The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-08 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON SATURDAY EVENING) MARCH 8. 1856

Enfield rifles used in the Crimea had been made at Bir-
mingham.
MONSELL admitted that nothing could have
been better than the conduct of the Birmingham arm
manufacturers during the past year. They had supplied
100,030 etand of arms, and would be able to supply
even m ,re in future. He believed, however, that rifles
could be ma le cheaper in the factory at Enfield; while
it would at the same time enable the Government to
exercise a control over private manufacturers at critical
times. He must say that he expected they would have
bee❑ able tocommence work before now. Some unavoid-
able delay had arisen in getting the requisite machinery.
But it bad now nearly all arrived, and he hoped they
would be able to begin in July or August next. He
did not think that eighteen months was a very long
period to be occupied in the erection of a large
factory of this kind. As to the amount of the estimates
for the present year, there would be 15,3731. for machin-
ery, and 19,0921. for works and buildings. In that was
included quarters for two officers, and other expenses.
Cpl. BOLDERO said that the result of the experi-
ment at Enfield had proved the correctness of the course
adopted by the select committee which sat upon this sub-
ject in refusing the Government power to build at Wool.
with.

mere slop-work. The great coats usually dropped to
pieces in two days.
The vote was then agreed to.
A sum of 2,500,000/. was then proposed for ihe stores
for land snd see. cervices.
Colonel BOLDER° said that no sealiiie this. vote
he did not oherrva anything about huts ; but in another
vote he found 250,0001. for huts. This he complained
of, becau.ze tha items were improperly separated. Why
was not that 250,0001. fen huts put under the same vote
as last year ?
Colonel KNOX complained that the huts were not
sent out in. sufficient number to hut one half of the army.
Many of the huts were not sent until December and Ja-
nuary, and that, too, the greater proportion of them. The
thing was notorious, and he intended to move for a re-
turn of the number sent, when sent, when they arrived
at Balaklava, and who was the contractor. The huts,
too, were of such a bad material that the planking would
not hold the nails, and the waste that had occurred was
enormous. If we had not taken Sebastopol when we
did, the army would have been in a worse condition than
they were the year before. Why, the army was not
hutted at this moment. How were the serjeants butted ?
why, they had hutted themselves out of the debris of
Sebastopol. At the end of November two-thirds of the
army were under canvas, and he defied the right hon.
gentleman to deny this. Nothing but the great exertions
of the officers could have saved the army. He would
call attention to the accommodation for housing troops
in the metropolis. He believed that that accommoda-
tion was so small that they would have to come for a
vote ere long. The Portman-street Barraeks were a dis-'
grace to the country. The Duke of Wellington bad laid
it down that there should always be a barracks at hand
for the use of the metropolis. If the troops were taken
to Battersea-park they would not have a drilling-ground.
There were sites to be got north of London, near Bays-
water, and sites might be got for infantry purposes on
the south-western side. He trusted the Government
would pay more attention to barracks.
Mr. MUNTZ called attention to the vote for gun
foundries, and demanded an explanation.
Colonel DUNNE could not understand the votes.
What was the meaning of the large sums for small arms ?
There were sums for iron ordnance. Was this ordnance
to be procured on the old plan, by contract, or on the
new plan, from a Government foundry ? If the latter,
it was hie intention to make a motion on the subject.
What was the meaning of the enormous sum for miqcel-
laneous stores ! Surely some details were required. No
former votes bad ever been so confused and wanting in
detail. Were the rights on the river Lea abandoned ?
He saw sums received by Government pnt down as for
abandonment of rights on the Lea. What did this mean ?
and what was the moaning of the large sums spent at
Waltham-abbey ?
Sir J. PAXTON said that the Government used a
wise discretion in building the huts which had been com-
plained of. It would have been impossible to build bars
racks in the time. He rose to ask what the hon. mems
ber for Northamptonshire meant by his observation that
the Crimean huts were rather for the benefit of the Army
Works Corps than of the soldiers.
Mr. A. STAFFORD said that it was because the sol-
diers seemed more attached to their old huts than to the
new ones. I
Sir J. PAXTON said that it was a pity that the hon.
gentleman, who had done so much good last year, should
now set the soldiers aga'nst those who were sent out to
assist them.
Mr. STAFFORD said that lie had seen the soldiers
without huts, when the Army Works Corps had huts su-
perior to those of a brigadier-general. He had not writ-
ten to the newspapers, but be had raised the question by
telegraphing to the Horse Guards, giving the general
impression that too much care was expended on the
villa of the chief of the Army Works Corps.
Sir J. PAXTON said that if the hon. member had
written to Mr. Doyne, he would have told him that these
buildings were used for officers for the business of the
corps, while the officers lived in huts.
Col. BOLDER() observed the confusion in the items'
for waggons and harness, of which be asked an explana-
tion.

In answer to a question,
Mr. MONSELL said the Government bad received
between 10,000 and 12,060 muskets from Liege, and had
found them of very excellent quality.
Mr. NEWDEGATE said that 70,0001. had been al-
ready voted for Enfield. Now, what he asked was this, that
G tvernmeLt should state to the house what they had done
with ,that amouat, how much they now wanted, and how
they iatende Ito dispose of it. He had no objection to
a Government factory to check trade, but he feared that
if the trades vstr3 not encouraged during peace, when•
ever a war broke oat there would be a deficient supply.
He believed that in such a case there would be found
the same deficiency as there unfortunate:y was when the
late war (he hoped he might call it) broke out. He
trusted, thtrefore, that the Government would tell the
house how the money had been expended, and that the
house would from time to time require to be informed
what was being done at the Government factory,
Mr. WILLIAMS objected to the vote. • There were
75 establishments scattered all over England and the co-
lonies, and no information as to what was performed in
them. A vast number of persons were employed, but it
was impossible to collect what their duties were.
Mr. .PELLATT said that last year the house was told
that London and Birmingham were fully equal to the work
of the supply of arms, provided the orders were given
them at proper tittles, so that their works should not be
disorganised. He thought this vote should be expunged
from the estimates. He had no doubt that if the money
granted had been laid out in stores front London
and Birmingham, there would have been an adequate
supply at the time they were wanted. As it was, he
fancied the Government factory would got to work when
the war was over. Like Kneller Hall, which was pro-
vided for the instruction of -teachers, it was an utter
failure.