The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-26 00:00:00

ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM.

FALL OF KARS.—Meeting This Day.

A meeting of the members of this Association took
place this afternoon, at the London Tavern, for the pur-
pose, as stated, of revealing the incapacity or treachery
which brought about the disaster in Anatolia ; and,
secondly, to rouse the nation to the importance of
vigorously continuing the war, with a view to retrieve
the prestige which Turkey and Great Britain have 104
by the capitulation of the city and the captivity of
General Williams.
Mr. MORLEY in the chair.

There was a very small attendance at the commence-
ment of the meeting.

The CHAIRMAN said he had received letters regretting
their absence, from Sir James Duke, Mr. Williams,
M.P., and Baron Rothschild, M.P. He said that ob-
jections had been taken to the conduct of the association
in calling this meeting ; but he would state that their
object was to obtain an inquiry into the fall of Kars.
They bad no intention of attacking any absent man, or to
condemn any person unheard. it might be shown that
the delinquent was at some other place than at Con-
stantinople. There were a great number of persons who
thought that our consular appointments interfered with
the interests of the country, and required alteration.
He instanced as a defect of the appointment of persons to
important situations the late appointment of the Duke of
Cambridge to the Conference at Paris. If half of what had
been stated in the papers againsthitn were true he was the
most unfit man for the work he had been sent to dis-
charge. The chairman complained of the manner in
which the high and low offices in the public service were
filled up. The association had been charged with want of
energy, but the fault rested not with those who originated
the association,but the supineness of the public ie not sup-
porting them. There were two defects in the present mode
of appointments. One was that inefficient persons were
appointed to offices, and the other that it undermined
the independence of members of Parliament. The way
to get rid of the evils complained of was by putting an
end to iappointments by patronage, and by getting an
independent party in the House of Commons. The City
of London he hoped would do that at the next election and
if they sent but one man to effect that object something
would be gained. They had no wish to impede Govern-
ment, but to stimulate them in their efficiency, and the
association called on the other constituents to support
them in the same manner.

Mr. BROWNED the secretary to the association, then
read the following memorial to the Queen :

"TO THE QUEEN'S HOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.
"The memorial of the undersigned subjects of your Majesty,

with every sentiment ;f loyalty and respect,
" Humbly Sheweth,—May it please your Majesty,—The
surrender of the important -fortress of Kars, under stress
of famine, its prolonged defence, the brilliant achieve-
ments and heroic endurance of its garrison, the disregard
by your Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople, Lord
Stratford de Redcliffe, of repeated applications for relief on
the part of General Williams, your Majesty's Commis•
sioner, and the fact that, notwithstanding ample re-
sources in stores and men were within easy distance,
no attempt was made to convoy effectual relief to the be-
sieged, have penetrated your memorialists with the deepest
concern.
" Your memorialists are credibly informed, that during
the investment of Kars, your Majesty's Ambassador at
Constantinople was fully aware of the imminent peril of
the fortress, and the lamentable extremities to which its
garrison was reduced.
" Your memorialists have learned, on authority which
hey have reason to believe will not be controverted, that
Bet fewer than thirty-six dispatches for aid were sent for-
ward by your Majesty's Commissioner, General Williams,
to Lord Stratford do Redcliffe, yet no relief was sent ' nor
did your Majesty's Ambassador even vouchsafe a reply to
a single one of those important dispatches.
" May it please your Majesty. During the two months
that the brave garrison of Kars was exposed to all the
horrors of starvation, there was an abundance of provi-
sions at Ezeroum; and as there was but one position between
Ezoroum and Kars, held by the Russians, and that of no
great strength, might without difficulty, have been made
available for the garrison of Kara by a relieving force. Dur-
ing the whole period of the siege, thousands of your Majesty's
troops, and the troops of Turkish Allies, under command of
your Majesty's Ministers, Ambassador, and Generals, and
an immense fleet of your Majesty's vessels and transports
remained ineffective, whilst a force, amply sufficient to
have compelled the raising of the siege, might easily have
reached the scene of action.
" The Tarkish Contingent, raised at an enormous ex-
pens; lay idle. A. force of 4,000 Bashi-Bazouks under Gen.
Beatson vainly besought your Majesty's Ambassador to be
employed, and could with difficulty be controlled for want of
action. On the 7th of July, Gen. Beatson made an earnest
appeal to Lord Stratford de Redcliffe to be ordered to
the relief of Rare, and again on the 14th of August, and
the 12th of September, 1855. On the 14th of August, peti-
tions wore actually sent in by the troops themselves, praying
that they might not lie inactive, but might be sent into Asia.
The assistance of those very troops was earnestly demanded
by General Williams, who, unconscious of the real state of
affairs, actually reproached General Beatson with apathy.
Of the memorials of General Beatson, and the troops
no notice was taken. The General was removed from his
command ; and it was not until the latter end of Septem-
ber, 1855, that Omer Pasha, for a long period detained by
want of transports and supplies, was released from the
Crimea, and sent to the Asiatic Coast.
" The grievous suffering and loss of so many bravo men
—the heavy reverse sustained by your Majesty's arms ;
the extremities to which the garrison of Kars were re-
duced ; the fact that relief could without difficulty have
been afforded, coupled with the statement which has no
where been contradicted, that the dispatches from your
Majesty's Commissioner were utterly neglected, have be-
come matter of indignant comment; wherever the power
placed in the hands of the enemy by the possession of Kars
is understood, or the lamentable details have been heard of
its heroic, but unavailiug defence.
" Your memorialists therefore pray, that your Majesty
may be graciously pleased to direct a full and public in-
whole of the circumstances involved in the

[We will give the conclusion in cur next edition.)

Racing Fixtures for 1856.

FEBRUARY.

Lincoln
Derby Spring l9
MARCH.

Nottingham Spring 4
Warwick Spring 10
Salisbury lB
Essex lB

Catterick
Coventry 24
Northampton 26

_
AP
Doncaster Spring 1
Thirsk
Croxton Park 3
Epsom Spring lO
Durham l4

Newmarket C ' 14
York Spring 22
Malton 24
Newmarket F S 2B

M.
Chester Spring 6
Shrewsbury 13
Manchester . ._ 14

Bath 2O
Epsom 27

JII:
Beverley
Ascot Heath 10
Hampton lll
Newton 181

Newcastle-on-Tyne 04
I Bibury 25
Stockbridge 26
I Winchester 27
'LY.

3-1:r
Newmarket
Carlisle
Liverpool 9
Nottingham . 15

Chelmsford 22
Marlborough 25
Goodwood

AUG
Brighton
Brighton Club ..... 8
Reading l2
SEPT E
Warwick Sept
Lichfield
I
Doncaster 16
Leicester 24 I
NOV E/
Worcester Autumn
Liverpool l2

'UST.
York ... 2O
Radcliffe 25
Egham 96
MBER.
I Cardiff 24
Manchester Autumn 26
Newmarket F 0 30

IBER.
Shrewsbury Autumn ...18

Irish Racing Fixtures for 1856.

APRIL.

Curragh 22
MAY.

How th and 8a1d0y1e...13 1 Roscommon 27

JUNE.
Tramore ......
12 Curragh
7 I

Ballyeigh
JULY.

...24

Bellewstown 8 I Heath 29
Down R. Corporation...ls I
AUGUST.

Killarney ,21
SEPTEMBER.

OCTI
Curragh 2
1 Johnstown 23
Tramore
Jenkinatown Park l6
Curragh 14
Down R. Corporation 21

)BER.
lOahe' . 2B

CORN AUCTIONS Al CORIC.—The following particulars
of some auctions of wheat and other grain, which took
place in Cork on Tuesday, are interesting in the present
critical state of the markets :--The first took place at 1
o'clock, at the Messrs. Hall's stores, Charlotte-quay.
The quantities offered for sale were 1,000 barrels of
Ibrail wheat, and 400 barrels of Egyptian wheat. The
highest price offered was 345. 6d. for the Ibrail, at which
the owners refused to sell, and it was accordingly with.
drawn. There were about 200 tons of Indian corn, about
60 tens of which were sold at from 9/. ss. to 91. 7s. 6d.,
th remainder and no higher price being offered the remainder, was
withdrawn. There were 3,000 barrels of Ibrail wheat
and 1,000 barrels of Egyptian wheat offered for sale at
the second auction, which placetooakadatmMainrd.
eHr .wLas.
sYooldunaffsrsotmore3,6C9.laldk.e'tso-br3ilsg.e; of which 600 kis. were
withdrawn, in consequence of no higher price being
offered. At the third, which took place at Mr. C. .1.
Cantillon's store in Fish-street, 1,200 barrels of Ibrail
wheat were offered for sale. The attendance was pretty
numerous. The first lot sold consisted of 200 barrels at
385.,_ the second of 100 barrels at 38s. 6d., the third of
100 barrels at 395., and the fourth of 200 barrels, at 395.
3d. No higher price offering, the sale was then
stop*.