New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-21

and infantry, but the artillery and engineers were
subject to still another department, called the Ord
nance, which. beside its other functions. was re-
CURED to furnish the whole material OF war ooth
for the army and the naval service. considerhpe
part of the food of troops serving beyond sea was
furnished BY the Victuang Office. not OF the army
but of the Admiralty For other supplies the Com
mssariat Service was responsible. aud the Commits
sariat was bureau of tho Treasury. 1t had force
for Ireland aud the Colonies. but none for Great
Britain and not even the framework of such force
for any foreign campaign, so that when war was de-
cared against Russia the Commissariat had to be
created anew from head to foot. The Transport
Service belonged to the navy. The Medical
Dmcctor-General was subordinate to at least
five departments of State, aud he knew not how
many more" Thus tie control was scattered among
number of offices. and there was no high
overriding authority that bound them up
into anything like unit of administra-
tive power Far from always appealing
Tor guidance to some paramount chief, they rather
cooperated with one another. and this, too, III
highly English spirit of independence, each main
tanning with trmness the integrity Of its little
dominions, and expressing in able dispatches to
coequais the way, perhaps at the end OF inc
street all those delicately shaded varieties OF re-
plomatists well know how to choose when they
speak in the name of great States"
Perhaps the most interesting portions of the
volume are those in which Mr.. Kinglake treats OF
the conduct of The Times His sc0rn of the course
pursued by that journal during the Crimean War
has not abated in the least since he penned, so
many years ago, his famous analysis OF the charac
ter of the great " Company, for ascertalnIng anu
declaring the opinion of the country" which, as
soon as it was able to make ont that a cause was
waxing strong. went up and offered to lead 1t,
and so reigned." 1t was the policy of Lord Raglan
and indeed his only hope of safety, dunng the win
ter of 1926 to deceive the enemy i'll his front
by q bold appearance of strength and unconcern.
1t became the daily occupation 70 The Times to tear
away the mask and expose the weakness OF the
English Army to all the world. The letters OF Mr..
w. H. Russell not only gave full particulars OF the
sufferings of the soldiers, but even described the
location of regiments, told of the numbers OF guns
in the batteries, the effect OF the Russian Shells
and pointed out the position of powder
neutrality-suspicious. which must have been
promptly transmitted from London to ST. Peters
burg unless the Russian Government was remark
ably observed. 81 know something of the kind of
information which the commander of an army re-
ouires of the state and condition of the troops
opposed to him." wrote Lord Raglan to the Duke OF
Newcastle and | can safely say that during the
whole of the war in the Peninsula the Duke of
Wellington was never supplied with such details
"a are to be found In the letter to which am de-
sirous of attracting your attention" Unwilling to
resort TO harsh measures. Lord Raglan caused the
correspondents in the camp to be made aware OF
the necessity for greater prudence and the Duke OF
Newcastle addressed an appeal to the editors III
London. which elected courteous and proper re-
plies So far as The Times was concerned however
these remonstrances proved quitc IN vain; the
:" marriott disclosures" as Mr.. Kinglaks calls them
continued to be made to the listening enemy, and
the editor continued 10 aggrayate the mischief
wrought by the correspondent.
The bold skilled, sagacious envoy whom the con-
dnctors of our modern newspapers dispatch 10 q
seat of wal is member of what has now become
AN interesting chivalTous profession, with not only
It's recognized duties, but also code OF honor I'M
plying so much of the military spirit, that lie who
chooses TO follow this yenturcsomc calling ~ ac-
customcd to hold himself in readiness for instant,
unouestioning obedience when ordered of ut short
notice to meet Toll, pTvation, ana danger IN any
part Of the world. How successfully IN the face OF
hesetting difficulties such an envoy can plant him.
self upOn the spot where light may he expected TO
fall how he WINDOWS away the fables surrounding
him in the tumult of camps, and fastens upon the
din-lookiug truths. ana gives them besides their
significance. and sends them on their magic Blght
bOmewaItls--all this adnliringly know but we
also know that, in general, he the better acieNes
these wonders because OIltn InOugn NOT Hn'ttu
always he has found means OF rccOncllng TIT
duties of trusted correspondent with the duties of
a trusted guest received il may be. i'll the quarters
of some more less high commander, and Of course
bound TO make disclosures which might benefit
the foes OF his host
At the date of the Crmean War, however, the
calling Of the military correspondent was only be-
ginning to find its destined place in the world Lord
RAGLAN had an od-fashioned prejudice against gen
tlemen OF the press III camp. lie never thought OF
excluding them, but OH the other hand he Lever
tried to acquire any control or influence over
the tenor of their communications. They were left
entirely to their own Judgment of what il ght be
proper to make known OF DR.. Russell, who was
the principal parsonage among the correspondents,
both by reason of his abilities and by reason Of
transgressions, Mr. Kingake writes as follows:
II was scarce necessary that narrator engaged
in his task at this time should be Of the a1ventu-
rous type OF the more modern war cOrrespDn-
dents" because the seat OF war had become fixed
but Mr.. Russell had the ely assenbiage OF quail
Ties that was needed 10y ono who would convey an
idea of the condition of things the ChersOnese 70
our listening people at home tor II being OF course
MS duty to learn and 10 tell there was no one who
could learn more quickly or tell better what he
had learnt His opportunity of gathering intelli-
gence depended OF course III great measure upon
communications which might be made To him by
officers of theiI free Will: and " is evident
that to draw full advantage from occasions found
in that way, the inquirer, instead of "mqulring,"
mast be "a mar so socially gifted that by his own
mowers of conversation he can evoke the CONVERSE
ton of others Russell was all that and more for
he was a great humorist, and more, again, he was
an lush humorlst whose very tones fetched
laugh. II only he shouted "VirgiliO'-yrgilio was
one of his servants-the sound when heard through
the canvas used often 10 send divine mirth INTO
more than neighboring tent and whenever IN
solemn accents he owned the dread uniform he
wore to be tn ut of the late disembOdied militia
one used to think nothing more comic could ever lie
found i'm creation than MS rendering" OF a " live
Irish ghost" In those days when the army was NOV.
ing after having disembarkcd at Old Fort ne had not
found means TO reoIganize the needed campaigning
which his voyage from Bulgaria had
and any small tribulatiun be suffered in
consequence used always 10 form the subject of his
plantive laments. He ALWAYS found.
sooner or later. some blank leaves torn ont of a
pocke book and besides, stump of "a pencil
with which to write his etters-letters destined IN
the sheets of The Times to the hearts and souls
of our people AT home and make them hang Oh his