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December 23, 1854.] THE LEADER. 1205
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THE WAR.
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There can be no doubt that lately very l...
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Transcript
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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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Foreign Knlistment Bill. In The House Of...
plained that no care was taken , by the harbourmaster , and that the heavy losses during the storm were mainly owing- to that negligence . To these charges the Dixie of Newcastle replied , that the storm was not only of an unusual description , but was utterly unexpected—it came without the least warning . Sir Edmund Hyons had been in command of the port and roadstead of Balaklava until he had left to attack Fort Constantine . Since then he had been employed in other ways . Subse- * quently it had been under the command of Captain Dacres , of tha Sanspareil , an officer but little inferior to Sir E . Lyons . He had been invalided soon after the storm , aud had been succeeded by Captain Drummond , of the Retribution . Other offices connected with the port had been filled by distinguished men , and he felt sure that no blame attached to them .
The Earl of Ellenborough then touched on the Prince . He said that it appeared from the accounts that the lading was all wrong . All the medical stores were on board , and placed so that they could not "be disembarked as required , at Scutari , without removing all the heavy stores . He thought all vessels should have assorted cargoes . The Duke of Newcastle said that he had not seen the statement referred to . It was untrue . All the vessels had assorted cargoes , and the Prince was a striking instance , as she had on board stores of every description .
the rArnroxTC fdnds . The Duke of Grafton gave notice that he would move for a return of tie residue of the Patriotic Fund , of the laat war , and also for a full account of the present fund . The Duke of Newcastle explained that the former was a private fund with which Government could not interfere , and that elaborate accounts of the present were published daily . However , a report of the gross amount should be made . The motion was then withdrawn . VOTE OE THANKS TO THE ARMV AND NAVY . On the motion , of Loid Colchester , the name of Rear-Admiral Montague Stopford , together- with those of Major-Generals Airey and Estcourt ; were inserted in the vote of thanks , they having been inadvertently omitted .
IRISH AXT > SCOTCH MILITIA . In answer to the Earl of Glengall , The Duke of Newcastle stated that nine regiments of Irish militia had been ordered to be embodied , and it ¦ was the intention of Government immediately to order the embodiment of about as many more , making altogether a force of from 15 , 000 to 18 , 000 men . The same course -was about to be taken with regard to the Scotch and the unembodied English militia regiments .
MEETING OF PAEUAMEST . In answer to a question from Lord Malmesbury as to when Parliament would meet again after the recess , the Earl of Aberdeen said the 23 rd of January .
A THANKSGIVING DAY . In answer to the Duke of Grafton , Lord Aberdeen explained that no day would be appointed at present for thanksgiving for success . Standing forms of prayer were issued which he thought would answer the purpose , and some more decisive success must be obtained before the wish could be complied with . REMISSION OB INCOME-TAX FOB CRIMEA OFFICERS . In reply to a question from . Mr . J . O'Connell , the Chancellor of the Exchequjeu stated that the Government had no intention of proposing any exemption from tlie income-tax in favour of officers belonging to cither "branch of the service on account of their being engaged at the seat of war . Such a distinction lie believed would bo invidious , and any reward which those officers had earned would be more appropriately given in another shape .
FBENOU TROOPS \ TH TfltE BRITISH SERVICE . Lord John Ktjssell stated , in reply to Mr . Muntz , that the only limit to the number of troops which tho French Government was desirous of sending to tho Crimea was tho amount of transport conveyance which they could command j ho added thnt thoro never had been any arrangement between tho two Governments to sond out French troops to bo paid by the British Government .
nisMiasiox op legacy vvty iron tub army . Mr , BiOKicsircuti ) moved for leave to bring in a bill relieving from all liability , on nccount of legacy or succession duty , tho property nnd estates of tho ofllcors und men who died , or might die , on service in tho Crimea during tho present campaign . TUo hon . member enlarged upon tho dosorts of tho gallant men ongugod in tlio war , and ho urged tho justice of remitting tho succession tax in regard to tho property loft by those among thorn who might Iinvo perished during tho performance of their duties .
Tho Chancellor of tho Exchisqukk contended on pr inciple that all propositions of special reward to onr Boldiora and sailors should originate with tliu Crown , whoso servants they wore . In detail , nlaa , he showed
that the boon now proposed would , in the great majority of instances , operate inefficiently and unequally . The motion was then by leave withdrawn . ORDERS OF MEBIT . Captain Scobell having moved that an address should be presented to the Crown , praying for the establishment of an " order of merit , " with the view of recognising distinguished personal services performed either by officers or privates during the present war , Lord J . Russell intimated that the whole question of rewards for military desert was under the consideration of the Government . The motion was then withdrawn .
MEDICAL MILITIA OFFICERS . Mr . Brady observed that the medical officers of militia regiments were mostly possessed of local connexions , but they were not generally men of property , like the officers . It would , therefore , be unjust to send them out of the country without compensation .
EPISCOPAL AND CAPITULAR ESTATES BILH . The Marquis of Blandford brought in the Episcopal and Capitular Estates Bill , which was read a first time , and the second reading was fixed for the 31 st of January . SAVINGS BANKS . The House having resolved itself into committee , The Ciiancelloe of the Exchequer moved a preliminary resolution , designed to form the foundation of a bill to amend the law relating to Savings Banks . This measure , he stated , would provide for tlie custody of , and accountability for , the moneys of depositors , and would hereafter be followed by a supplemental measure regarding the internal management of the banks . The resolution was agreed to , and leave given to bring in a bill founded upon it .
ARCTIC EXPEDITIONS . Mr . Napier , in the absence of Sir T . Aeland , moved for copies of various despatches relating to the missing expedition . He expressed his hope that the Admiralty would spare no pains to gain information on a subject in which the relatives of the missing crews , in common with the whole country , were so deeply interested . Sir J . Graham expressed the fullest sympathy with the light hon . member , but would not consent to another expedition , the result of which would be the exposure of many valuable lives to the urigor of an Arctic Winter . Motion agreed to .
December 23, 1854.] The Leader. 1205
December 23 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER . 1205
The War.
THE WAR .
There Can Be No Doubt That Lately Very L...
There can be no doubt that lately very little war has taken place at Sebastopol . A few sorties , promptly repulsed , comprise all the activity in fighting ; but , nevertheless , great preparations in the way of new batteries are being made , and considerable reinforcements have arrived in the Crimea . A despatch received early this week says ;—" Every evening the garrison opens a fire of artillery on the French position , and makes sorties , which are always repulsed with loss . In tho morning- of the 2 nd the Russians attacked an advanced guard of the 50 th Regiment , wMch retired . The Rifles advanced to > its assistance , drove back the Russians , and forced them to quit their positions . " Tho Vienna Presse announced from Constantinople , December 4 , that the Russians had been driven to their second line of defence , and liad abandoned the Quarantine battery . The following has been received at Vienna : — 'The Russians made a sortie ngainst tho French lines on the 5 th . Eight divisions of the line , under Genoral Forcy , repulsed thorn with great loss . The French arc arming batteries with guns from the Henri IV . Tho English have constructed now 50-gun batteries . " Tho Paris papers publish the following private telegraphic despatch : —
" Marseilles , Dec . ID . —The last intelligence from tho Crimea was to the ofVeot that a new battery of thirtyaix gnua had boon erected before Sevastopol . Great precautions wero taken ngainst thourcslups the Kussinns were preparing aguinst tho ullied fleets . Ninety-two rockets , intended to sot fire to tho Russian fleet , lmd been landed . Tho Portofoglio of Malta pretonda tJiat 00 , 000 more Itussiaas had passed by l ' erekop to reinforce the Russian army in tho Crimea . " The following is from tho Paris correspondent of tho Times : —
" Piivato lottors received from tlio French camp boforo Sobastopol speak of tho assault of that place na i \ n event that may bo noon expected . From several paints of observation everything that ta done within tho besioged city can bo seem . The second lino of fortiumlions is doHcriliod as very strong . Sebastopol will probably bo a compluto ruin before wo can get in , but ruin as it may be , thero is no alternative j and tho opinion is that it must bo stormed and captured to satisfy the amour-pi'ojjre of tho army , and produce a moral effect
throughout Europe . The Russians seem to have foreseen and provided for such a contingency ; and they have made every preparation for retreat to the north side of the harbour , and have taken measures to place every impediment to our advance . The retreat of Liprandi was occasioned by the inundation of the Tchernaya , and a letter from the camp speaks of it with satisfaction , the ground he bad occupied being covered with wood , which can be made available for fuel and other necessaries . Forty-five thousand , it is now said at the War-office , is the amount
of the force expected with Omar Pacha . This is about 10 , 000 more than was supposed . They are from the garrison of Shumla , and may therefore be considered as the flower of the Ottoman army . It is remarked that the Russians have begun to arm their ships in the harbour of Sebastopol , while a portion of the English fleet is thought to be at Sinope , and a part of the French at Constantinople . It was surmised that the Russians were meditating a dash by sea , to try what chance there was of an attack on our diminished squadrons . "
THE PBINCIPAtlTIES . The special correspondent of the Daily News says , under date of Bucharest , Dec . 7 . " Mussar Paclia starts on Monday or Tuesday . Thirty or forty thousand Turks , aud a hundred guns , are to be embarked at Vsirna , or Baltchiek , under bis superintendence . Next week Omar Pacha , too , will start for the Crimea . The troops will most probably be disembarked at Eupatoria . " The Press , of Vienna , of the 16 th , says : —
" A telegraphic despatch , from Galatz , through Bucharest , states that the Russians are fortifying the positions of Keni , and the other positions of the Pruth . Prince Gortchakofif was on the 9 th at Ismail , and on the 10 th continued Ms journey to Odessa . The works of fortification of the Turks , near Tulteha Jaktchi , are not as yet terminated- * Omar Pacha arrived on the 12 th at Shumla , where he remained some hours , and then took his departure for Varna . "
FRENCH TREAT 31 ENT OT THE ARMY . It is said that one of the measures to be proposed to the Corps Leg-islatif by the Emperor will be a bill for providing- a " dotation '' for the army—that is to say , the appropriating some tangible part of the public property , the rents or produce of which will be distribxited among deserving soldiers in addition to their pay . The Moniteur contains the following official notification : — " Considerable sums have been offered to the Ministers of War and Mai-hie for the wounded of the fleet and the army of the East . While fully appreciating the patriotic sentiment that has given birth to these generous offers , these ministers have not been able to accept them . It is at once the duty and privilege of the entire country to
remunerate the services of those -who shed their blood for it ; sucli is the opinion of the Emperor , and the government of his Majesty has not slirunk , nor will shrink , from any sacrifice in order fully to > discharge this sacred debt . The same ministers have also received numerous offers of objects intended to increase the comforts of our troops ; these gifts , of a very different nature from tho former , have been gratefully accepted . Although tho state magazines arc amply supplied , and fresh orders issued every day for keeping up those supplies , there are some things that one cannot have too abundantly , such as coverlets , linen , lint , & c , and gifts of this description will always be received with gratitude . The ministers of war nnd the navy embrace this opportunity for returning thanks to tho prefects of tlio Loire-1 nferieure , of the Seine , and others , who have taken Die initiative in this matter . "
ALLEGED MISMANAGEMENT IN THE CAMI \ The following rather " captious" complaints aro mado by the correspondent of the Daily JYcws : — " The horses aro still without nosebags , and likely to remain so . I must again niosL emphatically point out this fresh proof , if proof wore wanting , of the thriftlessness , tho improvi < lonco , and tho helplessness of tho campaign . For weeks past our cavalry horses have taken tboir food from tho mire and slush in which they wallow , and every week thoy are dying off by hundreds in conaofmoncc , while goathair cloth for nosebngs , and rough tailors to make them , abound in Varna and Eupntoria , nnd thousands of those bags can bo bought at Constantinople nt twopence a-pioco . Tho leant , I boliovo , that could Iinvo been don « . especially after tho
terrible warning we received on tho 14 th ultimo , would have boon to jnako Home provisions at least for the sick in tho campa . If tlio French lost a jrood many of their sick on tho morning of tho luirrkiine , they could at least boast , that thoir patients would liavo boon all safe had not the whirlwind blown < ii » wn their hospital on Sevastopol heights . lint whoro , nf ' Uir uiglit wooks of occupation , it ) tho English Jwnpilal <»» llalnklava heights ? To thin day tho sick am laid up in hospital inarnuccH , where , as I am rrcilllily in formed , tlioir mattresses aro saturntod with tlio wul , while tho liquid mud actually down tivur thuir limits . 1 . report what I hoard , not what I saw , fur by lliia tiiuci it is not . ousy for a correspondent of tin' Dally NuwA to got . into plneea whore things mo nut wliMt they ought to bo . I wish ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 23, 1854, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_23121854/page/5/
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