The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-09 00:00:00

TURLISII CONTINGENT.

Natives V 17,271
British, the ranks 3,203

20,479

Osmanli cavalry
Ditto artillery

All those nen were drilled, organised, and ready to
march to the field had there been occasion to require
their services. Some wore quartered at Scutari, two
regiments of Swiss were at Varna, and all were eager
for the field, desirous of showing what they could do.
He trusted that when the time came to dispense with
the services of these troops we should not forget the
zeal they had shown in rallying round the standard of
England, and that by our treatment of them we should
make our good name respected throughout Europe ;
and should occasion arise again, which he trusted never
would, we might be able to invite them again with the
expectation that the invitation would be cheerfully re-
sponded to. The only other portion of the British army
to which he would refer was more intimately connected
with Turkey—he meant the Turkish contingent, The
Turkish contingent was made over to the service of this
country by a special convention with Turkey. It was
officered by officers of the British and the Indian army,
and was commanded by an officer of great distinction,
General Vivian, of whom he must do the justice to say,
that he formed that contingent so effectually, that had
it been called into the field it would have been found
that it was amply provided with transports, and that all
its arrangements for active service were fully organ-
ised. He now came to the last branch of the service
to which he would refer, but he did so with as much
satisfaction as he had felt in asking their lordships
to give their thanks to those branches of the ser-
vice he had already named. He proposed that their
lordships should thank the militia of this country
for their zeal in her Majesty's service. (Hear.). He bad
promised not to introduce any controversial point. He
would not say that the militia had been placed upon the
most advantageous footing ; but this he would say, that
all the assistance which the zeal and energy of the militia
could bring to her Majesty's service had been zealously
and promptly afforded. There was a remarkable fact
connected with this war to which it was necessary for
him to draw their lordships' attention. In all former
wars in this country we were compelled to have recourse
to pressing for the navy and to the ballot for the militia.
On this occasion we had mustered a more numerously
manned fleet and a larger body of troops than upon any
former occasion without its being necessary to have re-
course to the pressgang or the ballot. It was a proud
position for this country that we could assemble so nu-
merous an army, every man in that fleet and in that
army being a volunteer in his country's Eervie.. (Hear,
heat.) The militia upon this voluntary system now
mustered 63,603 men, and it had given to the army,
since November, 1854, no fewer than 33,102 recruits.
It had not only done that, but it had exhibited its de-
sire to serve her Majesty in foreign part,„ No fewer
than eleven regiments of militia, mustering very nearly
6,000 men, were now serving the Queen in the Mediter-
ranean garrisons. And not only that, but they lia,l been
obliged reluctantly to decline the offers for foreign ser-
vice et no fewer than 52 regiments. It was only the
knowledge that their services would not be accepted that
prevented every militia regiment in the United King-
dom from tendering their services, not only for Gibral-
tar, Malta, and the lonian Islands, but for any of the
colonies ; nay, he knew that many of them were most
anxious to enter the field with the allied army. (Cheers. )
He had great satisfaction in stating that on those regi•
ruents who had been fortunate enough to go to the
Mediterranean service, her Majesty had been pleased to

confer the honour of bearing the word" Meditetrineatel
upon their colours. (Cheers. He could not expreee
all that he felt on the services which the militia had ren-
dered during the war. Their example had proved, that
while apparently the gentlemen of England enjoyed
themselves at home during peace, they were ever ready
to give their services on the breaking out of war. He
had much gratification in finding that those country
gentlemen, who joined their regiments for the first
time, bad shown such zeal and desire to perfect
themselves in their new profession, that many of
the regiments of militia had become in a very sho
time equal to regiments of the line. (Cheers.) In
the garrison of Gibraltar, a militia officer commanded
the regiments there, and received from Sir James Far-
gusson the highest encomiums for the military talents he
exhibited, which had only been drawn out since the
commencement of the war. He trusted that the zeal
and energy of the militia would not be allowed to sub-
side----and that while the whole country would not for
get what it owed to the militia, that body would not be
permitted to forget what it had learned in tksse 2 years.
One other subject he could not omit. It would ill be-
come him not to remember how much we owed to those
allies with whom we had been acting. To the army of
Franca we owed much, for he believed from them we bad
learned something of the mode of conducting war. We
owed them much for the cordial manner in which they
had united at all times with our troops, and for kind
and friendly feelings which had always existed between
all ranks of the two armies. Much of this had been due
to the conduct and ability of those officers who had been
entertained as commissioners with each army. Too much
praise could not be given to them, and he regretted that
one of the French commissioners, Col. Leflo was not
alive to receive the thanks of this country, which they,
as well Sir Hugh Rose and the other English commis-
sioner with the French army, had so thoroughly merited.
With reference to the Sardinians, they too had played
a distinguished part in the allied forces. In the combat at
the bridge of Traktir they made a successful resistance
against overwhelming numbers ; by this time they had
returned, the greater part of them, to their own country
gratified at having acted with the French and English
armies, and carrying with them a> a memento of that
co-operation, the Engliah battery to which, on the occa-
sion of the attack upon the Traktir, Gen. Marmara
said that he attributed some portion of that victory to a
battery of 4 guns, which Sir W. Codrington, with that
courteous spirit which belonged ti an English officer
and gentleman, begged Gen. Marmora would carry back
with him to Sault' ia, in commemoration of the co-
operation of the English and Sardinian arrties. (Hear,
hear.) As for our allies the Turks, for whom we
took up arms, and along with whom we had fought, he
(Lord Panmure) had read the records of the war, as re-
ported by the public press, and he found that the troops
of Turkey, on almost every occasion when they came
in contact with the troops of the enemy, had beaten
them on the field of battle and won for themselves im-
perishable renown. (Cheers.) We had seen enough to
be convinced that there was no nation in Europe which
could furnish more efficient troops, if properly formed,
and organised, and led, than could the Ottoman Empire.
It was upon the leading and organisation of these troops,
that success must depend. It was because the British
troops were properly organised, and were so gallantly
led by officers, who possessed the best blood of the first
families of this land, they succeeded in all which they
undertook, wherever their duty called them. (Cheers.)
Now that peace had returned he earnestly entreated their
lordships not hastily either to part with the vast and
imposing navy which we had, after two years, collected
together, or to part with that fine and noble army that
at the breaking out of this war we found, to use the
mildest term, the inconvenience of the want of instruc-

lion of our officers, in the operation of moving the troops
in anything like large masses or divisions. We had now
an army formed in divisions and brigades, and he should
advise the Government not to lose sight of that forma-
tion, but to keep the officers and men well instructed in
the formation and movement of those bodies. (Cheers.)
Above all, be would entreat Parliament and the country
not, merely because peace was now restored, to go back
to the false and mischievous economy which had been
practised in former times, and for which he did not be-
lieve one Government had been more than another to
blame, by which very large expenses were ultimately in-
curred, because our military and naval establishments
had been allowed to fall into inefficiency. Ho hoped we
should have derived a lesson against that error from our
late experience, although it was right to observe a true
and proper economy in the establishments of the coun-
try, so far as might be consistent with their efficient
maintenance. If we had our army trained and disci-
plined as it should have beer, we night have increased
it, when the war broke out, at a far less cost than was
actually incurred, and we might have rendered it avail-
able in far less time. Let us then take advantage of
what had now been done, and maintain the efficiency
which the army had now attained, with such an esta-
blishment that it might be always available, and that we
might not be required to form an army almost for the
occasion, as we had been obliged to do in the last two
years. (Cheers.) He had now the honour to move :

"That the thanks of this house be given to the officers
of the Navy, Army, and Royal Marines who have taken
part in the operations of the late war for the meritorious
and eminent services which they have rendered to the
Queen and the country during the course of the war.
" That this house doth highly approve and acknow-
ledge the services of the petty and non-commissioned
officers and men of the Navy, Army, and Royal Marines
who have taken part in the operations of the late war ;
and that the same be communicated to them by the
commanders of the several ships and corps, who are re-
spectively desired to thank those under their commands
for their exemplary and gallant behaviour.
" Ordered—That the Lord Chancellor do signify the
said resolutions, by letter, to the Commissioners for
executing the office of Lord High Admiral of the United
Kingdom and to the I+eld•Marshal Commanding-in-
Chief of her Majesty's forces.
"That the thanks of this house be given to the officers
of the several corps of Militia which have been embodied
in Great Britain and Ireland during the course of th•
war, for the zealous and meritorious services which, at
home and abroad, they have rendered to their Queen
and country.
"That this house cloth highly approve and acknow-
ledge the services of the non-commissioned officers and
men of the several corps of Militia which have been em-
bodied in Great Britain or Ireland during the course of
the war, and that the same be communicated to them
by the commanding officers of the several corps, who
are desired to thank them for their patriotic conduct.
"Ordered—That the Lord Chancellor do communicate
the said resolutions by letter to the Secretary of State
for the War Department, in order to be by him com-
municated to the colonel or commanding officer of each
respective corps."

The Earl of DERBY seconded the motion, saying
that whatever doubts might have been entertained as to
the address presented to her Majesty on the subject of
peace, with regard to the results of that peace, which
had been obtained by the efforts of our army and navy,
he was sure that in the motion now made, and in the
sentiments of the noble lord's speech, there would be an
universal concurrence and approval ; and if he intruded
himself now upon the notice of the house, it was only
because, in the position which he had the honour to hold
there, he was desirous of testifying, in the amplest man-
ner, that between parties on this occasion there could be
no difference of opinion. (Cheers.) They were all agreed
in this tribute of praise and gratitude to our gallant land
and sea forces and the militia of the United Kingdom,
as well as to those who had been associated with
us in the conflict and the victory, and whose close friend.
ship with us, as between nation and nation, he trusted
would not terminate with this war. In the praise given
to thesoldier-like qualities!, high bearing and distinguished
services of the lamented late commander of our forces,
he was sure all who had had the happiness of being in
any way connected with him would concur, and would
feel that the noble lord's eulogium did not surpass, but,
as most eulogiums must, rather fall short of his merits.
He (Lord Derby) attributed to that noble and gallant
commander net only much of the good feeling and good
understanding which existed between the aided armies
during his lifetime, but he believed that Lord Raglan's
memory and example had, even since his lamented death,
exercised no unimportant influence. He felt that no
words of his could do justice to our army, and their de-
voted commander, for their courage in the field and their
gallantry in battle, but still more the unflinching heroism
with which they sustained disease, famine, and privations
of every kind, keeping up under all their sufferings the
strictest discipline and an unhesitating performance of
their duty, which reflected as much honour upon theta
as was ever deserved by the army of any nation in any
part of the world. And, although no doubt it Was true
that the naval service had not had equal opportunities of
distinguishing itself by any brilliant actions, yet in every
quarter where their services could be made available they
had brought those services with admirable zeal and energy
into the common cause. If they had not achieved any
conquests over hostile fleets, it was because no hostile
fleet had ever faced them ; but wherever they bad come
into action, officers and men had shown themselves not
inferior to their predecessors in the high qualities of Bri-
tieli seamen. The noble lord had very properly ab-
stained from mentioning the name of any individual in
either service, who was still living, to receive in hit
own person this token of the national gratitude, but one
omission the noble lord (Panrnure) had inadvertently
made ; and he had been near making another omission,
when he postponed to the latter part of his speech men-
tion of the valuable services of the Naval Brigade,—
services which it was impossible too highly to appre-
ciate—services which were rendered by them, not on
their own element, not in the exercise of their own pro-
fession, but which excited the admiration of all the
troops with whom they acted, and to whom they
showed 'an example of almost reckless courage and of
superhuman exertion, which might well excite the rivalry
of the soldiers. But when the noble lord alluded to those
officers of the army, whose loss the country had to des
plore, and whose names were to be cherished in our
memory, there was one man, belonging
to the naval
service, which might not unworthily have been intro-
duced. It might have been invidious to select from
those still living the name of that gallant admiral who
had returned home to reap the honours which he had
merited, but it would not have been inappropriate to
remember that the glory which Sir Edmund Lyons had
obtained would scarcely console him for the melancholy
recollection of his bereavement, by which his country
had also been deprived of an able and distinguished offi-
cer, who might have been expected at some future time
to follow in his father's footsteps. There was another
omission of the noble lord's, which was, of course, like-
wise an accidental one. He (Lord Derby) had not heard
a single word said by the noble lord of the service of
the Royal Marines, and yet there was no body of men
whose services were more valuable, or had been more
cheerfully rendered, especially where they occupied a
most exposed position, on the heights of Bas
laklava. (Cheers.) With regard to the Turkish Con-
tingent and the foreign legions, he felt no doubt that,