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Leader (1850-1860), 6th January 1855, Edition 2 of 2, Page 7, &IB, DE LAC3T EVANS"This gallant general...

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      ^A^Gaby ^ ,1855.] The Jijbabeb, ?

      ^ A ^ gABY ^ , 1855 . ] THE JijBABEB , ?

      &Ib, De Lac3t Evans"This Gallant General...

      & IB , DE LAC 3 T EVANS"This gallant general has again landed in England , and , -we are glad to learn , is recruiting his shattered constitution at ( Folkestone . We understand that his liealth has been much restored by his voyage home , although there is no chance of his resuming his Crimean cbmmaria . ' The climate of the East in autumn and winter , with constant exposure under canvas day and night , aud no rest for body and mind , proved too severe for a veteran soldier 68 years of age . Indeed , the command of a division pf the army , under circumstances such as those in which the Allies are placed in the Crimea , is perhaps

      the most trying of all military duties , the most incessantly onerous and responsible . We need not repeat the universal opinion of his comrades—British and French allies—on the last service which he rendered to his country . Political detraction and prejudice for a 'while deprived Sir De Lacy Evans of the rank and rewards due to his extraordinary military career and his hard-earned distinction as a soldier . The reluctance with which he gave up his command is displayed in the following extract from his letter to Lord Raglan , who , it must not be forgotten , received the announcement with much sorrow and considerable eulogiam . Sir De Lacy Evans writes from on board the Britanuia , November 11 : ^—

      " I have now for nearly a fortnight had the benefit of the greatest care and hospitality possible , and a warm cabin , from xny generous naval friends , Captain Dacres in the first instance , and now no less so from the admiral in chief in the Britannia . But five months without cessation under canvas , with some unavoidable privations and alterations of temperature , latterly at night not unfrequently severe cold , with the shock occasioned by my fall , have had their effect on one in his 68 th year , indeed , owing to the chances of the service , I believe no other officer of the same advanced age and rank has had the same continuous test to bear up against . And ¦ wi th all jny present rest and advantages I am still left with but little feeling of strength , or freedom from ailment . This lias been greatly added to by the heavy and peculiar responsibility that lately fell to my lot for almost a month , namely , ffcom about the _ 4 th , I think / till the 30 th of October . -.. ~ -

      • ' The post I was charged with during that long period was , I believe , deemed of the utmost importance to the safety of . the ITrencn and English armies . Frequently bu ^ JTew troops remained to me for its defence , against sometimes tenfold our numbers of the enemy within a short distance from our front . I had the honour of frequently submitting iny opinion of . the weakness and . precariousness of the position of the Second Division to " your Lordship , and , indeed , also to General Canrobert , and of the small . means at my disposal to place it in more security . Its liability to be suddenly attacked at all times it was also my duty to represent . But the various exigencies to be provided for on other points at that time scarcely left it possible , I believe , to afford us uny material reinforcement , or ineana for the construction of defences . I have ventured into these details to account-for-the haraasiug-nature of-the-duty-olludedto and of the anxious and ahnost sleepless nights and days

      it occasioned me . " I feel in consequence much depressed , worn out , and exhausted ; a severe chronic complaint I am subject to having been almost extremely aggravated during the cold nights we latterly had in camp , and which are now becoming more frequent and severe with the advancing winter season . I should not , however , have been so prolix , for in your Lordship ' s letter of the 31 st you were pleased to . refer to some pf these circumstances as follows : — ' Nothing can have been more satisfactory than the whole of my intercourse with you , and it is painful to my feelings to Bee it interrupted . But , unfortunately , no man can command health , . and you have . had to undergo not only great fatigue but anxiety of mind , since your division . has occupied the important position it now holds , and so gallantly maintained under your directions a few days ago . '

      " Such expressions of approval from your lordship are , indeed , a great happiness to me to have received . " About a . month ago , when the generals of division were summoned to Jaead ^ quartera to receive a communication , your lordship may recollect my mentioning that I hod only been able to attend by taking ammonia and other stimulants . During the occasional northerly winds I was obliged , sometimes , to have my tent for twenty-four hours together wholly closed , and gave and received orders through my unopened tent doors . Some also of your lordship ' s staff will remember how often in bringing mo orders they found mo on my bed , or rather in . my blankets , on the ground , when I ought rather to liftVeboGii , if I could , on horseback . I was well aware , though otliers may not have been , that this invalid condition prevented xny attending to many things which I knew it was urgent I should have personally seen to and executed .

      •> -Under these circumstances , instead of asking your lordship for longer leave , wliich I am sure you would K » nt , I think it the mom proper course to solicit your Ios 4 snip \ s . permission to . resign iny staff appointment with this army , the very arduous executive duties and nxpomiibilUioa of which , my impaired health and want of

      strength render me no longer adequate to . And I trust that the several wounds I'have received , and tlie services ' I have faithfully endeavoured to perform in variousparts of the world , will be deemed to render me deserving to close at length my active duties , when unable to continue them with justice to . the public . service or to myself . " . , ¦ - ¦ ¦ . ¦ " . .

      Arrival &F The* Himalaya With Invalids F...

      ARRIVAL & F THE * HIMALAYA WITH INVALIDS FBOM THE CBIMEA . The Himalaya , screw steam-ship , Captain Russell , has arrived at Spithead from the Black Sea . She left Malta on the 20 th of December , calling at Gibraltar , where she was detained three days coaling She has brought hbme the following : —One lady , 10 military officers , 3 naval officers , 48 wounded soldiers , 88 sick ditto , 225 women , and 300 children—making a total of 769 . The naval officers are Captain Graham , C . B . ( brother of Sir James Graham ) from the Vengeance , 84 , invalided ; William H . Bridge , first lieutenant of the same ship ; and Mr . Inglis , second master of the Sidon , steam-frigate , on promotion . The military officers who came home in the Himalaya are , Colonel C . A . Eitz H . Berkeley , Scotch Fusilier Guards , wounded ; Colonel Hume , 95 th Foot , wounded ; Captain Knollys , invalided ; Captain Phillips ( and wife ) , 47 th & egiment , wounded ; Captain White , 17 th Lancers , wounded ; Captain Stoner , 68 th Regiment , invalided ; Lieut . Garrard , 95 th Regiment , wounded ; Lieut . Sanderson , 62 nd , invalided ( and who has since broken his leg by an Accident ) $ and Staff Surgeons Manifold xmd Carr . The whole of the officers and men who are sick and wounded are doing very well , and , generally speaking , a very good state of health prevails on board . The state of the Himalaya was not very cleanly or prepossessing to the eye , whilst on the lower deck there was a stench that was almost sickening . On this deck , where women , children , and troops were berthed , there were stalled some eight or ten horses , which had belonged to General Sir De Lacy Evans . and General Torrens . These horses themselves

      were sickly , and one or two were decidely xn a diseased state . The effluvium -caused by them in their " confine * d stalls between decks was very considerable , and it is only surprising" that ST large -amount of sickness was not the result ^ _ _ The Himalaya ' s" engines are much * out of order , and she will hawe to go into dock for repairs . _ The daxnageiLcondition of her onachinery much ^ deSyed her in her passage home ; she will have lies- repairs effected at Southampton , the Peninsular aad Oriental Company being bound to keep her in repair for twelve months after her purchase by Government .

      The Arethusa has also arrived in Plymouth Sound after a long passage of 29 days from Malta , having experienced contrary winds and calms . She brings invalided troops , seamen , and marines , under command of Lieutenant Pringle , 71 st Regiment , and in medical cliarge of Assistant-Surgeon Atkinson , 31 st .

      ^^^ Qp -^^ J^-^^Jj^^J^ G^ We Deeply Regr...

      ^^^ Qp - ^^ j ^ - ^^ jJ ^^ J ^ g ^ We deeply regret to announce the death of Major-General Henry William Adams , C . B ., which took place on the 19 th , at Scutari , from the effects of the wounds which he received in the battle of Inkerman , on the 5 th of November . General Adams . had been raised to his rank only on the 12 th of December , for the distinguished gallantry which he displayed throughout the operations in the Crimea , whilst in command of the brigade of the 2 nd . division , composed of the 41 st , 47 th , and 49 th regiments , from the fast-named of which he was taken to fill the post of brigadier-general . We believe that a commanding officer has been seldom more beloved as well as respected by his corps—both officers and men . General Adams entered the service in 1823 / and attained the rank of lieutenant-colonel in 1840 ; at that time he was in the 18 th Royal Irish , which distinguished regiment he commanded through the operations in China , including the first capture of Chusan , the storming of the heights above Canton , the capture of Amoy , the second capture of Chusan , the storming of the fortified heights of Chinhae , and the capture of Ningpo . The 49 th regiment , which was likewise serving in these operations , was shortly afterwards returning to England , and Lieutenant-Colonel Adams exchanged into it . Ho has since boon with his regiment in this country , Ireland , and the Mediterranean . Major-Geueral Adams being on the supernumerary list , his death will not tend to cause a vacancy on the general officers' list .

      The Pat Of Our Soldiers. A Correspondent...

      THE PAT OF OUR SOLDIERS . A correspondent of the Times calls attention to the small remuneration which our army receives . He thinks that improving the soldier's condition would do away with the necessity for Foreign Enlistment , and maintains that " Patriotism" alone will never organise a sufficiently large force . "la it right And just that such men should be paid by thoir country at a less rate than oven the Dorsetshire labourer ? Let this wealthy notion only think of what

      the soldier is undergoing at this moment , -and . then , consider Ms miserable pay of Is . Id . a-day , with stoppages for food and clothing ! These men , too , Jwve wives , children , sisters , and aged mothers , whom , to their honour , many of them endeavour to support out of their miserable pittance . ; bat it is indeed a _ hard struggle , yet seldom clo th ' eytsomplain . " The injustice , however , remains as a blot against this wealthy nation . " Let , then , the soldier ' s pay be immediately augmented . Let us not grudge the slight additional pressure of taxation which such a measure would entail . Let us cast aside self-indulgence , and rouse ourselves to nobler

      sentiments and a more worthy distribution of that wealth with which Providence has so signally blessed this land . Let us place the British , soldier at least on a par with the agricultural labourer , and give him not less , at any rate , than 9 s . a-week . Increase the soldier's pay , and we shall not lack men in this of any otter emergency —men ready to serve their country at duty ' s calL We cannot expect patriotism alone to be the only motive in inducing our yoiitE to enter the ranks of the army . That this feeling does exist is certain , or we should have no soldiers at all , but it is quite excusable that considerations of the pay , & c , should enter into the deliberation which precedes the act of enlistment .

      "If the nation , in a word , is only fair and just in the pay she gives to her soldiers ; if promotion to commissions for the deserving , with special allowances on such promotion to meet increased expenses , were established as the rule ' and not the . exception ; and if the nation were , in gratitude for what has been done , to anticipate the thanks which we trust will yet be due to her soldiery by taking care that everything is done , and well d one , for their comfort and efficiency in the field , we . need not look to Germany , or any foreign land , for men to fight our battles . We snail see thousands upon thousands of England ' s stalwart and noble sons . step forward . and go forth at the call of duty in defence . of ' Goduandthe right . '"

      The British Rifle. The Following Is A De...

      THE BRITISH RIFLE . The following is a description of the rifle now being manufactured for our troops : — - " = In ~ almost ^ ery important respect it . is a vastly _ superior weapon to the . Russian musket . It is considerably longer , very much lighter , easier to clean and , to handle , -and of superior workmanship . The way in which the barrel and stock are connected is novel and ingenious . The barrel is encircled and bound fast to the ^^ stock by three iron rings or clips of great strength , which , are kept in their places by as many spring catches , and the barrel could-be unshipped in less than three minutes , simply by pressing these springs . The ramrod , a neatlyturriea piece of steel , with cup and . screw , is incomparably superior to that of the Russian gun . The bayonet is the-slightest we have seen , of finely-tempered . « teel , and the mode of securing it in its place is exceedingly good . The eight is hinged , and lies "horizontally on the barrel ; it is thrown up to a vertical position by : a spring , and then represents a slit between two pillars , up and down which slides a small piece of metal , forming the sight . Irisrgraduatea 7 but" " rather" widelyV there" bWn ^ only four marked points on the scale . On the whole , the sight-piece of the Russian musket seems preferable , as more easily used , and less liable to get out of order . In every other respect the English piece beats that of Liege hollow . Here are a few of the relative dimensions and weights : — British . Russian . Length of musket 4 ft . G & in . ... 3 ft . lOin . With bayonet fixed . ~ ... 6 ft . lin . ... 5 ft . 8 in . Weight of musket alone ... 81 b . Coz . ... 101 b . Ooz . Weight of bayoaet 01 b . 10 oz . ... lib . lioz . Weight of musket and bayonet 9 lb . Oik . ... lllh . 14 oz . The butt of both muskets is about the same length , so that the lock is about the same distance in each from the butt end ; but the difference in length in the barrels is considerable , the British , rifle having a barrel 8 Jinches longer than that in use in the Russian army . "We need not dwell upon the . advantage of this greater length of barrel in a rifle for giving greater steadiness and certainty of direction to the ball . Another advantage is that the Russian piece has only two rifled grooves , the British piece has tliree . The next noticeable point is , that although the Russian sword blade is longer than the Br itish bayonet , the length of the Britiah muskot with bayonet fixed is still five inches more than that of the Russian piece with its sword bayonet . "

      Prussia And The West. The Berlin Corresp...

      PRUSSIA AND THE WEST . The Berlin correspondent of the Iftdependance Beige gives the following as a closer analysis than has yet appeared of the Prussian despatch of the 19 » n ,: seat to Paris and London : ^ ' " The despatch first alludes to the notification of tno treaty which was mndo on tho evening of the 16 th by the three Envoys in separate conferences . BJL de Mantouffel communicated the treaty to the King . Prussia fully appreciates the importance thereof , and . in making , it tho object of a conscientious examination the Cabinet of'Berlin has boon guided by the sincere wish to associttte itself , m much m its convictions and the interests

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 6, 1855, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_06011855/page/7/