The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-02-08
British Disaster in the Crimea,
From the Neso York Tribune.


dition of the forces in the Crimca.-In.
deed, it is no longer possible to deny or
palliate the fact, that through unparallel-
ed mismanagement in every branch OF the
service, the British army is rapidly ap-
preaching state Of dissolution. Exposed
to the Eardships of a winter campaign,
suffering cold and wet, with the most har-
assing and uninterrupted field duty with
out clothing, food, tents or housing, the
veterans who braved the burning sun OF
India, the furious charges Of the Belood-
shee and Afghan, die away by hundreds
daily, and as fast as reipforcements ar
rive, they are eaten up by the rayages of
disease. To the question who is to blame
for this state of things, the reply just now
popular in England is that it is Lord Rag
Ian. But this is not just. We are no ad
mirers of his lordship's military conduct
but truth requires US to say that the ter
rible evils amid which tie soldiers in the
Crimea are perishing are not his fault, but
that of the system on which the British war
establishment is administered.
The British army has Commander
in chief, a parsonage dispensed with in
almost all other civilized armies. But it
would be q mistake to suppose that this
commander really commands anything
If be has some control over the infantry
and cavalry, the artillery, engineers, sap
pers and miners are entirely beyond ais
sphere. If he has any authority over
trowserS, coates, and stocks, oil great
coats are exempt from his infenee. Il
he can make every foot-soldier carry two
cartridge pouches, be cannot find him a
single musket. If he can have all his
men tried by court martial and well fog
ged, he cannot make them stir single
inch. Marching is beyond his competen-
cy, and as to feeding his troops, that is a
matter which does not concern him at all.
Then there is the Master General Of the
Ordnance. This person, a lameutable rel
ic of the times when science was consid-
cred unsoldierlike, and when all scienti,
&c corps, artillery and engineers, were
not soldiers, but a sort of nondescript
body, half savans, half handicraftsmen,
and united il separate guild or corpo-
ration, under the command of such a
Master This Master-G General of
the Ordnance, besides artillery and en-
gineers, has under him all the greatcoats
and small arms of the army. To any
military operation, of whatever nature,
he must, therefore, be a party. Next
comes the Secretary at War, Il the two
preceding characters were already Of
comparative nulity, be is beyond nulity,
The Secretary at War can give no order
to any part of the army, but be can pre-
vent any portion Of the army from doing
anything. As he is the chief of the mil
itary finances, and as every military act
costs money, his refusal to grant funds is
an absolute veto upon all operations
But willing as he may be to grant the
funds, lie is still nulity, for be cannot
feed the army; that is beyond his sphere
In addition to all this, the Commissariat,
which really feeds the army, and in case
Of any movement, is supposed to find it
IL means Of transport, is placed under
the control of the Treasury. Thus, the
Prime Minister, the first Lord of the
Treasury, has direct hand in the get
ting up of every military operation, and
can, at pleasure, either push it, retard it,
or stop it. Everybody knows that the
Commissariat is almost a more important
portion Of the army than the soldiers
themselves ; and for this very reason, the
collective wisdom of Great Britain has
thought proper to make it quite independ-
ent of the army, and to place it under
the control of an essentially different de-
partment. Finally, the army, formerly
put in motion By the Colonial Secretary,
is now subject to the orders of the new
War Minister He dislocates the troops,
from England to China, and from India
to Canada. But, as we have seen, his
authority, taken singly, is as Intellectual
as that of any Of the four preceding mill
tary powcrs-the cooperation of all five
being required, in order to bring about
the least movement.
1T was under the auspices of this won
derful system that the present war began.
The British troops, well fed and well car
ed for at home, in consequence of forty
years peace, went out in high condition,
persuaded that whatever the enemy
might do England would not let her gal |
ant lads want for anything. But scarce
y had they landed at their first stage, at
Jallipoli, when the comparison with the
French army showed the ludicrous infer
orlty of all British arrangements, and
he pitiable helplessness of every British
official. Although it was here compara-
lively easy to provide for everything, al
hough sufficient notice bad been given,
md only small body of troops had been
ent out, everything went wrong. Every
'ody made himself very busy, and yet
lobody would perform duties that had not
allen to his lot at home in time of peace,
o that not man was found to do that
BUSINESS which was created by the very
var itself. Thus, shiploads of stores were
eft to rot on the shores where they we're
rst landed, and troops had to be sent oD
o Scutari for want of room. Chaotic dis
rider announced itself in unmistakeable
igus, but as it was the beginning of the
,ros .