The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-09 00:00:00


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covering for the horses. 'lt was then he said,
" You think I have not thought of that my.
self. I have a good mind to put yon under arrest." His
lordship used warm words that might have brought
forth warm worth in reply. The finish of the conversa-
tion was that said to him, "I have only spoken as 900
gentleman Would to another, and you have no right to
use these words to me." That was all I said. Your
lordship then ordered me to j,in my regiment, and I
replied I was the field officer of the day, and then you
told me to join my picquet. I don't profess to recollect
the precise words that were then used, but I have no
doubt there are those who do.
Lord Lucan—What were those harsh words of mine I
Colonel Griffiths—l have said I can't remember. I
know you used very strong language, and that you be-
came very excited. Maj ,r Connelly was the first I
spoke to on the subject,. Perhaps he can recollect what
I said to him.
Major Connelly--I was parading the picquet at the
time.
Colonel Griffiths—l told the officers of my own regi-
ment immediately after the interview every word I said.
I have not communicated with them since respecting it.
I did not say one word more before the commissioners
tha,n-was extracted from me by the questions they put
to roe. The evidence I gave then was in self-defence, to
show that I had not neglected the interest of ray own
regiment.
Lord Lucan—Did you make any official complaint to
your Brigadier ?
Col. Griffiths—No ; I made none to any one.
Lord Lucan—llai you not 95 men at this time sick
—present and absent ?
Colonel Griffiths—l dare say I had. I can't say
if I bad or had not.
Lord Luctn—Do you not know that when the cavalry
first changed their camps that it was proposed as soon
as materials could be got, and the assistance of some
Turks, to move the permanent camp about a quarter of a
mile moee to the south ?
Col. Griffiths—As far as T remember I don't recollect
anything about it. I think there was an order some day
or two before leaving the heights of Balaklava, but more
than that I don't remember.
Lord Lucan—Did you then believe that the cavalry
were to remain there where they were durh g the winter?
Col. Griffiths--No, I did not expect it because we had
had so many changes, and that was the reason why I
spoke to you respecting sheltering the horses. I think
we had moved some 20 times and more from our landing
to that time.
Lord Lucan—What sort of covering for the horses
would you have prepared at the time to which yots
refer ?

Col. Griffiths—l would have dug only a half foot
drain in the front and rear of the horses. That of itself
would have kept them from being covered with mud and
water as they were ; and as I proved afterwards in the
encampment at Kadikoi. When the horses laid down
they were covered with water and mud, and the conse-
quence was that with the sudden change of the weather,
a frost coming, on the horse, if laid down all night or in
the day, Ras so paralysed with the free, and so froz, n,
that he could not rise—his spine being paralysed with the
front, and we lost many of them. The Turks made a few
very fine huts.
Lord Lucan (to the Court)—ls this evidence ?
Colonel Griffiths—l am only explaining. The Turks
who were close to us at this time built a large lumber of
huts which General Scarlett purchased for his men at
30/. each.
Lord Lucan (t the Court)—What has this to de
with it ?
Colonel Griffiths—l am only exp'aining what I think
I have a right to do. At this time several of the captains
of the ships in Balaklava harbour asked why application
was not made to them for tarpaulins and sails with
which to oover the horses and for the men to be employed
in erecting temporary shelter, but I laughed at the time,
thinkinse it badanage. However, I found after that
so ne of the artillery availed themselves of it and had
shelter. I would have given shelter by drawing round
the horses and turning up mud walls to the homes knees,
which would have kept their legs dry and benefitted
then. If the horses had been protected only as high as
the stomach they milet have been benefitted.
L rd Lucan—Was it your business or that of the
Divisional Commander to drain a camp?
Colonel Griffiths—l should not think it your business
nor mine, but the engineers'.
Genet al Peel—Wee it necessary for you to obtain per-
mission for doing the trifling work you allude to to
shelter the horses ?
Colonel Griffiths—l have already explained that
we changed often, and it was in consequence of that,
and having so many sick men, that I did not feel justi-
fied in calling upon my men to do work to-day that, by
our being moved to-morrow, would have been useless.
General Peel—Did you make a communication to that
effect to Lord Lucan ?
Col. Griffiths—Yes, I did.
Lord Lucan—Tell the Court whether I had anything
to do with moving the cavalry ?
Col. Griffiths-1 can't answer that question. You
gave the orders for it to move.
Lord Lucan—At what date did the Captains of trans-
ports offer canvass, and to whom was the offer made ?
Col. Griffiths—l don't know. It was the talk of the
camp. The time my friends spoke to me about it I
can't recollect.
Lord Lucan—Did you shelter your own horses, at any
time, On the hill with canvass
Col. Griffiths—No.
Lord Lucan—Your own private horses?
Col. Giiffiths —No. Because it was no use going to
the expense, not knowing how many hours I might re-
main in one place, otherwise I might have done it.
Lord Beauchamp—Did the movements of the Cavalry
camp rest with Lord Lucan ?
Col. Griffiths.—He was the only authority from whom
I received my orders to move.
Sir W. Rowan—Do you mean to say positively that
Lord Lucan threatened t place you under arrest for
making that suggestion relative to the horses ?
Col. Griffiths—Yes ; I believe so. That was my im-
pression at the time, and is so now.
The witness then retired.
Lord Lucan called Sir Richard Airey as his next
Lord Lucan—Were you personally examined by the
Crimean Commissioners ?
Sir Airey—No ; never.
Lord Lucan—lnform the board if you recollect the
morning of the Bth, when I was in conversation with
Lord Raglan.
Sir R. Airey—l can't recollect any particular date.
Your lordship was in constant communication with Lord
Raglan with reference to your sheltering your horses.
Lord Lucan—Did I not on that occasion ask for in-
structions about the winter quarters, and did I not
afterward daily communicate, personally or otherwise,
to Lord Raglan for the assistance of an engineer?
Sir R. Airey—Most certainly.
Lord Lucan—When you said in your evidence before
the Crimean Commissioners that an engineer was placed
at my disposal, did you mean more than that you had
ordered one ? Did you mean to convey that an engineer
officer really had been given to me at the time ?
Sir R. Airey—l regret that your lordship did not give
me some insight into the nature of the questions you in-
tended to put to me, as I could then have given more
satisfactory answers to them than I am now able to do.
I am, however, able to answer the question to a certain
extent. Lord Lucan from the commencement pressed
to be informed whether cavalry would probably be
camped, so that he might at once commence operations
for the shelter of his horses, and after that for materials.
After the cavalry were ordered down to Kadikoi, Lord
Lucan recommenced his applications for material for
sheltering his horses. This was brought under the
notice of Lord Raglan, and we were all anxious to effect
that object. After that he received a letter from Lord
Lucan for the assistance of a cavalry officer. Colonel
Gordon said one could not be spared, but as soon as he
could he should be sent to Lord Lucan, but that then
he could not be solely and exclusively at the service of
the cavalry.
Lord Lucan—Then may the Board suppose, from all
that passed within your knowledge on this subject, that
there was no want of promptitude or ingenuity in pro-
viding shelter for the cavalry horses ?
Sir R. Airey—l say, certainly, that every exertion
was made by your lordship in providing for the shelter
of the horses.
After answering some other questions, in whiois he
explained the application for canvass for sheltering the
horses, and that the Artillery got the most of it from
being close to Balaklava, Sir R. Airey retired, and the
Court adjourned for half an hour.
On the return into Court,
The Deputy-Judge-Advocate announced that the
Board had considered the subject alluded to by Lord
Lucan, relative to the Times, and said the Beard
thought it would be betters-if tke Times would abstain
from commenting on those proceedings until after the
Board had presented their report to her Majesty.
Colonel Doherty, of" the 13th Light Dragoons, was
next examined with reference to his statement before the
Commissioners, that the hutting of the horses was not
completed before the 221 of January, and was asked if
he still adhered to that statement, or believed it to be a
mistake ? He said he might have made a mistake, but
he could not say now whether it was or not.
On this witness retiring,
Colonel Tufloch was called, but did not answer.
The Deputy•Judge-Advocate stated that in conse-
quence of an application that had been made to the
Board by the above officer he would be allowed to call
evidence and cross-examine witnesses to support any
portion of the commissioners' report that was in:"
pugned.
Lord Lucan was called upon to produce the letter
he had received from Lord Raglan relative to the hut-
ting, &c., which he handed in.
General Peel asked Lord Lucan if he was of the same
opinion as Col. Griffiths with reference-to the advantage
of digging a trench or drain round the horses would hare
been to them.
Lord Lucan said he should hope if any command-
ing officer had entertained such an opinion that they
would have carried it immediately into effect. There
was nothing on the plateau to give shelter to the horses.
He was not aware of any canvass being offered, and if it
had he did not think it would have been safe. Every
one knew that on the 14th every tent was blown down.
The Board not having any further questions to vitae
his lordship, lie was informed that possibly Col. Talloch
might wish to ask him some questions if to-
morrow, and it was for him to decide he
would proceed with hie address to the Court then or
wait the result.
Lord Lucan said be thought it would be better to wait.
The Court, shortly after 3 o'clock, adjourned till to
morrow, and then at its rising will adjourn to Friday,
There will be no sitting on Thursday.

GREAT WESTERN OF CANADA RAILWAY.—The dir.c.;
tors of this company recommend the payment of a divi-
dend at the rate of 8 per cent. annum.