Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-04-13
English Officers in the C,imea.

Our readers will recoIleCt singing para
graphs which we quoted few weeks ago from the
LondOn Times, den0uncing the Administration for the
wretched condition If affairs in The camp at Balak-
lava. In accordance with recent move in parlia-
ment by W. ROebuck Committee of Inquiry has
been sitting IN London for the investigation of the
whole matter OF the conduct Of the war before which
some most extraordinary disclosures have BEEN made
fully confirming the worst charges of the Times
Never, perhaps, has army been forth to meet
enemy Commanded by officers so utterly imbecile
pref gate, and corrupt. We do wonder that the
ve!its Indignation has been Acted in the minds Of
the English people against the late Ministry and we
shall be surprised il the matter does terminate in
the impeachment of Lord Raglan and other agents Of
the government of less rank. Among other wit
nesses examined by the Committee was Gen. De-
Lacy Evans who thus testified to the manner in
which hostililies begun
The war was commenced as if it were matter
of no moment The expedition, as it landed AT Var.
na not really prepared for 1t was thought
that there would be explosion of gnnpo der and
that there would be necessity for magazines at
all The government was waiting for notes and
protocols from Vienna, and no great exertions were
made to put the army in condition 10 move"
There can be question about the vacillating
policy of the Cabinet home, nor is it to be Won
dered at that irresolntion at headquarters should
have demoralzing effect upon every branch of The
service abroad. Accordingly we begin to see reck.
less attention and deporable ncapaclty in all de-
partments of the army.
Gen Sir De Lacy Evans said The comnlssarial
officers sent to him very imcompetents They
might have made very good clerks in the Treasury
but they did understand the service. The inter-
prefers sent him of no whatever. He con-
demned the rigid adherence to official forms for the
issue of forage. The horses of his own staff were
KEEP, almost a whole day without food, because some.
body was not upon the spot to sign some document
in official manner"
Gel. Bentinck, commander of the Guards, said
Tn, mortality was principally caused by the want
of clothing. There were no depots in the camp of
forage fuel. The tools supplied TO the pioneers
were bad they few, and of inferior quality
The same tools had been tried at Chobhan1 and found
inefficient, yet the tools supplied to the pioneers in
Crmea were of the SAME KIND"
Capt Wrottesley, of the Royal Engineers said
g The siege train not landed at Varna It was
sent from England without the means of drawing it,"
Worse things than these, however; were sworn 10.
certain Admiral Boxer, who had charge Of the
harbour, proved TO be inselent, bad tempered
man, proverbal for drunkenness, and to have flied
the position at Constantinope with utter
loss of credit to himself and with the most dreadful
results to the army. But the testimony of the DUKE
OF CAMBRIDGE far the most astounding and in
credible of ALL He stated that 1t was late in the
month of November before Lord Raglan had 0ttudAy
made up has mind to Ulnter an the Crtmed, when his
ordship sent off to Constantinople to purchase co-
thing for the soldiers, which not 10 be had
there at ALL And Lord Cardigan, after fully corrob-
Grating ali that the Duke had said, declared that in
the light brigade alone, 80 dreadful the suffering
of the horses for want of forage that four hundred
of these noble animals were shot Truly, the great
military fame Of England is somewhat lowered by
disclosures like these And what shall be said OF the
conduct of ministers who, fully apprised of the mis-
erabe mbecilty of their servants, keep them yet in
their employment, and bestow titles and pensions
upon them for their very criminalty !-Rictmond
| Despatch