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February 10, 1855.] THE LEADER. lgL_
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THE HOSPITALS IN THE EAST. The account* ...
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SIR CHAULES NAPIER AND LORD CARDIGAN AT ...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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February 10, 1855.] The Leader. Lgl_
February 10 , 1855 . ] THE LEADER . lgL _
The Hospitals In The East. The Account* ...
THE HOSPITALS IN THE EAST . The account * . of the hospitals are eo very eontradictojry that they iare almost valueless . We , however , srive them , leaving our readers to draw their own conclusions , which wefiuicy wittbe , that things are progressing on the whole favourably . The Mormng Chronicle ^ correspondent says : — ¦ .. "I made a long and observant ramble through the hospital * rard «» t Scutari , and was most agreeably struck with the unproyenient whieh is visible in nearly every « se of the arrangements . I much question whether the state of things just now at Scutari would afford a peg for the most imaginative chronicler to hang a growl upon . I have no hesitation whatever in assuring you
that in every particular of essential comfort and assiduous care our poor # ick and wounded fellows at Scutari are not a whit behind their French comrades in the Medjidieh . Our hospital is under tiie untiring superintendence . © f Miss Nightingale ; we have now a band of ' good angejs' bestowing their womanly tenderness upon pur poor fellows in a way that will not suffer by comparison vrith those of the French ' sisters , ' Our medical staff is abundant , and every hospital store that skill can pre-. scribe , or kindness suggest , is at hand to superfluity . I say this , not on the information of officials , but on the authority of the sufferers themselves . With hardly an exception , every man I spoke to declared that no attendance could be better , nor sick-comforts more perfect . "
On the other hand , the Times correspondent , writing the same- day , says ;—" When I arrived here , early in November , the maximum number of deaths scarcely exceeded twenty a day ; now it is nearly three times as high . At . that time the proportion of sick and wounded was about equal ; now the former vastly preponderates . At the period referred to wounds would heal here ; for some time past they have in most cases refused to do sd , or if a patient does show a tendency to get well , dysentery , fever ^ or consumption seizes him and makes him its prey . This is one of the darkest features in the sanitary condition
and prospects of the army , for it leads us to anticipate what the probable fate will be during the next ' two months , not only of the 5000 sick now crowded in the eamp hospital , but of those still doing duty who are unfit for worki Dr . Hall includes in this last class one half the entire army , the strength of which one now hears variously estimated at from 11 , 000 to 14 , 000 men . Whatever be the aetual state of health in the army , it i 3 quite certain that in the hospitals here the number of cheerful , hopeful faees among the patients diminishes , and the daily tour of wards ~ and corridors discloses a
steady increase of prostration and gloom . Men huddle themselves up in their bedclothes more , and the newspaper and amusing book have lost much of ' their former attractiveness . No reading aloud now , and as the new arrivals tell of the hardships they have gone through , it is not an unusual thing for them , overcome by the recollection , to burst into tears . If these wan and wasted figures could be seen in Eng land —the victims , not of hostile rage , but of that military system which for forty years we have fostered and petted in insular self-sufficiency— -we should soon have it reformed . "
On one .. subject—the skill and devotion of Miss " Nightingale—allareagfeecir Thesanie writer says : — " Wherever there is disease in its most dangerous form , and the hand of < the spoiler distressingly nigh , there is that incomparable woman sure to be seen ; her ^ benignant presence Is an influence for good comfort even amid the straggles of expiring nature . She is a * ministering angel , ' without any exaggeration , in these hospitals , and as her slender form glides quietly along -each -corridor every poor fellow ' s face softens with gratitude at the sight of her . When all the medical officers have retired for the night , and silence and darkness
have settled down upon those miles of prostrate sick , rshe may bo observed alone ,, with . a little lamp in her hand , making her solitary rounds . Tho popular instinct was not mistaken , which , when she set out from England on her mission of mercy , hailed her as a heroine ; I trust that she may not earn her title to a higher though sadder appellation . . No one who has observed her fragile figure and delicate health can avoid misgivings lest these should fail . With the heart of a true woman , and the manners of a lady , accomplished and refined beyond most of her sex , she combines a surprising calmness of judgment and promptitudo and decision of character . '
This is reiterated by a private letter . " As I walked leisurely through tho wards the lady . nurses were gliding from bod to bod , inquiring tenderly from tho sufferers their respective states and wants , and , ilike good angels , paying the poor fellows such delicate . attentions as ortly -woman ' s hand can minister , and woman's heart suggest . ' They are angola , ' said one poor follow to me , whoso leg had been shattered by a round shot at Inkorman ; ' they are angels / ho repeated 1 and many a time ., as one of thorn comes and asks mo tenderly how I feel , and trios to make my bed softer or mypfHow smoother , I almost forgot that I am so far » way firora my mother and only sister . There's Miss Nightingale , ' continued , tho grateful follow , while his voice thickened with emotion as ho spoke , ' she ' s Hko a mother to every one of us , arid God will bloss her if ita only for the kindly and tender attentions eho has shown ± o myself . "
Sir Chaules Napier And Lord Cardigan At ...
SIR CHAULES NAPIER AND LORD CARDIGAN AT THE MANSION-HOUSE . On Tuesday the Lord Mayor gave the usual annual dinner to the aldermen and other dignitaries of the City at Hue Mansion-house . The proceedings derived their chief interest . from the circumstance that among the guests were the Earl of Cardigan and Admiral Sir Charles Napier , who each delivered speeches relating to the war . Lord Cardigan was attired in the uniform which he wore in the desperate cavalry charge at Balaklava . The customary loyal toasts having been duly honoured , The Lord Mayor briefly proposed " The Navy and the Baltic Service , " coupling with the toast the names of Sir Charles Napier and Captain Lynch , R . N . ( JDrunk with enthusiasm . ')
Sir Charles Napier replied as follows : — " My Lord Mayor , Lady Mayoress , ladies , and gentlemen , if an officer having returned from a foreign service like my noble friend , if he will allow me to call him so < the Earl of Cardigan ) , after having performed prodigies of valour , and been received in the manner in which he has been this day , must feel proud on this occasion , how must I feel , who have returned from my command having scarcely performed any service at all , and been censured by the Government , and dismissed from my command ? ( Cries of "No , no . " ) I repeat dismissed from my command . I have no doubt it will be expected that some account should be given of the very small services performed by that magnificent fleet which was sent out from this
country . That fleet was magnificent , certainly , to a degree . It was very badly manned , and worse disciplined ; but , however , we managed to take it to the Baltic without pilots , without charts—all the officers being perfectly unacquainted with the Baltic , and the difficulties of the navigation- Now , the first object I had in view was to endeavour to satisfy the wishes of the people of this country . I was quite aware that onetenth part of what was expected could never be performed ; but , nevertheless , I was determined to do the best I possibly could under the circumstances . When we first went out my view was to give the Russians every dianee of putting to sea . I divided my fleet into two squadrons , but the Russians did not come out . Our
next object was to go to Cronstadt and see what was to be done there . We accordingly proceeded , with the assistance of a French squadron , but we found the thing totally impracticable . There was not depth of water enough- for the ships , and the batteries were of such strengtlLthat-it was impossible to attempt to _ attack the place without the certainty almost of destruction to our fleet . We therefore returned to our former anchorage , and thence went to Bonaarsund . I only asked for 1000 or 2000 men to make the tiling certain , and they-sent us out 10 , 000 men . It is needless for me to say how quickly the thing was accomplished . ( A , laugh . ) I now come to a matter of greater consequence , and I think it my duty to make it known , as much as I can have
do , here , because I am not in Parliament . I been very much censured by the Government . Great clamour has been raised against me , and instead of the Government discountenancing that clamour , they have actually supported and encouraged it . The moment it .. was known in England and France that the French army ^ intendedTtbre ^ n " hoiine , seeing that it was perfectly impossible at that season of the year to perform any farther service without risking her Majesty ' s fleet , the Government became dissatisfied , and they ordered a council of war to be held . I dane say nobody ever heard yet of a council of war fighting . ( Laughter . ) However , we did not want that to drive us on . But the whole subject was carefully and thoroughly examined by a
Marshal of France , a French Admiral , a General of Fjronch Engineers , and also by no loss than three British Admirals ; and they all unanimously decided that it was perfectly impossible to proceed further ; and that had we done so we should Jiave encountered the risk of almost certain defeat and loss . The British Admiralty was not satisfied with that , but they listened to the advice of an officer of Engineers , and I was ordered to hold another council of war , to ascertain whether French Admirals and English officers would abandon their own opinion and adopt that of the Admiralty . The officers felt insulted at that proposal . I believe that had we gone up the Gulf of Finland again , instead of returning home , our fleet would have been totally lost . Not satisfied , however , with that , I went up , determined to have another survey of that fortification , which is one of the
strongest in Europe . That was in September , and < that month in the Baltic corresponds iu severity-with November here and among the Channel Islands . The moment it was first reported ( erroneously ) that Sevastopol was ¦ taken , it was olao eaid , ' Why does not Admiral Napier go and take Cronstadt and St . Petersburg ? ' In fact , 1 was aakad , ' Why don't you go and take Moscow ?' . ( Laughter . ) Now , I novor did expect that * he Admiralty would join in that clamour . At that time J . sent homo a clear and detailed account , stating my opinions and what appliances wore necessary iu order to take Sweaborg . You will not expoqt me to state what those opinions were . Suffice it to say . that I had given two soparato opinions , one of which , if followed , I believed , was certain to insure success , and the other , certain to bring dostruation on the fleet . What did the . Admiralty tlion do ? I mention tub in order that thoro may bo no
mistake whatever , because if the Government have the least spirit about them they will immediately discharge me , and turn me out of the service . ( Laughter . ) I say that the Admiralty perverted my language . They not only did that , but they asked me why I did not take Sweaborg , and why I did not do this , that , and the other ? They received my letter , giving them an account of how Sweaborg might be taken , on the 4 th of October , the very day on which the first intelligence reached England of the capture of Sebastopol . On the 9 th of October—five days / afterwards—the news arrived that Sebastopol was not taken ; but-the Admiralty had not the plain , straightforward dealing , nor the honesty , to write to me and apologise . No ; but what they did was
this—they perverted what I had written , giving them a plan for the taking of Sweaborg . My lord , I was not going to stand that—( laughter and cheers )—I am not tfce man to put up with an insult . I remonstrated most strongly , but they still persisted in saying that I had led them astray . Well , what could I do ? I was not going to be driven into all this , particularly as Sir J . Graham , during the whole period I was in the Baltic , had written to me admonishing me to beware of stone walls ; telling me not to risk her Majesty's fleet against them ; that these stone walls were not to be trusted ; and reminding me that when I was first known to be going out to the Baltic I had been accused by certain persons of want of discretion , but assuring me that now , in his opinion , I
had proved myself a consummate commander-in-chiefl After that came the most insulting and degrading letters to me ever addressed to an officer ; and 1 mention thia particularly in the hope that it will go forth to the world , and that Sir J . Graham will be prevented from ever sitting in the Administration again as First Lord of the Admiralty . I state it to the public , and I wish them to know that , had I followed the advice of Sir J . Graham , I should most inevitably have left the fleet behind me in the Baltic . I will prove this before all the world ; and if Sir J . Graham has one single spark of honour in him he will never again take his seat at the Admiralty until this matter is cleared up . On the other hand , I will say
that I have no right to be ever employed again , and I ought , in fact , to be scratched off" the Navy List if I am not telling the truth in what I now state . ( Cheers . ) I am taking the first opportunity of making this statement publicly , and I am perfectly ready to answer for my conduct before the House of Commons whenever they choose to call upon me to do so . " [( Cheers . ) The gallant Admiral then concluded by again thanking the company for the honour they had done him in drinking his health . -The Cord Mayor , gave , as . next toast , " The Army , " coupling with it the names of the Earl of Cardigan and of Captain Maxse , his lordship ' s aide-decamp . ( The toast was given upstanding , with three times three vociferous cheers . )
The Earl of Cardigan then said , — " My Lord Mayor , Lady Mayoress , ladies , and gentlemen , I feel considerably embarrassed in rising to return you my sincere thanks for the high honour that you have done me , because there are several conflicting feelings which now weigh heavily upon my mind . I am here reminded of what has recently occurred in the East , and I feel certain that a late engagement , in which I was an actor in thatrpart-of the world , is the causeof . the . handsome and flattering reception which I have met with this day . But , coupled with that , there are other feelings which press on my mind—among others , the recollection of the sad and disastrous loss that occurred on that fatal day ,
and the number of brave officers and soldiers whose lives were then unfortunately sacrificed . I have further to remember that , as a staff officer , it is very difficult to say anything connected with the war which is now waging in the Crimea . My Lord Mayor , my services in the Crimea having been alluded to by you , perhaps I may bo allowed to inform you how I have been employed since I was sent out to the East . It was my good fortune , when in Turkey , in the first instance , to he sent towards the enemy ' s outposts with the light cavalry . I was ordered to ascertain the position of the enemy , I had to patrol the whole of the country by means of detachments of the troops under my command . Shortly after this I received a very peremptory order to immedis
diately proceed with a strong bQtr & , ot cavalry to - cover what had become of the Russian army ; for the siege of Silistria had then been raised , and the Commander-in-Chief was totally ignorant whether the Russians were about to proceed towards Varna to attack our position , or intended to retreat towards their own country . You can easily imagine that this was rnthor aft anxious undertaking , nnd one that required the exercise of considerable caution on my part . Wo might have come at any moment upon the Russian army . Wa which call
travelled over the country , I may a P ^ ctly wild desert , for a distance of 800 miles . Having a eortaincd that the Russian army had ^ J " ' . ' ^ " ^ dach . cam e the order to proceed to tho Crimea ; and Si must say that that expedition ^ ae a noble undertaking , and hnd in view an object worthy of . tho aVnbition of two gront nations . ( Cheers . ) On our flrT landing in tho Crimea , I was employed within two hourB nfterwardn , with a strong body of cavalry , artillery , and infantry , in endoavouring to cut oil some Riwflinn cavalry which wore eupposedtobe marching towards Slmphoropol . I am sorry to say that I
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 10, 1855, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_10021855/page/7/
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