The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-21 00:00:00

TUE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 21, 1854.

assured the house was absolutely necessary to prosecute
the war with due effect.
Mr. NEWDEGATE had heard much about the nacos
sity of this measure, and the able troops that we proposed
to engage, but [not one word had yet been heard about
what the forces were, or what their character was—
whether they were well armed troops or not, or such as we
might place that confidence in them that. the occasion
called for, and he warned them that Rnssia w.as, of all
Powers in the world, the bests ept in raising discoFd and
unpractised
mutiny amongst Powers oppo to her, if she obtained a
ahneyar)ad—and then he
chance,to
obtain
would ask, what was to be our security that such a
andsuchw°and end—(lHeaeva7,
band as we propcsed to raise would be faithful to their
engagement? We had plenty of resources, not only at
home, but in our Indian possessions, that might in a very
few months be made available for any service in the
Crimea, and it was under these circumstances that he
should give his most strenuous opposition to the bill.
Mr. FRESHFIELD thought the British force in India
might be better employed, not in the Crimea, but in other
places, against Russia, but he suggested that the whole
subject of this bill had been exhausted. Technically there
was no objection to this bill, and after the debate of yes-
terday. and the night before it was time the bill had got into
committee, now that its principle had been affirmed by the
majority of the house. Continuing this debate might lead
to an adjournment beyond Tuesday next, which was
not desirable ; and he therefore entreated the house to
cease talking and go to work on the bill in committee. He
supported the bill because he felt that our noble fellow-
countrymen and allies in the Crimea were entitled to some
immediate relief. We desire I peace ; but still we would
not ask it—we would endeavour to extort it.
Mr. MULLINGS knew not whether the subject of this
bill had been exhausted in the house, but this he did know
that the country was of opinion that it had not yet been
sufficiently discussed. The noble lord thelPresident of the
Council had threatened toresign if this bill were not passed;
but, considering that the noble lord during the last two ses-
sions had held out a similar threat, he thought but little
weight was to be attached to it. The noble lord was too
discreet a politician to go to a country upon a measure
like this, and he, though a humble member, had no hesi-
tation in recommending the house still to reject this mea-
sure, and turn its attention to reforming the recruiting of
our own army, which was based upon a system that was
radically bad.
Mr. DISRAELI said there was no wish on his side of
the house to throw any obstacle on the progress of public
business, or improperly to obstruct the passing of this
measure. That was proved by the readiness with which
the Opposition had allowed the division on the second
reading to be taken ; and under the circumstances, con-
sidering that as yet the subject had not been sufficiently
debated, he suggested that they should go into committee
at once, and resume the discussion on the third reading.
Lord J. RUSSELL had no reason to complain of the
course which the Opposition had taken with regard to this
bill, while he thought the recommendation of the right
hon. gentleman was a perfectly fair one.
Mr. PACKE appealed to the Government to limit the
duration of the bill to some definite time, because the
country had been afforded no opportunity for considering
its principle, or pronouncing an opinion upon it.
Mr. BRIGHT observed that his hon. friend the mem-
ber for the West Riding had given notice of his inten-
tion to go into the general question of the war when
the report was brought up. Now, it might so happen
that there would be no amendments to the bill, and
then the bill would be reported forthwith, while mem-
bers would be precluded from going beyond the scope
of the bill on the question for the third reading.
He trusted, however, that as his honourable friend
would have to comment rather strongly upon the policy of
the Government, there would be no objection to his speak-
ing a little wide of the subject of the bill. (Hear, and a
langh.)
Lord J. RUSSELL said there would be no objection
on his part. (Hear, hear.)
The house then went into committee on the bill.
Upon clause 1 being put,
Mr. L. KING moved the following proviso—" That no
contract tin ith foreign soldiers shall be lawful under the
provisions of which this country shall be liable for any
payments, excepting to officers disabled by wounds, to
continue beyond the period of one year after the ratifica-
tion of a definitive treaty of peace."
Mr. S. HERBERT said that it was not the intention of
the Government to give pensions, but merely half-pay to
those who were wounded, and also to the widows, and he
begged of the hon. gentleman to withdraw his proviso.
[LEFT SITTING