The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-02 00:00:00

THE TREATY OF PEACE.

Lord J. MANNERS begged to ask a question of her
Majesty's Government. It vitae, whether, by the terms
of ti.e Treaty of Peace, RusAla had, or had not., die
right to re•erect the forts on the east coast of the Black
Sea ?

Lord PALMERSTON said the stipulations in the
treaty, with respect to re-erecting works, applied to
naval arsenals. It stipulated that no naval arsenals
shou!d be re•erected in the Black Sea. The forts on the
Circa-sign coats do not come under that definition.
and there was nothing in the treaty of peace to prevent
Russia re-erecting those forts it she thought proper..

TEIE SUNKEN RUSSIAN SHIPS.
Lord W. GRAHAM asked the First Lord of the
Treasury, whether, under the additional and transitory
article attached to the treaty of peace, the Russians
would be allowed to raise the ships which are now sunk
in the harbour of Sebastopol, and bring them through
the Dardanelles to any other part of the Russian domi-
nions

Lord PALMERSTON—By the treaty of peace Russia
was to have no liue•of-battle ships or frigates in the
Black Sea, but there was no limitation as to the Baltic.
If Russia preferred raising those ships, and taking them
round to the Baltic, he did not think that this country
would object to her doing so, if she thought fir,
instead of building new ship., which she hal the power
to do ; and with respect- to a question touching the two
ships built at Nichnia.ieff, he did not think as tar as her
Majtsty's Government was concerned, there could be
any objection to Russia taking those ships from that
port to the Baltic.
ABJURATION BILL.

Sir F. TFIESIGER asked when it was intended tos
proceed with this bill?
Mr. M. GIBSON said he could not tell the hon. gen-
Vernal-. If the nobie toxl m the.head of the Government
would make it convenient to give him a day to proceed
with the bill, he would then tell the hon. member the
day the bill would probably proceeded be with.
Lord PALMER:S[I)N .aid he would communicate
with the kon. member, and fix a cl,ty for the bill as early
as possible after the recess.
THE BAND IN KENSINGTON GARDENS.
Lord R. GROSVENOR asked the First Lord of•the
Treasury, whether, suoposing any members of the bands
now'ordeied to play in the _Parks on Sunday afternoon
should object, to do 8(1, either from conscientious motives,
or from a desire to enjoy their Sunday holiday, they
wou•d be released from such duty?
Sir DE L. EVANS said he thought the noble lord
had not considered the subject, or he would not have
asked the que-tion. He thought it would have been
better if the noble I)rd had left this to the Commander-
in-Chief, becalse it was making a precedent for soldiers
to be excused from important duties which they were
required to perform on Sundays, and thereby interfere
with the order and discipline of the army. • He hoped
the Government would not giie any answer to the ques-
tion.

Sir J. TROLLPE, on the part of the Colonel of the
2(1 Life Gnarls, explained that the hand of his regiment
played in the Garde❑ cn Sundays, in accordance with
orders from the authorities. He certainly, as the right
hon. baronet (Sir B. Hall) hail on a former occasion
said, concurred in the arrangements that had been made
for the bands playing on Sunday, but not that he con-
curred in it.
The Marquis of BLANDFORD protested against the
members of the band being nailed on to play on Sundays,
which was no part of t-ieir military duties. It should be
borne in mind that colonels of regiments might have
conscientious convictions against the practice, and then '
it would clash with military authority and interfere with
good discipline, because, when an order was
issued for a c donel to send his band to perform
at a certain place he was not compelled to
send the instruments, which were the exclusive
property of the officers of the regiment. He condemned
the practice of the band playing on Sundays in the
public parks, because it destroyed the calm and quiet
enjoyment of the people resort►ng to these parks for
health and recreation, and created a nuisance in its
stead. (Cries of "no, no.")
Mr. orwAY said the objection of the noble lord
with reference to the power of colonels of regiments to
withhold the instruments to the bands of regiments,
might be get over by the Government providing them.
(Hear, hear.) He thought the sympathy of the noble
lord with regard to the compulsory attendance of the
members of the bands in the parks was misplaced, be-
cause he had no objection to the park keepers attend-
ing on Sunday that he and his friends might enjoy re-
tired arid quiet recreation there ou a Sunday. He (yh%
Otway) was gratified to find so many of the inhabitants
of London attended the gardens on a Sunday,
and hoped they would soon be doubled ; and
on their behalf lie thanked the right hon. hart. (Sir B.
Hall) for affording them this harmless and recreative
amusement on Sundays.
Mr. WIGRA.M was in favour of the bands playing in
the gardens on Sunday. _ _

Mr. ADDERLEY said there 'was a constitutional
question at issue herd whether a Minister of the
Crown was empowered to contravene a recent vote of
',hat house with reference to Sunday amusements.
(Rear, Itettr.) He alluded to the recent vote of the
house with reference to opening the Museum, &c., on
Sunday. It was very easy to congregate a rabble, but
he was couvinc..d the middle- and respectable classes
of England were averse to these spectacles on a
SuAlay. (Hear.)
Mr. DRUMMOND said the terdaocy of late had

been to deprive the people of recreation, and it was the
duty of the house to consider whether it was desirable
to continue that line of policy.
Sir B. HALL said that he had not contravened the
decisions of the Hous,e of Commons by ordering the band
to play in the Parks, because it did not trench on
the principle then under disctnisior. He was only
following out what he did last year, and which was
approved of by the people. The same of
were taken to the opening of Hampton Court Palace
and Kew Gardens on Sundays as was now done
to the hand playing on Sundays in the Parks,
hut since they bad been opened the former had
been attended by 20,000, and the latter by 14,000 or
15,000 persons on a Sunday, and he dnabted if any
gentleman would venture to rise in that house to pro-
pose its discontinuance. (Hear, hear.) So farfrom the
assernb*e of these persons in the parks on Sun-
day being a nuisance, he looked on it with dif-
ferent feelings, and felt much pleasure on Sunday
last at seeing so many respectable people assembled
there, and evidently rationally enjqying themselves.
(Hear, hear.) He could not believe that those
who assembled there on Sundays were actuated
by any irreligious feelings, or with a wish to
desecrate that day which hail been set apart for better
purposes. (Hear, hear.) He thought, ho wever, that
the time h&c* not arrived when the people should be
deprived of inndcent Sunday recreation. (Hear.)
Mr. WALPOLE was opposed to a puritanical °beer-
vauce of the Sabbath, and also to the intro-
duction of new customs, and the Continental
principle of Sunday arnus«iments. The observance of
that day should be left to the consciences of the people,
and not -interfered with by the --fleyertintent
and thera could could be that the course now
pursued by the Government was objectionable
to a large number of the people of this country.
(Hear.) He thought the Government should have first
obtained the consent of the house to this innovation.

Col. NORTH said the question of the noble lord
was likely to have an effect on military discipline, for if
sanctioned it would be difficult by and by to distin-
guish between what was duty and what interfered with,
a soldiers conscientious feelings.
- Lord PALMERSTON concurred in what had fallen
from Sir De Lacy Evans, that it would be indiscreet
of this house to inter fere with the military authorities
in enforcing military discipline. The question the noble
lord had put to the Government was one with reference
to military discipline, and he (Lord Palmerston) declined
to enter into it. If any responsibility was attached to
the right. hon. baronet (Sir B. Hall) for what he had
done, it attached iVso to him (Lord Palmerston)
for the right honourable oaronst consulted him
first on it, and he entrely concurred in his proposi-
tion. (Cheers.) This was not a course in opposi-
tion to the resolution adopted a short time mots by
the house, neither was it a new thing. The band
used formerly to play on Sundays in the Park, and the
custom bad been followed at Windsor Castle ever since
the time of George 111. He (L'ird Palmerston) con-
sidered that the people of the metropolis ought to
have some recreation provided for them, and the fact
of great numbers assembling in the Parks on Sun-
days, to the exclusion of the few, it chewed
that this was a wise and proper application of the public
money. (Cheers.) It was no desecration of the Sab-
bath to enjoy intellectual amusement combined with
healthful recreation. (Cheers.)
The subject then dropped.
[LEFT SITTING.]

THE MILITARY BOARD OF INQUIRY.
(This Day.)

-

The Board re aßsembled at the usual hour.

Mr. Assistwit-Cornmissary General Crookihank asked
the B.►ard to call upon the Adjutant• General or the
Quarterinager-General to produce Lord Raglan's letter,
containing an expression of his lordship's disapprobation
of that conduct for which he (Mr. Crookshauk) was
placed under arrest by Lord Lucan.
The Judge-Advocate-General asked Mr. Crookshank
to state in which department he expected the letter
could be found.

Mr. Cro,dtshank said he did not be lieve such a letter
was in existence. Lnrd Locxu had expressed a belief
that it wag, and he (Mr. Crookshank) wished it to be
produced if it were in existence. Tile correspondence in
connection with his arrest passed between Lord W.
Paulett and Mr. Filder.

. .
The Court tzave no intimation of their intention to
comply with Mr. Crooksbank's request.
Sir R. Airey was called on .to Ms statement,
but before doing so asked Colonel Tulloch if the notes of
the evidence of Colonel Wetherall, banded into the
hoard in accordance with his (3:r It. Airey'z.) request,
were the original notes of the evidence given by the
gaihint colonel before the cominaNder in the Crimea ?

Colonel Tulloch said he believed they were. The evi-
dence was taken by him, and iva,‘ in hii own hand-
writing. Colonel \Vetherall's evidence was mixed up
with that of Colonel Gordon's; and when the evidence
was sent to the latter for correction, he re-wrote it,
sending back only the copy.
Sir R. Airey—Where are the original minutes t
Colonel Tulloch—Colonel Gordon has got them.
Colonel Gordon said he had never had any other do-
cument in his possession than that now produced.
The Judge-Advocate General—General Airey wants
the original minutes taken by the Commander in the
Crimea.

Colonel Tulloch said he could not sea why this appli-
cation was persisted in. Colonel Wetherall and C done
Gordon could both be called and could state if there was
anything wrong in their evidence. Ho would make
search for them, but his belief was that there were none
others in existence but those produced.
Gen. Airey—The object I have in asking for the pro-
duction will appear hereafter.
In reply to a question from the judge-Advooate-Gene-
ral,

Gen. Airey said it was difficult to point out the par-
ticular passages in the report to which he objected,
from their being mixed up with passages which were
unobjectionable. They were to he found in sentences,
Darts and bits of sentences in the whole of the London
report, to the end of the sixth line of the 37th page,
He proceeded to say that before his answers were
given to the string of queries sent to him by the Com-
missioners, Sir J. MeNiel and Col. Tulloch had made a
preliminary report, which in some respectsdiffered roa-e-
-rially from that which bad been laid before Parliament ;
and the very first sentence of that report stated that the
Commissioners had completed their work. The report
would be found in the archives of the Secretary at War's
department, and be believed it contained no animadver-
sion upon the conduct of himself and Lord Lucan or
any other officer. That preliminary report, he thought,
took all the poison out of the queries, and be
therefore gave himself little more trouble about
them. He then proceeded to point out that the
Commissioners had been led into misapprehensions in
reference to the duties and powers of the Quarter-Mas-
ter-General's office by misconceptions as to the counter-
signature of checks and returns, and went into details
with a view to show how the system looked, and the
nature of the mistaken opinions which prevailed. He
(Sir R. Airey) specially appointed C Wetherell as sub-
distributor ot stores, in order to avoid undue aprearance of
formailty ; arid, in order to take additional care, lie gave
instructions that no requisitions should be refused with-
out especial reference to him, and the Assistant Quar-
termasters were ordered to go to the Commissariat
Stores every day, in order to make themselves ac-
quainted with what there was available for the troops ;
and the consequence of this was, that articles which he
did not fin-i iu the returns of the Commissariat Store-
keeper, the Assistant-Quartermaster found in the
stores. He bad every reason to believe that the sub-
departments had been administered in accordance
with the spirit of the general instructions. He believed
that the chief sufferings of the army arose out
of the difficulty that was experienced in bringing up
bales of goods from the sea to a camp pitched seven
miles off. (Sir R. .Airey quoted extensively from the
evidence of several officers in support of his statements.)
The great wants were, however, labour an I transit, and
as the sufferings of the men increased the dificiencies in
those respects were felt in proportion, and in order to
show that he took every means to get rid of official
routine, be mentioned that, by the regulations of the
War-office forms were issued with twenty-four blanks
to be filled up before a man could obtain a great coat,
which forms ho mover were thrown aside and another
issued with Lurd Raglan's consent with but one blank in
it to be filled up before signed iiy him (Sir R. Airey).
Regulations for warm clothing were issued faster than
the men could fetch it. The failure of transport and
the overworking of the men were questions which did
not touch his peculiar responsibility. He emphatically
disclaimed the possibility of any two individuals, whether
civilians or military moil coming to the Crimea
in the middle of March, and be able to arrive at a fair
report or opinion upon what could or could not be
done by the army there, placed as it was in a position of
difficulty—beyond all human conception—and in the
middle of winter. Sir Richard Airey ronclueed his
statement with an elaborate panegyric on the conduct
of the laee Lord Raglan during the time he commanded
the army in the East.
The Judge-Advocate-General—Do you intend to call
witnesses to-day, General Airey I
General Airey—Yes,
The Committee adjourned four half an hour.
Oa the re-assembling of the Board
Sir Richard Airey, in reply to a question from Sir
W. Rowan relative to the army lauding in the
Crimea without their knapsacks, said, that the phy-
sical state of the men was such that it was consi-
dered better they should land in as light marching order
as possible. e the voyage across the Black Sea the
men died fast from cholera, and they weee thrown over
board to an alarming extent. As this wise the first
night of the army's bivouacking in the enemy's territory,
it was considered desirable by Lord Raglan that the
men should substitute a blanket and a chaiere of clothes
for the knapsack. In Bulgaria the men had suffered so
much from heat that their knapsacks had to be carried
for them. Tlit3 Commissioners conclusions with refer-
ence to the sufferings of the men from want of their
knapsacks were founded in error. Inquiries were made
every day as to the state of the men, and reports were
each morning laid before Lord Raglan.
Col. Wetherall was then called, and examined by Sir

Her Majesty having been gracioasly•pleased to signify
her intention of granting the " Sebastopol" Clasp to the
officers and crews of her Majesty's ships employed in co-
operation with the land forces in the reduction of Sebas-
topol, as well as a Clasp, bearing on it the word " Azoff,"
to the officers and crows of her Majesty's vessels employed
is tie Sea of Azoff, the Lor4sCommissioners of the Admi-
ralty hereby giviniolice of rtmsatne.
The period for which the Sebastopol Clasp is to be
awarded for services as aforesaid, dates from the Ist of
October, 1854, to the 9th of September, 1855.
The Azoff Clasp will be awarded to the officers and
crews of such ships as served in the Saa of Azoff between
the 25th of May, 1855, and the 9th of September, 1855,
as well as to the officers and men who were employed in
the boats of line-of-battle ships which took part in the
operations against Taganrog, or elsewhere within the Sea
of Azoff.

In cases in which officers or men have been engaged in
any expedition or operation in the Sea of Azoff after the
9th of September, 1853, the period for which the Azoff
Clasp is to be awarded will be extended to the 22d of No-
vember, 1855, and the service for which the same is
claimed must in such cases be duly certified.
SOARD OF TRADE, WHITEII4LL, APRIL 30.

•
The Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of
Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received,
through the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy
of a Despatch from her Majesty's Ambassador at Paris,
enclosing copy of a French Imperial Decree, fixing the im-
port duty upon cocoa-nut cordage and fibre at the same
rate as that levied upon cordage and stripped plaits of
Spanish broom.
BOARD TRADE, WHITEHALL, MAY 2.

The Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of
the Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received,
through the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy
of a despatch from her Dtlajesty's Consul-General at Venice,
reporting the cessation since the 25th April last of the
restrictions imposed within the Austriaa Customs' League
upon the exportation of grain and flour ard of articles
manufactured of them.