The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-08 00:00:00

THE CENTRAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE WIVES
AND FAMILIES OF SOLDIERS.

¶MPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

,HOUSE OF COMMONS—YESTERDAY.
The Srulan took the chair at 12 o'clock.
NEW MEMBER.
IJORSMAN, the new Secretary for Ireland,
took the oaths and his seat on his re-election for Stroud.
PETITIONS.
Mr. PARSER presented a petition from Pretton in
.fatour of the Public Libraries and Museum Bill. Also
petition from thesame place, praying for the repeal of
vie Beer Act of last session.
Ckslonel DUNNE presented a petition from an army
lay contractor, complaining that his contract had been
quence of his baying supplied Irish
annulleJ in conse
ha,,y, and alleging that the troop horses bad from this
oircurnstanoe suffered greatly for want of forage. The
prsi.yed that his complaint might be referred to
petitioner
the committee now sitting upon the state of the army
before Sebastopol.
pUBLIC LIBRARIES AND MUSEUM BILL.
The house went into committee on this bill.

On clause 1,
Mr. BUCK said this bill would lead to a great in-
crease of local taxation, and it would be very oppressive
on small towns. He therefore moved that instead of
being made applicable to places containing a population
of 5,000 persons, the bill should be limited to places
where the population amounted to 10,000 and upwards.
Mr. MITCHELL suggested that the bill should be
extended to places containing 4,000 inhabitants, so as to
snake it embrace rural districts.
After some conversation,
Mr. CARDWELL observed that the bill was merely
A permissive one, and he hoped its operation would
),e made as extensive as possible.
Sir S. BIGNOLD and Mr. BAINES bore testimony to
the usefulness of the former measure, and declared that
wherever these institutions were established they had
been attended with great benefits.
Mr. HENLEY also thought that these institutions
were productive of unmixed good. At the same time
just means ought to be taken to prevent parties from
being taxed against their will.
Mr. SPOONER gave it as his opinion that the bill
would act oppressively in the case of small towns that
were connected with extensive agricultural districts, be-
cause those who lived in the out localities would be
taxed for a thing from which they could derive
no benefit whatever. The library was to be
established in the town, and they would be too far off
to avail themselves of it.
Sir E. PERRY said that objection could be remedied
by simply making these institutions lending libraries.
gr. HENLEY suggested that the rating clause
should be so framed as to draw a distinction between
land and houses.
Mr. EWART said he would consider the suggestion,
and adopt it if possible. He bad no objection to engraft
the system of "Lending Libraries" in the bill.
Tke amendment was then withdrawn.
The clause was agreed to, as were clauses 2 to 16, in-
clusive. Clauses 17 and 18 were struck out.
On clause 19,
Mr. HADFIELD moved the omission of the words,
r with the approval of her Majesty's Treasury."
The committee divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment 25
Against it 64
Majority —39

Some discussion then arose as to whether the bill WAS
applicable to Ireland, and ultimately it was determined
ghat it would be as well that a separate bill should be
brought in for Ireland.
The clause was agreed to.
On clause 22, _ _

Mr. EWARt proposed to insert words providing that
these libraries should include newspapers. _ _

Mr. Spooner, Mr. Barrow, Mr. Fitzgerald, and Mr.
Whiteside objected to the proposal.
TheA.TTOKNEY-GENERAL supported it, believing
that the attraction of a newspaper was the best antidote
against the bees house. The object of these libraries
waa to wean the working classes from intemperate habits,
and-the best way to do that was to give them the oppor-
tunity of obtaining political knowledge, which always
had great charms for them.
The committee then divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment 64
Against it 22
Majority

The amendment was accordingly agreed to.

Sir E. PERRY moved the insertion of a proviso to
the clause providing that all libraries to be established
under this act should be lending libraries.
Lord STANLEY thought it would be difficult to
make those lending libraries which contained works of
reference.

Mr. ENVART thought it would be much better to
leave this matter to the discretion of the managers of the
libraries themselves.

After a short conversation the committee divided,
when there appeared,
For the proviso 32
Against it...
Majority — 7
The proviso' was accordingly rejected, and the clause
agreed to.
On clause 24, which provides that the libraries and
museums should be open free.
Mr. CHILD moved the insertion of words to limit
the free opening to certain times.
Mr. EWART said the bill was based upon the princi-
ple that these institutions should be open to the public
free of all charge, and he could not adopt the amend-
/neut.
The amendment was negatived without a division, and
the clause agreed to.
Mr. MUNDY moved the insertion of the following
clause, viz. :—lf any persoa shall give to any borough,
district, or parish having respectively such a population
as aforesaid, any booke, collections of mineralogy, na-
tural history, or works of science or art, sufficient in the
opinion of the council, board, or vestry, as the case may
be, for the establishment of a library or museum, then
this act shall be considered to have been duly applied
for, and shall take effect and come into operation in
such borough, district, or parish without taking the
proceedings hereinbefore made necessary for its adop-
tion, and such library or museum shall he considered to
have been duly established under this act.
Sir B. HALL objected to the introduction of the
clause, because it would have the effect of taxing the
ratepayers without their consent, the converse of
which was the main feature of the bill.
The clause was negatived.
Mr. EWART moved the insertion of the following
clause, viz. :—No person shall be assessed or rated to
any county, borough, parochial, or other local rates or
cesses, in respect of any land, houses, or buildings, or
parts thereof respectively, belonging to any library or
museum established under this act, and occupied by it
for the transaction of its business, and for carrying into
effect its purposes.
Mr. BAINES opposed the clause as being unsound
in principle, and likely to be unjust in operation.
The clause was withdrawn.

The preamble was then agreed to, and the house hay-
ing resumed, the bill was ordered to be reprinted and
reconsidered on Wednesday next.
JUDGMENTS EXECUTIONS, &c., BILL.

On the motion for the second reading of this bill,
Mr. MACARTNEY moved that the bill be read a
second time that day six months.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL should not like to re-
ject the principle of the bill, though be thought its
details were open to amendment, and, therefore, if the
bill was read a second time it ought to be referred to a
select committee.

Mr. NAPIER, objected to a select committee, because
it would be nothing lens than shelving the bill. Be-
sides, the bill was referred to a select committee last
year, and found to be impracticable. .13e had no alter-
native then but to say no to the second reading rather
than allow the measure to be continually hanging over
them.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the bill proposed
to consolidate the law of judgments both in England
and Ireland—a very laudable object no doubt ; but as
the bill had been once found to be impracticable by
a select committee, he did not see the advantage of refer-
ring it to such a tribunal again.
After a few words from Mr. WHITESIDE, Mr. F.
FRENCH, and Col. DUNNE, who opposed the bill,
Mr. DUNLOP thought it only right that judgments
obtained in one part of the United Kingdom should ex-
tend to the whole, and he hoped all parties would unite
for the purpose of framing a bill to meet the case.
Mr. BAILLIE observed that the law of Scotland ant
England was so very dissimilar that he did not see how
a bill could be framed to suit both.
Mr. I. BUTT declared the details of the bill were
grossly defective, but the question was far too important
tt7. be left in the hands of a private member. If legisla-
uou was needed, it should be brought in by the Govern-
ment,

Mr-
pIOR.A.UFURD, who had charge of the bill, said
it sime object was to substitute a registration instead
of an action
the Unitedßingdotn st law, to enforce a judgment in any part of
.
The house then divided, when there appeared—
For the second reading
Against it ... ...
Majority
...... ....................
..
89
—7l
The bill was accordingly thrown out.
TEA DUTIES DECLINE SUSPENSION BILL.
This bill was passed through committee.

MARINE MUTINY BILL,
This bill was passed SthrUPPLY ough committes:
.

The raport •f the Committee of Supply wan brought

up.
On the question that it be agreed to,
• Mr. PALK took the opportunity of directing► atten-
tion to the state of our cavalry force in the Crimea,
which had been greatly reduced by disease and di.asters,
and he complained that they were about to be reinforced
by a body of young men and raw recruits. It was to-
tally impossible to make a cavalry soldier in less than
eighteen months, and ho was afraid the reinforcements
we were sending out would be unequal to the task they
would be called upon to perform.
The report was then agreed to.
MUTINY BILL.
This bill was considered as amended, and ordered to
be read a third time to-morrow.
EXCHEQUER BILLS.
The Exchequer Bills (17,183,0001.) was read a third
time and passed.
SECRETARIES OF STATE.
The Secretaries and Under Secretaries of State (House
of Comm( ns Bill) was passed through committee.
Th' other orders were then disposed of, and the house
bAlenruti st a►ye o'clock'

ARMY BEFORE SEBASTOPOL COM"-

MITTEE.

(Continued from our first edition of yesterday.)

The inquiry was resumed to-day at twelve o'clock.
The space in the room allotted to the public was again
crowded throughout the proceedings.
The first witness examined was General Bentinek,
commander of a brigade of Guards. He stated that
they left. Southampton in Feb., 1854, and remained at
Malta till the middle of April, when they went to Scutari.
They were under canvas during the whole time they
were at Scutari, though they occasionally experienced
some difficulty in provisions. They made the passage
from Scutari to Varna in a steamer, and the transport
was very well conducted. They encamped at Varna
under canvas, and they were well supplied with provi-
sions. The troops were not sick when they were at
Varna, but they subsequently became so when they had
moved up the country—and he attributed this sickness
to the bad climate at that season of the year. The
original strength of their division was 2,500. They left
Varna on the 29th Aug., and after that sickness stopped
short. The camp was kept clean, and either himself or some
other superior officer was always riding about to look
after the removal of any nuisances. When they landed
in the Crimea it was between Eupatoria and Old Fort.
The weather was at first rather wet, but it was after-
wards fine. He supposed there was no means of land-
ing the horses, or they would have been sent up. They
landed on the 14th and marched on the 19th. They
were then without tents, but they could not have brought
them with them. Some of the men were without
knapsacks. The reason for that wio, that when
a soldier was fully equipped, the whole was con-
sidered too heavy for him, and the blanket in some
eases was used as a knapsack, the latter being left be-
hind as more likely to be safe. As soon as the actions
in which they were engaged were over, means were
taken to remove the sick and wounded to the ships,
which was done with stretchers, as they had no horses.
The wounded were so removed within a few hours after
the battle. Six or seven medical men attended his bri-
gade, but he ought to have had twelve, which at first
he had. He did not consider this number sufficient
under the circumstances in which the army was placed.
The duty was performed as well as it could be ; but, in
consequence of the vacancies occasioned by sickness, the
work was very heavy upon those who had it to do. As
to baggage, they always carried with them what they
wanted for the day. It was not his opinion that his
brigade suffered very materially from the night exposure
to dews. The men who left their knapsacks behind did
not get them back again for many weeks. During that
time the men had a change of clothing, which they carried
in their blankets, but the officers had none. He left after the
battle of Inkerman, and they had no very bad weather up to
that time. The troops had not then received any winter
clothing, and much uncertainty existed as to whether
they were to winter there. They were well supplied
with provisions—the greatest difficulty which had to be
contended against being the want of fuel. He did not
know when the ambulance carts were first landed. its
to their utility he thought they were too large and too
heavy, and required too many horses to draw them.
The posture in which the wounded were obliged to lie in
them must be very painful, and had been complained of.
He had observed the French ambulance system, but he
did not prefer it to our own. Most of the tents-went to them
were very good, but some of them, he had no doubt, had
been used in the Peninsular war.. He was very
well satisfied with his commissariat officers. He
attributed the diseases of the encampment not to
the salt meat supplied to the troops but to overwork and
exposure to the climate. The officers had to carry their
own tents, and rations for the day as well as accoutre-
ments with which the privates were not encumbered ;
which was inconvenient for them, and in some cases
occasioned excessive fatigue. When we left the sanitary
condition of the camp before Sebastopol was very satis-
factory, and he saw no dead bodies of horses or other
nuisances lying about. He never heard of an especial
arrangement for the supply of winter clothing
before he left. He attributed the subsequent
sufferings of the men tl exposure to the wea-
ther, hard work, and want of proper clothing.
He visited his hospitals constantly. The men had no
mattresses to lie on. He thought hospital tents were,
under certain circumstances, well adapted for their in-
tended purpose. The road from Balaklava was not in such
a bad state when he left, but it would not have remained
so in winter. It might have been hardened with stone.,
if they could have spared the labour nec.!ssary, but they
could not. There were no depots in his division for
provision, forage, or fuel. If communication had been
cut off between the camp and Balaklava there were two
days' provisions in the camp.
At half-past one o'clock General Bentinck withdrew,
with the assent of the committee, in order to keep an
engagement.
Mr. Stephen Owen, the surviving officer of the Re-

solute, was next called. The Resolute was a sailing-
vessel, and arrived off Balaklava in tow of the Golden
Fleece. They did not anchor there, for the nature of

the anchorage was not at all good or secure. The coast
there was iron-bound, and there was but little shoal
water. Supposing a vessel arrived, and a southerly wind
sprung up, she might " beat off." They remained in
the harbour until the 27th or 28th October, when
they were ordered out of it by Capt. Christie. They then
anchored in the mouth of the harbour in 35 fathoms water,
which he did not consider a safe anchorage. The com-
mander of the Resolute was Captain Lewis, and he
rernonstratel with Captain Christie several times re-
specting the order to move out of the harbour, and
the danger which might arise of the vessel being
blown on shore if a gale should come on. It

rested he believed with Capt. Christie to order vessels
out of the harbour. There ha, I been a southerly wind
previously to the gale, and it went on increasing, an 1
warranted Captain Lewis: in thinking that there was
imminent danger to the vessel if she remained in
her then position. There were 15 or 16 vessels
out there, ten of which besides themselves were
lost. He slioull think there were upwards of 500
men lost amongst them. As an officer, he thought the
anchorage was very unsafe. Only 28 were saved ; and
he thought that was quite a miracle, considering the
nature of the coast. He thought that the vessels in
the harbour ought to have anchored with their bows

• up" or "down" it, instead of broadside to it, as they
did ; which would have been saf,r, as when the gale
arose the rocks acted as a funnel, and blew directly upon
them. The reason why the Resolute was ordered out of
harbour was not to make room for any other vessel, be-
cause no other vessel entered afterwards.
Captain Wriotesley, of the Royal Engineers, said he
was sent to Gallipoli to prepare fix the reception of the
English troops, when their expected removal was an-
nounced. He was at Constantinople when the troops
arrived there. They were placed in barracks, were well
housed and supplied with food. The system of contracts
in a country like Turkey was very objectionable, as no
penalties could be enforced. The French system was much
superior. They took possession of any slaughter houses
they could find, and if there were none, they immedi-
ately constructed them. The army left England desti-
tute of all necessaries in the way of medicines, tools, and
other useful articles. There was a large depot, he should
imagine, at Varna, for stores of all kinds. He bad no
orders to make any preparations at Malta. The corps
to which he was attached had no direct orders from
England, but were under the direction of the Admiral,
and depended fur information upon suck_ casual gossip as
they could pick up. The only preparation made at
Scutari for the arrival of the troops was that the con-
tracts were signed. He was not aware of any contracts
offered to us, and declined, having been accepted by
the French. He was one of the first sent out, and
arrived at Gallipoli ten days before the arrival of the
troops, which he first heard of through the commissary
who received orders to effect contracts. Besides our
own men there were a corps of Mussuirnen granted
by the Turks for land transport purposes. The
men who formed the ambulance corps were pen-
sioners. When the troops were at Varna it was sup-
posed that a campaign was intended, but the commissary
itself confessed that they could only despatch one divi-
sion at a time. He understood that the Varna hospital
contained ample medical stores. The expedition to the
Crimea bad been determined upon before he left Varna,
and he understood that the supplies of all kinds were to
be drawn from Varna and Constantinople. There was
a line of Turkish steamers in the Bosphorus, but he
did not think it was possible to keep up a con-
tinual supply of food, fuel, and forage to the army in the
Crimea by that means, as the force was' ne of such mag-
nitude. He had referred to the Varna hospital. The
only principal complaint with regard to it was that they
could not get rid of vermin. The eneineers' department
required 70 horses for the conveyance of the tools ; but
neither the engineers' nor the ambulance waggons were
suited to the horses of the country, which were small.
From his experience as a soldier, he thought the body of
Sappers and Miners attached to the general body of
troops at Varna was decidedly insufficient. He should
call the Commissary Department a military branch, and
he supposed it required some professional initiation in
those connected with it, to be at all properly conducted.
The great difference between the French Commissary
and ours was, that the former bought their meat alive
and slaughtered it, and employed bakers to make their
bread, instead of contracting as we did. When at Varna
nothing was wanting but means of transport to faci-
litate a considerable movement into the interior.
The siege train was never landed at Varna, though it
arrived there about July. It was unprovided with
horses to draw it, and consisted of guns of large calibra.
At the conclusion of this evidexce the committee
adjourned (it being twenty minutes to four o'clock)
until to-morrow, when Dr.Vaux, of the Harbinger, will
be examined.

. Mr. Thomas O'Connor, one of the Irish exiles in 1793
, Ot
died in New York on Friday, the 9th February, in the
85th year of his ac,e. He had been one of the most pro-
minentathndteititeyemfoerdsC7a
years.
of New York, and a resi-
dent Chancellor int:44".
that their lords'
(710T011
—Rona OF T.
Tinted yesterday in the House of Lords
—olins.—The Lori
priety and neceaslit
s Were seriously considering the pro-
be heard in Scotch of limiting the number of counsel to
appealsge to one on each side. His
lordship added thathouse3 would probably not ex-
tend this rule to all appeals, i
to those whose
corporative unimportance would merelyerely
severeustay such a distinc-
asevere blow to
favour,
tion in the at present very
from Scotland. This announcementpirsessure a appeals
the junior bar, and we doubt whether
from Scotland will look on it with much the litigants
although it may accelerate the hearings o£
for,
of their
appeals, it will leave their lordships with scanty infqr
!nation on the real grounds of contest witless the lead:
ing counsel condescend to prepare themselves somewhat
better than they have hitherto done, and cease to rely
on the mere reading of the printed cage, with such
arguments as arise on the spur of the moment, ae an effi.
cient discharge of their dutio.

The first annual meeting of this association was held
yesterday, at Willis's Rooms, King-street, St. James's.
_ _ _ _ _

The chair was taken at four o'clock by his Royal
Highness the Duke of Cambridge.
The body of the room in which the meeting was held
was filled by about 2,000 ladies and gentlemen,
Not the least interesting spectacle which the assembly
presented was a small line of wounded guardsmen and
other soldiers, seated at one side of the platform, and
still evincing in their stalwart, although mutilated forms,
the calm bearing, and the unyielding courage which, on
the fields of Alma and of Inkerman, won the admiration
of the world. . _ _

The noble CHAIRMAN, who on rising was received with
enthusiastic applause, proceeded to address the meeting
as follows :—Ladies and gentlemen, —The flattering roan-
ner in which you have just been so kind as to receive
me on my occupying this chair, renders it almost un-
necessary for me to address to you the few observations
which I had intended to make on the subject of the
reasons which have induced me to preside over this
assemblage. I see around me many noblemen and gen-
tlemen who are much more accustomed than I am to
preside over such meetings, and who, under ordinary
circumstances, would much more properly fill this chair.
But I feel so strongly and so deeply the importance of
the object for which this meeting has been convened,
that when it was proposed to me that I should preside
upon the present occasion I could not resist the demand.
(Hear.) I was influenced by this further consideration,
, that it was probable it might be agreeable to the meeting
that I should take the chair in consequence of my being
able to speak with better means of information than can
be possessed, perhaps, by any other person in this room,
in reference to the object for which we are assembled.
(Hear, hear.) I do not think this meeting will ex-
pect—and, indeed, I think it would be verf improper on
my part—that I should make any observations as to the
manner in which this war has been conducted. I beg to
state that I do not mean to offer any criticisms upon
that point, and neither do I think it would be fitting for
ma to reply to those charges of neglect in the prosecu-
tion of our Eastern expedition which I have heard so
frequently advanced. I, therefore, beg to observe, that
my silence in this respect does not bind me in any man-
ner either in the way of approval or of disapproval, and
that I say nothing either upon one side or the other.
There is one observation, however, which I think it my
duty to make, which I am exceedingly anxious to make,
and which, as this is the first time I have appeared in
public, I have had no other opportunity of making. I
have seen with very great and deep regret that observa-
tions have been made on the regimental officers of our

army. Now, ladies and gentlemen, this is a subject of
very great importance, not only to our army, but even
to a meeting such as this, because we are here assembled
to advocate the interests of our brave soldiers engaged
in the East. An impression seems to prevail in many

quarters that those solditrs have, to a certain extent,
been neglected by their officers, and that a large pro-
portion of their wives and children have consequently
become widows and orphans. Now, I beg most dis-
tinctly to state to yeu—and I think I can state it with

some-authority, because I myself had an opportunity of
observing everything that was going on in the different
divisions of our army—l beg to state to you publicly
and most distinctly, that there never was a set of men
more anxious, more zealous, more desirous to perform
their duty than the officers of the British army.
(Cheers.) Upon that subject I fearlessly appeal to
the soldiers themselves of that army, for I am
persuaded that they will be the first to admit
that the zeal and the devotion to duty of their
officers have never been surpassed. (Hear.) I can-
not help thinking, ladies and gentlemen, that this is a
subject of great importance, because the soldiers of an
army always like to see, and are naturally anxious to
see, that their officers lead them well upon all occasions.
(Hear.) lam quite confident that the soldiers of the
British army are the first to hear with regret any re-
flection cast upon their officers ; and I therefore state
again, with the most perfect frankness and sincerity, that
whether at the time when disease was thinning the
ranks of our army encamped in and around Varna—whe-
ther in the battlefield, or whether on the heights of
Sebastopol, where, alas, they have now been suffering
for a great many months, the officers of the British army
have nobly discharged their duty by their men, and
have set those men an example which has enabled that
army with which I have had the honour to be associated
to perform those acts of valour and courage which I
am gratified to see have been duly appreciated in this
country. (Hear.) I must further state that, as there
never were men so ably led as the soldiers of our army
have been, so there never were officers so gallantly fol-
lowed as the leaders of that army. I believe there never
were men who bore their sufferings and privations with
more patience and endurance than the non-commissioned
officers and the private soldiers of the British army.
(Hear.) Many of these men will, please God, return
home to us ; and when they do return I am sure they
will be found to have deserved well of their country.
(Hear.) These are the only observations I will venture
to make in reference to the general subject of the cam-
paign in which we are still engaged, and, with your
permission, I will now proceed to direct your atten-
tion to the object for which we have immediately as-
sembled this day. This association was formed
about a year ago. It has since been liberally sup-
ported by the public, and I am gratified to find that
the subscriptions it has received have amounted to not
less than 104,000/. Of that sum 35,000/. have been
actually expended—and expended as it is very satisfac-
tory to know—entirely through gratuitous agency. We
certainly owe very much to the staff officers of pensioners
and the various military chaplains who in different parts
of the country have so zealously promoted the objects
for which this association has been formed. Since its
formation another fund has been established—namely,
the Patriotic Fund. To that fund also the most liberal
subscriptions have been given by the British public ;
and let me incidentally remark that this kindly feeling
evinced by a generous nation is deeply gratifying to
those who in distant lands have t 3 suffer hardships and
perils, and to endure privations which it would be per-
fectly impossible for me to recount, and most harassing
to you to hear. But allow me to assure you that these
things do not pass unobserved in those distant lands.
The proceedings of such meetings as this go forth to the
far East, 3,000 miles hence, carrying consolation to
those suffering either in the hospitals of Scutari or
Smyrna, or in the field hospitals upon the heights of
Sebastopol. The very fact, therefore, of seeing so large
a meeting around me to-day is to me a source of the
greatest gratification, because—although, alas ! I have
been obliged to renounce my command—l still feel the
ea,ine anxiety about my noble friend, my gallant com-
rades, as if I were still among them at Sebastopol.
The fact that you have come forward to support me on
this occasion will reach our army in the scene of their
distant labours, and will bring consolation to those who,
as I said before, are at this moment undergoing many
hardships and privations. But to revert to the subject
of this meeting—l have stated that the Patriotic Fund
has been formed. The widows and orphans who have
hitherto been supported by the Central Association
are now handed over to the managers of that fund.
But let me beg of you to remember, that although the
association has thus got rid of a large class of claim-
ants of its bounty its services are still as valuable as

ever. (Hear, hear.) Pray, remember—it is a curious
fact—that of those soldiers who have fallen, 15 per cent,
only have left widows; and, therefOre, although that
number of persons is benefited by the Patriotic Fund, a
vast number of others must still remain unprovided for.
It is further to be observed, that if,a soldier lost his wife,
but still remained himself in the Crimea, his 'children
would nut come under the appellation of orphans, how-
ever helpless they might become, and were it not for the
assistance those children get from the Central Association
they would/ have literally to starve or to go into the
workhouse. It might certainly be asked—and asked
with some justice—why does not the Government take
charge of those women and those children of soldiers
engaged in the service of their country ? That certainly
is a very important question. Ido not say that the
Government either ought or ought not to undertake
that charge ; but it is very evident that, as the regula-
tions at present stand, they do not, and, as they do not,
it would certainly, I think, be extremely improper and
extremely wrons, for a great nation like this to allow the
wives and children of soldiers serving their country in
distant parts to go into the workhouse. There might
be a great deal urged in favour of throwing that respon-
sibility upon the Government, but as it is not assumed
by the Government, I am glad to know that this Central
Association was formed and is still in operation. It has
already expended, as I before observed, nearly 35,0001.,
and I am happy to say that it has still in hand 64,0001.
That is a large sum, but the outgoings are also very con-
siderable. I find that at least 1,0001. per week are now
expended by the Central Association, and, therefore, its
funds would very soon come to an end if it were not very
liberally supported by the public. I have much pleasure
in being fable further to inform you that, in addition to
the number of soldiers' wives relieved by this associa-
tion, it has extended its support by obtaining situations
for no less than 300 women. That is a very valuable
service, and shows that the association is earnestly
executing to the best of its power the duty it has under-
taken. I would beg further to observe, that this asso-
ciation is particularly useful in ministering to the wants
of the families of our sick and wounded soldiers. (Hear,
bear.) The soldiers of our army have the means of re-
mitting home to their families a portion of their pay,
and it is a very gratifying circumstance to me to find
that very considerable remittances have in that way
been made from time to time. But the moment a sol-
dier goes into hospital his pay virtually ceases, or at
least it becomes so reduced that he can no longer
send any portion of it to his family ; so that at the
very moment he is suffering from illness he has to en-
dure the additional misery of knowing that he is no
longer able to assist those who are dearest tJ him. That
must be a source of deep pain to the poor sick soldier,
and it is in supplying the want thus created that the
labours of this association are at this moment most bene-
ficially exercised ; for alas we all know the very large
anicunt of sick that are now lying in our hospitals in
various quarters. Having now trespassed upon your
time at greater length than I intended, I think I shall
not be justified in detaining you any longer. I have
endeavoured to the best of al y ability to point out to you
what the association has already done, as well as what it
is desirable that it should continue to do ; and now,
thanking you for the attention with which you have fa-
voured me, I have only, in conclusion, to call upon the
secretary to read the report.
His Royalifligliness then resumed his see, amidst loud
and long-continued cheers.
Major Powys, the hon, secretary, next proceeded to
read the report, from which it appeared that the number
of soldiers' wives now being relieved by the association
rwas upwards of 5,000, that the number of children being
e iaved WM upwards of B,QQO, that the thaw received