The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-11 00:00:00

AUSTRIA.

A letter from Vienna of the 6th, in the Post-
Ampt Gazette of Frankfort, says :—" It is rumoured
that the reply of the Western Powers arrived here
yesterday, and that it holds out no hope that the
conferences will be resumed. The battalion of
grenadiers, for some time back in garrison here,
are to leave to-morrow for Gallicia and the Hesse
Cassel hussars are to follow the day after."

ARMY BEFORE SEBASTOPOL COM-

MITTEE-(THIS DAY.)

The committee reassembled at the usual hour.
Lord Hardinge was the first witness called and exa-
mined by the chairman. He stated that having served
the office of Master-General of the Ordnance, he was
enabled to state his duties. They consisted in his
having charge of the artillery and engineering depart-
ments. He originated all military questions at the
board, and the other members the financial questions.
No works ought to be commenced or executed without
the consent of the Master General, who has complete
power to concur in or reverse any decision of the board on
any subject. Whilst at the board no difference of
opinion in the members of the board coed produce any
injury to the public service, from his having full
authority to decide on any difference •between
them. The Lieutenant-General, however, has not
the power of the Master-General as to his supe-
riority over the board. His lordship stated, in an
swer to a question from General Peel, with reference to
a statement made by Mr. Monsell, that at the time of
the breaking out of hostilities there was an insufficiency
of stores, that in March, 1852, when he came into office,
his first act was to inquire into the state of the artillery,
when lie found the number very small. He proposed to
Lord Derby in a lengthened memorandum his reasons
for coneidering it dangerous that the country should be
left in such a state, and -recommended that the num-
ber should be increased to two hundred guns
with two ammunition waggons to each gun, to which
the Government assented, and it was carried out by the
succeeding Government. The artillery were now in
such an efFeient state as to be the admiration of
the French. That would not have been the case had
ntt his recommendation been carried out. No difficulty
was experienced in supplying what was necessary for
the fitting out the fleets end the army. The army in
the Crimea was provided with the Minie rifle, which
consisted of two sorts, one of the invention and manufac-
ture of 1851 and the other of 1853, the, latter being the
be-t of the two. In 1854 a large purchase was made of
Minie rifles. It was true the last regiment: left without
the Minie rifle, but on their arriving at Balidelava, they
would exchange their firelocks for the Minie, and it was
owing to their bAtig in whet might be termed a transi-
tion state with regard to the rifles and guns tha' difficul-
ties had arisen in procuring the supplies. Under all the
circumstances, he thought they were better supplied with
stores at the commencement of the war than they had
been for the Fast 30 years as regarded the army, and
much better with the Navy. The Duke of Newcastle
was most anxious that the men should be supplied with
the Minie rifle, and a large number of those of
1853 was purchased. Improvements were still be-
ing made in them ; the best he had yet seen was
Mr- Prince's. The Ordnance Department was a very
difficult department to manage, from being one not only
of administration butexecution, because a work might last
over ten years to complete it. It was a department of
excessive labour and great responsibility. The men ap
pointed to the office ought to be men of first-rate ability ;
but in times of war they were obliged, as in the case of
Lord Raglan, to take them away, and consequently the
department could not go on as well with its business as
when he was present. In 1828 when the late Duke of
Wellington was at the head of this department, and he
(Lord Hardinge) was clerk, it was considered in a high
state of perfection. In 1852 when he returned to it he
found the desire to reduce expenditure had been carried
so far that the clerks and others were overworked, and
an amalgamation of the- work of the department made
to 'such an extent as to throw too much of the
work properly belonging to the heads of depart-
ments on the clers' hands ; and instead of
its having produced unity and simplicity, it had
caused confusion. An increase of the duties of the de-
partment had taken place owing to the introduction of
steam into the navy, and improvements in their military
arrangements. The functions of the Commander-in-
Chiet in field was to see to the discipline of the army
and to the camp being kept in proper order at all times,
and to select the persons for regimental and staff appoint.
ments. He (Lord Hardinge) appointed the medical offi-
cers under the recommendation of the medical board.
The staff appointments vacant in the Crimea were left
to Lord Raglan, because it was considered he ought to
have every means given him for strengthening
his power, and of rewarding those whom he be-
lieved the most meritorious. The Commander-in-
Chief in the field was subject to the orders of the Sec-
retary of State for War, and corresponded with him
(Lord Ilardinge) on matters of military detail. The in-
structions given to him were the same as those given to
the Duke of Wellington and the Duke of York. • The
responsibilities of the Commander-in-Chief at home
became connected with the civil department in case
of disturbance, or apprehended disturbance in the
country. His appointments in the army on home service
were subject to the appr.ival of the Home Secretary of
Stete, and for the Colonies to the Secretary for the
Colonies. The Secretary of State for War has unlimited
power over the Horse Guards, and if he were to ap-
point a person for theCritnea the Secretary of State's con-
sent would be necessary ; and with regard to his distri-
bution of military rewards and pensions, it came under
the review of the Government if they thought fit to do so.
{LEFT BITTING.]

A letter from Copenhagen, in the .liamburg Corre-
spondence, says :—"Letter; patent have just been pub-
lished by the King, ordering the primary elections for
tiao 1.311.3t;:ing to take plus) o 4 •11.10 -