The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-21 00:00:00

THE ARMY WORKS CORPS.

Of all the auxiliary influences drawn from civil life
with which it has thus far been attempted to supplement
the force of our arms in the East the new corps which,
under the above title, is about to take its departure for
the Crimea promises to be one of the most important.
This will at once be clearly understood when it is re-
membered that the sufferings of our troops during the
past winter were mainly due to the fact tbat their
strength was overtasked and broke down under the
severity of the physical labour - imposed upon them.
They bad more to do than they could accomplish, not
as soldiers, but as workmen ; and, though other causes
aggravated the evil, and precipitated its disastrous con-
sequences, there can be no doubt that they perished in
such numbers chiefly from overwork. Under these cir-
cumstances it was natural that the Government at home
should cast about for the means of lightening, as far as
possible, the weight of labour thus liable to press at
any moment so fatally upon the vital energies of
the army. It was evident, putting higher feelings aside,
that having, at much cost and great expenditure of
time, trained men for fighting., it was very bad and
wasteful management to use up this costly material in
a way which it never was intended for, and for which,
consequently, it was quite unfit. "Everyone to his
trade" is so entirely a common-sense maxim that it
seems wonderful how we in this country, who ,tarry out
on such an extended scale the principle of the subdivi-
sion of labour, should ever allow it to be overlooked. It
may be true that the ranks of the army are mainly re-
cruited from the agricultural districts, but the soldier
has his expertness in handling the spade and pickaxe soon
drilled out of him ; and when he is set to use them in the
trenches he can neither do the amount of work nor with
the ease which those trained by daily habits of labour
possess. This observation holds true not only of the men
of the Line, but of the corps of Sappers also ; for, though
much employed on special duties belonging rather
to civil than to military life, they have long celsed to
pOssess that peculiar aptitude for physical toil which is
acquired by those whose bread depends upon their being
our " hewers of wood and drawers of water." Thus
it arises that a want exists in the organisation of the
army, rendered terribly apparent by the occurrences
of last winter. • After such sufferings no ono could
deny that it was desirable, as far as practicable, to re-
serve the soldier for fighting ; to husband his strengh
and health, his discipline, his professional training, and
his courage for that single but important object ; to re-
lieve him of every duty calculated to impair his efficiency
in that respect ; and, above all, to take off his shoulders
the, burden of unaccustomed labour with implements
which he has forgotten how to handle and probably
enlisted to escape the drudgery of wielding. In look-
ing around to ascertain how this was to be accomplished,
the attention of the Government could hardly fail of be-
ing directed to that remarkable class of men called
"navvies," of whom there are computed to be in this
country at least 250,000. Of these it is calculated that
150,000 have no home or settled habitation—no pro-
perty except their labour, the implements with which it
is carried on,' and as much wearing apparel as will go
into a very small bundle. Yet, though to a certain
extent a nomadic race, the campaigners of civil life,
and having hardly " a stake in the hedge," they have
their own peculiar organisation and discipline ; they
perform an incredible amount of work ; under judi-
cious treatment they are not difficult to manage, and,
notwithstanding the bouts of drunkenness in which they
periodically indulge, they are on the whole as peace-
able and loyal as they are useful subjects of the realm.
The first experiment which was made in getting the as-
sistance of these powerful and hardy men to the actual
operations of the war was in the construction of the
railway from Balaklava to the camp. Eneouraged by
the entire success which attended that experiment, the
Government have now advanced a step further, and
established what in official language is called "the Army
Works Corps." It is 1,000 strong at present, but will
probably be increased if found to answer the objects for
which it has been formed. There are 800 "navvies" orga-
nised into gangs of 25, 70 carpenters and smiths, and 65
artificers, including in thatterm shoemakers, tailors, hare
nessmakers, barbers, and other special crafts. The staff
consists of a chief officer, Mr. Doyne, who is a civil en-
gineer of high promise ; a superintendent of works, Mr.
Pope, who has participated in some of the most remark-
able undertakings that have been executed in this
country ; six assistant-superintendents, all tried men ; a
superintendent of stores and Commissariat supplies, a
secretary,- paymaster, chaplain, two surgeons, and a
dresser ; an assistant-storekeeper, five clerks, 11 fore-
men, and two gangers. These officers have all been
selected with the greatest care, and will, we have no
doubt, fully justify the important trust confided to them.
Tbe.corps strictly preserves its civil character, having no
uniform, being engaged. during the continuance of the
war as for any ordinary joh, entitled to neither pension
nor honours, and not expected or bound to take any
share whatever in the fighting. The men, however,
have not' 'hesitated to engage to work under fire ; they
consent to place themselves under the provisions of
the Mutiny -Act, and while they are under the su-
preme andl absolute directors of Mr. Doyne, he
takes his orders from Sir Harry Jones and Lord
Raglan. None of the subordinate authorities of
the army, except the bead of the Royal Engineers, will
be entitled to exercise control over the corps, and in his
case it must be done through the chief. For their com-
missariat the navvies' will depend upon the general
arrangements of the army, but they in' great measure
provide their own means of transport, relying upon
Colonel M‘Murdo's department only for the carriage of
such stores as do not belong to them when in light
marching order. The duties which they will have to
discharge may, perhaps, best be described under the
rather vague term of making themselves "generally
useful ; " but any one who has seen an army on active
service will at once understand how much that means.
To those who have not it may be sufficient to specify
as among the objects of the corps the formation of siege
or fieldworks, the construction of bridges, the making
and repairing roads, building huts, erecting and striking
tents, draining and cleansing the sites of encampments,
sinking wells, digging grave pits, mending damaged
materials of all kinds, and, in fact, doing a multitude of
" odd jobs," the inability to attend to which is one of
the chief causes why in military operatons in the field
there is such a waste of things indispensable to the effi-
ciency and success of troops. It is unnecessary to
point out how valuable may be the assistance thus ren-
dered, how greatly it may be made to contribute to the
comfort and welfare of the soldier, and how exactly it
supplies one of the wants in the organisation of the
army which the winter's campaign so painfully demon-
strated.
Proceeding now to the equipment of the new corps,
there is a good deal therein which is worthy of special
notice. The means of shelter and of cooking, the clothing
and land transport provided, are all excellent, and the
greatest care, inventive skill, and forethought have been
exercised in making them as perfect as possible. It was
justly considered a matter of primary importance to ob-
tain tents of such. improved construction, and so fitted

internally as to afford substantial guaranteesfor the
health of the men. Accordingly, for each gang of 25 a
tent of the bell shape, . but three or four times larger
than that used by the Ordnance, has been supplied.
The top is furnished with an umbrella ventilator of
metal, which can be raised or lowered at pleasure, and
will secure a good and wholesome atmosphere at all
times to the inmates. It was found that Cooke, the
equestrian, in travelligg through the country, after having
triekl every, kind of, .material for his tents, gave a de-
cided preference 'to cotton over canvass, and in'aceord•
ante sv,qh his experience :the former: is, used It has the
advantages of being light of carriage, easily 'repaired,
drying quickly, and not liable to rot ; but en the ether
hand, a sinalacovering of it is rather too thin to exclude
the rays of a ,southern sun, and the tents of the Turkish
army, which ar:s made of it, are double lined throughout.
The tent • pole is' of metal tabing,'in pieceS, and so ar-
ranged as to form the chimney to the cooking stove if
desired, or otherwisks to assist in the ventilation. Round
the interior are rangeki in a circle 25 very lightly framed
bedsteadei of angle iron, which lift the men off the damp
ground, fold up in the siniplest manner, and are s 6 con-
trived that the sacking at one end, by giving it a slight
elevation, forms a comfortable pillow. They each weigh
only 191 b., yet they have aminle strength to bear the burly,
stalwart fellows Who are to s.'eep on them. It will give
some idea of the spacious char. icter of the tents when we
state that, with the bedsteads in their places, a clear
space of 18ft. diameter is left,Un'occupied in the centre.
Instead of• the ordinary peg fastenings, galvanised iron
screws are employed; and at the bolt mn of each gore, to
compensate for the shrinking of the canvas in wet
weather, expanding indiarubher springs are introduced.
Perhaps, in •practice, • for .the rough use .ef navvies in a
campaign, this tent may not prove so servict,able as is ex-
pected ; but oft:linty it is a great improvemen t upon any-
thing of the kind that we have ever seen, and with all its
appurtenances and, fittings complete, weighs on;v 8 cwt.
241 h. • As long as our soldiers have so little training in
the use of tentmat borne, it will lie; iniposaible to insvre to
them during a campaign that comfortable and effeketual
shelter which is so essential to their health. But v‘ith
some attention to this vitally important matter; the style
of tent supplied to the new corps .makes it clear that we
need not go on for ever adding immeasurably to the in-
evitable mortality of warfare by packing on the damp
ground under one miserable little canvass extinguisher
some 14 or 15 human beings, who, when sickness appears
among theni, by an inevitable law at once make it en-
demic. The cooking-stove sent out with each gang is so
arranged as to burn any kind of fuel and boil or steam
for a mess of 30 at least. Every navvy takes out with
him in a bag a well selected kit, adapted both for warm ,
weather and cold, and not too bulky, . nor containing a
single superfluous article. With respect to the land trans-
port arrangements of the corps, they present several im-
pel-tent improvements upon ordinary military practice. •
Light one-horse carts are made, weighing only 6 cwt.
41h., with the shafts, by a clever device, converted into
strong yet excellent springs, and the whole balanced as
to render the draught as easy as possible for the animal.
These o,rts seems admirebly adapted for the purpose
which they are intended to serve, and might advanta-
geously he used as a pattern for the general land tran-
som* ervice of the army. They would make at a p'rieli
very fair ambulances, and, contrasted with the lumber-
ing,
springless waggons of the French equipage militaire,
their superiority is in every way conspicuous. Mr.
Doyne, we predict, will have many a covetous glance
directed at them when they reach the Crimea. Every
gang will have a cart, which, when loaded with tent,
bedsteads, stove, and all appurtenances, will not weigh
more than 14i cwt —a very moderate load to draw.
Such are the leading features in the equipment of the
new corps which this week takes its departure for the
East in ships provided with every suitable arrangement.
for the comfort of the men by W. S. Lindsay and Co.
The care and, skill with which the corps has been or-
ganised, and the many improvements introduced in its
equipment, are entirely due to Sir Joseph Paxton, who
was the first to call attention to the valuable aid which
might thus be rendered to the army, and who was in-
trusted by Lord Panmure with the task which he has
thus ably executed. It is only right to say that he has
given his time and talents to the formation and fitting
out of the corps gratuitously ; that he has diligently
sought out the best men that Could be had for the work,
and, if the expectations entertained of the under-
taking are not realised, it will not have been for want of
personal exertion and solicitude on his part. The diffi-
culties to be encountered are those of professional jeal-
ousy, for officers in the army are not favourable to the
intervention of civilians, however indirect*, in military
affairs, and one or two hitches which have taken place
in the starting of this corps lead one to infer that it is not
looked upon very approvingly by those in command in
the East. Here, however, as in other instances, they
will probably find it advisable to pocket their prejudices,
and give the corps a fair trial. If atter that it fails, the
country has at least the satisfaction of knowing that a
suitable effort has been made to supply a great want in
the organisation of the army, disclosed by a winter of
terrible suffering and mortality among the ranks of our
heroic soldiers.

Lord Pantnure went down to Sydenham at an early
hour yesterday morning to satisfy himself by a personal
inspection that the organisation and equipment of the
corps were complete. In the grounds of the Crystal
Palace he examined every detail of the arrangements,
and had the Staff presented to him by Sir Joseph Pax-
ton, and addressed successively to them and to such of
the navvies as were present on the occasion a few well-
chosen words of encouragement and advice. His lord-
ship expressed great confidence in the success of the
undertaking, which he had closely at heart, and in
which he considered his reputation as Minister of War
to be involved. He seemed entirely satisfied with the
result of his inspection, and both men and officers were
highly gratified by his •isit.