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

and whom we are about to thank, will feel that they
are serving not an ungrateful country. The
Noble Earl then moved the resolutions, which

will be found in another column.
The Marquis of LANSI)OWNE said, it must be the
opinion of their Lordships that such resolutions as
those proposed by the Noble Lord the President of the
Council, and such events as those resolutions were
founded on, ought not to pass without some observatious
from other quarters. Although he (the Marquis of
Lansdowne) felt that the Noble Lord had done full
justice to the subject, it was grateful to his feelings to
state, that after perusing with the greatest attention the
documents which herMajesty'sGovernment had laidbefore
their Lordships, and also after examining the particular
terms of the resolutions founded thereon, and proposed
by the Noble Earl, he must give, in the sincerest manner,
his testimony in favour of the troops that had been
engaged. And he hoped that their Lordships would not
merely give their acquiescence to the resolutions, but
their sincere support.—(Cheers.) Those resolutions
went to prove the expression of their grateful admira-
tion at the valour, zeal, and devotion to thepublic service
evinced by the whole army ; and also to express their
satisfaction of that distinguished officer who filled the
situation of Governor-General, and whose energy and
ability had been employed and placed at their disposal,
to repel the invasion of the Seikh army.—(Hear,
hear.) To both these objects, he (the Marquis of
Lansdowne) gave his most cordial support. From the
particular tactics and the particular course of
military operations that had been pursued during the
conflict, which lasted four or five days, and also from
those papers which had been laid before their Lord-
ships, he would venture to say that there was ample
evidence that the zeal of the British army during that
conflict had known no bounds, and had never been ex-
ceeded in any country.—(Cheers.) It was impossible to
peruse those papers without observing that every con-
currence of circumstances—all of which were inevi-
table, and most unfortunate—were attended with
those glorious results of which their Lordships
had heard. The armies, in the course of great
movements, were compelled to submit to privation and
disadvantages, tofatigues, and occasionally to disc urage-
ment—(Hear, hear)—and it was necessary to display
their valour in the face of a superior enemy; and in the
course of one week every one of those unfortunate cir-
cumstances was brought to bear in the most unfavour-
able manner upon the situation in which those troops
were placed, and yet by the combination of all those cir-
cumstances a result was produced—the glory of which
he would not say was unparalleled, but was one which
he would venture to say would add the most brilliant
lustre to the British armies. And it was to the zeal and
devotion displayed by that army that we owed the addi-
tional lesson which had been afforded to the nations of
Asia—(Cheers)—and that the military and the not-
military of that country had been made to see that the
starof British power had shone on this occasion, not with
diminished but with increasing lustre, and had added to
those claims of gratitude and confidence which should
be shown towards us by those nations which he
trusted it would ever be our fortune to defend.
He was sure the Noble Earl opposite (Earl Aberdeen)
would pardon him for adverting to the papers that had
I eon laid before their Lordships, but he would say that
they showed that not merely did our European forces.
but that of the Sepoy—(Loud cheers)—employed on the
occasion, had acted in a manner which, whenever it was
exhibited tended to strengthen and to cement the ties
that ought to e Kist between the two nations. Their con-
duct was worthy of the greatest praise.—(Cheers.) In
this day, when they were giving thanks for public ser-
vices, he hoped that the public services and the peculiar
services which had been rendered to the country by the
Indian army would not be forgotten. With respect to
the distinguished Commander-in-Chief, it was not to be
doubted that in the position in which he was placed
during a week or fortnight previous to the invasion of
the Seikh army, his conduct was that both of a civilian
and a military man. His position was most peculiar,
he may venture to say most unusually so, but, neverthe-
less, that distinguished military man did not only do his
duty as a civilian, but when he found it necessary to
draw his sword, as a soldier; and, what was even more
valuable, added to the glory of the day by the
example which he set in inciting to deeds of
valour. lie, therefore, thought that on that particular
occasion he eminently deserved the approbation of the
country. He would not, for the same reason that the
Noble Earl had assigned, attempt to dwell on the merits
and great abilities of Sir Hugh Gough and the other
commanders who had exhibited such prowess on that
occasion. Their Lordships, he was sure, would feel that
they were all entitled to share in the approbation of the
country, and on that subject he was sure they would be
all unanimous. He would not follow his Noble Friend
into the political allusions which he had made, but he
was sure, if it should be necessary to make any inquiry
into the circumstances which had preceded the events
in question, they would come to the conclusion that the
policy would prove deserving of their warmest approba-
tion, being of a pacific nature. He was sure their Lord-
ships would feel that every effort was made to avoid all
unnecessary war, but at the same time, to go beyond
that, would not be consistent with the duty which they
owe themselves and the country they govern. It was
palpable to all *the world, that if ever they acted the
part of aggressors in India, it was not on the present
occasion; but that was a consideration into which he did
not wish to enter, or pronounce any opinion upon,
although if he were, it would be of a favourable nature.
The Duke of WELLINGTON rose and said, I
should be particularly cautious, and not say one word,
if I was of a different opinion on the question now
before the House relating to the military operations in
India. But, my Lords, I could not omit an occasion of
this kind without adding to what had been stated by the
two Noble Lords my own unqualified approbatiow of the
conduct of the troops, and of the officers who commanded
them, particularly we-my. tkma overt:tor-
General ; who, after having made all the arrangement
appertaining to his duty as Governor- General, in order
to collect all the resources of the country for the pur-
pose of fighting the great c intest—having collected
all the troops, and made all the arrangements that
were possible, he gave his assistance to the officers in
command, in order to secure the public approbation of
the country. My. Lords, it is seldom that an officer is
placed in a situation to take that course—there is, per-
haps, no similar instance of a man giving such an example
—an example, my Lords, which I hope will be always fol-
lowed. When he found his services would be useful in
the field, his situation as Governor-General did not pre-
vent him acting there, and overlooking every military
operation, and volunteering his services in that great
contest. My Lords, the Noble Marquis said truly that
the army did all in their power to obtain great results.
My Lords, it may not be generally known, but the coun-
try ought to know that the position of the enemy was
completely closed in by entrenchments, and that it was
more a fortress than simply a fortified position. Not-
withstanding the disadvantages which the troops in
India laboured under, they performed their duty to their
entire approbation ; notwithstanding their singular dis-
advantage, being without water for twenty-four hours;
because the villages were distant, and those whose duty
it was to supply them could not do so, and they were in
consequence for twenty-four hours without refreshment.
They carried the position of the en. my certainly with
very great honour, and he hoped the affair had not left
them in a state to be inefficient, if their services should
be called into action on any future occasion. My
Lords, I have not for a length of time known any occa-
sion that has given such full and entire satisfaction as
this affair. But there is one matter connected with it
which I regret. It is said that a panic was felt
in one regiment, which I hope was not the case.
I see, my Lords, that by a comparison between Eng-
land and France that the general to whom that officer
has referred lost five-twelfths of his number within an
hour -after he entered the action; and I learn by this
report, that in the course of this attack that within the
first quarter of an hour one-third of the officers fell. I
find, upon inquiry, that there are several inaccuracies in
the report of this general officer in the number of killed
and wounded, which in his report, have been greatly exag-
gerated. In that report it is said, that as they were
moving on to the attack the men and the officers were
actually mowed down with the severity of fire to which
they were exposed. Now, I find, my Lords, that the
regiment to which this reference has been made had
been serving, without intermission, for sixteen years in
the East Indies; that during the forty years which it
had served, it had :served thirty-three years abroad,
leaving only seven years for duty within the bounds of
the United Kingdom. I find moreover, upon inquiry,
my Lords, that during its service the East ;tidies,
that during that time, it has served in all parts of India,
and that during that time, of the men who were engaged
at the moment of this attack, nearly three-fourths had
been only seven years in the service. My Lords, I have
felt it my duty to examine into the allegations respect-
ing this regiment. I find a great many inaccuracies in
the report of this general officer. I only wish he had
written a much more detailed report of the action, but I
will read a paragraph to show the real conduct of that
regiment, with which I think you will be satisfied,--o
(The Noble Duke searched among his papers but was
unable to find the one he wanted.) I can't find it, my
Lords.. I can assure you, my Lords, that it spoke in
the most unqualified approbation of the devoted bravery
of that regiment. I should, indeed, my Lords, have
great pleasure in reading this report to you, and I
deeply regret not having it.(Hear, hear.) The fact
of two-thirds of the men having been mowed down
speaks highly of their conduct, and calls for our most
unqualified praise.—(Cheers.)
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY felt that after the
speech of the Noble Earl who bad first addressed their Lord-
ships, and more especially after the speech of the Noble Duke
who had just sat down, he could not say much in addition to
the question before their Lordships. There was one point,
however, which he thought bad nut been sufficiently adverted
to, and that was the most extraordinary devotion of the gene-
ral offieers who had been engaged in this most sanguinary en-
gagement. The conduct of the officers who had fought was
above all praise, for they forgot anything like personal feeling,
and mingled in the fight. It was welt known that the per-
sonal bravery of our officers had a great effect upon our men.
If the soldiers were to see our general officers backward in per.
sonal bravery, it would cause them to relax in their devotion.
The point which he considered to be overlooked in the despatch
was that of the morning after the engagement. When the
morning dawned, after a night spent as described, the Governor-
General, in passing from one regiment to another, exhausted as
he was with hearing the cries of the wounded on the one hand,
and the savage cries of the Seikhs on the other—when the
morning dawned, true to his saying that he would die on the
field rather than relinquish the territory he possessed, he
placed himself on the one &ails of the line,
and the Commander-in-Chief on the other, at least
thirty yards in front of the whole line- —fearing lest the troops
should rashly rush upon the intrenchtrients, he placed himself
thus in front to keep the men steady• in their position ; he
marched them forward, reserving their fire until close to the
enemy, when the intrenchraents werm taken at the point of the
bayonet. lie thought there never
was a battle in which any
movement was attended with more success than this. It was
impossible that a victory like thin
should not be attended with
great and corresponding loss. VT ;mu they Sir Hugh Gough,
one of the bravest men in tt..e army, thus incurring
of rashness by placing hi -self in thesaw front of the battle, they
slight be sure that it -eas no orognary circumstance that coop