The Sun.
London, England, 1827-05-09 00:00:00

petitions
burst (Mr. a. smart), woe __ present on the
tame subject. What could be done rit would be better
to grant an enquiry, which would point out to' the pe-
titioners that their sentiments were ei roneons, as to the
evils produced by machinery ; and, that if machinery
were discontinued, the distress would he increased.
The petition was then brought up and laid on the table.
Mr. D. W. HARVEY moved for returns of all Paro-
chial Assessments made by Churchwardens and Overseers
of Parishes.—Ordered.
VOTE OF THANKS TO THE ARMY OF INDIA.
Mr. WYNN rose.—lt was his object on the present oc-
casion, and his intention to submit to the House the ser-
vices of those troops, and to endeavour to conciliate the
opinion of all, in order that the House might be unanimous
in conferring the tribute which he was going to demand at
their liande. It was not his intention to submit anv vote
relative to political matters. He by no means acknow-
ledged any deficiency of merit in those who had the-ad-
ministration of affairs in India. The highest praise was
due to them for their perseverance, consistency, and
judgment; but he thought that the tribute of thanks
of the House might more properly he conveyed dis-
tinctly to military and naval merit, and should not
he brought forward as a political question, on which
greater differences of opinion might arise. He was
aware it might be said that there had been instances
in which votes of this kind had passed; but those
had been cases where the Governor-General had also com-
bined in his person the office of Commander-in-Chief, as in
the case of Lord Hastings ; or else Captain-General, as iu
the case of Lord Wellesley, who himself directed, and hint.
self proceeded to carry into execution the objects of the ex-
pedition. The same was the case with respect to Lord
Minto. Upon consideratidn, therefore, he had thought
proper to restrict the motion to a vote of thanks to the
officers and men who actually carried into execution this
expedition, and not to those who planned it. The service
to which he had to call the attention of the House, was not
perhaps of so brilliant a nature as others which the House
had acknowledged on former occasions, and the reason
was, that there was not an enemy in the field capable of
opposing such a resistance as would give rite to brilliant
achievements ; but the difficulties which had' been en-
countered and surmounted, were not the less arduous or
important. The troops in the Burmese war, to which he
would first direct the attention of the House, had tu ex-
plore an unknown country. For this no blame could at-
tach to any one, no European troops having had an oppor-
tunity of previously serving in the country, or acquiring any
information concerning it. They had to encounter the
lifficulties of the seasons, which were increased by the pe-
riodical rains. These difficulties, however, they had en-
countered and surmounted with great courage and perse-
verance, in a war which had occupied nearly two yearn
It would have been impossible to have surmounted them,
but for the energy and skill of the Commander, supported
as he was by the great exertions of the Navy ; for as the
operations were necessarily on the banks of a large naviga-
ele river, they were carried into execution mainly from the
support they received from the Navy. To the Navy. there-
`Ore, he felt that a very great char: of the raerh. of Z. 113 nie-
ces' of this war was due. Much had also been done by that
new power, which bad for the first time been-introduced:
into warfare—he meant the steam-eng in e. By this, the Army
was enabled, not only to carry on speedy communications,
bat had also been materially assisted in overcoming resist-
once. He did not wish to go through all the details of the
Efferent- exertions both of Sir Archibald Cr:mph-tilt etdoo
commanded the expedition from the commencement to the
conclusion, or of General Cotton and the other Brigediere
who commanded different divisions ; but he. rushed par-
ticularly to notice (what he thought was no incontidera-
bit) merit me the part of Sir Archibald Campbell) the rime
aeration and ability he had displayed, in the readineet
erith which he bed stopped his army when Within four
lays' marsh of the capital, when, if he had proceeded, it
was obvious that his Army would hare acquired that ps::
zuniary reward which every soldier looked forward to, the
elueder of a large and opulent city. The Gallant General
had felt, however, that ha heel a duty to diechiarge M his
country superior to the personal claims of the Array„
and he had flfetetore inaisted on no stricter terms that
bed been determined on during the time of the tetra-
eiatione before be had, edvanced alp near theeneepitele—
fle also meant to submit to the Hemee•ei vote of, thanks
to those who were engaged in alieltertlent of hvl
duration, but perhaps of more brilliancy, in smother
part of India—he meant to the .Commander-in
Chief, Lord Comberniere, and the troops engaged '
in the assaalt of Bhurtpore. The Government of
India were entitled to great thus s for the readiness with
which they had collected a face of such a enego;tade ae.
to insure the capture of that place almost bekre the 4014..
mencement of operation:. The Hones 4.IVP CV &ZS that
this great and important foetrene wan the only cue which,
had ever witlettood oar arms in India. Lord Leie was re.
pulsed in an "Auk upon it rather more theca lb pun age,
and in emergence of this oirentneUenos, ss decree of ett-
petatitinue importance was attached to the walls of Bhart-
scre, that they were considered to impregnable, and tack
as effectually to bpi e the utuecet seer ions of en European
force. He belie-eed that no circuMetaoce would bare been
so productive of detrimental consequeneee, omit sally tc
honour, but to the safety of the British empire in Lae
as that with an attack slsoald,h• made without a et:AnLey
of ultimate success: Ile felt, therefore, that a 'my-great
share of tie merit :rte attributeble to Sir Edward Paget,
under whose superintendence, and by whom- chartioate
the preparations were made for this siege; acid. cue of ties
most formidable armies got together, et the tine" 'he game
up the command to his Noble Friend. Lord Ceraherrneree
Lord Combermere showed himself worthy to aecceid
Edward Paget on that oceseion. With degree of
energy which reflected the highest con it on hirai lied
no sooner landed, than, as soon ae ha had acquired seffiel
dent information ea to what pr/eparations were tiettaantut,
lie immediately.set out without any attendants, at great
personal risk to himself, and took the command of the
Army. The ninimate views" of the sieae was ettrihatalitea
not only to the skill and .judgment he had exerciied,Anit
to the energy and talent he had displayed during the whole
of its continuance, and the readiness with which he had
exposed his own pergola, to animate the troops, hi eitnee
tions oldie geeatest danger. In the whole of these achieva-
merino the valour of the native troops was equally conspi—
cuous with that el the Europeans. He ought to I:pent:sett .
in particolar,ahe merits of the Meares &mop, ; the reach
uses with which they assembled and volunteered feta,
services, and afterwards marched to the teens of action,
from great distances, without losing a single man by deeer-
don, though it was perfectly at their option tee nroceeee
sr not, was entitled to the highest brain. The whole
regiment had embarked with the wine readiness and.
willingness which plight have he.eo expected from Euro-
sear, '-:cps. It we. impossible to hear of these citeuin-
eten, feeling that great merit was attribute/de to
rose under whose command this took place; he alluded
particularly to Sir Thomas Munro, the Governor of Ma-
ims, who had made the arrangements. There were many
instances of individual courage and gallantry, but as the
details of the war had been already before the House, and.
every Gentleman load had an opportunity of putting him-
self in possession of them, he should now content himself
with moving, " That the Thanks of the House be given
to General Lord Combermere, Knight Grand Cross of
the Military Order of the Bath, Commander-in-Chief of
the Forces in India, for his able and meritorious conduct
in command of the forces employed against Bhurtpore, and
particularly for' the ability, judgment, and courage, with
hich he had planned and directed the assault of that fort
rose--the success of which brilliant achievement highly
contributed to the honour of the British Army, and the
permanent tranquillity of our possessions in the East."
Mr. HUME, in seconding the motion, said, the Hon.
Gentleman had not at all overrated the merits of the Army,
whether employed in the Burmese or any other country._
From an attentive perusal of the details of these events, it
was evident that no army had ever been placed in a eitua.
Lion where the difficulties wero more arduous, or more
likely to appal the bravest men—when it was considered -
that of some regiments who entered the Burmese territory,
to the amount of 800 or 900 men, in a few months scarcely
50 could muster on the parade, some idea might be formed
of the hardships to which they were exposed. He approved
of the course now taken by the Right Hon. Gentleman.—
Had lie submitted to the House the question of the justice
or inpnoice of the war, ph:similarly the Burmese
war, he (Mr. flume) could not conscientiously
have concurred in the vote. He did not under-
stand whether there was any intention of push*.
a vote of thanks to the troops engaged at Arracane—
None load been enbjecteil to greater privations or dial--
enlace. If they were not mentioned in a separate vote, it
might be considered as a neglect. They were separated
from the Burtneee territories by u range of hills, 9,000
test high. The important services rendered .by the navy,
during the whole course of the Burmese war, were not
sufficiently known to the pablic. He had no hesitation in
seeing, from the statements ofelhose who had been eye-
witaeuee, that without the waist-once of the Limy, it would
have hem utterly initmeeilele for the troop to have nlaiev