The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-24 00:00:00

~~:~-~;.

log been lauded, to return to nalaklava in about a mouth,
the knapsacks still on board, but the whole or nearly the
whole of them broken open, and their contents removed or
destroyed. Now, though the story of the boots and shoes
might be denied, there could be no doubt whatever as to
the accuracy of the statement he had just made. (Hear.)
Admiral BERKELEY said that the instance brought
forward by the hon. member to prove that the First Lord
of the Admiralty ought not to be a civilian was a very un-
fortunate one, because it did so happen that the right hon.
baronet had made every inquiry into the feet as to whether
or not the cables of the unfortunate Prince were clinched.
They were not clinched, but the owner of the ship and the
men who had lashed the cables round the ship's masts had
put in their affidavits to prove that the ship had been pro-
perly lashed and secured. With regard to the complaint
made by the hon, member for the East Riding (Mr. Cay-
ley) that Mr. Roberts had not been promoted, it was only
necessary for him to state that, solely on account of his
merit, he had been appointed by the First Lord of the Ad-
miralty to one of the best situations which it was possible
for a master in the navy to attain.
Mr. J. M`GREGOR thought that the whole of our public
departments required to be reorganised in such a manner
as would put an end to that system of blundering which
had been lately so much shown up, and which no minister
could prevent, because ho could only give instructions and
directions without being able to see them carried into
effect. The manner i❑ which the various supplies had been
put on bend ship never could ht-3 justiiisd. Thins that
sught is have gone out in one ship had been in many in-
stances divided amongst two or three. He thought
the country were greatly indebted to the hon. member for
having brought the question forward.
Mr. BRO N thought all the evils had arisen from the
false system upon which the contracts had been wade for
this service. The French system made service the essence
of the contract ; and though the French paid par ton as
wo (lid, they gave a premium to the vessel and master
equal to 11. per ton if the voyage was made in a certain
number of days. The house might be surprised to learn
that while the cost of transporting one emigrant from this
country to Australia was only 101., exclusive of food, the
cost of transporting soldiers from Liverpool to the Crimea
was at the rate of 1501. per head. The other day a ship
was sent to Dublin to take out a hussar regiment. It was
fitted up -'so accommodate 400 soldiers; it had lain 45 days
in Dublin ; it had taken in 20 men and 15 horseS, and the
cost of transmitting them would be 3001. for each horse„
and 1501. per man. If this vessel had been intended for
emigrants it would have been fitted to convey only 300,
but as a transport for troops it had been fitted to carry
400; so that each soldier had lass accommodation than an
emigrant would have had, and yet the cost of transport
per head was far greater than that paid for emigrants.
The transport service had been conducted in a slovenly
manner, and in' a way disgraceful to the public service.
Colonel KNOX said, that after the " bumptious" chal-
lenge offered by the Secretary of the Admiralty, he wished
to make a few observations as to the transport service, and
more particularly with reference to one vessel which had
been mentioned—the Kangaroo. A.,3 the discussion was
on he wished to put it to the noble lord at the head of the
Government, whether the officers were to be compensated
for the loss of their effects. There was one officer in par-
ticular who loss to the value of 2001., and was compelled
to go to the same expense over again. He did not think
it fair that those gentlemen should be permitted to lose
the value of those things, and that the culprits, whoever
they might be, should go scot free. He was one of those
who attributed the whole mischief and misery of that
army to the transport service, and he charged the whole
of the evil at the door of Admiral Boxer. Would it be
believed that instead of removing that officer altogether
the Government merely changed him to another station,
where he would have every opportunity of making things
worse? The right hon, baronet could have easily learned
that a number of transports were lying idle at the Bos-
phorus doing nothing. At a time when their seivices were
so much required, there were 60 at least lying idle there.
When a man at the head of a department had acted so im-
properly, the Government, instead of removing him, placed
him in a situation where he would be capable of doing
more mischief.

Sir C. WOOD deprecated the language used by the hen.
and gallant gentleman in respect to the absence of the
Secretary of the Admiralty. The Government thought that
Admiral Boxer was the most proper officer they could place
at Ealaklava, and every report they had received from that
place had ',roved that the appointment was most excellent,
inasmuch as he had effected the greatest improvement in
that place. He (lid not regret that the subject of the trans-
port service had been brought before the house, inasmuch
as the discussion had elicited facts which showed that the
arrangements made by the Government were most satisfac-
tory. It was thought desirable to retain the transports at
the Bosphorous, under the impression that they would be
wanted from true to time to proceed from one place to
another in the Black Sea. They were retained by the wish
and at the desire of the generals of the army there, who
thought it necessary that they should b I at a moment
ready to a 1 rd their services, if they should be required.
The base of our operations being the sea, it was essen-
tially necessary that we should have every means of tran-
sit at our command. When a charge was made which
could be tested it was invariably found to be utterly
unf,:unded. It was, however, very difficult to meet
general accusations. It was stated that the medical
stores were placed under the ordnance stores in the
Prince—the contrary, however, was the fact. The
transport service was based on a peace establishment,
and no doubt when war ensued it was found unequal toits
duties. But a board had since been organised, which it
was anticipated would effect all that was required of it.
He would just remark, of the many thousand tons shipped
by the Admiralty, that not a single parcel had gone wrong.
He admitted that defects might and did exist, but nothing
should be spared to make the service as efficient and as
perfect as possible.
Colonel KNOX apologised for his allusion to the Secre-
tary of the Admiralty.
Mr. DUNDAS gave an instance of bad stowage in the
case of the Tynemouth.
The house then went into committee of supply.
Mr. WILSON postponed the Newspaper Postage and
Stamp Duties Bill till Monday.
The Militia (Ireland) Bill was road a third time and
passed.

The house adjourned at five minutes past one.

ARMY BEFORE SISBASTOrOL COM-

MITTEE.

(Continued from our fest edition of yesterday.)

Mr. S. G. Osborne—Examination continued.—Mr.
Layard called the witness's attention to a letter from
Mr. Read, the apothecary at the genJral hospital deny-
ing that there was any want of medical stores or sur
gical instruments there.

The witness (the Hon. S. G. Osborne) said un-
doubtedly before I came away I saw a large quantity
of medical stores at that hospital, but I could
not say it was a sufficient supply ; this I know that the
Times, fund supplied castor oil. I cannot tell whether
Mr. Read attended the barrack hospital as well as the
general hospital. I cannot tell whether applications
were made to Mr. Macdonald for medical stores for' the
,general hospital. I know I took many applications
from Miss Nightingale to Mr. Macdonald for medical
stores and comforts.

Dr. Smith, in hie evidence yesterday, stated Dr. Hall
visited the hospitals at Scutari in September, and be
said the hospitals, considering the difficulties, were in
as good a state as could be expected. What do you say
to that ?

Witness—Why, then, Dr. Hall must be one who
expects very little. Surely the state of the privies
was anything but proper. I have not been in many
Armenian houses besides hotels ; but the state of the
French hospital and the naval hospital afforded a strik-
ing contrast to those at Scuta.;l. I have seen a great
many bedsteads lying unused in the barrack, and I was
told they could not be used, as the mattresses were too
large for them.

By Mr. Ellice—Undoubtedly Dr. Hall should have
made provision for the accommodation of the sick and
wounded ; and I believe that the stores which Mr.
Macdonald purcha-sed could'have been got by the pur-
veyor if he had applied to Lord Redcliffe.
By Mr. Layard---The Russian prisoners I have spoken
of were in the barrack hospital. I can't say whether
they were our prisoners or those of the Turks ; they
were I think under the charge of a commission, of
whom Admiral Boxer was one. There were some Crim
Tartars among them, who are our friends. There was
an English sentry put over them inside, and Turkish sen-
tries outside ; the French put no sentries over their
prisoners. It was Turkish soldiers who carried the
Russian prisoners down to the ship. I can't say if they
were sufficiently supplied with food or not. I only
know that Dr. Smith told me Ise could not g. t prepared
chalk for thorn. There were only two interpreters fo;
the whole hospital establishment at Scutari. I supplied
them with medical comforts out of a priva':e fund of
my own. Lord Stratford never'refused any applica-
tion made to him that I know of ; Lady Redcliffe
told me she had several times asked Dr. Menzies if
anything was required for the hospital, and he said
there was not ; except at last, he said, there were
some bedsteads required. I have no doubt there is
not a man in her Majesty's service works harder
than Lord Redcliffe ; I think clearly it was no
part of Lord Redcliffe's duty to act as commandant
or purveyor to the hospitals. I only know he told
me himself, and Lord Clarendon told me, that he
had the power to get anything that was required
for the hospitals. I have no doubt •if a fit person
had been sent out from England to superintend the
hospitals at Scutari they might have been made
what they ought to be. I think 'but for the Times'
fund, Miss Nightingale, and myself, the condition of
the hospitals would have been most disastrous. Un-
doubtedly the force of public opinion did lead to im-
-provements at those hospitals. He had never been
able to account for the scarcity of stores. In fact, he
entertained doubts if all of them had been sent out
from England. The matter, however, would not be
satisfactorily cleared until it was put in the hands of
a very different inquiry than any of which he bad heard.
The Chairman—You mean the hands of the police ?
(Laughter.)—Yes.
The Committee then adjourned until Monday.

THE STRIKE OF LORD VERNON'S COLLIERS. This
strike (says the Mcotelteder Examiner) still continues:
The turn-outs hold meetings daily, at which violent lan-
guage against the " knobsticks" is indulged it:. A few
of the turn-outs have returned to their work, but there
is no immediate prospect of the strike coming to an end.
Some of the colliers have left the neighbourhood, and
gone to look for employment elsewliere. The neigh-
bouring colliers are subscribing for the support of the
turn outs, about forty of the principal of whotin have
been served with notices to leave their cottages.
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