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Leader (1850-1860), 23rd December 1854, Edition 1 of 2, Page 1205, Untitled Article

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      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 Duke 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 Lyons 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 . Subsequently it had been under the command of Captain JDacres , of tha Sanspareil , an officer but little inferior to Sir E . Lyons . He had been invalided soon after the storm , and had been suceeeded 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 Ellenbobough 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 Nbwcastle 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 PATRIOTIC FUNDS .

      The Duke of Grafton gave notice that he would move for a return of the residue of the Patriotic Fund of the last war , and also for a full aecount 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 The motion was then withdrawn .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 OF THANKS TO THE ARSir AND K"AVT . On the motion of lord 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 .

      IltlSH AND 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- OP PA . RLIA 1 MEMT . 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 Ghafton , 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 OF INCOME-TAX TOR CMMEA OFFICERS . In reply to a question from Mr . J . O'Connell , the Chancellor of the Exchequer stated that the Government had no intention of proposing any exemption from the income-tax in favour of officers belonging to either branch of the service on account of their being engaged at the seat of war . Such a distinction ho believed would be invidious , and any reward which those officers had earned would bo more appropriately given in another Bhapo .

      FRENCH TROOPS IN THE BRITISH SERVICE . Lord John Uusskll stated , in reply to Mr . Muntzs , that the only limit to the number of troops which the French Government was desirous of sending to the Crimea was the amount of transport conveyance which they could command ; ho added that there never had been any arrangement betweon the two Governments to send out French troops to bo paid by the British Government .

      REMISSION OXf LlidAOY DUTY IfOR THE ARMY . Mr . BisitissKoitu moved for lonvo to bring in a bill relieving from all liability , on account of legacy or succession duty , the property and estates of l . ho olHcern find men who died , or might die , on isorviuo in the Crimea during tho present campaign . The hon . member enlarged upon tho dosorts of tho gullnul , men engaged iu the war , and ho urged the justice of ruiniUing tho micoonsion tax in regard to tho property ltsi ' t by those among thorn who might have perished duriufj ; the performance of thoir dutios .

      Juio Chanoki , ia » u of tho Extmi-xju'CK contended on principle that all propotiitionH of npouiul reward to our Holdicra and nailors ahoukl originate with tho Crown , whoso servants tucy were . In detail , alao , he showed

      that the boon now proposed would , in the great majority of instances , operate inefficiently and \ inequally . The motion was then by leave withdrawn . ORDERS OF MERIT . 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 CAPITULAE ESTATES BILL . The Marquis of Blandfokd 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 Chancellor 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 , lie 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 .

      AKCTIC EXPEDITIONS . Mr . Napier , in the absence of Sir T . Acland , 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 right 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 .

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      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 tho French position , and makes sorties , which are always repulsed with loss . In the morning of the 2 nd the Russians attacked an advanced guard of the 50 th Regiment , which retired . The Rifles advanced to its assistance , drove back the Russians , and forced them to quit their positions . "

      The Vienna Prcssc announced from Constantinople , December 4 , that the Russians had been driven to their second line of defence , and had abandoned the Quarantine battery . The following has been received at Vienna : — " The Russians made a sortie against the French lines on the 5 th . Eight divisions of the line , under General Forey , repulsed them with great Iobh . The French arc arming butteries with guns from the Henri IV , The English have constructed now 50-gun batteries . " Tho Paris papers publish the follow ing private telegraphic despatch : —

      " Marseilles , Dec . 15 . —The last intelligence from tho Crimea was to tho effect that a new battery of thirtynix guns had been erected before Sevastopol . Great precautions wore taken against thofircahips tliu KusHians were preparing against tho allied fleets . JTuioty-two rocketH , intended to set fire to tho Russian fleet , had boon laiMlod . The Fortnfoglio of Malta protends that 00 , 000 more Kusniana had passed by Porokop to reinforce the Russian unity in tho Crimea . " Tho following is from tho Pans correspondent of tho Times ; — " Private letters received from tho French camp before Subimtopol upouk of tho assault , of that place < ih an event that may bo noon expected . From Hovcrul point . i of observation everything that , is done within thu buMU'LTed cilv call hn miimii . 'Ilia Mitr >/ m < l li .,.. ,. ( ' (' ..-I i il .... _

      tiourt ih doMcrilmd an very wtrcny . ttubatttopol will probably bo a complete ruin bul ' oru wo cmi » got , in , but ruin an it , may bo , thcro is mo alternative ; and tho opinion itt that it muMt l >« stormed aiul captured to mitiHfy tliu amour-propre of tho army , and produce a moral efl ' eot

      throughout Europe . The Russians seem to lave foreseen and provided for such a contingency ; and they havd 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 Tcb . ern . aya , ani a letter from the camp speaks of it with satisfaction , the ground he had 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 PRINCIPALITIES . The special correspondent of the Daily News says , under date of Bucharest , Dee . 7 . " Rfussar Pacha starts on Monday or Txiesday . Thirty or forty thousand Turks , and a hundred guns , are to be embarked at Varna , or Baltchick , under his superin tendence . 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 Reni , and the other positions of th « Pruth . Prince Gortchakoff was on the 9 th at Ismail , and on-the 10 th continued his journey to Odessa . The works of fortification of the Turks , near Tultcha Jaktchi , are not as yet terminated . Omar Pacha arrived on the 12 th at Shumla , where he remained some hours , aad then took his departure for Varna . "

      FRENCH TREATMENT OF THE ARM IT . It is said that one of the measures to be proposed to the Corps Legislatif by the Emperor will be a bill for providing a " dotation" for the army—tbat is to say , the appropriating some tangible part of the public property , the rents or produce of which ¦ will be distributed 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 aud Marine 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 ; such is the opinion of the JGmperor , and the government of his Blajesty has not shrunk , 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 front the former , have been gratefully accepted . Although" the state magazines are amply supplied , and fresh orders issued every day for keeping up these supplies , there are some things that one cannot have too abundantly , such . as coverlets , linen , lint , &c , and gifts of this description will always bo received with gratitude . Tho ministers of war and the navy embrace this opportunity for returning thanks to the prefects of tho Loirc-Infdrieure , of the Seine , and others , who have taken tho initiative iu this matter . "

      ALLEGED MISMANAGEMENT IN T 1 II 2 CAMP . The following rather " captious" compluints arc made by the correspondent of the Dally JSIcws : — " The horses arc . still without nouwbiiga , und likely to remain so . I must again most emphatically point out this fresh proof , if proof were wanting , of tho thriftlessness , the iwproviilunco , and the helplessness of tho campaign . For weeks pant our cavalry boroea havo taken their food from tho mivu and Blush iu which they wallow , and every week they uro dying oil' by hundreds in convenience , while gontlmir cloth for nosebags , and rough tailors to inulco them , abound in Vnnu and Eupatoria , and thousands of thoso bags can bo bought at Constantinople nt twopence a-picco . Tho least , I believe , that could liuvc been done , oupccially afttir the

      terrible winning w « received on tho 14 th ultimo , would havo been to make somo provlnionH at , li .-a . it for tho sick in tho oainjiH . If tho French lout a good many of llioir sick on tho morning of the hurricane , ihoy could at least boast that their patients woul < l havo boon all unto had not tho whirlwind blown down Ili < -ir- hospital on S « ibantopol heights . But wlwro , iil'tor oifjlit wwIih of occupation , in the KnglinU hospital on Ualnkluvit heights ? To thit * day tliu wide am Iitid uji in lumpitul inarquowt , where , a . i I am emlilily informed , thulr inuttruHHOM arc Maturated vit . li tlu > wej , whllo tho liquid mud actuully ( Iowh over their limb * . I report what I heard , not wh / U 1 niiw , fur liy thin tinio it in not ( wmy for a corrc-Mpondoiit . of I lie Ihiity AVmm to tfcjt into placet ) wlicro things aro not what thoy ought to be . 1 wjhIi ,

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      THE WAR .

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      December 23 , 1854 . ] THE LEABEB . 1205

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 23, 1854, page 1205, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2070/page/5/