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Leader (1850-1860), 6th January 1855, Edition 1 of 2, Page 7, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      < ,,- BIER DE LAC * WVM 8 & Phi # - gallant general has again landed in England , tad , we ape glad to learn , isrecniidng his shattered i eastitu * ion at Folkestone . We understand that his iealt ^ has been much restored by his voyage home , ilthough , the * e is- no chance of his resuming his Srimean command . The climate- of the East in Lutamnend winter , with constant exposure under anvas day and night , and no rest for body and nind , proved too severe for a veteran soldier 68 rears of « ge . Indeed , the command of a division of he army , trailer circumstances such as those in rhieh the Allies are placed in the Crimea , is perhaps

      he most trying of all military duties , the mosfc messantly onerous and responsible . We need hot reieat the universal opinion of his comrades—British rid , French allies—on the last service which he endered to his country . Political detraction and rejudice for a while deprived Sir De Lacy Evans of he rank and rewards due to his extraordinary miliary career-and his hard-earned distinction as asolier . The reluetance with which he gave up his ommandis displayed in the following extract from is letter-to Lord Raglan , who , it must not be for-¦ otten , received the announcement with much sorrow ! nd considerable eulogium . Sir De Lacy Evans writes from on board the Britannia , November 11 : —

      " Ihave now for nearly a fortnight had the benefit of tie . greatest Care and hospitality possible , and a warm abw , from my generous naval friends , Captain Dacres % ¦ the first instance , and now no less so from the admiral i chief in the Britannia . But five months without easatiqn under canvas , with some unavoidable priva-Lqus . ajid alterations of temperature , latterly at night at unfrequenjtly severe cold , with the shock occasioned y njyfaM , have had their effect on one in his 68 th year , ndeed , owing to the chances of the service , I believe no tjigr officer of the same advanced age and rank has ad the same continuous test to bear up against . And tith all . my present test and . advantages I am still left rith but little feeling of strength or freedom from ailjfint . This , tias been greatly added to by the heavy bd peculiar responsibility that lately fell to my lot for taxost a month , namely , from about the 4 th , I think , lithe 30 thof October *

      " The post . I was charged with during that long period ; as , I _ belfeve . deemed of-the utmost importance to the ifety of theFrench and English armies . Frequently at . few troops remained to me for its defence , ^ against > metimes tenfold our numbers of the enemy within a iqrt distance from our front ; I had the honour of equently submitting my opinion of the weakness , and cecariousness of the position of the Second Division , to our Lordship , and , indeed , also to General Canrobert , nd . pf the small means at my disposal to place it in kWe security . Its liability to be suddenly attacked at U . times it was also my duty to represent . But the avious exigencies to be provided for on other points at lat . time scarcely left it possible , I believe , to afford us jy material reinforcement , or means for the construcpn of defences . I have ventured into these details to jQQuut . ior Jth . £ jiar , assingjttature _ of the duty alluded to ad of the anxious and . olmo ^ tf sleepless " mghTts ^ and"days

      occasioned me . ** I feel . inconsequence much depressed , Worn out , and * hau » ted ; a severe chronic complaint I am subject to B . vwg been almost extremely aggravated during the tfd . njghts we latterly had in camp , and which are now scorning more . frequent and severe with , tho advancing inter season . I should not , however , have been so rotfx , for in your Lordship ' s letter of the 31 st you ore pleased to refer to some of these circumstances as

      ' Uaws : — ' Nothing can . have been more satisfactory than i £ whole of my intercourse with you , and it is painful > my feelings to see it interrupted . But , unfortunately , $ man can command healtb , . and you have had to adergo not only great fatigue but anxiety of mind , nee your division has occupied the important position .. now holds , and so gallantly maintained under your irectiona a few days ago- ' " Such expressions of approval from your lordship are , ittoed ^ a gxeat happiness to me to have received .

      " About ft month ago , when the generals of division ere s . mnmonqd to bead-quarters to receive a conununiition , your ior . dship may recollect my mentioning that had only beam . able to attend , by taking ammonia and [ her stimulants . During the , occasional northerly inda I was obliged , sometimes , to have my tent for v : e . nty-four hours together -wholly closed , and gave and uceived order * through . my unaponed tent doors . Some flpKof ypur lordship ' s staff will remember how often in ringing . too . ordexs they found mo on my bed , or rather I my blankets , on the ground , whan I ought rather to » yo \ b » on , if I could , on horseback . I was well aware , M > ttgh others , flioy « ot have been , that thjo invalid con-Itfon prevented my attending to many things which I 90 w it was . urgent , I should hAVO personally aeon to and W cut « a . tl 1

      Wndftt . these circumstances , instead , of asking your ftdjft 4 p for Iqngar , leave , which I am sure you would , ( tut , ! think . ijb the movo proper cour . se to solicit your P&bfyff pauotfwion to resign my staff appointment jj& . this arjny , the very arduous executive duties and CTMWirtMlWw of which my impaired health and want of

      fltrength sender me no longer adequate tp . And . I trust that the several wounds I have received , and the services I have faithfully endeavoured to perform in various parts 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 . publjlc service or to myself . " ' ' '• '•"' . , : .. , _

      Untitled Article

      ARRIVAL OF THE HIMALAYA- WITH INVALIDS FROM THE CRIMEA . The Himalaya , screw steani-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 day s coaling She has brought home 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 , steanvfrigate , on promotion . The military officers who came home in the Himalaya are , Colonel C . A . Fitz H . Berkeley , Scotch Fusilier Guards , wounded ; Colonel Hume , 95 th Foot , wounded ; Captain Knollys , invalided ; Captain Phillips ( and wife ) , 47 thRegiment , wounded ; Captain White , 17 th Lancers , wounded ; Captain Stoner , 68 tli 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 and Garr . - 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 date 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 , hnd troops were berthed , there were : stalled some eight or ten horses , which had belonged to General Sir De Lacy Evans and General Torxens . These horses themselves Were sickly , and one or two were decidely in a

      diseased state . The effiuyium caused by them in their confined atalls between decks was very conaiderabte , and it is only surprising that a large aarouatA ) f-8 icloiess was not the result . The Himalaya ' s engines are much Out of order , and she ¦ will lukve to go into doak for repaurs . The damaged condition of her machinery much delayed her iivber passage home ; she will have her repairs eflfected at Southampton , the Peninsular arid 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 niedical cluirge of Assistant-Surgeon AtkinsQU , 31 st .

      Untitled Article

      — . DEATH OF ^ GENERAL -ADAMS— - We deeply regret to announce the death of Major-Genera . 1 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 Iukerman , on the 5 th of Novem . ber . 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 tli , and 49 th regiments , from the last-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 Hie 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 . He has since been with his regiment in this country , Ireland , and the Mediterranean . Majox-Geueral Adams being on the supernumerary list , his death will not tend to cause a vacancy on the general officers' list .

      Untitled Article

      THE PAY OF OUR SOLDIERS . A CORRK 3 PON . DKNT of tho Times calls attention to the small remuneration which our army receives . He thanks 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 largo force . "la it right and just that such men should be paid by their country at a lees rate than even tho Dorsetshire labourer ? Lot tbia wealthy nation only think of what

      the soldier i& und . ergo . ing &t this moment , on . d then consider his miserable pay of 1 , 3 . . Id . . a ' > day , with , flfepppages for food an 4 cjothingl These n ^ eii , too , have wives , children , sbters , and aged mothers , -whom , . $ 0 . their honour , many of them endeavour to support put ^ of their miserable . pittance , ; but it . is ; indeed a . hard struggle , yet seldom do they complain . The injustice , however , remains as a blot . against this wealthy' riati , < 5 n , . " Let , then , the soldier ' s pay be immediately Aug--merited . Let us not grudge the slight additipjial f pressure of taxation which such a measure would entail . Let us cast aside self-indulgence , and rouse ourselves -to . nobler sentim

      ents and a more worthy distribution of that wealth with which Providence has so signally blessed rthjs land . Let us place the British soldier at least . oft-a par with the agricultural labourer , and giv . e him not less , afc any rate , thatl 9 s . a-week . Incresee the soldier ' s , pay , and we shall pot lack menin this or any other emergency —men ready to serve their country a . t duty's call . We , cannot expect patriotism alone to be the only motive in inducing our youth 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 considera tions of the pay , &c ., should eater 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 commis sions for the deserving , with special . allowances , ojx such promotion to meet incireased expenses , were : established as . the rule and not the exception ; and if the nation were , in gratitude for what has been , done , to anticipat e the thanks which , we trust will yet be due to her soldiery by taking care that everything is done , and well done , 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 shall see thousands upon thousands of Enghurd's stalwart and noble sons step forward and go forth at the call of duty in defe , ace of ' God- and the right . '" ¦¦¦¦ ..

      Untitled Article

      THE BRITISH RIFLE . The following is a description of the rifle now being manufactured for our troops .:-r— .-"In almost every important respect it is a vastly superior-weapon to the Russian musket . ~ Pt is considerablylonger , 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 jvs many spring catches , and the barrel could J > e unshipped in less than three minutes , simply by pressing these springs . The ramrod , a neatl y ^ turned 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 , steel , and the mode of security * it in its place is exceedingly good . The sight 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 pillar ^ , up and down which slides a small piece of metal , forming the sight . It is graduated , but rather widely , there being 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 muskot 4 ft . 6 Mn . ... 3 ft . lOiu . With bayonet fixed , 6 ft ; JLin . ... Oft . 8 ii » . Weight of musket alone ... 81 b . 6 oz . .. * . 101 b . Ooz , Weight of bayonet .... .,. 01 b . lOoz . ,.. lib . lsloz . Weight of musket and bayonet 91 b . Oqz . ... 111 b . 14 qz . The butt of both muskets is about the same length , so that the look is about the same distance in each from the butt end ; but tho difference in length in the barrels is considerable , the British , xifle having a barrel 8 £ inches longer thau that in use in the Russian army . We need not dwell upon tho advantage of this greater length of barrel in a rifle for giving greater steadiness and certaiuty of direction to the ball . Another advantage isithat the Russian piece has only two rifled grooves , the British piece lias three . The next notiqeahlo , point is , that although the Russian sword blade is longer thau the British bayonet , the length of the British muakofc with bayonet lixed is skill five inches more them that of tho Russian piece with its sword bayonet . "

      Untitled Article

      PRUSSIA AND TILE WEST . Tub Berlin correspondent of the Itidepondanee Batge gtvea the following as a closer analysis than has ye appeared of the Prussian despatch of the 19 th , ee . ut to Paris and London : — . " The despatch first alludes to tho notification of tho treaty which was made on tho evening of tho 16 th by tho three Envoys in separato conferences . M . do Mantouffol communicated the treaty to , tho King . Prussia fully ' appreciates the importance thereof , and in making it tho object pf a conscientious examination tho Cabinet of Berlin has b « on guided by tho sincere wish to associate itueliTaa much a » its convictions and tho iatewsts

      Untitled Article

      ¦' ¦ ¦ &xm # B *^> 1855 . ] ¦ ; ; ••¦ ,. ' \ . ^\ . % ^ :: ; Ji ^ v ^ ^ lj--Bu . - . " . - . . : ¦ % ;

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 6, 1855, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2072/page/7/