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

THE SUN. LONDON. WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 13, 1854.

which the noble lord is at the head ; and notwithstanding
the " critical position" of affairs, I hope your lordships will
not think that Government is dispirited, or, what is stilt
more important. that your lordships will imagine that our
brave men, with their gallant general, are discouraged.
My lords, I feel that our gallant army is beyond any praise
of mine. The time has been when it was thought that
there existed a feeling of jealousy between army and
navy; but if that were so, it does not exist et the pre-
sent moment. So fax fram jealousy, the navy has shown—
and I speak not of admirals, or captains, or officers, but of
the navy generally—a thorough anxiety to assist in every
way possible the sister service. They knew that the sea-
men of Russia were beyond their power, and they knew
that they had no opportunity of proving that they were
emulous/to rival the fame obtained by the sailors under
Nelson—to prove that the captains and sailors of the fleet
of the present day had not degenerated—they knew that
those Russian ships now in the harbour were out of the
way of becoming honourable prizes to the ships of France
and E.ngland ; and finding that this glory was not to be
theirs, they lost no opportunity of slaving and toiling for
the army'. (Hear.) To them it was owing that, after the
battle hour, when the wounded lay extended for miles
along the shore, and the means of carrying them were in-
sufficient, the soldiers were treated and conveyed with ten-
derness and brought on board the ships. I rejoice to think
that the seamen and marines of the fleet have been enabled
to take part in the siege of Sebastopol, and to prove that
they are as gallant onshore as the soldier himself. (Cheers.)
Then with respect to our Allies, with regard to whom fears
were at the first moment expressed that we wou!d look upon
each other with mutual distrust, the greatest cordiality and
friendship existed between Lord Raglan and Marshal St.
Arnaud while he lived, and Gen. Canrobert ever since. But
this cordiality and friendship not o-ily existed between the
generals and principal officers, but between the subalterns
and common soldiers. Side by side they fought ; side by
side they lay together in moments of suffering and disease.
Never before, under any circumstances, have two nations,
between whom amity subsisted, sbeirn a snore thorough
co-operation than those gallant soldiers. (Hear.) There
were not wanting those who had prophesied that the mili-
tary character of this country had perished with the long
peace ; who said that years of refinement had so reduced
our energies that when war should come our soldiers
would succumb, and that we should never again make head
against those who had been trained under a more military
system. But that is not the case. Luxury has net weak-
ened the character of the aristocracy or gentry of this
country. (Cheers.) The noble earl (the Earl of Derby)
has appealed in eloquent terms to the loss we have sus-
tained, and it has been my painful duty, on more than
one occasion, to break the sad tidings of the loss of rela-
tions to those to whom they were most dear. The men,
one and all, fell gloriously in the service of their country.
(Cheers.) We are told that it is the privilege of the Eng-
lishman to grumble, but it is we, who indulge in luxury
at home, who grumble. What has been the conduct of
those who have been exposed to the changes of climate
and to the ravages of disease ? They have borne all with
the most endurine. patience. Nothing could be more
touching than the incident of that stalwart soldier in
the hospital, who, when the nurses attended him, with
tears in his eyes exclaimed—" This is, indeed, like Eng-
land now ; she is a country which cares for her poor
wounded creatures." (Hear, hear.) They have shown
themselves as superior as Christians to those whom they
were fighting against, as they are superior as soldiers. I
hope I may be allowed to say a word respecting the illus-
trious commander-in-chief. No oie but one who has
been in constant communication with him can form
any accurate notion of his merits. Greatly as he is
valued in this country, his full merits will not be
known until his despatches, and perhaps his private
letters, which are in the custody of myself and of his
family, are made public. (Hear, hear.) It would be most
insulting to Lord Raglan to speak of his courage, for that
ho possesses in common with all the other officer..; but he
hasishown greater qualities than this ; and nothing is more
eminent thea that characterised the other day by a gen-
tleman, who had seen him under circumstances of trial, as
the " divine calm" with which he spoke when he learned
the disastrous intelligence of the loss caused by the storm,
and that his ar:ny was deprived of a most valuable part
of its traasports. (Hear.) It may be my duty on an early
day to refer to the services of Lord Raglan, but I could not
avoid some slight allusion to them on this occasion. The
noble Eerl (the Earl of Derby) has put a question which
he said might probably be beyond the province of a mem-
ber of this house, whether, as we were n3w about reward-
ing the services of our army, and when the admiration of
the Sovereign was expressed, some expression of the admi-
ration of the Sovereign and people of this country for the
army of our brave ally should not be conveyed to it. I
kuow not whether it be beyond the province of the noble
earl to ask the question, but it obliges me to make a state-
ment. Her Majesty has not required the suggestion of
anybody in this matter. (Cheers.) About is fortnight or
three weeks ago I received her Majesty's command to con-
vey to Lord Raglan her intention to confer the order of
the Bath on General Canrobert, and to convey that deter-
mination either to the ambassador of the Emperor of the
French, or to the Emperor himself, and that has been de-
layed because it was not felt that the compliment would
be complete to him if not offered at the same time as our
own soldiers. (Hear, hear.) My lords, I believe it is the
resolution of this country to prosecute the war, and I con-
fidently approve that resolution. (Cheers.) I look around
use, and I see hardly a dissentient. I look to Ireland, and
I look to the colonies, and I see in each aid all the most
gratifying testimony of approval and support. Canada
contributes largely to the Patriotic Fund, and this not
merely for this country, but equally for the profit of
the army of France as that of England, thus showing
the complete identification that has been effected
in the allied forces. The army has nobly done its daly,
and the country is prepared to do its duty. (Chews.)
I am not afraid that we shall suffer auy harsh judgment
for our acts. The people are generous and just, and I will
only say that I, for one, will rejoice at any amount of
pressure which may be applied to me by every party in
the country, and by the noble lord opposite, for I see
.proofs that there is everywhere a determination to carry on
the war with vigour, and all the efforts made on our part
will be seconded by Parliament and the people. (Cheers.)
I am conscious that there are many who could better have
undertaken the heavy duties which have fallen on me, and
I have often reflected on the fact that I as a civilian should
be called on to administer the affairs of the army : bat still
I hare felt that, with the exception of the commander-in-
chief, there is st this moment in the country hardly any
experienced generals who have taken the lead in active
war. They aro all in active service, and with the single
exception of my noble friend we have not the benefit of
the assistance of any one possessing military experience.
I assure your lordships I have no object but that of bring-
ing the war to a successful termination, and to attain that
object everyeffdrt shall be made. There aro necessarily re-
verses in a war, and we must expect some reverses on our
part ; and should reverses come, I believe the country and
the Government will alike bear them. It is said that
Englishmen never know when they are beaten, and I am
convinced that when we complete our success we shall
prove that the saying is a true one. (Hear.) I will new
explain the objects for which Parliament was called toge-
ther for this short session. As the noble earl rightly antici-
pated, we propose to bring in a bill to enable the militia
regiments to volunteer their services abroad. The object
of that is obvious ; it is to enable us to remove to the seat
of war the regiments in garrison in Malta, Gibraltar, and
the lonian Islands. As that bill will be in the House of
Commons immediately, and will before long come up to
your lordships' house, I will not further Wert° it. I shall
Majestyhav have th t
e
powdriller
liad trainflaying on the table a bill to enable her
foreign troops to a limited num-
ber. We cannot at present drill or train foreign troops in
this country, and we believe that, as oaformeroccasions, it
would be advantageous to have that power, for troops so
drilled and trained might join an army, though the number
could not be very considerable. There is another measure
which would not require the sanction of Parliament, but
which we consider necessary—it is that of increasing the
organisation of our regiments by adding four companies to
each regiment on foreign service, thus raising the com-
panies to sixteen. Great inconvenience was felt in sending
reinforcements to an army 3,000 miles distant, and there-
fore it was most desirable tohave reserves at Malta or else-
where. It is proposed in raising these four companies,
with the view to encourage the enlistment of the militia,
that commissions be given to each battalion on bringing a
certain number of men. Noble lords will see that we aro
believe it will be very desirable to in-
giving considerable encouragement to enlistment. We
propose to increase our two rifle regiments byone battalion
each. The services of these troops have been found most
to each battalion two officers' coca-
cerffieaciseentheainrdst;eength by one battalioneacla. I trust it will
not be necessary to depart from that glory of England,
rgeants in Lord Raglan's army. It was
voluntary enlistment. My noble friend the general com-
manding in chief has, with the consent of her Majesty's
given after the battle of Alma, and it will be given again.
Government,
feonrt
This encouragement to the soldiers will be found to work
well. Lord Raglan has also conferred the good service
pension en the non-commissioned officers under him, and
• will be made to increasethe etfi • of the
force. exertion menu
force. (Cheers.) As the noble earl has entered on all these
points, I felt it my duty to explain them as well as lay in
my power. I have endeavoured to admit defects, not to
Ilie given
se
extenuate faults, and to lay before your lordships what I
believe to be a correct statement of what the Government
has done, and if blame attaches to any, it is certainly not
to the army, nor to any mass serving his country abroad.
(Hear, hear.) I assure your lordships that we look to
prosecute this war, if we continue to possess the confi-
dence of Parliament, with firm resolve and unflinching
perseverance. Ido not underetaud what is meant by
' moderate counsels." (Cheers.) I say we are prepared to
prostente the war with firm res.ilve and unflinching firmness.
We will not reject overtures of peace, but we will not
consent to any but an honourable peace. We have the
fullest confidence in our army, and, in our noble people,
and in the firmness and friendship of our powerful and
generous Ally, and we do not fear the least for the result.
(Cheers.) We have full confidence in the Ruler of the
destinies of nations and we hair', the highest hope of
bringing the contest to a satisfactory issue. It is not for
us to determine the time when it will be possible to bring
such a war to a close ; but we will bring it to such a close
as will give repose to civilisation, and security to those
nations of Europe which have been thrown into confusion
by the act of one aggressive Sovereign. (Cheers.)
Earl GREY having been one of those who objected to
the policy of engaging in war in the first instance, was
anxious to express his cordial concurrence in the Address,
which he thought should be unanimously adopted. Al-
though his opinion was against the original policy of the
war, and though that opinion was not altered, but rather
confirmed, he thought that, being once embarked in it,
there was no alternative but to carry it on with the utmost
vigour and firmness. (Cheers.) He should therefore cor-
dially vote for the address to her Majesty, pledging the
house to second with all the energy in their power the
efforts of her Majesty's Government in carrying on the
present contest. He was glad to say that, while he de-
plored all the misery and waste of human life, and of those
resources which might have been employed for the general
improvement of mankind, be found that in all this evil
there was some good. He rejoiced that it bad been proved
that the British nation had not degenerated. The noble
duke at the head of the War Department had, in the
course of his very elaborate ad lrese, expressed some opi-
-1110123 which appeared to him (Earl Grey) to be exceed-
ingly erroneous. The noble duke had •
also said that some
gentlemen connected with railways were about to send
out labourers and all the apparatus necessary for the
construction
construction of a railway from Balaklava to the camps,
in order to provide the means of carr • up with
greater facility the stores for the carrying . .
army. Was it not
rather late in the
and was not the lc •l ea an obvious one from the first?
Then, again, it was only a few days since that the first
supply of wooden ]ruts for the men had been sent out.
They could not expect to be put up in the Crimea before
at least the middle of January, and by that period the
greater part of the winter would I • 1
have passes_ away. But
eiirely this was a want which coot,] have been foreseen;
!,,t. it t * t
'' , ',op. had. i eh-wined in the Crimea, or eve,' ]gave
',',.'" ‘,.4,i,...,,ii„,1, ..,;. wi ot «.,-,1 i A hoi:,e o'_'l,3l- iii.,c 3 of the
t;lack
;Sea, huts for the winter would have still been ne-
cessary for the comfort and health of the troops. (Cheers.)
If, too, the large fleet sent to the Baltic was not intended