The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-27 00:00:00

PASSING TOLLS,

Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY, having presented
some petitions In favour cf the abolition of incising todi,
asked the noble lird opposite whether the alvernment
intended, after the Easter recess, to introduce any mea-
sure for the abolition of such tolls
The Earl of DONOUGHMORE said a measure was
now under the consideration of the proper department,
and they hoped soon to be iu a condition to introduce a
bill on the subject.
BARRACK EX. PENDIFIIRE.

Lord PANMURE rose to move f, r a return of the
sums of money proposed in the Army EAlinates of
1856-7-8-9, to be expended in barracks, showing the
sums required for the erection of new barracks, and
stating the different localities in which they were to be
erected, and whether they were intended to re-
place old barracks. The sums required for
supplying water, improving drainage, and ventilating
existing barracks and also the sums required generally
for sanitary purposes connected with barracks or hospi-
tals, and for the provision of quarters for married men,
commissioned officers, and soldiers. In moving for
these returns his object was to show what had been done
of late years to promote the moral and phrical well-
being of our soldiers. The evils that had recently been
pointed out in the condition of barracks had been sought
to be provided against in all the arrangements that had
been made. He should prove to their lordships that no
class of her Majesty's subjacts had had their health
more carefully attended to, er been more diligently
looked after than that very class whiob they were
accused of neglecting, the soldiers of the ranks who had
always shown themselves worthy of all the care which
was bestowed upon them. He was anxious to do this
now, because the statements that had gone abroad
might very much teed to check the aspirations/of
young men for military service, and thus do damage to
the recruiting of the country. He would first draw
attention to the changes that had been made in the
moral and physical condition of the soldier during the
last quarter of a century. He would not say that all
had been done that ought to be done. Much yet re-
mained to be done in order to carry out the view which
he bad always entertained, that of rendering the two
military professions attractive to the youth of this
country. Eventually he hoped to see the day, though
he feared it was yet somewhat distant, when dismissal
from either the army or navy would be considered as a
great disgrace by the man as it was at present by his
offic3r. (Hear, hear.) It would take not only time,
but a great expenditure of money to place the army on
that footing on which he' should wish to see it. The
great point to which public attention was now turned
was the sanitary condition of the army. He would first
draw attention to the arrangements cf several years
past. When he first joined the service the condition of
the soldier, compared with what it was no*, was really
and absolutely filthy. When Lord Grey was Secretary.
at War he amended the routine of foreign relitfs, which
had not before been properly settled. By his ar-
rangement no soldier, even at so distant a station
as the East Indies, was to be more than fifteen
years absent, except in cases of emergency, and at the
West Indies and nearer stations the period of re-
lief was fixed at ten years. This had been carried out
at a great public expense. Another improvement of
Lord Grey's was the introduction of good-conduct pay,
and of savings banks in the army. Lord Hardinge had
done much to improve the condition of the pensioners
and old soldiers ; he put an end to the frauds which bad
prevailed in drawing pensions, and caused them to be
drawn in advance. This body of 15,000 armed defenders
had often rendered great service to the country. When
he (Lord Panmure) succeeded to the War-office, six
years ago, he bad introduced libraries into barracks, and
he believed that great advantage bad resulted from them.
Up to 1848, it was the practice to sell spirits in the can-
teens ; the result was to introduce a habit of dram drink-
ing. With the consent of Parliament, the commander-
in-chief abolished the practice :it was now utterly given
up ; and there did not now exist iu the army the men
heretofore known as "sponges." (Hear, hear.) Every
eviller cculd now retire, after twenty-one years' service,
with a pension of eightpence a day ; and for every five
years' service in the colonies he had an extra penny a
day; so that he might be entitled after twenty-one
years' service to one shilling a day. Great improvement
had been made in the rations, at a considerable cost to
tin

e country. Formerly there were only six chaplains
n the army ; now there were twenty-two, and thirty-
five as.istant chaplains. The bounties given were placed
on a better footing ; a free kit was now given, and the
soldier knew that he should receive in money the full
bounty offered. Recently the pay sergeants had been
raised 2d. a day, with a view to compensate them for the
loss of prize-money. It was utterly unfoundei to say
that the condition of the soldier had been neglected dur-
ing the last 25 years. Improvements had been made

; the estimates had been increased ; and the
had taken very little notice of it. He now came to
the condition of the barracks. It was said they were so
bad that to compel soldiers to live in them was worse
than a siege• The statement was an exaggeration. Iu
all the new barracks al' recent sanitary improvements had
been introduced ; but when the old barracks were
built those things were not thought of. A room now
considered large enough for twenty-five would have been
made to hold fifty or sixty. In some barracks, he ad-
mitted, the ventilation and draining was deficient, and
it was almost impossible to make the improvements
which were now advocated. A very large sum of money
would be required to carry out those arrangements. He
was ready to take his share of the blame for not asking
Parliament for more money; but he thought that the
call for improvements in barraoks was carried further
than necessary. The recent report of the commissioners
showed that the mortality was greatest among the
Guards—as much as 20 in 1,000 he bilieved. He con-

sidered that the colonels of the regiments had been nn

justly blamed for this state of things. Had their repre-
sentations been attended to, the soldiers would have been
much better lodged. The cost of a site alone for bar-
racks was enormous in London ; it could scarcely be less
than 100,0001. It was singular that those lately built
often turned out less healthy than old barracks. He be-
lieved the Wellington barracks were not so healthy as
the old Portman-street barracks, the sanitary state of
which had been much complained of. He believed they
were the most healthy barracks in London. The
engineers at Chatham were far more healthy than the
Gr' uards in London, the reason being that the latter were
so much exposed to the night air. He could not but
think that there were many night sentries in London
who might be dispensed with. (Hear, bear.) He had
gone into these details in order to show that during the
!ast 25 years the interests of the soldier had not been

neglected. On the contrary, every Government during
that period bad shown itself most anxious to improve the
condition of the army, and every Government bad been
successful in the steps it had taken for that purpose.
(Hear.) But it must be remembered that the sanitary
condition of the soldier was not the only thing for which
the estimates were voted. (Hear.) For the last two
years the army estimates bad amounted to upwards of
11,000,0001. per annum. This year 630,0001. had been
voted for barrack accommodation ; but the mere wear
and tear of of the existing buildings had cost not less
than 220,0001. of that sum. There were new barracks
in the course of erection at Portsmouth and else-

where, which would render the accommodation of our
troops better than it was at present. But that was not
the only thing they mud look to—they must also look
to the military defences of the country. (lean) It was
just as necessary to pay attention to the defences of our
dockyards, our great arsenals, and our coasts, as it was
to spend vast stuns upon converting barracks into
palaces. At this moment Portsmouth might be said to
be properly and amply defended ; but Plymouth ,till re-
quired a great deal to be done to put it in a satisfactory
condition ; and there were various other points to which
he would not more particularly allude while speaking in
public, but which he was quite sure would command the
most serious attention of the noble earl opposite. Nor
was that all. We bad a number of great military stations
abroad, and they must not be neglected. The Govern-
ment should endeavour to disperse the votes cf Par;ia•
went throughout the whole army, and not confine its
expenditure to the benefit of a mere portion of the
(the noble lord) was as willing as any one
could toecarry out every sanitary improvement ; but
troops.
be ri
their lordships must recollect that thocuohgeleiortsrht.)euntyonosfee
Commons were always ready to agree to every plan of
this description, they were not so ready when it came to
furnishing the necessary ways and means. (Hear.) He
had thought it his duty to call attention to this matter in
sanitary
nmmtairght not
they
might
itiot
yreform but male
theord eirmtphoarttathnecepcufbsl
be induced to sanctionways
andthe m voting by their representatives
only bethat
of
Tthhee
nDecueksesaorlCAMßßlDGeaEnsw. as extremely glad that
the noble baron had given him an
pressing as publicly as he could the extremepp regret with
which he found that some observations of his on a re-
cent occa,ion had led to an irnpres,ion that he had
brought a charge either against the noble baron himself,
or against the Government with which the noble lord
had been connected. He had felt it his duty, as the