The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-26 00:00:00

SERGEANT SULLIVAN.

On the motion for going into Committee of Supply,
Mr. F. FRENCH took the opportunity of again bring-
ing under their notice the case of Sergeant Sullivan,
who carried the colours of his country at the Battle
of the Alma. The sergeant's conduct was honourably
mentioned in the despatCh of the General, and yet the
noble lord at the head of the Government had thought
proper to treat the case with such cold indifference as to
have already checked the volunteering into the British
army. Had Sergeant Sullivan been in the service of
the French, he would have received his promotion on
the battle-field, but he was only a soldier in the ranks,
and his merits were therefore passed over in
the British army. (Hear, hear.) He should
be glad, however, t ) know if the Government were dis-
posed to take the claims of Sergeant Sullivan into their
consideration, with a view to his promotion. (Hear.)
Sir J. WALSH took exception to the hon. member's
description of the battle of the Alma. The hon. gentle"
man said the success of the battle was due to the bravery
of the rank and file ; now, if the hon. member meant
that there was not equal credit due to the officers, he
was greatly mistaken.
Lord PALMERSTON was sure that the hon. mem-
ber did. not exclude the officers from his enlogium.
(Hear, hear.) With regard to the case of Sergeant
Sullivan, he repeated that it was left to the command-
ing officer of each regiment to recommend one non-
commissioned officer; the officer commanding the regi-
ment in which Sergeant Sullivan served had recom-
mended another non-commissioned officer for pronAotiot.,
and Government had no alternative but to adopt it.
Mr. WHITESIDE said it was ,not enough to pro-
mote only one non-commissioned officer in each regiment;
the area of promotion ought to be enlarged. (Hear )
THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR.

Mr. LINDSEY objected to their going into commit-
tee to ♦ote money for carrying on the war while the
system of carrying it on was so defective. He had re-

cently returned from France, where he had opportunities
of seeing how differently things were managed there.
He found the Minister of War, a very unassuming man,
sitting in the midst of his business, and on the
walls of this Minister's office there was a map
which was so arranged that it showed at a
glance the position of every great army in Europe. The
Minister told him at once upon his putting the ques-
tion the amount of supplies which France had at Mar-
seilles, Constantinople, the Crimea, and Sinope, and
how he was able to give them information was this, he
had five directors of departments employed under his
immediate direction, and these directors made reports of
the state of affairs daily. Nov, if he had asked
fur such information from the English War
Minister, it would not be given because it could
not be given to him. Our system was too much
encumbered with red-tapeism to admit of its success—it
was a iprocrastinating system and the sooner it was
amended the better. (Hear, hear.) To give details he
would mention the transport service with which he was
somewhat familiar. The house had already voted
7,000,0001. of money for carrying on the transport ser-
vice. In that service there were 250,000 tons of regular
shipping constantly employed, besides 100,000 tons of
hired transports—(hear, hear, hear)—and all this
immense tonnage was required for furnishing the
supplies of an army consisting of only 25,000. (Hear.)
Why, good gracious, there was tonnage enough to sup-
ply the French as well as the English, if the transport
service were only properly managed. (Hear.) That
branch of the war, as well as others in the war depart-
ment demanded an immediate change. Seven millions
had been charged upon the country for this service, and
yet more was demanded. (Hear, hear.) How was this
State of affairs, however, proposed to be remedied ?
By the aziantLent of a transport corps. Now they.
him have one :Ina
all knew
shifting re,potna.rrns meant,
three whera neitlnierwho was
responsible it %cm simply a system of
'ht.), from one person to another. Let
manwwal:oresshPold'l bblee.r es( Hp
oenasri,blie' e—arr.e)splo,ret.
in preference to
him have one
sihle to the Minister at War. u
thought iiiTtohsetsnenedoe
ndsuchlyn 'd'tu gea oti
.rorutitil 1
:ioti
tif
doors to finl such a man, they
the Admiralty, and he
reiered
ttaokeelppltaacienhe ti eto say that !f
gen tlernan7cilime
any promo
lought that gentle-
man ought to be selected for the exertions he had made
in connection with the service. It might be said that
so much money ought not to be trusted to one man, but
then he would be responsible to the Minister-at-War and
to the Admiralty Bard. (Hear, hear.) Without
troubling the house with details, he would
Company
to the
sum paid to the West India Packetlll.iltU theil
rate of
upwards of 600,0001. per annum. He pa 7
for
the transport of 17,000 tons, which 3
was a
e did not complain
of the company receiving this sum
' • but the fact was
that company was already receiving 240,0001, for the