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Leader (1850-1860), 3rd March 1855, Edition 1 of 2, Page 196, Untitled Article

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      manders of Louis XIV ., when they were aU men ^ of femily , with the military talent manifested at the period of the French Revolution . Some of Napoleon's best generals were men of very humble birth , and of very little education . What we do not sufficiently bear in mind is the . great amelioration which has taken place among the population and in the army . Look to the general orders of the Duke of Wellington during the Peninsular war , and compare them with the general orders issued to the army of most recent date , you will find in that comparison proof positive that crimes and offences were committed in a vastly greater ratio at that time than they are now . ( Cheers . ') And nowwith regard to the army in the Crimea , I

      de-, clare I cannot call to mind that anything like a capital crime has been committed by any of those soldiers . ( General cheering . ) Their conduct has been most eminently obedient and subordinate . ( Continued cheering . ') And is this the kind of army which ought to be excluded from the hopes of advancement , and the members of which ought not to be allowed to entertain those aspirations and hopes of honour and distinction that belong to other classes of society ? ( Loud cheers . ") Why , sir ( said the gallant general , with energy ) , when I have passed the pickets and outposts in the Crimea—the most severe and unpleasant duty to which a soldier can be exposed except a general engagement , and scarcely exceptingeven that—it has sometimes occurred to me how painful it was

      to see those brave men exposed to such dire miseries , to wounds and toils , and almost to certain death from disease , with so little of anything to hope for in the future . ( Loud cheers . ) I appeal to the noble lord upon the Treasury bench , and to the gentlemen near him , who have the power to remedy this , and I ask them to remember that these are men like themselves . ( Cheers . ) In the conventional sense of the term these brave men may not be gentlemen—a term , however , which is not very correctlyused on all occasions , for we have known men of high rank who are not gentlemen , and we know people of lower rank who are essentially gentlemen . ( Cheers . ) But it is contrary to the general spirit of the orders of the sovereign to suppose that any one in the military ranks is not a

      gentleman . If you speak of polished manners it may be so , but if you lay it down as a principle that you are determined to proceed on a more liberal system in this respect , you will find that persons of still higher conduct , and still better education , will enter the ranks of the army . ( Cheers . ) I have no fear of any sort of inconvenience or danger from the ^ proposition of the noble lord ; indeed , I think it is a very moderate proposition . The hon . gentleman ^ he member for Bury ( Mr . F . Peel ) has represented it to be almost impossible to do away with the system of purchase . Why , Sir , the system will do away with itself , if you wilj only allow it . There is an end of all claim when an officer dies who has bought a commission , and , consequently , there is an end of the

      Whole system in process of time , if you do not sell some fifty or a hundred commissions ; as you did the other day . I think it was most improper , most culpable , and most shameful to send persons , by purchase , into your army in the Crimea , and thus set them over the poor men who are toiling there , and whose lives are exposed almost-every -hour of-the day , —simply—because ,, the former have a few more hundred pounds in their pockets . ( Cheers . ) I hear some gentlemen say the present system works well . So it was said of the close boroughs , and , though they are not altogether extirpated , many of them have ceased to exist . There is no . abuse without some countervailing advantage . I do not say that , in an economical way , you do not secure a greater number of young men of certain education by the system of purchase ,

      but you have this preponderating disadvantage , that you entirely repress all that ambition which is bo useful to the public service , I say it is altogether a fallacious economy . The idea of selling the command of a regiment is in itself an absurdity . It is absurd to commit a thousand men , not for a moment either , but for a long period , to the command of a person because he happens to have two qualifications—that he is not very junior , and that he has a certain amount of money . But if it is a good system , after all you are totally inconsistent , because if it is right to intrust 1000 men to a gentleman who possesses 5000 / . or 6000 / . you ought to intrust 8000 men , or a brigade , to a gentleman who has 15 , 000 / ., and a whole division to one who has 20 , 000 / ., or something of that kind . If it is a good system you are bound to carry it out and prove it to be so . "

      In tinios of peace , the present vicious system was not so groatly felt ; but when war came , the case was different . Wars are prolonged for many years in consequence of the inefficiency and unsuitable selection of the general odlcers called to the head of the armies . Sir Do Lacy concluded by alluding to the case of Sergeant Sullivan , whom he had recommended , but who had been passed over . He considered that omission to be a direct professional affront , though of course an unintentional one . He should therefore support the claim ho had made . Lord Palmer ston said , if wo were , forming our army for the first time , no man would think of making commissions matters of sale ; but it was difficult to deal with a system long established . Abstractedly , the present state of things 1 was a great evil ) but it had its advantages . The change involved very serious consideration , and therefore ho could not consent to this off-hand resolution . It

      must be recollected that the Commander-in-Chief , even in the case of purchases , exercised a discretionary power ; and , with respect to the eligibility of privates , it should be observed that something more than natural qualifications are required in an officer . A cultivated intellect is also needed . Still , he thought it desirable that the prospect of a commission should be held out to such deserving privates as might wish for it ; and he assured the House that the Government was desirous that the present system of admitting a certain proportion of non-commissioned soldiers to promotion should continue . Lord Goderich , in reply , said he did not feel himself justified in withdrawing his motion . The House accordingly divided , when the numbers were- ^ For the motion , 114 j against , 158 : majority against , 44 .

      THE WAR AND OUR COLOHIES . In answer to the Earl of Carnarvon , on Thursday , Lord Gkanville said the proper time had not arrived for replying to the addresses of sympathy on the subject of the war which had been received from our colonies ; but that the loyalty thus displayed was deeply appreciated . It was afterwards agreed that the addresses and answers should be laid before the House . A similar question was asked in the House of Commons by Sir 3 , Pakington , and a similar answer given by Sir G . Gbey , who stated that there was reason to believe that other addresses and remittances of money would yet arrive from the colonies .

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      The state of affairs before Sebaslopol is decidedly improving , though still sufficiently cheerless on many days . The intense frost and deep snow have disappeared , giving place to violent descents of rain and tornados of wind . The ground about the camp has become a perfect slough of mud ; but it is expected that the high winds will speedily dry the earth and render it hard . The correspondent of the Morning Post says the men " are now cheerful , light-hearted , and gay , " under the influence of & little warmth and sunlight . Typhus and scurvy , however , are making their appearance . Nothing of importance has yet taken place in the movements of the troops ; but the coil of destruction is every day being wound closer round the city .

      The Morning Post of Monday published a tabular statement , pledging themselves for its authenticity , the upshot of which was that our effective force before Sebastopol , on the 6 th of February , amounted in round numbers to 26 , 000 men ; but even this indicates a fearful loss . The " navvies" are at work , and the railway i s rapidly progressing . An attack upon Eupatoria by the Russians has been signally defeated by Omar Pacha . We quote the following from the Times correspondent , writing on February 14 : —

      " It blew half a gale of wind all night , and the rain fell till- 2 - o clock-p . m . - -in- the day , -but -the wind was warm and the temperature agreeable . The state of the country has been so bad that even our active and sanguine allies were obliged to leave four guns behind them on the recent occasion on which they undertook to arm our right attack for us . " The French workmen , however , have made considerable progress with the new batteries on our right . On the left they were exposed to a heavy fire from 4 till

      half-past 4 o ' clock , and the Russians blew up another French magazine inside the batteries . They at once opened fire along their lines with six tremendous salvoes of artillery , and rushed up on their parapets and gave three loud ringing cheers . The damage done by tho explosion was , I am happy to say , very insignificant , and before the Russians had ceased cheering the French took their revenge by discharging a tremendous volley of heavy shells , which burst on the walls of tho Admiral's house , and silenced for a time the guns in No . 8 battery at tho Flagstaff Fort . "

      •• On the evening of Eebruary 14 th , " says the Times cor r esponden t : — " The wind increased in force , blowing in strong gusts and squalls , which tore down tents and the materials for hutting on the heights over Balaklava , and sent them clattering down the hill . This wind , hot and dry as one of the warm breezes of tho tropics , much resembles tho Mediterranean sirocco . Tho sky is overcast and lurid , but there are no clouds visible ; the whole atmosphere is of a slaty grey hue overhead and on tho horizon , but objects at a distance give well-defined outlines , and are not at all obscure . "

      DESPATCHES TJIOM tOBD BAOtAK . The subjoined despatch from Lord Raglan , addressed to the late War Minister , has been published by tho Government : — ' " Before Sobastopol , February 10 . " My Lord Duke , —I mentioned to your Grace in my despatch of tho 10 th inst . that there had been a return of bad weather , and that the country was again saturated with wet . " On Sunday it rained or snowed from morning till night , and tho wind waa very high , and , though it was

      fine yesterday , still the ground was in a worse state than I had seen it for some time . " The enemy has made no movement . " Major-General Jones , Royal . Engineers , arrived a few days ago , and is busily engaged in making himself acquainted with the position occupied by both armies . " Lieutenant-General Sir George Brown has also returned , and' I have great satisfaction in adding , in excellent health . His wound is healed , and , with the exception of not having entirely regained the full use of his elbow , he no longer suffers any inconvenience from . it .

      " He will resume the command of his division without loss of time . " I enclose the return of casualties to the 11 th inst . " I have , &c , Raglan . " His Grace the Duke of Newcastle , &c . " Lord Panmure has received the following telegraphic despatch through the British agent at Bucha . rest : — " Before Sebastopol , February 18 . " A force—said to be 40 , 000—of Russians , with a large number of guns , attacked Eupatoria at daylight on the 17 th , and was repulsed with loss by Omar Pacha . Turkish loss said to be inconsiderable , but Selim Pacha , commanding Egyptian brigade , was killed . The British men-of-war , under the Hon . Captain Hastings , covered both flanks with great effect . The action terminated at 10 a . m ., when the Russians retired a few miles . "

      The following is the latest despatch received from Lord Raglan : — " Before Sebastopol , February 17 , 1855 . " My Lokd Duke—I have the satisfaction to acquaint your Grace that the weather has improved since I last addressed you , and the country is becoming drier . " Two days ago the thermometer was up at 60 . It was somewhat lower yesterday , and early this morning it was down below freezing point , and at this moment it is snowing . " I mention these particulars in order to show your Grace how variable this climate is .

      " No movement has been made upon the part of the enemy . The garrison of Sebastopol is engaged in deepening the ditches , and improving the defences of the south front , and in constructing works on the north side of the harbour . " I have received information that the Russian anny , in the neighbourhood of Bakstchi-Serai and Simpheropol is suffering muchrfrom waut-of . provisions , —and-frour privations of all kinds . " I am happy to be able to say that the railway is making considerable progress , and that every hope is entertained that in the course of a very short time it will

      be available for transit as far as Kadikoi , which will accelerate the conveyance of stores up to the camp . "I enclose the return of casualties up to the 16 th inst . " I have great pleasure in stating that Colonel Bell , of the Royal Regiment , who received a slight wound in the side from a musket-ball , when commanding in the trenches on the night of the 14 th instant , experiences very little inconvenience from it , and has felt well enough to continue to discharge his duty with his accustoined zeaL . _ . _ _ , _ _" . I Jiaye , &c .,. _ ., " ltAGXAX . " His Grace the Duke of Newcastle , &c . "

      RUSSIAN VERSION OF THE ATTACK UPON EUPAT 0 IUA Advices from St . Petersburg state that the following despatch had been received from Prince Menscliikoff , dated the 19 th of February : — " On the 17 th a portion of the troops , encamped iu the neighbourhood of Eupatoria , made a reconnoissance against the town to within a distance of 250 yards . They opened a cross fire of artillery , and in a short time succeeded in dismounting a portion of the enemy ' s guns and in blowing up five caissons of ammunition . Having assured himself that Eupatoria was defended by 40 , 000 men and 100 guns , General Chruloff , who commanded the detachment , gave orders to retire out of range , which was done in perfect order . At Sebastopol the siege docs not make progress . Tho artillery and sharpshooters continue to annoy the enemy . On the 13 th we blew up a powder magazine in the French trenches * . "

      The Moniteur confirms the news of tho defeat of the Russians at Eupatoria on tho 17 th of February : — " The Russians had 80 pieces of artillery , <» regiments of cavalry , and 12 regiments of infantry . Tho combat lasted five hours and a half . The lo . ss of tho liussiiins was 600 killed , with wounded in proportion . Tho Turks had 88 killed and 250 wounded . They lost 70 horses . Selim Pasha and Rusten Buy were killed . Tho attack has not been ronowed . * Tho town is in a yood state of defence . On tho night following , tho Russians bivouacked without fires or tents during intense cold . On th « following morning they withdrew towards Sinip hcropol . Four vcssols of war took part in tho notion . " IMtOOnESS OF TUB SIEflK . In the Crimean correspondence ( Keb . Hi ) of the Morning Herald wo rend : —" Tho French have resijinca tho tiro of thoir inortarn , and appear to causo considerable annoyance to tho enemy . With a good glass tho tw > or three houses in Sebautopol , in which their terrible projectiles have fallen and * burst , can bo perceived at a glance . They look precisely like houses which liM 0 been ' gutted by flro . ' "

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      ig 6 THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,

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      THE WAR .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), March 3, 1855, page 196, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2080/page/4/