The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-13 00:00:00

drag out a t sea, with a cargo on board of inestini able rain',
of the valt w in money of something like half a million.
gear, heal •.) lam told, my lords, that for , seven days
- that vessel, was dragging in thirty fathoms of water in
the open t 'ea outside the roads of Balaklasva—(hear,
hear)—and the consequence was the loss of that mag-
nificent vess el and her whole cargo of stores and cloth-
ing. (Hear, hear, hear.) lam told on authority, which
I think is val id, that representations had been mate to
the First Lot dof the Admiralty that the commander of
that ship—the ) Prince—was notoriously so incompetent,
and had prove id himself so incompetent upon the voyage to
the Baltio, t:h at, in the opinion of a distinguished officer,
if that vessel was sent out in command of that ()Meer she
would be lost t. I was told that that officer was asked to
r make a stat ement' in writing—that he did make it in
writing and , forwarded it to the First Lord of the Admi-
ye that vessel was bent out in command of that
ralty—and
very man. 1 do not say that it is a fact within my own
knowledge, le at I aek the noble duke if that were so? I
ask, also, why • a vessel lying in that state for seven days
was not taken into the harbour of Balaklava at‘ any risk ?
ddiinsgpro the Government Gotvheremnreanntdanl
a,
(Cheers.) My' .lords, in making these comments, I have
done so for the
opportunity f purpose
ofaffording
repudiating or
make them also with the view of their avoiding such acci-
dents in future. But, my lords, I cannot have .% stronger
proof of the want of reasonable forethought on the part of
the Government than in the circumstances and ar which
we are this da, 7. assembled. Parliament stood prorogued
until the 14th-of November, and I think on th© 10th of
November a council was summoned ; and the result was
that Parliament was further prorogued until the 14th of
December,'with out its being then announced that it would
then meet "foie the despatch of business." It is clear,
then, that on th, 310th of Nchember the Government had
no intention of c ailing Parliament together at this time.
The universal int erpretation of the omission of the words I
have mentioned - is, that there will be a further proroga-
tion ' • but on the '2oth of November "a change had come
over the spirit of heir dream," and the Government im-
mediately summoned Parliament to meet (not on the day
to which it had b•_,en prorogued) but two days earlier.
(Hear, hear.) I want to know, my lords, what was the
sudden emergency that called for this unusual pro medium,
and what were the circumstances which occurred on the
20th of November to wake it necessary to assemble Parlia-
ment, which did not mike it equally necessary on the 10th.
Undoubtedly they had received the news of the battle
of Inkerman ; but am I to be told that this -was the
reason for calling us together? Did you calculate
that you were going to take Sebastopol, or to raise it,
without any addition to that small force which remained
after the battle of Inkerman ? The Government have not
yet condescended to inform us as to the exigency which
justified this step ; we are told in their organs that they do
not want money ; but it is hinted that it is intended to take
powers to enable a portion of the militia to volunteer, and
to occupy the place of some of our foreign garrisons. If
that be the case, was the necessity for that measure not '
foreseen before the battle of jnkerman ? (Hear.) I "it_
my lords, the Government stand conFiCted-ofa wanTorfore-
knowledge of the exigencies of the country up to the time
at which they summoned Parliament tot meet. I have
spoken of the deeds of glory performed bythe gallant army
in the Crimea, and mostgallantlyhave they been supported
by the sister service ; but I observe there is no reference
in the Queen's Speech to the great achievements of the
Baltic fleet. Yet never did so mighty a force navigate that
sea—it was one of the most powerful armaments wich this
country ever sent forth. It formed the pride and boast of
the country, and very considerable powers were given tothe
admiral for proclaiming war. (A laugh.) The ifiguad that
was given cannot be forgotten. We all recollect the in-
junction that was given to the seamen on board that fleet,
" to sharpen their cutlasses, and the day was their own"—
(a laugh)—andthat if the Russian fleet did not come out to
meet them, they were to see whether they might not move
into the harbour of Cronstadt. That fleet wassent out, an&
what have they done? Individual officers belonging to it
have exhibited highly meritorious examples of seamanship,
but, so far as results are concerned, the results are literally
nil. You certainly crumbled down a half-finished fortress,
but you aro not able to occupy it, and the ships com-
posing that fleet are at this moment dropping home one by
one from the scene of their labours. I apprehend the
Government knew beforehand the strength of Cronstadt. I
apprehend, also, that they knew the .character of the Bal-
tic, and that it is not altogether an unknown sea to British
navigators. And what did they do ? They sent out,
in the first place, a fleet of such superior metal, and of
such overwhelming force that it would have been an act
of madness for the Russian fleet to meet them in the open
sea ; and, in the second place, they sent oat a fleet of such
a draft of water, that it was absolutely impossible for
them and the Russian fleet to come into contact. The
result was that our fleet in the Baltic had all along been
condemned to a state of ignominious activity, reminding
one of the story of the duel between Sir Richard Strachan
and Lord Chatham—
" Lord Chatham, with his sword undrawn,
Stood waiting for Sir Richard Strachan.
Sir Richard, longing to be at him,
Stood waiting for the Earl of Chatham."
(A laugh.) Now, my lords, I say these things, not for the
purpose of discouraging those gallant men who, whether in
the Baltic or the Black Sea, on land or on shore, have done
their best to maintain the honour of 'the British flag.
(Cheers.) But if we are to come to a succeesful issue in,
this great and serious *war—if we, are to conquer an ho-
nourable peace, depend upon it—knowing the resources of
the Russian empire—knowing the character of that great
man—for he is a great man—who wields the power of

with which - the whole of the French forces have supported
ours in the g rest contest, than, if it were possible, to confer
upon General: Canrobert some of the military honours of
this country. (Cheering.) I have attempted to do justice
to my °wax, feelings with respect to the merits of the gal-
lant army and the sacrifices the country has taken upon
itself. I A fish that I could here close the observations
which I has '43 to make. But I hope that it is not incon-
sistent with my determination of not bringing forward
. any topic likely to create dissension on the question of the
address if I i eel it. necessary to comment upon what ap-
pears to me tu' ha some of the shortcomingsoethe Govern-
ment, and so) ne of its deficiencies, to which I propose to
allude, not so much for the purpose of censure as for in-
suring the at tention of the Government in the future.
(Cheers.) I a m anxious to avoid saying a single word
which may be .;alculated to give the slightest encourage-
ment to that p( )we.rful adversary against whom we are de-
termined as a nation to contend to our last man and to
our last shilling. (Cheers.) My complaint against the
Government is, ti iat they have from the commencement of
the war left, as it were, everything in a state from hand
to mouth—th at t: ley have never :Anticipated in due time
the magnitude' of the struggle in which they were about to
be engaged, an d never made adequate and timely provi-
sion to meet, n of the immediate exigencies of the day, but
to meet those exigencies which the .fortune of war might
have imposed upon them. (Cheers.) I have always un-
derstood that in war, as in everything else, the first maxim
was to leave as little as possible to chance, to bo provided
against every possible contingency, to make your prepara-
tions, extravagant if you will, but upon such a scale as
that any single ma titter going wrung may not have the effect
of causing you to ,zhange your whole plan. In the conduct
pursued by her M: tjesty's Government they appear to Lave
left from day to day the task of providing for each succes-
sive exigency as it rose ; and, therefore, in every case being
too late. " Too Late" has, indeed, been the fatal word ap-
plicable to the whole conduct of the Government in the
course of the war. Yon were too late in the declaration of
war—too late in xegarding the passage of the Pruth as a
easus belli —too latalin sending our troops to the Black Sea—
too complaisant to .Russitain not Beading our fleets to co-ope-
rate with those of :Crane() at the proper time—too late in
entering the Black Sea—and wrong in not preventing the
massacre of Sinope. A.nd when we did go to war, what
was the course pursued by the Government? On the 6th
March, 1854, a few days beford the declaration of war, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, knowing that the war was
imminent, took an increased vote for something like 10,000
men in the army, and a small number in the navy, and his
calculation of the increased expenditure consequent on the
war was; as he stated, the sum of 1,250,0001.-7 that being
the estimated expense, at 501. per man, of transporting
15,000 troops—where ? To meet the Russians ? To defend
Constantinople? Nothing of the sort. To take them to
Malta - and bring them back again. (Laughter.) The
notion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer appeared to be
that all that was necessary to carry on the war with Rus-
sia was to double half a year's income-tax in order to ob-
tain the means of sending 25,000 men to Malta and bring-
ing them back again. (Laughter.) These were the pro-
visions in reference to which the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer said the Emperor of Russia, when he saw them,
would be indeed aware of the energy with which the peo-
ple of this country ware determined to carry on the war.
Now, my lords, what was the course taken by the Govern-
ment last autumn ? One remembers, and with mingled
feelings of satisfaction and regret too, the mustering of
those gallant men, the elite of the British army, from
25,000 to 30,u00 strong, who were sent out from this coun-
try, and in regard to whom the Government took credit
for unparalleled exertions, that they had been able, in so
short a space of time as three months, to send out a force
of 30,000 men. Nov, really, Ido not deny that the exer-
tions of the Government were great in getting this body of
men together in that time ' • but this I say, when you speak
of this country sending forth a body of 30,000 men as an
achievement which is to be considered a miracle of the
national resources, you are really detracting from the
rank of this country in the scale of nations. Why was
not this step anticipated by two or three months? You
sent out 25,000 men, and then you folded your hands
and sat down. But if any disaster had happened to i
those 25,000 men, where were your resources? (Hear, I
hear.) You were then depending on raw recruits;
you were doing what you could to make a slight addition
to the army ; but you sent out these men, and you sent
them out in conjunction with the French army ; but did
you suppose that neither disease, nor thesword, nor want,
nor any other misfortunes were to occur to that gallant
band of men ? And if such misfortunes were to occur,
where was a body of men to come from to reinforce them ?
Where were your Mediterranean garrisons ? Were they in-
creased ? Where was your second army of reserve ?
(Cheers.) You had it not; you had no army of reserve;.
you had nothing to call an array of reserve. But, perhaps,
it will be said—though even that will not be an answer to
. .

the question—the objects for which those troops were sent that great empire=you will obtain no peace unless yea
out were the defence of Constantinople, the relief of Omer conquer. (Cheers.) Yon must obtain such advantage
Paella, and to prevent the Russians making further inva- and such superiority as to compel him, reluctantly as it
teens on the Turkish territory. It was not possible, how- may be, to submit to your terms of peace. But if you do
ever, that the war could be limited to such objects, nor, if not achieve some great success, you may have a long and
it had beenlimited tosuch objects, was it possible toachieve a disastrous war, but an honourable and a successful peace
any peace, still less an honourable peace. I remember on you cannot achieve. (Hear, hear.) There is only one
the 19th of June, inanswer to my noble and learnedfriend mdre topic, my lords, in her Majesty's speech to which I
Lord Lyndhurst—whom I regret not to see in his place feel compelled to allude. Her Majesty announces with
now—my noble friend opposite (the Earl of Clarendon) de- satisfaction that she has concluded a. treaty, in eonjunc-
clared, as indeed he had declared before, that the objectof tion with the Emperor of the French, with the Emperor
the war was not to afford protection to Constantinople, but of Austria, from which she hopes to obtain important ad-
to settle at once and for ever the question of Russian su- vantages. I confess that this is a paragraph which creates
premacy, which had been growing in importance for years sonie considerable doubt in my mind. There can be no
—not to say centuries—and which, must, now be once and doubt that, in the prosecution .of the general objects of
for ever settled. From the first, then, you contemplated the war, wo shall gain the co-operation of Austria—a mat-
something much more extensive than the mere relief of the ter of the greatest importance and of signal benefit ; but.
Tarkish provinces from Russian invasion. It will not do to looking at the course which Austria has hitherto pusned,
tell me thatithe whole object of yourcampaign was answered I must be permitted to hesitate in expressing my satisfac-
from the 23d of June, the time when the siege of Silistria tion at this treaty until I have an opportunity of becom-
was !reject. Even before' that siege was raised you had ing acquainted with the nature and probable effect of the
avowed ulterior objects for which it was quite manifest that stipulations it contains. Austria has had a very difficult
a force of 25,000 men was wholly inadequate. But when game to play; I make every allowance for her position ;
that siege was raised what had you to Bey ? The siege of she has played a net very dignified part, but she has played
Silistria was raised on tho 23d of June, when the Turkish it with considerable dexterity, and she may now feel it to
troops were in straits and were beginning to withdraw be for her interest to lay down the mask which she has
from the occupation of the provinces. Did any alteration hitherto assumed, and to throw herself into the arms of the
of your course fellow on that altered state of things? The Allies. 1 trust it may be so; but up to the present =-
truth is, [that we had some information from the Govern- meat—although I remember it was a favourite phrase of
mint even in July last that the expedition to the Crimea her Majesty's Government that they had protracted nem-
was decided upon. In July the noble lord, now President tiations, and by protracting them they had secured the
of the Council, made a remarkable statement in the House immense advantage of the co-operation of Austria and
of Commons, declaring that there could be no hope of Prussia—l have yet to, learn, in practical result, what
gaining an honourable peace so long as Russia tetained the benefit we have derived or what co-operation we have had
menacing position which she held at Sebastopol. That from Austria—still less from Prussia. So far as I can
announcement was made by Lord Joke Russell on the make out the course pursued, that of one power has been a
24th of July in the House of Commons ; and we know course of doubtful neutrality—of the other, of doubtful
subsequently, from information given by various members hostility, but practically of hostility. Looking at the part
of the Cabinet, that the expedition had at that period been which Austria has hitherto taken in this campaign, lain
decided upon by the Government. My noble friend oppo- not at all sure that she has not been in a great measure the
site (Lord Granville), at the beginning of October, in an cause of your want of success. It was not until after the
address to the Staffordshire Yeomanry, was one of the siege of Silistria that Austria volunteered the assistance of
members of the Cabinet who furnished that information her intervention in any shape; but when that siege had
to the public out of doors ; and Lord J. Russell, on the been raised—when the Hussies army was in fall retreat
27th of October, stated that immediately after the siege when Omer Pacha was at tee head of a triumphant army,
of Silistria was raised it became a question to the Govern- with which, at all events, he could have found occupation
ment at home what course was to be taken with regard to for a large portion of the army of Russia—at that moment
Sebastopol. I should have supposed that the Government Austria came in—whether without the sanction or with lhe
would have decided upon that long before the siege of previous knowledge of her Majesty's Government I know
Silistria was raised. (A. laugh.) But it appears that it not; but she concluded a treaty with Turkey, the effect of
was not until after the siege of Silistria was raised that the which was to give her the occupation and control of the
Government began to say " What next" (Laughter ?) Principalities—to cover, in point of fact, the Russian retreat
Now, by the confession of those two noble lords—one in —to prevent the advance of the Turks—and to commence
this house, and the other in the House of Commons—it the demoralisation of that hitherto victorious army, and to
was the Government, who, notwithstanding the represen- set at liberty the whole of those Russian forces which had
tations from generals of high distinction, in almost every previously been opposed to Om, r Pacha, and for which be
country, of the almost insuperable difficulty of capturing might have found employment in Bessarabia or the pro-
Sebastopol, urged upon the allied forces the necessity of vinces, and to pour upon our forces, already outnumbered
making the attempt ; and so urged, it became doubly the by the army they were besieging, these troops, amounting
duty of the Goverment that no provision should be ne- to four, five, or six times their own number. All this hap-
glected which could tend to diminish the difficulties with peened, it appears, in consequence of the intervention of
which the enterprise on which they were about to embark Austria. (Hear, hear.) When I see what has hitherto
was beset, and which could render the task sot only prac- been the effect of the intervention of Austria, I must be
ticable, but ,comparatively less hard of fulfilment. Now, permitted to doubt until I see it, how far we shall derive
what steps were taken from the latter end of June, when advantages from the treaty now concluded. We may have
.you began to consider " What next," for reinforcing entered into engagements, and
.bound ourselves to condi-
that army, originally of 25,000 men, for the more tions which it would be veritrdhilaeffifulrt ton
eacarcorymnpuliat.h,
Ibduot
extensive field operations upon which you were deter- which we should be bounlni
mined to place them ? I believe you sent out at that not know what promises as. made, or into what
time 5,000 men; and from time until the day after the stipulation she has entered, and I think it is unreasonable
battle of Inkerman, when the 46th Regiment landed at to call upon the House of .eords to express their satisfac-
ble dt hheartadvisers,upon
we
should
hh oeu ledwhonb.
jxt e
pe may,rea— , .
a
Balaklava—putting out of sight the driblets of men who tion at the conclusion of a treaty,
an the contents of which
satisfaction Majesty
p 0 sei
went to join them from time to time—they never received are known only te her
anything like a reinforcement; and that battle of Inker- therefore, express
man was fought by not more than 8,000 out of about 15,000 satisfaction
e which it
it is their i
In
net one single point of the treaty.
British bayonets, which then constituted the whole of your because n
force that was left in the Crimea. (Hear, hear.) My (Hear, hear.) I point out this because lam certain that
lords, I may select another instance. In what state did it will appear so unreasonable to noble lords opposite that
you send out your troops to Varna ? I have before me an they will consent to such a modification of the terms of the
account of an eye-witness, a gallant friend of my own, address as will avoid calling upon the house for an expres-
whose name I can not at liberty to mention, and who is Mon of satisfaction with that of which they know nothing,
exceedingly anxious that in the discussions of this day the and will be content with her Majesty's expression of sada-
merits of the army should be properly recognised. He de- faction at having, in concert with her Ally the Emperor of
plores the giving up of all the necessary appendages with- the French, concluded a treaty with the Emperor of Aus-
out which the army theracouid neither take care of itself trim. I shall not move this in the form of an amendment,
nor move against the enemy—the want of a commissariat, but I suggest it to her Majesty's Government as a. means
and the blunders committed in the shipment of stores with- of avoiding all difficulty with regard to the unanimous
out anything like method or order ; and he adds that no- adoption of the address. (Hear, hear.) I feel it to be
thing but the spirit and zeal of the English officers could doubly important that for the prosecution of this war we
have sustained them amid the difficulties and privations should have not only, as we have, the cordial, deliberate,
with which they were beset. The army was in consequence and steady sanction of the people of this country, but that
detained is inaction, and subjected to all the dangers
in we should also have the opinion of Parliament expressed
attendant upon living the peateferous climate in Varna. in the most unmistakeable language, that so questions of
It might be necessary, when the army marched towards difference as to the mode in which the war has been con-
the lines of the Alma, or from Balaklava to nk I erman, that ducted, or might have been conducted, shall interfere with
they should carry with them the smallest possible inciun- the unanimous declaration of Parliament that Tre
brance ;it may not be possible for support is our power
an army to carry any- give her Majesty's Government every
t nation
will
thing like superfluity in the field; but for the deficiencies —that the world shall see a spectacle of a great nation
.
in our hospital accommodation at Varna and Scutari, if sinking all political animosities, sinking all P';'llymec:nrs
there were such deficiencies—and that there were such detentions, and uniting heart and hand with all the
h an eXer•
ficiencies I think no one can now doubt—there can be so at their disposal, with all the inflaence t y
defence, because the Government had ample means of.pro- 0_ ?seutecthe war,
viding the requisite supplies. I know we were told that else among their fellow-countrymen to
even although we may not entertain Pnrfisdence in those
a larger number of army surgeons were in attendance upon a (Cheers.) I think
our forces than had ever accompanied any previous e et
'Pee-- liberal support that they can requirof the country r
who have the management of it, t? givc°e to them the most
tion, andthat when the public sent stores of linen rags and that lam speaking the sentiments ,• my
lint, they were told by members of the Government that own friendspand of Parliament when I say that, far kera
there was the greatest abundance of medical stores andgrudging them any supplies or any support
_ which is neces-
medical officers; and yet when those ladies were sent scary f the successful prosecution of this great and int.
ry Or
Out —to whom it ii, impossible for language to do jus-portent war, it will be ins,oetry.ttht will urge forward
tire—sacrificing as they did all that could be attractive, all iLioissers to spare no pa to mi no exertions, to *ek
the conveniences and luxuries of life, and giving themselves every sacrifice and every effort. for the purpose of securing
of successful
up with heroic self-devotion to mitigito the sufferings of a just and honourable peace, in consluence
our wounded and dying soldiers in crowded and pestilen- o those gallant men
under circumstances of •
distinguished. operations. (Cheers.)
tial hospitals in a foreign country—what was the very first who are nct, _ considerable difficulty
demand made by those ladies? Why it was an urgent and and with diminished numbers gallantly fighting the battles
importunate .request, addressed to the British public, to ofthis coaulenntlrayt,inrgm as reinforced
uponcedas tntheyeir indomitablehavebeeut
re
to
pae certain
eeer.
send out those very articles which the Government had degree,
e
ance and courage under all circumstances of difficulty and
said before were there in the greatest profusion. (Hear.)
In the course of one clayeleven men sunk from exhaustion, discouragement—to them I would say, " Yet a little more
in consequence of a single bottle of wine not being at band patience, Jet
et a little more perseverance. The end is not yet
for their relief. I say, my lords, this is a subject in regard but t the end is approaching you, when you shall reap the
rig
to which the Government have incurred a heavy ent
nu; reward of your labours. The eyes of your countrymen are
bility ; and I think it is my duty, as a peer of Par
men, ympathi upon you—the
.es of your countrymen are in support of your hearts of your countrymen are with you.
he
and deeply interested in the well-being of those gallainat
to comment on these matters and
those charges, if disprove and to- ask the Government unparalleled exertions. Men, women, and children are ex-.
hausting their stores for the purposes of reliving your die-
not only to deny, but to dispro
tresses, and ministering to your comforts and assuaging
them they can. (Hear, hear.) You sent out—but too. late
again—on the 15th October, I believe for the first time, a your sufferings. Fresh reinforcements are at hand. Your
it on board a and obstinate resistance,
supply of winter clothing—you embarked courage, your daring, your steady
magnificent vessel—how managed how manned, and how anti your unflinching perseverance, shall not only be ao-
conducted, I will ask the noble duke to explain. You sent knowledged, but shall serve as a moral and an example to
out a large quantity of winter clothing, and with it a large the country, which is proud of having you for soldiers. Go
quantity of medical stores and comforts. Those medical
on in the gallant course which you have begun. Have yet a
stores ought to have been landed at Scutari, but, owing to
little more patience to struggle against the unavoidable
their having been deposited in the hold of the ship beneath difficulties which are opposed to you, and believe that the
that part of the cargo which was composed of ammunition hearts of your countrymen are with you. There are laurels
for the army, the vessel was obliged to go on to Balaklava for those who have fallen, and when you return from 141,
without landing them at Scutari ; and there, after losing expedition which, with all its harassing difficulties, with
two of box motion, lite was for coven days permitted to all its dangers and its labours, will be sad Mutt be no-