The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-24 00:00:00

AlillY BEFORE SEBA,STOPoL CO I-

ZUITTEE.

EXAMINATION OF THE DUKE OF
NEWCASTLE.

The Committee re-assembled yesterday at the usual
Lour. Hip Grace the Duke of Newcastle and Mr. Sid
ney Herbert entered the room shortly before the pro-
ceedings commenced.
The Duke of Newcastle was first called, and' was
examined by the chairman.
He stated :—I was Minister for War under the Ad-
ministration of Lord Aberdeen. I was also Secretary
for the Colonies. My duties consist3d in the genera
direction cf the war, and I am at a loss to say what did
not come within the scope of my superirtendeßce. There
was no change made after the separation of the offices of
Secretary for War and Secretary for the Colonies. The
duties of the Commander-in-Chief, as relating to the Mi-
nister for War, had reference mere especially to the dis-
cipline of the army. As Secretary for War, it was my
duty to give directions as to the movements of the

troops.
By Lord Seymour—With refer rice to the movements
of the cavalry I communicated with the Commander-in-
Chief, and ef the artillery with the Maiter-General of the
Ordnance. I also took measures for the supply of provi-
sions, ex. The appointment of commanding-officers
was suggested to her Majesty by the Commaider-in-
Chief. I mean the generals of divisions and officers of
that superior class. These were afterwards approved by
the Administration. There were three exceptions in
which this rule was departed from, but it was through
inadvertence ; and in those cases the officers were ap-
pointed without the knowledge or consent of the Ad-
ministration.

The Chairman—Have you any objection to mention
the names of the officers in which this rule was departed
from ?

The Duke of Newcastle—l have no objection if the
committee wish it—my only objection at first was to
prevent mi-apprehension on the subject as the appoint-
ments had been made inadvertently. The instances p.O
refer to were the appointment of Lord Luc in and the
subsequent appointment of Brigadier Generals Torrens
and Goldie.

Mr. Layard—Did your Grace consider yourself re-
sponsible for the conduct of those officers after the ap-
pointment in 01.4 way ?
The Duke of Newcastle—Of course I consider myself
responsible w a certain extent under the circumstances.

Lord Seymour—As Secretary for War, had you the
whole scheme of providing for the efficiency of the Corn-
missariat supplies—the stores, and the land transport
corps I Were these matters brought under your notice
as Secrettry for War I
The Duke of Newcastle—No. As regards the Com-
missariat, I a certained from the officers of that de-
partment what was required, and looked to them to
make-the necessary arrangements fur its supply ; and
I looked in the same way to the Master-General
of the Ordnance for the supply of stores. At the
same time, I do not mean to say that I divested
myself of all care in the matter ; except that so far as
the Oommissariat was concerned, that being an indepen-
dent department, I did not interfere with that as with
the other. I, however, in some cases, ordered certain
amounts of supplies to be doubled.
His grace then went into some explanations relative
to the outbreak of war, and proceeded to state that
at his suggestion 10,000 men were sent in the first in-
stance to Malta, so that eventually the whole force
might be landed in Turkey with as little delay
as possible. Gallipoli was chosen as the first destina-
tion of the troops.
The Chairman— When was it first determined to send
a force into Turkey I
Duke of Newcastle—" Determined" is scarcely the
proper term to apply in that case. It, was always deter-
mined to send a force to Turkey, but the first order
issued for advancing 10,000 men thither was given, I
think, about the 21st of March last year.
Examination resumed—Gallipoli was chosen on the

recommendation of Sir J. Burg;vne, who had been pre-
viously sent out to examine the country, and he selected
►t on strategetical grounds, as the first placelthat ought
to be occupied. Provision was made that supplies of
fresh meat and bread should be supplied to the troops
at Gallipoli. Forage, he thought,-ought to have, been
procured there, but, to prevent any apprehensions on
these grounds, supplies of bread and forage were sent
out from home. Ido not think any forage was landed
at Gallipoli, as it was sent in sailing vessels. I think it
must have arrived too late.
The Chairman—When was the removal of the expedi-
tion to Varna first decided upon ?
The Duke of Newcastle—The order to embark the
troops for Varna from Scutari was given on the 22d of
April, I believe.
The Chairman—Can you say whether any and what
steps were taken to provide for the troops on their ar-
rival there ?

The Duke of Newcastle—ne duty of 'seeing to this
provision, of course, devolved at that time upon the
Co,,mander-in-Chief: His first step was to communicate
with the Commissary-General Filder, who was then
bound to wake the necessary arrangement'. With
regard to the sanitary arrangements, no official orders
were issued with respect to Varna ; but instructions
were given in the first instance to Colonel Dickson and
his staff to make the necessary inquiries at every place
where the expedition pr-iceeded, as to malaria or any
other prevalent cause of disease which might exist.
The Chairman—What was the object of the advance
to Varna ?
Duke of Newcastle—The advance to Varna .was male
for the protection of .Silistria ; and when the siege was
raised, another expedition was determined Upon.
The Chairman—Did you receive an intimation of any
kind to the effect that cholera was likely to break out at
Varna ?

The Duke of Newcastle—No, I did not ; and I do not

think any one, even a medical man, could have formed
an opinion on the subject. Varna was chusen at the
especial recommendation of Omer Pacha (from whose
letters his grace here read some extracts).
The Chairman—Did you not hear that the Russian
army had suffered from cholera there
The Duke of Newcastle—l am not aware of it.
The Chairman—What was the object of the advance

to Varna ?
The Duke of Newcastle—The advance to Varna was
made for the purpose of protecting Silistria, and when
the siege of Silistria was raised another expedition was
determined upon.
The Chairman—At what period of the year was the
further advance to the Crimea determined upon ?
Duke of Newcastle—On the 27th June.

At this stage of the proceedings a question arose as
to the propriety of his grace, being now no longer a mem-
ber of the Government, reading some official de-
spatches bearing upon some matters immediately sub-
sequel t to this event, and the room waq cleared for con-
su!tation. _ _ _

_
On the readmission of the public, his Grace said
that, in order to put the Committee in possession of the
instructions to Lord Raglan in reference to the siege of
Sebastopol, he would read the despatches he addressed
to Lord Raglan on the subj-et. One of these, dated
June 29th, directed his lordship to concert measures
with Marshal St. Arnaud for the siege of Sebastopol.
unless he was of opinion that it could not be undertaken
with any reasonable prospect of success. It also recom-
mended the occupation of Perekop, and stated, as the
opinion of the Government, that all the difficulties of
the siege would be more likely to increase than diminish
by delay ; and that, as long as Sebastopol remained,
there was no prospect of a safe and honourable peace.
This letter his grace stated was submitted to Lord Rag-
lan before it way sent.

In reply to the chairman his Grace the Duke of New-
castle stated that he had received a letter in reply from
Lord Raglan, having rtTerence to various matters, hut
he did not think it fair to his lordship to read extracts
only from it. He 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. Pakitlgton—ln my despatch of the 18th of
April to L rd 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 Radcliffe to send a confidenti-ti agent whom he
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 Par:ia-
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 had 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 shouid be forwarded. The com-
missariat department was respon,ible to ms, but was
not under my control until the 2241 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 strung feeling in the public mind against
the enlistment of foreign troons. 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 Nas 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 Raglan
was in pre.sing want of reinforcements, it became neces-
sary to drive- upon recruits, whom it wOuld, -under ether
circumstances, have been very advisable to retain at
home for anotheri year.
By Mr, Loyard—The bill brought before Parlitiment