The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-03 00:00:00

one or two observations. He thought that after the battle o
Ferozoshah, an opinion generally prevailed that the appoint-
ments of the Bengal Artillery were incomplete, and perhaps
his Lordship might be aware that various discussions had
taken place as to whether the calibre of their guns was not
too light ; and, certainly, when opposed to the heavy artillery
of the Seikh army, placed in entrenchment, they were not in
their proper position, and success could not in every
case be depended upon.—(Hear.) He, however, thought
that the very lighttiess,of that artillery was compensated for by
the celerity of their movements ; and if any Noble Lord would
take the trouble to refer to the dispatches of Sir H. Smith, he
would see that artillery was. ever in the front, that they were
always in the pursuit, and that even they had followed the
enemy across the river alter their defeat. Sir Henry Smith
said, with reference to this artillery, that the guns and gunners,
officers and men, might be equallt(l, hut not excelled by any
artillery in the world. He would not further detain their
Lordships upon this subject, but he would, with their leave,
make one remark upon the great events which had occurred,
and to which their notice had been directed. Those events

might be summed up in a few words. An attack was me&
upon their territory by an arms better equipped, mere nume•
roux, and, in hi 3 mind, better directed than any army with
which the Brithh army had to contend. The attack had taken
the British army in some degree by surprise, and therefore
their preparations were not altogether in so advanced a state.

as they could wish. Yet, in little more than the spare of
seven weeks, four fiercely contested battles had been fought,
four victories hail been gained, the strength of this
army had been dispersed and annihilated; and where there
had been every appearance of danger, security had been sub-
stituted. and the British Government was now as firmly secured
as it had ever been. The Governor-General was in a condi-
tion to impose terms upon the enemy, but what those terms
were, they, in England, were not yet in poassssion of, For
himself he cordially expressed his thanks in the brave men who
had been engaged in those victories. These great successes
however could not have been accomplished without • a heavy
loss; and, deeply as they lamented the circumstances under
which some of those battles had been fought, yet their conso-
lation was that the measures taken by the Governer-General
and the Commander-in-Chief were so prompt and energetic,
that success was at once secured ; they might otherwise have
been engaged in a protracted war. They might have had to
encounter, not the enemy alone, but the hot season, and the
rains of India, avid then they might have suffered a more heavy
loss than had been occasioned by these successes.
The Duke of W ELL I N GTON then rose and said—My Lordif
I deeply lament the absence of the Noble Marquis who spoke
on the late discussion on a similar subject, who so eloquently
applauded the conduct of those engaged its India. I should ,
have been happy to hear him support my Noble Friend in the
motion to which he has called your attention. But, my Lords,
I am consoled for the absence of the Noble Marquis by the
statements so eloquently put forward by my Noble Friend on
the other side. My Lords, I rejoice that the vote of your
Lordships will be unanimous, thus corresponding with the uni-
versal feeling of satisfaction which prevails throughout the
country on thta subject. At the same time, although I cannot
help allud:ng to these actions, I do not wi h to enter particu-
larly into the details of the subject, but I do wish to remind
your Lordships generally of the course of these events; and I
must, therefore, call the facts to your minds. In doing so, I
would wish to tecal it to your Lordships' recollections that
the Governor-General was particularly desirous to avoid giving
cause of offence to the Seikh Government. He was very
anxious to prevent any collision between that Go-
vernment and the Powers . placed in authority by the
British Government on the frontier; and, in order to carry out
that design, and remove ar.y cause of offence, he had kereased
the stierigth of the barrier against any breach of the peace .
against the British Government, on the north-western fron-
tier of these provinces. He was aware of the irregularity of
their army, of the uneasiness which it gave to the Government,
and his anxiety was consequen ly increased to restore di'cipline
to its ranks. Bat he hoped, by giving no cause of collision,
that he shout be enabled to prevent any collision between the -
two powers ; to prevent, not only any hostility, but by that
means to provide additional security to the north-western from-
tier if our Indian possessions. With a view to that effect, he
bad strengthened tlie out posts of Ferozepore and Loodianah—
he had also provided stores in the rear of Urnballah. Under
these circumstances the attack was made, on which my Noble
Friend has expressed an opinion, as well as on the first operation.
The second operation was that which my Noble Friend has just
detailed to you. It was , ecestary to keep up a communications
between Loodianah and Fie., zepore. It was in consequence of
ttic attempt to cover these te o points, that the action of the
22d took place, and the enemy were obliged to retreat on the
Sutlej. Dispositions were made to compel the enemy to cross
that river, to enable the Commander-in-Chief to carry on the
contest with a certainty of eventual success and honour. The
troops were so stationed as to oblige the enemy to re-
treat, on bringing up the reserve from the rear in the middle
of January. In all his attempts, the Governor-General ha d
been completely successful, and the enemy had been compelled
to cress the Sutlej. It should be recollected that these places
are 250 miles distant from each other, and in the mean time
the enemy had made a diversion towards Loodianah, and had
burnt a catoon. Sir Henry Smith was sent with a
detachment to Loodianah, to drive the enemy from the !mi.-
tion which they had taken. I must beg your Lordships td
keep in mind that Sir Henry Smith had three objects in view.
One was to give security to the post of Loodianah, which
had been already reinforced by Brigadier Godby; another
was to secure a communication with the rear of Loodianah, o
post of peat importance, which now it was necessary, above
all things to keep open in communication with Ferozepore
and Delhi in the rear. At Delhi the whole of the heavy siege
Bain was placed ; and, in order to bring it up, it was necessary
to pass, in the course of the march, within twenty or thirty
miles of the enemy's camp, whilst the distance of Ferozepose
and the main body of the army was not less than fifty miles.
These were the objects to secure which Sir Henry Smith vi a.
detached from the army. He immediately directed his atten-
tion to secure these objects—in the first instance to relieve
Brigadier Godby, who was stationed near that post before his
arrival. One of the main difficulties, my Lords, in a warfare
of this nature—anti I can speak from experience, having
served in that country—is the keeping open a communication
in these parts, and in the conveyance of artillery, arising from
the great number of light troops which attend upon the armies
of the enemy. Thaler these circumstances, and in order to
keep up the communication, Sir H. Smith was under the ne-
cessity of moving within reach of the entrenched camp formed
by the enemy, in order to preserve his communication with
the army. In doing so, he was attacked, and lost a small peril
of his baggage. 1 mention this, my Lords, because this is the
on'y check, it check it can be celled, which the troops have ex"-
perienced. This loss of the baggage, of which so much has beet
said, was, after all, insignificant, arid utterly, in fact, ueavoidables •
I will beg your Lordships to ob-erve that not only had Sir II-
Smith continued his march, but he also essisted General
Wheeler. I have read the account of many a battle, but 1
have never read an account of any affair in which so much
ability has been shown as in this battle. I have never read of
any battle in which so much ability to command has beets
shown as in this glorious achievement by this great General..
It was one in which the nicest movements were carried outs
and the gallantry on the part of our officers and troops was
never surpassed.—( Cheers.) I have no hesitation in saying
that General Sir Henry Smith is an efficer who is an honour to
the service and an acquisition to his country.—(Cheers. )
quite concur with the Noble Earl who has preceded me, with'
respect to the Bengal Artillery. Many reports to their dis-
advantage Lave gone abroad, but I am sure the vulgar preja'
dice which dictates such reports will not weigh with your
Lordships.— ( Hear, hear.) Look at them on this occasion----
it is the most effective in the word—they are Englishmen like
ourselves, and they will always show themselves like English-
men in the service of their country. I will refer once more
to Sir Henry Smith. He feught a battle on the '29th, and he
returned on the 7.h of the next month, and another battle w 0
fought on the 10th. At that time the plan was formed to take
the enemy's entrenchments. Their position was not earl'
strongly entrenched on one side, but on the left and right bank.'
of the Sutlej they were strongly, I may say formidably, or.
trenched; so that when the left was carried, the army ws:
exposed to attack from the right hetet. Every arrangement
was made to ensure the SOCCCSS of our plans. First the artie
lery was brought to the ground and placed in such a !unitiss
as in some degree to get the better of the enemy's entrench'
menta. Under the protection of these guns the attack eel
made, and the result was a gbirious victory.—(Cheers,) It if
impossible to read these accounts without seeing the gallantry
of all our troops. But we must lament the fall of these brave
officers and men, who have done honour to their country''
Seeing, I say, my Lords, the pile: try, the energy. and the
activity of our officers and treops—seeing that they have, 10
the short space of two months, passed this great river—a river.
that is one of the most difficult in the world to pas,'"
anti gained these great victories—l say, my Lords, that eta,
' having done so much in this short space of time, the army
India deserves the thanks of this country ; and it is with sun°
feelings I most cordially second the vote of thanks proposed hi
the Noble Earl this evening.—( Cheers.)
Lord COLCHESTER said that there were others el!
Were beyond the honour intended by the votes of the Hoer_
that night. There were officers who had fallen in that WI
theyoho w
coouuldiannotot biewinnecglulecleetdedinb)thtohseeirreLor,lrudtiihonipsi,.butit
eheehitiodye4
tthoeßir rtegost
(
etrrsy,Taand ylor and Dick, who had died in the-servicieie,
with glory.--
who,(Cheers.) by their gallantry covered themse
He hoped her Majesty's Minietel;
would
officers.
recommend
msrnentl that similar honour should be paid to tbeo
brave
splendidß distinctly,AFaßwi achievements uwmnhednoetr7 oftooko spoke
theitno British expressiow athrti oos ongpersaat inis
notels ta rt;
obav
nneo Ltd, heard°r
thed
tlihyatceonvecnuirnign. the honour about to be conferred by :01,
acid—her
j?iNai,,sitnoanGswoveerrntometnhte
wNooubllde
rLoecrodin(iz:
hst
elicitor)oco fully
Earlsa do—f
th
othffiacterasll.ListhhaudmitaTis,nb_on(ocorhfsehrosuold be shown to the gdal,',
The LORD CHANCELLOR then put both votes, an
were agreed to unanimously. •
THE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. be
Viscount CANNING begged to move that a message
sent frets their Lordships' House to the Commons, to
th
municate the opinion of their Lordship' Committee oo
present condition of the new Houses of Parliament.—(Hear,

IRISH RAILWAY BILLS.
Lord REDESDALE gave notice that he would, t0413°,:d.
row, call the attention of the House to the reports submit'
by Committees on several Irish Railway Bills.
The House adjourned shortly after Seven o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMOIVS, April 2. „is
VOTES OF THANKS' TO THE INDIAN Anti'
Sir R PEEL (in continuation from our Third Edidt°lo
of last night) said-01. the 21st ofJanuary, the great b*tito
having been fought on the 28th, Sir Henry
met with what some persons might consider
verse. He was encountered before he could effecg,c,
junction with Colonel Wheeler and the five reebio
the
absence which were at Loodianah ; and in 'he
absence of all intelligence, he encountered ~e,,/
enemy, and was exposed to a serious loss. •P' La
let me read to the House in what manner he extrieled
himself. In writing on the 21st, after having succeep
in relieving Loodianah, he says that he had effected lilt,
operation, but it was under circumstances not so f5lO of
able as those which he had before. In the letter
to
Sir Hugh Gough he says that the enemy `s
moving parallel to him to interrut his advance. "
had a series of villages in their frp ont, each of whicb 700,
Opable of being formed into an entrenched po'itlf-er
The enemy was moving on roads, and I wss moving
the
ands. He was in advance beyond the right flank 01 o,
uropeans, with a numerous array of ik entry and gi of
fie opened a furious cannonade of shirt}-five gu,e
very large calibre, and, as usual, they were right e"rce
served. My object being to unite myself with The I°,,et
tit Leodiansh, which every moment I expected to aPP,iiel
in sight, for it was nine o'clock, I moved pa the
to the enem, resolved to attack the nsoment on
Loodianah force reached me, and I so pressed pared
him that the efftet was considerable. I was Prerr gi•
to form a line upon thin wing of the enemy, seve.nth etP°
inents, with their guns, being at right angles v4i ~orce•
line I was about to attack with considerablo 'tever
Now. we were under the impres,ion, that w"
'position the enemy might obt:•4in, it would not be aoyer •
difficult matter to overpower them, but these
at°
ichelming numbers were of such superiority is, of
their guns, I had no alternative but to throw batL,oo'
line on its right, forming a small line on the 1421010
11010. a right ogle—that is to `ay, the ON 41'