The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-16 00:00:00

-ROYAL COMMISSION ON ARMY CLOTII-

ING AND CONTRACTS.

The Commissioners met yesterday in the Com-
mittee-room, No. 11, House of Commons. Mr.

Selfe in the chair.
The first witness called was Sir Thomas Hastings,
late principal storekeeper in the Ordnance Depart-
ment. Had superintended the keeping of stores
during the war in the Crimea, and was the respon-
sible person. (A return was handed to witness,
showing that between November, 1854, and May,
1835, there were 270 items for the Crimea, of which
200 were purchased by special contract, the others
being by tender.) The meaning of a special con-
tract was a contract made between the Board of
Ordnance and the individual without tender.
Messrs. Almond had 65 of those contracts ; and
Mr. Almond was correct in his impression that
those contracts were open to other parties besides
their firm. In many cases a circular letter was
sent out, explaining the pressing nature of the
demands for the army. This was not done under
the authority of the Board of Ordnance. Every
contract was entered into under the direction of
the Secretary for War ; the Board of Ordnance
had no initiative in the matter. The books of the
Ordnance Office would show how those contracts
were carried out, and he believed it would be shown
that they were then carried out much to the advantage
of the public. The cases to which reference has
been made were exceptional ones to the general
rule. He was sent for at the time by the Secretary
for War, who had received a telegraphic message
that the great transport ship Prince had been de-
stroyed, and that the troops were in zbsolute danger
of perishing from want of clothing, and he (witness)
was asked what was to be done. A person in
whose ability confidence could be placed was sent
down into different counties to expedite matters,
and unlimited orders were given. This person
charged only a small commission above the contract
price, and those things were now coming into the
Tower. He and the Board of Ordname had deNliated
from the usual routine under the circumstances.
When the Board of Ordnance was broken up, a
most efficient department was broken up. They
had employed a broker as to the clothing as the
most efficient way of proceeding. The cause of
Messrs. Almond having so many other contracts
was analogous to that for the warm clothing. The
greatest anxiety prevailed as to the sufferings of
the troops in the Crimea. They were called upon
all of a sudden to make these supplies of coats,
leggings, &c., and he did not hesitate to say that
the authorities were in absolute dismay at the pos-
sible sufferings of our troops. In the usual course
of carrying out contracts, 11 days must have
elapsed before they could receive the tenders; and
he would ask whether they would have been justi-
fied in waiting at least 10 days before they
attempted to furnish clothing for people who were
dying? Mr. Sidney Herbert was then Secretary
at War. There never was any favour shown when
tenders were made. In 99 cases out of 100
more than one tender was made. If firms bound
themselves to deliver the articles 10 days before
others, they paid more to accomplish that object,
and Messrs. Almond did so. In the 65 contracts
given to that firm, there were a large number, he
believed 35, which were not delivered in time. No
power was ever given to any subordinates to
enter into contracts with Messrs. Almond. He
did not mean to say that there were no per-
sons who were not authorised to make contracts.
At the period of the change being made he would
have thrown up his office, had it not been from a
sense of duty to remain fora time, because he found
that the business had ceased to be conducted in the
board room, and that he found himself made re-
sponsible for certain papers. He had had a differ-
ence with Captain Riddell as to the purchase of
1,100 capes at one guinea each. With reference
to Mr. Spill, he recollected there was a person came
to him who personated Mr. Spill. Whether Mr.
Almond came into the room on that occasion he
could not say, but Mr. Almond brought the real
Mr. Spill. He had understood in the first instance
that the person who presented himself to Captain
Riddell was the real Mr. Spill. He had some re-
collection as to Mr. Spill not being able to under-
take a large contract. If his opinion was asked on
the subject, he must say he thought all public de-
partments in making their contracts should keep
to open competition. But in certain cases the
emergency was great; and while great blame had
been attached to some of the authorities when
Messrs. Almond got the contracts, they were in
communication with many other persons at the
time.

Mr. Turner asked whether the witness did not
think it would be a better plan to adopt, which he
himself had pursued, of going at once to the most
respectable manufacturers of the articles required ;
because it appeared_ that many of these contracts
were thrown into the hands of middlemen, who
were not manufacturers themselves.

Witness quite agreed in that opinion. A circular
was made out for persons whose names were on the
list, and when their answers were received their
names were entered on the books, and in all cases
it was the duty of the clerk in the contract depart-
ment to send letters to such contractors. Now and

then he found a name might be omitted. Did not
think the system of employing brokers would gene-
rally work well. There were 49 contracts where
no time was named, and 23 of these Messrs. Almond
made.

Mr. Almond here interposed. They were some-
times delivering goods at twelve o'clock at night :
sometimes they sent them down to Woolwich to
meet the troops. This was done in all cases where
no time was stated.

The Chairman having suggested that there was
an impressionthat Messrs. Almond's firm had been
favoured,
The witness said he did not know Mr. Almond.
He did not know him when he came into the room
that day. He knew of nothing which could lead
him to favour him. His impression respecting that
gentleman was, that he got the things required in
the most rapid manner. He was quite ready him-
self to assume all the responsibility of what had
been done. He never suffered any one to take his
business out of his hands. Mr. Elliott had no power
to make contracts, nor had he any influence with
him (the witness). He must :ay that in giving out
these large orders (though he might be thought to
be hard-hearted at the time) his impression was
that during a period of the war they were doing too
much. He had seen circulars sent out for general
contracts where there was a difference of 30 or 40
per cent., though described in the same name. The
authorities did their utmost to obtain the best arti-
cles at the lowest price.
In answer to suggestions put by Mr. Turner, the.
witness, who was indistinctly heard where we sat,
alluded to his own written opinion, which he had
not published, and contended that the state of
things in some departments could not have hap-
pened under the former system. The mistake which
the Government had made was in vesting the sole
control in the Secretary for War. They should not
throw up the Board of Ordnance ; make them a

subordinate board always; do not let them suppose
that they were to have independent action, but
make them act under the Secretary of State; they
would then be able to carry on the business of the
country. In the face of the Treasury he had stated
that the Board of Ordnance was the best organised
department. The vast business of that board was
made up of so many details that it must be utterly
impossible for any one individual to conduct it
with that precision which was necessary. Though
it was true that at Woolwich all the departments
acted under supervision, still he thought the sys-
tem was one which was vicious, and one which
might be abused. He contended that the country
lost £500.000 a year by the unnecessary number of
at Low Moor now supplied the best pos-
sible guns, and in several supplies not one
iron
a.
uereki.not
manufacturerswowhich
ohuwil cdalni
fithenaddd.
that Mr. C. Elliott was anxi-
ous, burst, in consequence of a discovery as to where
capacity, to ask
the defects were to beifsdfoceteuniwlinede.onSuopopieorsedtehtaeiGlso,vern-
in his ppuobsliitc,
0n
Govern-
ment had a large
.eithtai could Exchequer
erhleNem. not be supposed
give him his testimony
which he had
SirthatotAh ufesTt any,eThiin.e.ni
soico{:nil
ohaenCsayet_sihilef.
namucitrui
aicts.enhentletolclol ii
saide
olNogf,
been made upon him,
as tohis
conduct and character in the • •
always held. . _ _

Sir T. Hastings said that during the time he was
a member of the Board of Ordnance Mr. Elliott
was brought under his notice by Mr. Stacey as
being a very active, intelligent person, and a fit
gentleman if he desired to employ any one to ascer-
tain doubtful points. He had himself always em-
ployed Mr. Elliott, and always found him to be an
intelligent and active man, and he had every reason
to believe that he was perfectly faithful. He might
further say that, at the time 'he was at the Board
of Ordnance, Mr. Elliott was so employed by 11. fr.
Stacey andhimself that, even if he had the in chna•
lion to do so, he was so much under the vigilant
eye of Mr. Stacey, the superintendent, that he never
I could have given any contract unfairly to any 11l-