The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-13 00:00:00

THE INDIAN ARMY.

Sir H. WILLOUGHBY said he wished to repeat a ques-
tion put the other evening, viz., whether the question re-
specting the Indian army had been referred for the delibe-
ration of the whole Indian Council, and if so whether they
had expressed any opinion upon the course proposed, and
whether they dissented or approved of the course taken by
the Government.

Sir C. WOOD said he was glad his hon. friend had given
him an opportunity of restating the answer which he gave on
a former evening to an hon. and gallant member ; but
amongst the numerous questions put and answers given he
was not surprised that there had been some inaccuracy in the
reports. He was desirous that his answer should be known,
for the satisfaction of those who felt an interest in India.

It was quite true that the reports of the commission ap-
pointed for the better organisation of the Indian army were-
refened to the Indian Council, and their report had been
made, and was now upon the table of the house. He did not
take the opinion of the Council of India collectively upon the
report, but as he stated the other night he was in constant
communication, during the autumn, with the members of
the Indian Government upon the report respecting the or-
ganisation of the army. But while the question was pending
b fore the Cabinet he did not think it desirable to take the
•
opinions, collectively or individually, of the Indian Council.
No action could have been taken on that opinion had the
opinion of the Government been different. He (Sir C.
Wood) stated at the Indian Council what the decision of
the Government had been in case they might wish to express
any dissent, but the members thought it too late, and they
declined. He still thought that they might fairly and pro-
perly have done so, and that he gave them the proper oppor-
tunity. They informed him that their opinion was against
the amalgamation of the armies, but that nevertheless they
would exercise all zeal in carrying eut the intentions of the
Government.

The amendment was not pressed, and the clause was
agreed to.
Some other clauses were agreed to, and the chairman was
ordered to report progress.
The house then suspended the sitting.
The house resumed at six o'clock. BRITISH OCCUPATION OF PALERMO.
NEAPOLITAN AFFAIRS,—BOMBARDMENT OF Mr. D. GRIFFITH asked whether it was the fact that
PALERMO. the British admiral in the Mediterranean had sent marines
Mr. H. B. SHERIDAN asked the First Lord of the on shore to occupy the fort of Castellamare at Palermo; and
Treasury whether it was the intention of her Majesty's if so, whether the occupation was to be merely temporary
Government to increase our naval forces in the Sicilian and for the purpose of facilitating negociations ?
waters, in order the better to afford aid and shelter to such Lord PALMERSTON said that an arrangement had been
persons as might claim protection from the English flag ; agreed upon between the Neapolitan commander and Geri-
whether it was intended to communicate to the court of daldi to the effect that, pending their negotiating, Castella-
Naples the abhorrence of her Majesty's Government of such mare should be occupied by the British admiral. Recent
acts as the recent bombardment of Palermo ; whether it occurrences, howeNer, led the Government to believe that
was intended to accompany such communication with a re- this occupation had not taken place.
commendation to conduct the war in future upon the rules THE ADMIRALTY.
recognised in civilised warfare ; and whether it was the in- Admiral DUNCOMBE rose to move for a select commit-
tention of her Majesty's Government to protest against, tee to inquire into the constitution of the Board of Admi-
and, if necessary, vigorously to endeavour to avert, the in- rally and the various duties devolving thereon. He had not,
terfetenee of any non-Italian power in the struggle now he said, any intention of censuring any Board of Admi-
pending between the King of Naples and his subjects. ralty, past or present, in making this motion. He merely
Lord PALMERSTON—Sir, in answer to the first of wished to, suggest certain alterations, with a view of
these questions I have to state that my noble friend at, the strengthening the naval administration of the country. He
believed that successive boards having so short a tenure of
head of the foreign department has requested the Admi-
ralty to station one ship at Marsala, office had acted on the maxim that " New brooms sweeparsala, one at Messina, and clean," and had all exerted themselves as much as possible.
one at Palermo, and four ships of war are to be stationed in However, whether it was on account of our shortcomings in
the Bay of Naples, and all for the purpose of affording shel- the Crimea, the failure of our transport system, or the rotten
ter to such persons as may claim protection from the Bri- gunboats, every one was aware that the doings of the Ad -
tish flag. I should hope that distribution will be sufficient miralty had recently been the object of severe censure in
and satisfactory. (Hear.) With regard to the second goes-
the public press. With regard to the transport system, as a
committee had been granted he did not mean then to allude
tion, we understand that the Government of Naples has to it, and the same remark would apply to the rotten
sent diplomatic agents to Paris and London, who may very gunboats, which were also to be inquired into by a
shortly—within two days—be expected to arrive here for committee. An hon. member had asked leave to
the purpose of making some communications to the two bring in a bill to regulate piers and harbours,
governments of France and England. I trust the house and the Secretary to the Admiralty had opposed it on the
ground that the board was already overworked. This he
will not for a moment doubt that in communications which th ught was prima facie evidence of the necessity of in-
may be made to that envoy we shall express those feelings creased strength. In 1832, when Sir James Graham was
which her Majesty's Government, in common with every First Lord, he abolished the Navy Board, but that was
one in this country, feel in regard to the barbarity corn- thirty years ago, and it must be admitted that within the
mitted at Palermo—barbarities which are really disgraceful last six or eight years certain classes of our ships had so
to the present age and civilisation of Europe. (Hear, amazingly increased, as had also the difficulty of pro-
hear.) With regard to any expectations that such repro- curing men for the navy, that there was a new necessity for
sentations may have any beneficial effect upon the future increased supervision in every department of the Admiralty.
conduct of the Government of Naples I cannot venture to What he would propose was in the first place that the First
lead the house to entertain any sanguine hopes. The Go- Lord should be Minister of Marine, on the same footing as
vernment is far more likely to follow the course adopted in the Minister for War, and should of course be a member
the case of the sacking of Perugia and the massacres which of the cabinet. He thought that the Board of Admiralty
there took place, viz., the promotion of the officers who should be entirely naval, in saying which he meant no dis-
committed the atrocities. Those officers, naval and mill- paragement to the civilian members ; but having been
tary, who conducted the operations received promotion from himself in that position for several months, he could say
the Papal Government, and it is far more likely that the that he should have had great difficulty in deciding many
officers recently employed will not receive punishment, but of the questions that came before him had he not had some
that they will receive tokens of reward from the royal Go- knowledge of naval matters. (Hear, hear.) He would give
vernment of Naples. (Hear.) With regard to the last the controller a seat at the board. That functionary had
question, we know that the Neapolitan Government has ap- in his department the greatest outlay of money for ship..
plied for assistance to its foreign allies—that is, to guaran - building, machinery, &c., and at present could order ships
tee the possession of the Two Sicilies to the King of Naples. to be built without the board knowing anything about it,
Austria has positively and peremptorily refused to interfere and the board might only know that the Algiers had been
at all in the Affairs of Naples. (Cheers.) We have every launched and the Princess Royal had been laid down
reason to believe that the determination of the French Go- through merely seeing the announcement in the papers.
vernment is similar to that of Austria—(cheers)—and I (Loud cries of "Hear, hear.") He believed also that the
need not say what the feeling of the British Government scarcity of timber had grown without their knowledge
must be upon conduct of the kind. It is the fault and for- through the excessive building of ships of a particular
tune of Governments like those of Rome and Naples when, class, which used up all the timber of a large scantling. By
by the atrocities they have committed, their subjects have his plan all the departments at present under the control-
revelled and have been driven into desperation, that they ler, ship-building, machinery, &c., would be brought
have appealed to all friendly powers for assistance to re- directly under the cognisance of the board. He thought
move and put an end to the authors and instigators of the that at present the controller was overworked, and that
revolution. Those Governments forget that they them- he should have under him a board of construction, to be
selves are really the original authors and instigators of these composed of three persons, the most competent that
revolutionary elements—(hear)—and that if their prayer could be found. With such an institution they
were granted and steps taken to accomplish what they de- would get rid of the present endless complaints about the
sire, unless, what is very unlikely, they should alter their lengthening of ships—and this put him in mind of the
own course, the first and most effectual step would be their Princess Royal. He should like to know what
own removal. (Laughter and cheers.)
had been the expenditure on that ship since the noble lord
THE MILITIA.
the Secretary of the Admiralty had hauled down his pen-
Lord BURGHLEY asked the Secretary of State for War nant. The expenses of our screw fleet had been enormous,
whether a militiaman absenting himself without leave especially through straining at sea. His opinion was that
did, in addition to the loss of his day's pay, necessarily although steam must of course be used when expedition
forfeit a portion of his bounty, and if such was the case, was required, yet that in such cases as the voyage to Lis-
whether it might not be advisable to modify this portion of bon, which was, in familiar language, merely a man-of-we) -
the Militia Act, so that the interference with the bounty cruise, the ships might have gone under sail, and not hay e.
should be left to the discretion of the commanding officers incurred the strain arising from the forcing such enormoe
of the several regiments. masses through the water by means of the screw. Anothe r
Mr. S. HERBERT said if a militiaman absented himself cause of complaint, and which required investigation, was s
the whole of the time he lost the whole of his bounty, but the building of the steam rams, which he believed would
if only for a portion of the time it was left to the discretion be of no more use than the old Trusty, which had jus t
of a board of of4cers whether he should lose a portion or had a shot sent through her sides. He believed thq tt

SAVINGS BANKS.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER postponed
until Friday week any proceedings respecting savings bank
moneys.