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the public funds prevented suc h a clause from receiving countenance . He trusted that , at a more favourable time , this part of his plan would receive consideration . The bill was then read a first time , and ordered to be printed . -,,.-, The Convention with Sardinia Bill was read a third tune , and passed . - . ' INTESTACT ( SCOTXAXD ) BliX . On the motion of Mr . Dpslop , this bill , the object of which is to assimilate the law of Scotland to that of England , in most respects , was read a second
time . COAST FISHERIES ( IRELAND ) MIX . Mr . M'Mahon moved the second reading of this bill , the object of which was to assimilate the fishery laws of Ireland to those of England . The state of the law in Ireland is so absurd , that totally different laws apply to the east and the west coasts of Ireland . The fisheries , owing to the restrictions upon them , are in a state of decay . The number of fishermen employed since 1848 fell from 70 , 000 to 38 , 000 in 1853 , and the boats have been diminished one-half . Mr . Napier thought the subject one of the greatest importance , but he objected to the bill , as calculated to interfere most mischievously with vested interests , and to interfere also with the success of the salmon fishery of Ireland , which was now becoming
successful , instead of assimilating the law of Ireland to that of England in this matter , they should , if they legislated at all , do the very reverse . He ( Mr . JNapier ) would consequently move as an amendment , that the bill be read the second time that day six months . —Mr . Duffy and Mr . Sergeant Shee supported the bill ; and Mr . M . Chambers said that the present law prohibits the Irish from fishing in their own waters . —Mr . George and Mr . Whiteside opposed the measure ; the latter observing that the existing law protects the interests of the fishermen against poachers , and keeps the supply of fish to their great advantage . —On a division , the bill was lost by a majority of 126 . —Air . M'Mahon then withdrew the companion measure touching the Irish Inland Fisheries , observing that he would reintroduce it , together with the previous question , at a future . time . »
TENANTS IMPEOVEMENTS' COMPENSATION ( iBELASSf ©) BIIX . — On the order for the second reading of this bill , Mr . Serjeant Shee , owing to the lateness of the hour , proposed that either the bill should be read a second time sub silentio , deferring the discussion until the committee , or that a Government night should-be given for The debate on the second reatRng .- —The discussion . of this preliminary question continued until the time to which the Wednesday sittings are restricted had expired , when , after the expenditure of an hour and a half , it was left undecided . On the motion of Mr . Stafford , seconded by Mr . French , it was then agreed that the House at its rising should adjourn until Friday , in consequence of the visit of the Emperor of the French to the City on Thursday .
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• i _ THE SEBASTOrOL CCOMMITTEE . TUESDAY . The Committee resumed its inquiries on Tuesday , when Mr . Maxwell , one of the commission appointed to investigate the medical administration of the army , was recalled , and said : —Soon after the arrival of the commission , they received a letter from the Adjutant-General , written by the direction of Lord Raglan , complaining that certain inquiries had not been submitted to his lordship ' s approval ; and in consequence of this , a divisional order was issued to the effect that officers and servants should not give any information as to hospital arrangements , except under the authority of the Comniander-in-Chief ; and so far the authority of the
commission was overruled by the Commander-in-Chief . But he did not know that ho was to infer from this that the Commamler-iu-Chief was responsible for the whole medical administration of tho « nny , and management of the hospital . Ho requested Major Bullcr to represent this to 1-ord Raglan , who afterwards sent a letter to the commission , expressing his regret that any impediment had taken place . Tho witness then added particulars as to tho wretched stato of tho regimental hospitals and tents , and tho want of medicines nnd fuel . He said , however , that * tho supply of surgeons was ample , and that the condition of tho hospital nt Balaklava , though overcrowded , was better than they hud a right to expeet .
Colonel Horsfonl , in command of tho Rifle Brigade , said that his division was badly <>( T for rlothing , but ho thought tho men in thw hospital louts wore comfortable . Mr . Hartlott , his commissary , did liis duty well . ftir Charles Trnvdymi , a * niis ( rtiU-wecrotuzy ' . to the Treasury , was next cxiimmod . II * ' entered into a variuty of details with rospwt to t \ u > instruction * , & <' ., R iven to tho commissariat before leaving Knpfluml . Mr . Fildor , he said , wTtfl appointed commissary general , with ft stall" of fiirty olllcors , ' which was considered cfliciiMit . Upon Mr . Lnyard inquiring if forty oflicers could 1 )« sufliciont for 10 , 000 niou ( tho number llrst *< mt ) , tho witness said that subordinate *) w < we to be obtained in
the East , and thai a few storekeepers and book-keepers were also sent out . Mr . Commissary S jj nith made most extensive preparations , entered into contracts for the supply of the troops at Gallipoli , secured a storehouse on the Dardanelles , and acquired a great body of necessary information . Mr . Filder arrived at Constantinople on the 22 nd April . That gentleman was sixty-four years of age '; but though so far advanced in life , the Government considered him . an efficient servant . He had been with the army during the whole of the Peninsular war , and had subsequently been a commissariat officer at several important military stations abroad . The War Department deliberately selected him to accompany the army to the East , as being their best commissariat officer , and
in consideration of his tried and approved services . There was one assistant-commissary general with each division of the army , and a deputy-assistant and an experienced commissariat clerk to each brigade of infantry . On the 31 st of March , the whole commissariat force amounted to forty-four j > ersons , and it was increased to forty-nine on the 5 th of June , when the army was at Varna . This number , however , did not include subordinates , whom Mr . Filder had full power to engage on the spot . Before Mr . Filder left Constantinople , and before the army went to Varna , he sent to Malta for 200 mule carts ; he also sent home directions to the authorities to obtain 500 mules in Spain ; he procured 300 mules at Malta : and all the mules that could be had at
Smyrna he obtained there . Mr . Filder reckoned that 3000 arabas of the country , and 5000 nrales would be necessary , as a transport service for the army when in Bulgaria , then consisting of 25 , 000 men . Among other arrangements , Mr . Filder entered into a laTge contract for hay with a house at Constantinople , but that contract forthe most part failed . In September , he wrote home to the Treasury , stating that there was likely to be a deficiency of forage . The -witness then explained that the Commissariat required a ration return to be made once in three days . If bread , for'instance , was wanted , the requisition would have to be signed by the commissiariat officer and the paymaster before it could be got ; and if the requisite form -was not to be
had on such an emergency , it would place the coramis sariat officers in a very painful predicament . After the army went to the Crimea , complaints were received as to _ the inconvenience arising from these forms . With regard to the roasted coffee , the -witness said that coffee was given to the troops unroasted during the Kaffir-war and other campaigns . It had , in fact , been customary to issue coffee to troops in the field in that state ; it was also done in the French service ; and tbe Treasury , therefore , sent out the greater part of the coffee unroasted , but they also sent out _ a part of it roasted as an experiment . The reason they sent the larger portion nnroasted was , that experience had taught them it would lose its flavour and become in a great measure useless if roasted . WEDNESDAY . Sir Charles Trevelyan Avas recalled . His evidence related chiefly to tho early official correspondence that transpired on various transactions between the Treasury , Admiralty , and Commissariat ; and the tendency of his assertions was to show that Mr . Comniissary-Genoral Filder had ¦ . done his utmost to procure means of transport , " andT that at "'" the ^ tiine "the army landed in the Crimea , the transport service was quite sufficient for all purposes . It would seem , however , that subsequently Mr . Filder intimated that he was far from having a transport service such as he could wish . The accomodation in the transports for the conveyance of animals was very small ; but in little more than a fortnight Mr .
Filder imported into the Crimea 210 carts , and Spanish and Maltose mules , and 2 GG pack animals , in addition to those which wore already there . " When it became evident that the army would winter in the Crimea , tho Commissary-General , becoming alarmed , wrote homo for an immediate reinforcement of supplies . The Treasury thereupon wrote to the Admiralty , directing them to send out one million pounds of biscuit and 400 , 000 tons of hay fortnightly , and , asamattcr of precaution , six months ' supply of hay " and oats- ; and on this immense supply tho commissariat had been working up to tho present time . The horses perished far more from overwork and oxposurc to the Aveather than from want of food . He would not say that they were amply supplied with food ; but they had considerable quantities of chopped straw . Tho witness naid that Mr . Filder wrote to tho Admiralty for an extra supply of biscuit ; and that ho " presumed" it
was sent out . Ho also stated that tho Commissary-General was very uneasy owing to tho crowded state of tho harbour and the wretched condition of tho roads . Six steamers were sent to tho iilack Soa for tho use of tho commissariat ; but the orders of Admiral Boxer hod seriously interfered with tho successful working of tho arrangement . Ho < lid not moan to say that tho Admiral purposely interfered with it . Mr . Filder , however , contftftiitly complainod . that Constantinople was tho Capua of tho army , and that when ho sont vessels there for titovQH lie never could f * c . t lliom back ngnin without great di'lay . Tho dotention of tho . Jason at Constantinople was a striking instance in point . Mr . Filder niado ur # *; nt representations to Admiral Boxer a « to the delay of thntr ship . iMo otlioittl investigation whs ever lnado into the onuses of her dotontion ; but Lord Raglan , on a complaint being made to him by Mr . Fildor , wo to a
courteous letter to Admiral Boxer on the matter . He might take that opportunity to say of Admiral Boxer that he was a rough , honest , hearty , zealous , active sailor ; but the situation in which he was placed , at Constantinople required high administrative powere , and it was no blame to Admiral Boxer that he did not possess those qualifications . Mr . Filder made complaints , both to Lord Raglan and the Duke of Newcastle respecting the want of suitable . magazines for the stores . T , he Commissariat was also greatly perplexed " by tho want of horses , owing to their deaths , and to the fact of the private soldiers stealing them whenever they could . The -witness having made an allusion to the railway and the newly-organised transport
corps , Mr . Drummond pertinently asked , " But why were those things not done in December last ? They would then have saved the lives . of 20 , 000 men . " Regarding the green coffee question , Sir Charles Trevelyan said—No doubt it was the duty of the commissariat to provide the men with the means of roasting the green coffee , and it would have been an easy matter to have got three or four regular coffee grinders and roasters ; but the commissariat were completely overtasked , and were barely able to supply the food for the men . In answer to Mr . Ellice , the witness admitted that his experience had satisfied him that the time had arrived when the different branches of o « r military system ought to be completely consolidated .
On Thursday , no business was transacted , owing to there not being a sufficient number of members present . Friday . Sir Charles Trevelyan was still farther examined , and said , with regard to the supply of fuel , that when it was known that the army would have to winter in the Crimea , the duty of providing a supply of fuel was undertaken by the Commissariat . Mr . Commissary-General Filder consequently adopted the proper steps for procuring a supply of fuel , including charcoal . The latter was placed in a depot at Balaklava ; but it could not be conveyed to the camp in consequence of the defective transport service . This , combined with
the bad' state of the weather and the roads , prevented the conveyance of hay and straw ; but he had been informed that there was . no want of either of those articles at Balaklava from the 21 st to the 30 th November . The mules . which were purchased in Spain were detained not so much on account of the defective transport corps , but because Mr . Filder had no urgent necessity for them . The great difficulty connected with the army was tlie want of a Commissariat establishment at home ; but he thought that the great division and subdivision of duty in that department in the field interfered with the discipline of the army . He ( witness ) had the executive management of this department at Rome under the direction of the Minister for War .
The witness was next examined relative to the alleged incompeteney of the Treasury clerks who were sent out to do duty as commissary officers ; on which point lie denied the truth of the statement made by General Sir De Lacy Evans , that they had had no field experience . Returning to the subject of the commissariat arrangements , he said that there was a depot for live cattle at Constantinople , and therefore the want of fresh meat in the camp was to be attributed , not to the commissariat ,, but to . thosc ^ vhp . had the . management of the sea transport . Some of the difficulties which were described to have existed , he ascribed to tho fact that the official relationship between Lord Raglan and Mr . Filder was not so close as that which generally subsisted between the Duke of Wellington and his chief commissaries . This he inferred from the tenour of a letter from Lord Raglan to Mr . Filder , inquiring what provision tho latter had made for the army . On the conclusion of tho examination of this witness , the committee adjourned till Monday .
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Tub Bombardment has recommenced ! That is , emphatically , the war news of the week . A despatch from General Canrobert , received in Paris on Tuesday , says that all the French and English batteries opened fire on Jsebrtstopol on the Oth inst ., and that the advantage was on the part of the Allies . At Berlin , a despatch 1 ms been received from St . Petersburg , stating that Prince Gortsehakoff announces the same fact , nnd says that tho cannonade , which commenced atflvo o ' clock in the morning , was carried on during the night , nnd repeated ing , was carried on during the night , nnd repeated l adds that his
on the 10 th . The Russian genera men replied with success , causing appreciable losses to tho Allies ; but ho admits that on his side thcro wcro 833 killed and wounded . A despatch of tho 12 th from Kaniicsoh is Nni . l to have been received in Paris , stating that a breach lias been opened , and that tho town is greatly damaged . The Prcssv . says that threo Russian batteries have boon . dismounted , and that Omar Pftolm has landed at Kamiosch with IS , 000 men to aflniKt in tho assault . These statements , however , miiHt bo received with caution . Thin , perhaps , is news enough for one week : at any rato , tliore is little else ' of importance . Tho Mulnkhoffiuid Mameion continue to bo groat annoyances to us , nnd the Russians , « till occupy their riflo-
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¦ . Aram 21 , 1865 . ] THE LEADER . 863
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THE WAR .
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Leader (1850-1860), April 21, 1855, page 363, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2087/page/3/
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