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174, TTHI lEAPEBu L Sattjimday ,
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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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Imperial Parliament. Tjmt "Wl«»—Ministbu...
India of t * oop » on which it may be necessary that she should rely , either to wsist attack * within her own territories < w to maintain that order which at this moment , Tam kappy to Bay , exists from one extremity of that country- to the other . With these observations it is not mv intention further to detain your lordshipsj except to - assure you that , in moving , the second reading of this bill I do so solely with the intention of engraf ting upon her Majesty ' s service a body of men who shall be capable « f discharging more fully and more immediately the duties , and of supporting the hardships of war . I have no objection , as I said before , to limit it for a period of three years , feeling not the slightest doubt that when that period has elapsed , should it unfortunately be neeessary to continue the operation of the act , your lordships will grant that extended power as willingly as you will grant the power for which we now ask . "
The Earl of Ellbnborough . —" Perhaps I maybe allowed to explain that I did not speak of withdrawing a single European regiment from India , or of employing them in the Crimea . " Lord Malmbsbury complained that the militia regiments had * f > een completely disorganised by the sergeants of the line who had been sent to enlist militiamen for their regiments . In consequence of this system , as well as of the violation of the original understanding on -which the force had been raised , an impression now prevailed' that the miKtia as a body had not been fairly treated .
Lord Gbey quite agreed with Lord Malmesbury m thinking' that the departure from the original understanding had had a very prejudicial effect on the mi litia ; Instead of enticing away men from the militia into the line , the proper way was to increase the army in a legitimate manner , by holding out sufficient inducement to men to enter at once into the regular service . In reference to what he could not help calling the wild and extravagant suggestions of Lord Ellenboroughwith regard to a campaign in Asia , he was glad to find Lord Pannrare gave them no countenance . With regard to Poland , too , and her nationality , he trusted that the present war would not be diverted from its original object into a scheme for the restoration of that kingdom . No man felt more for the fate of Poland ; but the Poles , by their incurable dissensions and ~ divlsionsi had ruined jtheir country .
. After some further discussion , in whith Lord Colchester and Earl Fitzwilliam took part , Lord Pankttrb , incidental to some remarks , explained the system of purchasing discharge , and re-entering ; the army . When he ( Lord Panmure ) first went to the War-office , the existing regulation was , that if a man purchased his discharge , he was allowed six months for further considering the step he was about to take , and , if he rejoined the service before that period expired , a portion of the money was repaid to him , and his former year of servitude then counted towards his pension . When he was Secretary at War he extended the period given for consideration to one year , and he understood from the Commander-in-Chief that it had been still further
prolonged , and was now two years . So that , at present , if a man purchased his discharge and repented of the step during the next two consecutive years 7 "He " migKtTrettuftx ' to the army , and his previous service would be reckoned aa an integral part of the whole term , at the expiration of which he was entitled to a pension . This system , he thought , already presented a sufficient opening to men who had retired from the service and afterwards wished to return to it ; and even if they were now to propose that all the men who had purchased their discharge should , without restriction , be allowed to rejoin the army , and reckon their former service towards a pension , an experience of six years at the War-office convinced him that the force likely to be so obtained would lie of 4 thy trifling worth indeed . D uring the whole of that
period " of six years he did not believe that there were more than sixty ox * seventy men in each year who purchased tneir discharge ; and when they remembered that the ' cost Of a discharge was 20 / . for the infantry , and 30 / . for the cavalry , it was easy to understand that the friends of private soldiers , looking at the class to which they generally belonged , would experience considerable difficulty in raising either of those sums . Again , men who had purchased their discharge after fourteen years ' service , would , he apprehended , bo somewhat too old to enlist again . A man who joined the army at eighteen Would be thirty-two years of age when no had served fourteen years ; and if lie purchased his discharge this year he might bo a very good soldier , but If he offered himself after he had attained his thirty-fifth or thirtysixth year , he would bo rather too old to bo invited to re-enter the service .
The bill was then read a second time . The standing' orders were then suspended , and the bill went through the remaining stages and was passed , certain words being inserted on tho third reading , on the motion of Lord Panmurk , limiting tho operations of tho oW to three years . On-Tuesday and Wednesday the first seoond readings ¦ WWf qioved in the House of Common * by Mr . F . Pjuol , a * d , aftfv nuna most unnecessary skirmishing- between Colonel PavMteftaW Lord Seymour , respecting the doslrahUHy . af hjpftvinesa lathe household cavalry , the bill w *« -pM «« l IhBSttgh both starn * .
RESIGNATION OF SIK JAMES GRAHAM , MR . GLADSTONE . A 2 T » MR . BYDXBT HERBERT . The rumours of dissension in the Cabinet which were floating about in the early part of the week , were confirmed on Thursday . After a few unimportant questions had been put , ' Lord Paxmerston said—Sir ; Phave to state to the House that which I believe is generally perfectly well known already , that-three members of her Majesty ' s Government have intimated their intention to resign the offices which they have hitherto held ; I refer to the Chancellor of the Exchequer , the First Lord of the Admiralty , and the Secretary of State for the Colonies . These officers now hold their offices only until their
successors shall have been appointed . Under these circumstances , and considering also that these three officers are members of the Government in this House , I trust that hon . members will not think I am pressing unduly upon their indulgence if I propose to them not to enter upon the public business to-day , except in the case of those orders of the day to which no objection whatever can be made . If anything is in the least objected to , of course we shall not press it . To-morrow my right hon . friends will attend in their places , and state to the House _ the grounds upon which they have come to the decision which I have now reported . I therefore propose that the House should adjourn without going into other business , after the orders of the day are disposed of ..
Mr . Disrabli ; I merely wish to state that I have heard with deep regret—( "Hear , hear , " and laughter ) ^ — that before tan days have elapsed the Government which we had hoped -would have been a strong one is partially dissolved , and that notwithstanding the presence of the noble lord , who was generally considered to be an obstacle to the formation of a strong Government , ib a difficulty which no longer exists . Of course , after the statement of tie noble lord opposite ( Lord Palmerston ) and in the absence of the right hon . gentlemen whose conduct and that of the noble lord will be canvassed on the proper occasion , it will be improper to say more . I only wish the noble lord to understand that I think I am expressing a pretty general feeling , both of this House and of the country , when I say that I have heard the official statement which has been made to-night of the partial dissolution of the recently-formed Government with deep regret and with some consternation .
The members who had motions on the papers for that day consented to postpone them , and the House adjourned ; Mr . Eoebuck ' sT motion being postponed until the following day ( yesterday ) .
DAY Ol ? HUMILIATION AND PRAYER . On the motion of the adjournment of the House of Lords on Thursday , the Earl of Roden said there was a general impression that our army in the Crimea was wasting- away . Unless a special day of humiliation and prayer was appointed , we should . certainly draw down upon the country the most disastrous consequences . When he had alluded to the subject before , toe Earl of Aberdeen had expressed an objection to it . The Earl of Aberdeen explained that he had not objected to the appointment of a day for such » purpose , but he had objected to the introduction of _ a special prayer in the liturgy for "' ordinary us < £ " This ~ 3 ipla ^ tidn ~ wW " satis < - ~ factory to the Earl of Eoden , and Earl Granville stated that it wan the intention of the Government to advise her Majesty to appoint a day for the purpose of prayer .
TRADE WITH BDS 8 IA . Mr . Collier , in asking for some returns , colled attention to tho conditions of tjje trade formerly and still carried on between this country and Russia . The staple commerce of that empire consisted chiefly of raw produce , and when the war commenced , it was believed that wo could inflict a heavier injury upon our enemy by stopping hie trade even than by our efforts in the field . The result had disappointed ourhopoa in both directions . As far as the commercial attack on Russia was concerned , we had failed altogether . Ten millions of British money had been paid in gold within the last twelve months for Russian produce , against eleven millions last year ; and the rouble , that pulse of Russian
commerce , which had fallen in value on the first outbreak of war , liad since risen to par . The fact was , that no effectual blockade had ever been established , nor could now be said to exist over the Russian ports in the Black Sea . Documents , which he cited at somo length , proved that the exports from Russia had increased rather than diminished since the beginning of the war . For the omission to establish a blockade in the Black Sea the Admiralty was accountable , and he challenged an explanation of their neglect . In tho Baltic , a blockade hod indeed been maintained by sea , but its
effeot was evndod by a system of land carriage , carried on through Prussia . This state of things , he contended , was disgraceful , We should either render our blockade effectual , or abandon it altogether . ' Recommending the former alternative , he argued , on the question of Interna 4 i nal law , that the trade through Prussia was of a character which belligerent nations wore entitled to roquire or , if necessary , to compel neutral' powers to abandon . A practical stoppage of his trado would , seriously cripple tho resources of the Caar , and was worth the efforts and sacrifices which might be required . to accomplish it . We mijrht enforce a right of search , or
we might prohibit the importation of Russian produce into this country . The objections to this latter policy were twofold—one , that it would be ineffectual ; the other , that it would injure ourselves . He denied the former , and , admitting the latter , he insisted that -we must be prepared to-submit to the necessary sacrifices of
war . . . Mr . Mitchell adduced a multitude of facts and' details corroborating the conclusions submitted by Mr Collier . Mr . Cardwell said , when , at the expiration of a peace of forty years , we found ourselves involved in a European conflict , it became necessary to consider what ought to be the commercial policy of this country , and to regard the course to be pursued with reference to the enemy with whom we were about to contend , to our allies , and to neutral Powers . The declaration of war was accompanied by a declaration of policy on our part , not waiving our belligerent rights , but suspending a portion of thenli Mr . Collier had alleged tfcat the course
adopted had been totally ineffective ; but he ( Mr . Cardwell ) would show that it had been far from ineffective . Mr . Collier had indicated the peculiarity of the Russian trade , which was sustained in peaee by British capital employed in raising the produce of Russia . Tfee natural corollary was that time should be allowed fo » British subjects to bring that produce home . Time had , therefore , been given in the Baltie and in the White Sea . With regard to the Black Sea , the blockade , he admitted , had not been enforced in a satisfactory manner ; but the general result of our operations had been to annihilate the Russian commerce , while our ships were unharmed . Again , there was reason to believe that the manufactures of Russia had materially
suffered , as our blockade of her ports had put upon Russia the very pressure which Mr . Collier was anxious to inflict upon this country in the supply of raw materials . Mr . Cardwell referred to statistical details , showing the diminution of the exports of produce from Russia and of the imports of cotton . The depreciation of the rouble had been appealed to , but an argument drawn from the exchanges was , he observed , but another form of the argument to be deduced from the general results of commerce , and , as the exchanges were liable to a variety of disturbing causes , it was safer , in his opinion / to rely upon other indications . By our blockade , then , we had' produced a considerable effect upon Russia Was it in our power by other means to inflict a greater
injury , and would not those other measures inflict a greater injury , upon England ? Blockades operating upon neutrals produced- a maximum , ofpressure upon Russia and a minimum of pressureupon ourselves , whereas commercial restrictions at home would have an opposite effect . Mr . Cardwell then examined at considerable length the remedial suggestions offered by Mr . Collier and Mr . Mitchell , insisting upon the evils attending the enforcement of the right of search , and upon the frauds inseparable from a system of certificates of origin . It appeared to him , he said , remarkable that at the end of twelve months of war we had inflicted so much pressure upon the enemy with so small an injury to our own commerce ; and this result he thought justified the mode of _ aggression which had been adopted by the
Government . Mr . J . L . Ricardo adopted the views and arguments of Mr . Cardwell . Their main point was that , by shutting out the produce of Russia , we could so coerce and intimidate arid impoverish the Emperor as to compel him to make peace upon such terms as we should dictate . The whole amount of the exports of Russia to this country was but 7 , 000 , 000 / ., and supposing the profit to be 10 , or even 15 per cent ., the loss at the utmost would be only 950 , 000 L , whereas the Emperor of Russia with a stroke of his pen shut out 6 , 000 , 000 / . worth of corn . After some remarks on the ineffectual nature of the blockade
, Sir J . Graham explained the causes of tho delay of the blockade in the Black Sea . From an honest desire to give information , he had answered questions upon this subject prematurely . The facts were , that orders for the blockade In the Black Sea were issued in May , tho mode being left to the discretion of the English and French Admirals , who camo to the decision that it should be carried into effect In tho Bosphorus , and notice was communicated to tho respective ambassadors . They , tho
however , had great doubts as to tho legality of notice , and upon a full consultation with the authorities at homo it was rejected . Three months were thus lost . Then the expedition to the Crimea took place , in which tho whole naval force of the two Powers was employed , so that it was not until a late period that the orders could be carried into effect . At present , ho believed that every port In tho Black Sen , except tho mouths of the Danube , was closely blockaded . The motion for tho returns was agreed to .
TUB CRIMEA COMMISSIONERS . In reply to Mr . Warner , Lord Palmerston said that tho commissioners who have been sent out to tho scut of war possess power to effect any chanffoa in tho arrangements subjected to their inquiries of whiph they might approve , with tho exception of immediately diamissiug any officer of whom , thoy might disapprove . REGAL Or LORD LUCAN . ; In answer to Mr . Craven Berkeley , Lord Palmkhbtos
174, Tthi Leapebu L Sattjimday ,
174 , TTHI lEAPEBu L Sattjimday ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 24, 1855, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_24021855/page/6/
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