The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-03 00:00:00

pelled him thus to encourage his troops. It was true that this
was but a lesson from the olden school, for he well knew that
the Noble Duke was ever the first to expose himself at the post

of danger. In reading the discussion which occurred on Fri-
day the impression produced upon his mind was, that an animad.
version had been cast upon the situation in which the two
officers, Sir Henry Hardinge and Sir Hugh Gough, had been
placed. The manner in which these two officers had conducted
themselves in the engagement was most commendable.—
( Cheers. ) There was one point which he wished to alltide
to, and that was, the youth of the commanding officers of the
various regiments. Four regiments were commanded by
majors. He did not know whether this arose from economy,
but if it did it was a most unwise economy. It was a great
advantage to go into a genera action with a sufficient comple-
ment of field officers, and that the commanding officers, in-

stead of doing general duty should go into the aetton at the
head of their regiments. To Resit the number of officers, as
had been done, was a most niggardly economy.
The Duke of WELLINGTON said the Noble Lord was
quite mistaken in attributing the economy he spoke of to her
Majesty's Government, the whole army establishment being
paid by the East India Company. It had been the invariable
practice in India, both at the time he was in it and since, to
require field officers belonging to the regiments of the army to
perform general duty—that is, to command brigades according
to their rank. There were not sufficient general officers to
command the brigades.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY, in all humility to the
superior judgment of the Noble Duke, said he did not think he
had answered the question. He (the Marquis of London-
derry) said the general officers were not sufficient, and that
commanding officers should not perform brigadier duty.
The Duke of RICHMOND said he would not have risen
had not the Noble and Gallant Marquis referred to him, find-
ing fault that he had not given notice of putting the question
he had done to the Noble Earl at the head of the Board of Con-
trol. He (the Duke of Richmond) did that which was more
regular. On the Noble Earl laying the papers in relation to
our Indian affairs on the table, he (the Duke of Richmond)
asked whether any order or instructions had been given respect •
ing the Governor-General officiating as second in command in
the army. He had not, as alleged, made any attack on the Go-
vernor-General, for whom he entertained feelings of the greatest
respect, but notwithstanding those fee ings he (the Duke of Rich-
mond) could not pass over this most dangerous precedent. It
was a general principle that there should be only one com•
mending officer in the army. In making that observation he
was far frpm saying anything against the Governor-General ;
and he now begged to state that he most cordially concurred is
what had fallen from his Noble Friend at the head of the Board
of Control. He most cordially concurred in everything that
had fallen from his Noble Friend that evening, and also that
which bad fallen from his Noble Friend, the Gallant Duke, and
the Noble Marquis (who had then left his place) with respect
to the good conduct and the heroism of those men who had
been engaged in the late splendid battle.—( Cheers.) He had
also seen with the greatest satisfaction that Sir Henry Har.
dinge had intimated to the army by a general order his inten-
tion of awarding to the officers, and, non-commissioned officers,
and private soldiers of that army a medal, as a
reward to those brave men who had the good
fortune to participate in the late splendid battle. It
would be a medal which would record their unparalleled bra-
very. He did hope that her Majesty might be advised to
take this opportunity of ordering a favourable answer to be
returned to a tiemorial most respectably and numerously
signed by the war and veteran officers who served in the Penin-
sula—men who, he could assure their Lordships, feeling not
the slightest jealousy, but, on the contrary, highly approving
that their successors in the very regiments in which they had
served in the Peninsula should receive medals, but all enter-
taining the deepest feeling that there could be no reason why
they who served in times gone past should now be the excep•
tion, and not the general rule, having nothing to show except
indeed their numerous wounds. They stated that they, too,
had often received the thanks of Parliament for the very able,
efficient, and honourable manner in which they bad served
their King and their country in a time of the greatest danger.
He hoped and trusted that their prayers would not be rejected,
and he must now request his Noble Friend, the President of
the Board of Control, to consent that the names of the non-
commissioned officers and of the private soldiers should be pub-
lished in this country. They were aware that many soldiers
could not write, and that many others were incapable in an
arduous campaign of becoming correspondents. He believed
he was correct in stating, that whenever there was a naval
engagement the name of every private marine and of every
private soldier was invariably published in the Gazette.—
( Hear, hear.) Such a proceeding might be considered to be
difficult with respect to large armies, where there was a
considerable loss ; but he helieved his Noble Friend (the Duke
of Wellington) would bear him out in saying that the birth-
place of every soldier was registered in the War-office, and
the list of their names were made out and sent to the different
local newspapers for insertion. He was quite sure his Noble
Friend would agree with him, that it was most desirable to re-
lieve the deep anxiety and the agonising suspense which the
parents and relatives of those brave men—(Hear, hear)—many
of them in the humbler situations of life were now suffering
under, to show what was the fate of those whom they loved the
most. From his (the Duke of Richmond's) practical experi-
ence, whilst residing in the country,in mixing with the labourers
in his neighbourhood, he could assure their Lordships that
such a course would give the greatest satisfaction to the hum-
bler, but honest fellow. subjects.—(Cheers. ) He had thought
it right to make this suggestion to his Noble Friend, because
he could not see, since they admitted this principle with regard
to the navy, why they should not also carry it out with respect.
to those who served in the army in foreign and distant places.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH perfectly concurred in
what had been said by the Noble Marquis opposite (the Mar-
quis of Londonderry). He would not attempt to add anything
to what fallen had from the Noble Duke (Wellington), because
he knew that one word of approbation from him—Cheers)—
was more valued by the soldiers—(Cheers)—than any
complimentary words whfch might possibly fall from any other
person.—(Cheers.) But he hoped their Lordships would forgive
him for not allowing this discussion to close without taking that
public opportunity of expressing the deep gratification with
which he had witnessed the last victory whieh had been
achieved by the army with which he had been so recently con-
nected ; and also of expressing the entire confidence which was
reposed in them on this as well as on everygforrner occasion,
and by their late splendid triumph they had even increased that
confidence. Their success must be satisfactory to all, and par-
ticularly to the troops esineerned. But when he said that the
British army had done their duty in the most praiseworthy
manner, he Must not forget to add that the native troops had
conducted themselves in a manner quite as satisfactory as that
which had been alluded to by the Noble Duke, with respect to
her Majesty's 611 Regiment.—( Cheers.) He knew too that
the prea.rut Gto-eeenoe-csenerat's confidence in those troops had
been increased by their recent conduct. He (the Earl of
Ellenborough) was extremely satisfied by the manner in which
the Sepoys had conducted themselves on this occasion—they
bad endured the most serious privations in the most severe dis-
trict.—( Cheers.) In their long marches they had scarcely
any food or water, and they had to bear the
most destructive fire of the enemy. Their con-
duct was certainly entitled to the greatest praise,
Having had the opportunity of observing the fidelity of those
troops to their colours, he could hear his personal testimony to
the high honour and military fidelity of those troops. They
had been encamped within forty miles of the Seilh army
during a period of eighteen months, and throughout the whole
of that time, although they had seen successive crimes, followed
by successive donations, until the pay of the Seikh troops had
risen to double the amount of their own, and yet, after those
troops had passed the Sutlej, not a single man had deserted
from his colours, or shown the slightest inclination to desert
his allegiance to his colours. He rejoiced in this, not only
because it had been productive of great advantages, but also
because it was the presage of future triumphs, and he knew,
not only that they had driven the Seikhs across the Sutlej, but
that they would follow them to Lahore. He was induced to
express his feelings upon this subject, because he had intimate
knowledge of the troops who had fought this gallant actien,
and the more so because he felt it was necessary to sustain the
Governor-General in the harassing and anxious position which
he occupied, for he felt that that Gallant Officer required all
the sustenance which moral courage might give by the
vote of that House to-night.—( Cheers. )
The Earl of AUCX LAND had but few observations to ad-
dress to their Lordships, but he felt the debate should not close
without expressing his feelings, as he had been intimately
acquainted with many of the officers of the gallant army to
which this discussion referred. He was glad of an opportu-
nity of expressing his perfect concurrence in all that had fallen
from the, Noble Earl opposite, and was glad to give his assent
to the vote of thanks to the noble and gallant army who had
just achieved this splendid victory.
The vote was then passed riemine dissentien!e.
The County Works (Ireland) Bill was then read a third
time and passed.
Several Bills were then advanced a stage, and the House ad-
journed.

HOUSE OF COMMOIVS, March 2.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at a few minutes before
Four o'clock.