The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-25 00:00:00

hon. gentleman opposite ho has made this motion that
no advantage can arise in delaying other business on
account of a discussion which cannot take place satis-
factorily until my right hon. friend returns.
Colonel KNOX asked whether it were the case that
the clerks of the Treasury embarked from Portsmouth
instead of from Southampton, because, if that were so,
be thought that the Houses of Lords and Commons might
have done the same t He could only add his testimony
to what had been said about the arrangements of yester-
day ; and he hoped far the future when inquiries and
blue-books were talked about with reference to the con-
duct of gallant officers in both services engaged in the
war, that the country would place the saddle on the
right horse, and would understand that those arrange-
ments for which officers were b'amed were due to the
Government, and to the Government alone. (Cheers )
Mr. H. HERBERT was not surprised at the disap-
pointment which had been expressed at the arrangements
which had been made for the accommodation of the
House of Commons ; but, having been one of the first
on board the Perseverauce, he was anxious to bear testi-
mony to the extremely obliging conduct of Capt. Mac-
donald and the officers of that vessel, (Cheers.) At the
hour appointed Capt. Macdonald's vessel was in readi-
ness, and but for the delay elsewhere the House of Com-
mons would have been at the review in good time.
Mr. NE WDEGATE —1 hope that the hon. member
for Salisbury will also be in his place when we aro hon-
oured with the presence of the First Lord of the Admi-
ralty, because unquestionably we have great reason to
complain of the railway arrangements. As this house
legislates for the regulation of railways', I think that it
would be a gross dereliction of duty if, after such mis-
management brought within our own experience, we were
to take no notice of it. lam glad that the question is
net likely to pass without observation, because I feel that
thse House of Cominons being late on such an occasion
savours of disrespect to her Majesty, and I hope that
we shall acquit ourselves of all blame upon that score
by fixing it upon the proper persons.
Captain SCOBELL saw no good in postponing the dis-
cussion until the arrival of the First Lord of the Admiralty.
Of course the First Lord would be unaware of the incon-
venience which the house had experienced, and, at all
events, he could not help it now. On future occasions he
hoped that the right hon. gentleman would make his ar-
rangements with better effect; for yesterday the whole
" transit" was so bad that it was only by the greatest
" perseverance" that the house ever got back to London.
The Government, of course, could not answer for the rail-
way, but when members arrived at the end of the railway
journey there was no way of getting off to the fleet ex-
cept by swimming for it. He believed that not one mem-
ber either of the Cabinet or of the Government was pre-
sent to receive the Speaker and the house upon their ar-
rival, and he thought altogether that there was much
reason to complain. No doubt the Government were bet-
ter provided for somewhere else, but surely some one or
other of them might have been there to receive the hou=r.
He regretted that on such an occasion some sailing vessels
bad not been introduced to show the contrast between
such ships and steamers ; and he thought that their ab-
sence rendered the review somewhat incomplete.
Colonel FRENCH—I would _beg to suggest to the
noble lord at the head of the Government that when
the First Lord of the Admiralty comes to town lie
should give him a check for his uncourteous behaviour
towards the members of this house in general, and to
the hon. member for Anglesea in particular, to whom,
when he questioned the arrangements that were being
made, the right hon. baronet replied, that if members
didn't like them they might stay at home. The system of
checking, I believe, has already commenced, and I think
that it might be extended with advantage. Report says
that the Secretary of the Admiralty bad arranged that
members of the Government of the Cabinet) and their
wives should go in one vessel, and members of the Go•
vernment (not of the Cabinet) and their wives in another;
but that the ladies took the quarrel up and declared that
they would not be treated in such a manner. (Hear,
and laughter.) It is said that the noble lord did then
interfere, and that in consequence all the ladies were
permitted to go together. I think, therefore, that it
would be exceedingly desirable that the noble lord should
teach the right hon, baronet to behave with proper
court .sy. (Hear.)
&r G. GREY—I cannot allow the speech of the bon.
gentleman who has just sat down, and which he bas
wade in perfect ignorance of the facts, to pass unnoticed.
When my right lion. friend comes to the hou a he will
state the arrangements which were made by the Admi-
ralty, in order to afford the greatest amount of conveni-
ence to the greatest number of people in witnessing that
magnificent spectacle at Spithead which reflected the
highest credit on the country. (Hear, an I " Oh, oh!")
I say that that magnificent fleet and the evolutions which
it performed at the review are calculated to raise this
country in the estimation of all who witnessed it—
foreigners as well as Englishmen. (Hear, hear, and
cries of " Question !") My right honourable friend,
I am sure, intended no discourtesy in the answer
which he gave to the honourable member for An-
glesea ; and, however much reason there may be
to complain of the difficulty in getting on board the Per-
severaticr., I am certain that every one must have been
perfectly satisfied with the manner in which that ship
was conducted yesterday. (Hear.) All that we have to
regret was the difficulty which was experienced in get-
ting on board her. With regard to the railway, of
coule) the Government was not responsible for delays
there ; and, as to no member of the Board of Adtnira!ty
being present to receive the house, I may state that the
whole of the B Bard of Admiralty was, by her Majesty's
commands, in attendance upon her Majesty.
Mr. HO` ARD thought-the house somewhat unjust in
its strictures upon his right hon, friend ref etive to the
First Lord of the Admiralty. It appeared to him that the
arrangements were of a very high order, and that the
house ought to have been very grateful for them. (Laugh-
ter and loud cries of " oh !" more especially from
the Opposition ride of the house.) The house had shown
a great deal of impatience, and did not appear suffici-
ently to appreciate the magnificent spectacle of yesterday.
The blame ouelit to be attributed to the proper people,
and they were the conductors of the railway. (Hear.)
Capt. DUNCOMBE spoke to the defective stete of
one of the vessels employed upon the occasion—either
the Transit or the Perseverance, but we did not catch
which,
The Marquis of GRANBY thought that the House of
Commons had great reason to complain that they had
been allowed no share in the admirable arrangements
which had been provided for the rest of the public. As
he was on board the Perseverance, however, ho must add
his testimony to that which had been already given of
the admirable behaviour of the commander of that ves-
sel. (Hear, hear.) No doubt, as was said by an hon.
gentleman opposite, the review at Spithe id wee a mag-
nificent spectacle ; but, unfortunately, the House of
Commons had not succeeded in seeing in (Hear.) A
peace which he sincerely trusted would be an enduring
one had happily been terminated, and no doubt the re-
view had been intended to show to the world what Eng-
land was able to do. Now, there was no doubt as to
the magnificent fleet of ships which had been prepared,
nor as to the gallantry and skill of the crews which man-
ned them, but there was one point upon which some
doubt did exist, and without question the review was
held in order to dispel that doubt. That doubt was as to
the efficient administration of the Admiralty, an 1 the
object of the review was to prove that the administration
of that department was now different from whet it had
hitherto been. It was to prove that scenes such as those
which bad occurred in Balakleva harbour could never
occur again ; but the result had been to produce a state
of things in the harbour of S mthampton similar to what
had taken place at Balaklava, and, when such confusion
prevailed in a harbour not 73 miles frain London, how
could any one be astonished at its being displayed in a
harbour distant 3,000 miles ? The members of that
house had been invited to be present, and they had
fallen victims to that very system, a change of which
was intended to be evinced by the review.
Mr. PEACOCKE said that he understood that the
refreshment for members of the two Houses of Parlia-
ment had been contracted for at 7s. fid. a head—(An
Hon. Member.—" Five Shillings.")---but the Board of
Admiralty had taken much better care of themselves ;
for he understood that the clerks of that department
were provided with all the delicacies of the season. He
did not complain so much as regarded the members of
that house, but as regarded the members of the other
House of Parliament, who were accompanied by ladies ;
he thought that they were entitled to at least the same
fare as the clerks of the Admiralty. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. KENNEDY considered that the whole of the
blame ought to be attributed to mismanagement on the
part of the railway companies, and he should, on an
early day, move for an inquiry into the causes of the
delay which had occurred on the line of railway.
The motion was then negatived.
I CENTRAL AMERICA.
Lord PALMERSTON laid the correspondence rela-
tive to the Central American question on the table,
THE AMERICAN ENLISTMENT QUESTION.
In answer to a question from Mr. H. BAILLIE,
Lord PALMERSTON said the papers with reference
to it would be ready in a few days, when they should
be laid on the table.

TUE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIONERS.
Viscount GODERICII moved an address to thank
her Majesty for having caused to be laid before this house
the report of the Civil Service Commissioners : to
state humbly to her Majesty that this house had ob-
served, with great satisfaction, the seal and prudence
with which the commissioners have proceeded in
applying a remedy to evils of a serious character,
the previous existence of which had now been placed
beyond dispute ; and also the degree of progress
that had been made, with the sanction of the heads of
various departments of the State, towards the establish-
ment of a system of competition among candidates for
admission to the civil service : to assure her Majesty
of the steady support of this house in the prosecution
of the salutary measures which she had been
graciously pleased to adopt;_ and humbly to make
known to her Majesty that if she should think fit fur-
ther to extend them, and to make trial in the civil ser-
vice of the method of open competition as a condition of
entrance, this .house, would cheerfully provide for any
charges which the adoption of that system may entail.
Ttienoble lord commenced by paling a eulogmna upon