop of Horse Artillery may accompany. The
French cavalry is on the left. Immediate." The second
question is, why the remnant of these brave men are
not to have a clasp to their medal with the word "Baia-
klava" upon it, in addition to " Alma" and "Inkerman?"
Mr. S. HERBERT had no objection whatever to
answer them. In the first place, the words which
the hon. member bad given were a correct transcript of
the order of Lord Raglan. With regard to the second
question, his answer was, that clasps had been granted
by her Majesty.
REPORTERS IN THE CRIMEA.
Mr. BERESFORD asked the Secretary-at-War
whether, during the present campaign in the East,
rations had been supplied by the Commissariat to any
of the correspondents of the daily press, and if so, by
what authority had the issue taken place, and had it
continued up to the latest returns furnished ?
Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT said, in the early. part of
the campaign the correspondents of the daily press were
allowed rations upon paying for them, but without the
authority of the Government ; and the Board of Audit
had properly disallowed the expenses in the accounts
sent home. The right hon. gentleman read a letter from
Sir C. Travelyan to General Filder, directing the latter
to afford accommodation to the representatives of the
press, if it could be consistently done ; and accordingly
they bad been allowed rations, where they could purchase
provisions upon paying for them.
Col. KNOX asked whether it was true that the cor-
respondent of the Times was given a free passage from
Varna to the Crimea for himself, his servant, and three
horses, when the officers in the service were only allowed
one horse ?
Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT—I am not aware of any-
thing of the kind. (Hear, hear.)
ADJOURNED DEBATE ON MR. ROEBUCK'S
MOTION.
Mr. STAFFORD resumed the debate. He observed
that the only claim he had upon the attention of the
house at that stage of the proceedings was his having
witnessed the state of affairs in the Crimea ; which he
little anticipated he should have found it necessary to
lay before the house, inasmuch as ao one could have
foreseen the events which had taken place daring the
past week. In this house they had not to discuss the
responsibility of individual Ministers, but of the Admi-
nistration as a body. It was, therefore, with some sur-
prig* thet, ho heard the right bon. gentleman the Secre-
tary at War state on Friday night that a commission
had been authorised to inquire into the causes of the
state of affairs now existing in the East ; but he felt
bound to say that, in his opinion, although this might be
done, it would not in any way absolve the Government
fromresponsibility. Having referred to his experience
of matters connected with the war during a recent visit
to the Crimea he explained that that visit had been dic-
tated by no party motive, but that it was entirely of a
disinterested character, and he should be most happy to
avail himself of any opportunity which the Secretary at
War might afferd him of giving the right hon. gentleman
the benefit of his observations. The hon. gentleman
then proceeded to express his gratification to hear that
the Government had taken measures to establish an hos-
pital for the sick and wounded at Smyrna, and then
passed on to notice the Scutari hospital. He admitted
that of late its arrangements had been much improved,
and were still being improved ; but there were
radical evils connected with it which would probably
never be remedied, amongst which was the exceeding
impurity of the atmosphere in the neighbourhood. In
the interior of the hospital, when he visited it, he found
the evaporation of noxious gases from the wards, arising
from want of attendance, was most prejudicial, and the
health of the patients and other inhabitants of the parts im-
medi?,tely adjacent affected. The hon. gentleman then
went on to allude to the position of affairs at an hospital
associated in recent history with two remarkable cir-
cumstances—one a glorious victory, and the other the
most abject state of misery and death attending our
brave defenders which perhaps was unparalleled in the
annals of the world—he meant Balaklava. (Hear, hear.)
Whilst at that place he bad gone into the hospital, and,
as the house was aware, the two greatest evils existing
there was a want of ventilation and cleanliness. He
alluded in particular to the case of one invalid soldier,
who was almost dying from starvation, and who could
keep nothing on his stomach but sago, which, however,
he was allowed only once a day, in consequence of the
want of dietary arrangements. He (the hon. gentleman)
asked to be allowed to take care of this poor fellow, but
he was told that it could not be permitted, as he
hail not been in the hospital long enough. The bon.
gentleman next spoke of the embarkation of the wounded
at Balaklava, en board the transport vessels, stating,
amongst ether things, the deplorable condition in which
the poor fellows were sometimes left on shore prepara-
tory to being conveyed on board, and the inattention to
their comfort, indeed to their common wants, afterwards.
In the cases of some who were suffering from diarrhoea,
he mentioned the tenacity with which they clung to
their miserable blankets and wet and worn over-coats,
for warmth, though these coverings were completely
over-run with vermin, and sometimes so badly as to be
obliged to be thrown overboard ; and afterwards
mentioned how he had himself been instrumental
in the issue of a number of blankets to the un-
fortunate sufferers on board the Candia. The hon. gen-
tleman, however, then observed that after presenting this
gloomy picture to the house he should not be doing jus-
tice to the Government if he did not congratulate the
Secretary at War upon having sent out so large a num-
ber of nurses to the East. (Hear, hear.) It was im-
possible to over-estimate the blessings and the
benefits which they had been instrumental in con-
ferring upon the unfortunate sick and wounded,
and to appreciate the goodness of heart and head by
which their attentions and services were dictated. He
also mentioned with some pleasure that throughout his
progress through the hospitals he had never heard one
single word spoken by a single invalid against a single
officer in command ; and amongst those who were moat
highly spoken of there was no one alluded to in more
enthusiastic terms than his Royal Highness the Duke
of Cambridge (hear, hear) whose kindness and
warmth of heart, as well as bravery, under all cir-
cumstances, whether in action or, not, had won for him
the admiration of all. The letter of her most gra-
cious Majesty the Queen created the most enthusiastic and
patriotic excitemest amongst the poor sick and wounded
bittercases were not Itunf ftrbeequmeendticiinnewthhiecyh
wtheerye
sweetenedufferers—
sufferers--and
obliged to swallow, by accompanying them with "The
health of the Queen." Another brave fellow in one of
the hospitals, on his death-bed, said these terrible words,
" Had I been better treated I might have gone back to
my duty in the field, and then I would be ready to meet
a soldier's death. But England does not care for her
soldiers." He then turned aside his head and died.
Since he had come back he bad found, in fact, that Eng-
land cared for little else. (Hear.) This would go to
the poor soldiers in the Least through the agency of
that press which he was sorry to have seen denounced
by the Government. (The hon. member resumed his
seat amidst loud cheers.)
Mr. B. OSBORNE remarked with pleasure that among
the many criticisms pronounced upon the conduct of the
war, no direct censure had been hazarded against the de-
partment to which ho was himself attached—namely, the
Admiralty. Adverting to the motion before the house, he
commented upon the injustice of sacrificing a minister for
the faults of a system. The military organisation of the
country was altogether rotten. It could not be reformed
by a mere consolidation of departments, but must bo
changed and purified from one end to the other, from the
Horse Guards to the soldiers' barrack-rooms. Entering
into details on this point, the hon. member condemned
the system of promotion by purchase, the favouritism
which presided over staff appointments, and the general
spirit of routine and aristocratic exclusiveness that could
be traced throughout every department of annyv.d.ministra-
tion as regarded the upper ranks of the public service. In
reference to the secession of Lord Johnitueeell, he admitod