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

PETITIONS.

Petitions were presented by Mr. R. Currie from
Northampton, in favour of abolishing all taxes on know-
ledge ; by Mr. C. Bruce (several petitions) from Scot-
land, against the Lord Advocate's Education Bill ; by
Mr. Seholefield, from various newspaper proprietors,
in Warwickshire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire,
in favour of a halfpenny stamp on newspapers ; by Mr.
Hadfield, from Cumberland, against Church Rates ' • by
Col. Lindsay, from Wigan, praying for the repeal of the
Beer Bill ; by Colonel Dunne, from Drogheda Union,
praying that two unions may be incorporated in one ;
by Mr. C. Berkeley, from the Cheltenham, Free
Press, in favour of the halfpenny stamp on newspapers ;
Mr. Bright, from several provincial newspaper proprie-
tors, against the law of copyright proposed by the Chan.
cellor of the Exchequer ; also from the Norwich Mercury
in favour of the halfpenny stamp ; by Mr. E. Ball, from
places in Cambridgeshire, in favour of the abolition of
chureh rates.
HIBERNIAN MILITARY SCHOOL.

Mr. BRADY asked the Secretary for War if the sum
of 2451. in the army estimates of this year, apecifie 1 as
the salary of the chaplain of the Hibernian Military
School, was for a Protestant or Catholic chaplain, and
what was the relative proportion between the children
born of Catholic and Protestant parents who were edu-
cated at that establishment
Mr. F. PEEL said the sum specified was for a Pro-
testant chaplain. The number of Roman Catholic boys
in the school was 120, which was one-third of the whole
number in the institution • and the interests of these
boys were as carefully looked after as any of the °them
CLOTHING OF THE GUARDS.

Mr. Layard—Can your Grace infrrm me whether it
was intended to confine the foreign legion to Germans
The Duke of Newcastle—ln the first instance it was
intended to confine it to Germans and to Swiss.
Examination resumed—Great d ffieulties were placed
in the way of obtaining a foreign legion and caused by
the strong language used in Par:iament. I had had
overtures from many distinguished foreigners who bad
come over to this country for the purpose of assisting us
in the formation of a foreign legion, but after being called
" cut throats" and the like they were offended, and
would have nothing more to do with the matter.
In reply to Lord Seymour his Grace went on to state :
I received a letter from the Ordnance department stating
that my orders relative to the warm clothing had been
executed. I thought the Ordnance ought to have a
separate store department in order to relieve the Com
missariat, which I thought was over burthened.
By the Chairman—Means were taken to supply the
army with fresh meat—but I believe the supply has
been better dining the present year than it was before.
Tenders were sent in for preserved meats, but the Go-
vernment were apprehensive in consequence of the tricks
which had been played in such contracts, and none were
obtained. I have personally a very high opiei.rn of
preserved meats. Preserved vegetables were sent out,
and were procured from France. I think it very possi-
ble that soine portion of the army might never have
heard of them. With regard to fresh meat lam afraid
that during the winter the troops only had it
once or twice a week ; some portions might, and I
fear probably, had none for a week at a time,
but it is impassible that the general body of
the army could have been without it for that period.
So far as I was concerned I took the best steps in order
that fresh meat should be supplied. Soon after the
battle of Inkerman I took stepr to provide a supply
of wooden huts for the use of the army in the winter.
Wood for the purpose was sent from this country to
Balaklava. 01 course wood procured at Constantinople,
or near the spot, would have been cheaper, but it would
not have been ro available. Planking was also for-
warded from Malta, but I suppose the want of huts in
the camp arose from the simple fact of there being no
road from the harbour to the camp.
The Chairman—l suppose your grace, in common
with others, heard of the state of the harbour at
Balaklava.

Duke of Newcastle—Yes ; and I at once applied to
the Admiralty on the subject. I had no cr'ntrol over
those persons who had the direction of the harbour,
but I took means to remove the nuisances which existed
on land.

Examination continued—l have never been called
upon officially to take any steps in reference to Admiral
Buser ; but a large number of persons, who have either
called upon me or written to me, have complained of
his conduct. If any complaints had been made to me
officially, I should undoubtedly have taken notice of
them. I had nothing to do with the selection of medi-
cal officers ; the whole responsibility of that rested upon
Dr. Andrew Smith, of the medical board.
The Chairman--Did you receive any intimation, ex-
cept through the public newspapers and private chan-
nels, of the miserable condition of our soldiers in the
hcspitals ?

Duke of Newcastle—l did not.
The Chairman—Did you receive no official report as
to the state of the hospitals ?
Duke of Newcastle—l did not, but so far as lay in
my power I endeavoured to remedy this condition of
things after what I read. In the case of the Kangaroo
and the Dunbar, in relation to which I have seen my-
self accused in thei public prints, I did the best I could.
In reference to the commission consisting of Mr.
Maxwell and two medical gentlemen, appointed to in-
quire into the state of the military hospitals, his Grace
said that Lord Raglan was aware of their appointment,
and had offered to give them all the assistance in his
power. He did not know that orders were given that
no information should be given to the Commissioners.
Mr. Layard—Dr. Andrew Smith bas said that he had
se. many masters to please that he did not know to whom
he was responsible. Does that agree with your impres-
sion as to what his duties were?
Duke of Newcastle—lt was not a fair interpretation
of his position. He was no doubt responsible to the
Horse Guards, to the War-office, and to the Ordnance,
but I told him that when he was in any difficulty to
look entirely to me.
Examination ccntinued.—The question of the green
coffee was not brought under my consideration until
after the complaints were remedied. lam not aware
that green coffee is issued to this hour. When Mr.
Smith complained of the absurd forms he had to go
through I told him to disregard them. He led me to
believe he followed my advice. Whenever there was
any case of emergency I supplied it at once.
The committee then adjourned until to-morrow.

A Supplement to the London Gazette of Friday con-
tains the official announcement of the investiture of his
Imperial Majesty Napoleon 111., Emperor of the French,
with the Ensigns of the Most. Noble Order of the Gar-
ter, the particulars of which we published on Thursday.