The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-13 00:00:00

ARMY BEFORE SEBASTOPOL COM
MITTEE --(THIS DAY.)

The committee of inquiry resumed their labours this
morning at the usual hour.
Mr. Layard acted as chairman in the absence of Mr.
Roebuck on account of indisposition.
Captain Shakspeare was the first witness examined.

By the Chairman—He left England in June last year
and joined his regiment (the Horse Artillery) at Varna.
lie proceeded to the Crimea and afterwards returned te
Varna. His troop had six guns, four 6-pounders, and
two 12-pounders. Whilst in Bulgaria he lost 8 men
from cholera, dysentery, and fever. During the timt
he was in Bulgaria he had sufficient supplies of food for
horses and men. Had two Commissariat officers attached
to his regiment. A ration return was made out for the
supply required for three days, and this was continued
ill the end of the month, and there was no trouble what-
ever on these returns in obtaieing provisions.
The Chairman—To what department did these Com-
missariat officers belong'!
Witness--To the General's Commissariat staff. There
was 189 men in his troop, but he only lost six or eight
from sickness. They had an assistant-surgeon attached
to the troop. There was a deficient supply of vegetables ;
and ho understood there was much difficulty in obtaining
them. Their assistant-surgeon was under the direction et
the head of the army medical staff, but he did not recollect
the name of that officer. Each officer of the regiment
had a baggage horse, and these were sufficient for all
purpoSes. Did not think it necessary to have had more.
They had no siege artillery. They were attached to the
Light Cavalry Brigade, who were commanded by the
Earl of Cardigan. After leaving Varna the sick were
sent to Scutari. On re-embarking, the horses and guns
were conveyed to the ship in lighters. The vessels were
the Burmab, the Kenilworth, and another. Only his
own troop were so embarked. The vessels were
fitted up on the Hull plan for the accommoda-
tion of horses. On arriving in the Crimea
they had 212 horses of all kinds, and about 165 men.
At the time of their landing they considered the troop
in an efficient state for service.

Chairman—How were you landed ?
Witness—ln English lighters. After landing they
encamped near the Light cavalry, to which they were
still attached. His troop was engaged at Alma, where
they lost two horses. Was also engaged in a small
affair in the flank march, but lost no men nor horses
there ; and again at Ealaklava, with similar good for-
tune. On arriving before Sebastopol the troop was in
an efficient state
.for service—only two or three men
having died from cholera. He caused a road to be ex-
cavated for their encampment, which was constructed
by his own troop. This led to Balaklava. Also con-
structed some huts for horses. Before that, however,
he lost nearly 70 horses. As 'horses died others were
purchased from officers returning to England and given
to the troop. He never lost a horse in the stables.

Chairman.—Then you consider the tents saved the
horses ?
Witness.— Undoubtedly. Those horses which did not
perform excessive labour did not appear to suffeilnuch ;
but the waggon horses, which were worked hard; died.
Whilst encamped, the horses never were in want of fo-
rage, except the waggon horses, who had only one feed
of corn from an early hour in the morning until night.

That was not sufficient for them. Previously to the
storm the Commissariat conveyed the forage to the troop,
but after that it was fetched by his own horses. The
troop horses were engaged in bringing up ammunition
for the siege and the siege guns. The army were re-
lying on the horse artillery for the performance of this
duty, but he did not think it ought to have devolved
upon them. During the fine weather his men were very
well, but subsequently out of the 165 there were gene-
rally 20 in the hospitals. When he left the strength of
his men was 140. As the had weather advanced, the
road to Balaklava became knee deep in mud. The road,
he should think, might be improved and mended, but no
steps were taken to do it. His men had fresh meat 3or 4
days a-week. They had no vegetables, nor were orders
issued for a supply of it. Latterly they had some rice
also ; but that was not until the middle of January.
During the whole time we had only one medical man
attached to the troop. He thought that was sufficient.
They were in want of medicines sometimes, and he bad
heard the ensign complain of a want of medical comforts.
Early in November each non-commissioned officer
and man received a pair of boots, a Guernsey
shirt, and a forage cap ; and in December they had
a full-dress jacket and an undress jacket, a pair of boots,
a pair of trousers, and a pair of gloves, but there
were issued by the Commissary of Ordnance.
He thought his men were sufficiently clothed ; but,
previously to his leaving they had received some water-
proof, and a good supply of warm, clothing. Great in-
convenience was suffered from the bard work the horses
had to perform, in consequence of which they fell off
rapidly.

By General reel—His troop was much better off then
any other part of the army perhaps. The issue of
clothing was under the direction of the Ordnance, and
not under the control of the departmeht which supplied
other portions of the army.
BY Mr. Ball—He attributed the efficiency and general
health of his men to the great care taken of them.
By Colonel Lindsay—Some of the tools supplied to
his men were very bad, especially kill-hooks.
By Lord Seymour—There was no store clothing in
Balaklava for the Horse Artillery—what clothing arrived
was consigned to the Ordnance Commissary, Mr. Young,
whose office was at Balaklava. He had no complaint
whatever to make as to the treatment of his troop during
the whole time.
By Mr. Ellice—Everything—clothing, tools, and
stores were consigned to Mr. Young from Woolwich,
and he received the whole of them. Mr. Young had
several subordinate officers in the Ordnance Commissary,
but none of them were attached to the different corps ( f
Artillery. The Artillery had nothing whatever to do
with Commissary General Filler.
By Sir J. Hamner— During the action at Balaklava,
he was.without ammunition for a whole hour.
Mr. Crowe, a correspondent of the Illustrated London
News, was nett called ; but the greater portion of his
evidence was indistinctly repeated, and was only heart
with much difficulty. He arrived in the Crimea in Sep-
tember last, and had frequent opportunities during his
stay there of inspecting the condition of the troops. The
men, and indeed the camp generally, were in a very
filthy condition. He chiefly followed the second division
during his stay. He visited some of the hospital tents
at Balaklava, and the sick were tolerably well cared for.
He visited the interior of Balaklava and found it in a
very muddy, dirty state. He returned to England on
the 20th of January.

By Mr. Ellice—He was in the camp after the battle
of Inkerman, and had an opportunity of seeing the hos-
pital tents. They were very much crowded. There
were the usual means of removing the sick ; but great
assistance was afforded by the French. When he left,
a few days afterwards, the whole of the wounded had
been removed either to the hospital tents, or on board
ship.

By Sir John Pakington—The forage conveyed by the
Trent, on board of which he arrived at Balaklava, was
not landed, in consequence, he supposed, of there being
no means of transport.

By the Chairman—The Trent went back twice to
Varna, with the hay on board. The Trent was 2,200
tons register, and 400-horse power, chartered, he be
lieved, by the Government, as a transport. She wa

employed is transporting cavalry from Varna to the
Crimea. • ,

By Mr. Ellice—The fact of the forage being on board
did not interfere with her cavalry accommodation.
By the Chairman—The harbour of Balaklava was in
a filthy state, there being quantities of offal floating
about in it. This was enough to generate disease on
board the ships. It was, however, in a more cleanly
state when he left. He visited Kamiesh Bay. Th
French landed their stores and provisions there
and had provided proper depots for their reception. When
he was last at Balaklava the house which bore Lord
Raglan's name upon it was unoccupied, but a sentry was
parading before tho door.
By Sir John Pakington—He knew no reason why de-
pots for forage and other stores might not have been pro-
vided at Balaklava. When he loft there, there was no
additional facilities provided for landing of stores to. those
which existed when he first went there.
By Lord Seymour—There was only one wooden quay
in existence in the harbour. There was a hard road from
Karnicsh Bay to the French head-quarter". Kamiesh
Bay was a more convenient place for landing stores than
Balaklava.

Captain Kellett, commander of the Maria, screw-

steamer, 3,550 tons burden, was the next examined.
The Maria, he stated, formerly belonged to the Penin-
sular and Oriental Company, hut now to the Govern-
ment. She left England for Malta with the 93ci Regi-
ment and part of the Rifle Brigade, and some Sappers
and Miners. Having landed them, he proceeded to
Alexandria with the Eastern mails, and then returned to
Malta. He departed thence in April, with the 33d and
41st Regiment on board for Gallipoli, where he lauded
them. He then returned to England. The vessel was
purchased by the Government in July. He again left there
with part of theist Dragoon Quards on board, There were