The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-27 00:00:00

SUPPLY.

The House then went into a Committee of Supply on
the army estimates.
1,362,4001, being the remainder of the sum necessary
fir defraying the expense of the land forces in Great
Britain, Ireland, and abroad.
Mr. HUME complained of the increase which had
taken place on the three branches of the service since
1828. He trusted the Government would take the whole
subject into their consideration, whether the Committee
should make their report this session or not. He
wished to see the distinction between the line and house-
hold troops abolhheci, and every regiment take its routine
of duty at home and abroad.

Mr. F. MAULE said that he had no doubt the report
of the Committee would contain many suggestions which
would be cf great benefit to the army. Tney had consi-
dered the questions of clothing agencies, as well as the
commissariat, and time and deliberation would be re-
quired before they could make their report. He would
undertake that, before the estimates were brought for-
ward in another year, they would give the evidence
heard before the Committee their most careful considera-
tion, and the Government would come to that House in
the next session prepared to state the grounds upon
which they would either make changes in conformity
with the opinions of that Committee, or the grounds
upon which they abstained from making such changes.
Colonel CHATTERTON complained of the practice
of compelling the soldiers to pay for every good conduct
badge which they received. The cavalry officer, too,
was subject to much greater expenses than the com-
manding officer of an infantry regiment, and the
pay of the former was, under the circumstances, much
worse than that of the latter. He (Colonel Chatterton)
wished to repeat those remarks he had before made as to
the impropriety of allowing the married and single sol-
diers to occupy the same room in the barrack. He had
heard that a great boon had been granted to the soldiers
in this respect, but he found, upon inquiry, that that boon
amounted to only 4d. a week for the lodging of the mar-
ried soldier.

..e._
Colonel DUNNE said that when the report of the
Committee was presented, he should make many obser-
vations as to the evidence that had been given before
that Committee. He hoped that the Government would
take immediate steps to put down that system by which
a corporal, when promoted, received for a time less than
he had previously been paid.
Mr. BRIGHT said there was one point which he
wished to bring before the attention of the Committee.
There was, it appeared, 17,500/. allowed to officiating
clergymen performing services at home and abroad. He
did not object either to that vote or the clergy. But he
had observed with great pain that the practice of conse-
crating banners presented to regiments was continued.—
(Cries of" Oh, oh.") It was a practice which he thought
was well calculated tc give pain to a very large class of
persons, including the members of the Established
Church, and of Dissenting bodies, and more particularly
from the manner in which it was performed. There
was a case reported in the Freeman's Journal of the 28th
March, 1830, on the presentation of colours in Phcenix-
park, Dublin, to the 55th Regiment. Theßev. C. Hor-
ton read the prayer. This gentleman, who was chap-
lain to the garrison, appeared upon the occasion in
question, and robed in full canonicals. After praying
for the Queen, and offering up a variety of petitions,
the Reverend Gentleman went on to say, " Having im-
plored thy blessing, Lord, on the Queen and the
Royal Family, we would now implore thy blessing on
the loyal and devoted subjects now present, and more
immediately on those engaged in the service and
defence of the country." The prayer then pro-
ceeded to say, in effect, that " Though the main-
tenance of an army was rendered necessary owing to
the wickedness and depravity of man, and was counte-
nanced in the pages of thy holy word, like the banner of
the cross of Christ, upon which the soldiers of Jesus
Christ relied in the day of trouble, and to which they
looked with an eye of faith, and were inspired with con-
fidence and energy, so may this earthly banner, conse-
crated to the service and honour of our Sovereign, be as
instrumeetal as those laid aside have been in maintaining
the fidelity and loyalty of thy people, and that it may
stand forth in confirmation of the fame and glory of the
British Army. We call upon Thee, 0 Lord, to bless and
consecrate these banners in thy name, most mighty Lord
of Hosts. May they not be unfurled in any but a good
cause, and may they be borne by strong arms and brave
hearts; 'unity they be enabled to do all things through
Christ who will strengthen them. May Thou, 0 Lord,
shield and protect those over whom these colours shall
wave in battle, or if they fall as men have before fallen,
may they die as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, and like
those who have triumphantly borne the balmier of the
Cross. • • • • • May they be strong
in the Lord. May they this day put on the armour of
God and fight the good fight of faith , and eternal life.
And for their encouragement may they treasure up the
words of the Great Captain of Salvation, Be thou faith-
ful unto death and I will give thee a crown of
life.'" Now (observed Mr. Bright), if there be any
person who really believed that tois prayer could
give any advantage to the banners, or to them who
served under them, he could only say he believed it to
be one of the grossest superstitions conceivable. If a
man did
i not believe that any advantage could be gained
from this religious ceremony, then he said it was a hol-
low imposture which should be abolished. From the
day when Constantine marched under the banner of the
cross, upon which this motto was inscribed —" In hoc
signo vinces," up to the present there was nothing more
approaching to superstition and imposture.—(ob oh.)
There was here an awful confusion of things totally dice
tinct in the minds of the soldiers before whom this lan-
guage was addressed. They were sacrificing Christianity
itself in endeavouring to make Christianity bolter up
that which must be wholly opposed to the
our Christian religion. They mixed up principles
sacred
es ofd
name and attributes of religion with such a ridiculousae
ceremony as this. The case to which he had referred
prayer
was the worst he had as yet seen recorded. The
was one dictated in the worst taste. He considered the
ceremony not only as not religious, but he would not
shrink from saying, in the most emphatic language that
he could resort to, it was as blasphemous a prayer as
was ever offered in the face of Heaven.
Mr. F. MAIJLE, in reply to the Hon. and Gallant
Member for Cork (Colonel Chatterton)), said that be did
not think it a great exaction tJ ask the soldiers to pay
a trifle for their good-conduct badges, when they carried
with them an increase of their daily pay. In respect to
the separation between the married and the single
soldiers, he could only say that he had done everything
in his power to effect such a change in their mode of
living in barracks as would secure this desirable result.
The subject, however, would still receive his best et-
tention.—(Hear, hear.) A 3 to the question of the con •
secretion of the colours of a regiment, it was one which
must be a matter of opinion with regard to its observ-
ance. It was a custom which had been handed down in
the army from time immemorial— (Hsar, ,hear)—when
rww colours were presented to a regiment, to sanction
their psesentation by invoking upon them the blessing
of God. He could see nothing offensive in that—
( Hear, hear)—nothing superstitious init.—(Hear, he4r.)
Whilst he admitted it might not_be necessary to attach
to those colours the regard of the soldiers who fought