Current:

Leader (1850-1860), 22nd March 1856, Edition 1 of 2, Page 267

Page 267
Page 3
3 of 24

On this page

  • Text (4)
  • Transcript

    • 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.

      Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

      Untitled Article

      Fresh meat :-r- " The return suovvs that the average quantity of fresh , meat supplied by the Commissariat during the five wintep months , from . ^ November to March , was nearly 101 b . per man per month , exclusive of thafe furnished for the troops on board hospital ships in harbour , the aggregate force being 158 , 617 , and the quantity of fresh meat issued by the Commissariat , 1 , 525 , 9491 b . The issues in December fell greatly below the average— that is , to 6 £ lb . per man ,

      in consequence of the cattle vessels , which had been damaged in the hurricane , being still under repair during that month . , j ^ " I at no time ceased to mate evei | ffl || sertion to increase the supply of fresh meat , and beuSr © the month of August last , when I was obliged to resign the charge of the Commissariat on account of ill-health , I lad brought the issues to five times a-week , which is as much , considering its inferior quality , as the inilitary authorities think desirable .

      Lime-juice : — " Lime-juice had never been supplied by the Commissariat for general issue to the troops , nor had I received any intimation that it was to be bo for the future . " Dr . Hall , adds Mx . Filder , had the regulation of the lime-juice in the early months of the siege . It was not till the 29 th of January that the Commissary-General received letters from the Adjutant-General and from Dr . Hall , ordering the general issue of this anti-scorbutic . Fresh Bread—Fuel : — " The demands for the army hospitals being unlimited and uncertain , the Commissariat only provides supplies for that sex-vice on special requisitions . When a requisition for bread for the General Hospital at Balaklava was first presented to the Commissariat , immediate arrangements were made for supplying it to the full extent of the demand . " The want of portable ovens and militarv bakers

      greatly impeded the supply of fresh bread ; but this want was afterwards supplied from England . As regards fuel , Mr . FiLder says that , as it had never been the custom to supply fuel to an army in the field , he was not prepared with transport for its conveyance ; but he pointed out the peculia . r circumstances under which the Crimean army was situated . " Eight hundred thousand rations of charcoal , which had been toroughfc up in steamers by the navy , at the request of Lord Raglan , and given ov « r to the Commissariat early in November , remained untouched up to the 4 th of December , when the order was given to commence the issues . " The Commissary-General then immediately took all the means in his power to keep ¦ up the supply , and he states—" There was never , at any time , a . want of fuel atBalaklava : the only difficulty was to find the meaa » <> £ conveying it to the front . "

      Forage : — " In answer to the alleged omission of timely arrangements for the provision of forage , I have to state that , so early as when there was full expectation of the army advancing to the Danube , I made a contract for about & \ , 500 tons of hay , to be delivered loose at different places in the neighbourhood of Constantinople ; and I also desired the Commissariat officer there to form a ddpdt of chopped Btraw , in case the army should return and occupy cantonments in Turkey during the winter . Subsequently , when it became known that we were to proceed to the Crimea , the contractors , at my request , were wiiliug to engage to deliver about 500 tons of the hny pressed instead of ioose ; but learning iu the earl of

      y part September , when the army was on the way to the Crimea , that I could not rely on the fulfilment of this contract , I wrote to England , requesting that 2 , 000 tons of hay might be sent thence . Of this demand , only about ono-tonth was forwarded , and that portion reached Balaklava on the 80 th of November . " Replying to the M'Neill and Tulloch Report , Mr . Filder says : — "The Commissioners have assumed that I obtained no supplies , except by means of oontraots and tenders , aud that 1 had only followed the beaten track . I am unable to say whence they have derived the opinion , but , howover derived it is inconsistent with the faofc . I obtained supplies by evory variety of mode iu which it was possible to proeuro them , that is , by menus of agents having a know le ol tno

      ago resources of the country and of the language and habits of tlie poople , by direot purchases made by Commissariat officers from the parties holding the supplies without either written tender or agreement , by public competition and by special En ^ and ^* ' ° noQasmv y > bv requisitions on The Commissary . General , in Bimuning up his case , Hoya ho truats ho has shown that it did not lie within bio power to alter or amon < l the arrangements of tho army j that when the army was Buffoi-in * from tl . n waul

      , ot various articles , ho had not boon authorised to provide turn ; that he always took tho utmost pains to carry out tho orders of his superiors as soon aa ho reooivod thoir oommandfl j aud that tho failures which occurred roaultod iroin onuses over whioh ho had no QQXXitVQl .

      Untitled Article

      THE PEACE . Pjsage has at length been safely arrived at , and we believe the treaty will be signed this day ( Saturday ) . The precise nature of the terms , which have beeai agreed to by all parties is , of course , at present a secret ; but it will not he long before the patient public will be enlightened . The Russians , it is s » id , have presented no serious difficulty , but have conceded the neutralisation of the Black" Sea , the transformation of Nicnolaieffinto a purely commercial port , the neutrality of the Aland Islands , and the rectification of the Moldavian frontier , based on the report ojp a commission . Le Word believes that the question of the Asiatic frontier is solved as far as concerns t < be restitution of the districts occupied by the Russians . The latter will restore Kars , the Turks will evacuate Mingrelia , and so the status quo ante will be restored . " Only the presence of M . Manteuffel is waited for , in order to the signature of the first protocol of peace . " All parties , however , ai'e not likely to bo satisfied ; and already we hear of the Moldo-Wallachians petitioning the Porte to cause the restitution of Bessarabia , which they contend was originally a part of their territory . The line of frontier now proposed will not , they assert , protect them from invasion , since it consists only of a line of low hills , not mountains , sinking at last towards the south into a flat morass . A commission composed of the following members , has , it is said , been named to draw up the treaty : — Lord Cowley , for England ; M . do Bourqueney , for

      trance ; 33 aron de Brunow , for Russia ; M . de Hubner , for Austria ; and Aali Pacha , for Turkey . Sardinia and PrusBia axe unrepresented . The Tndependancc lielf / c states that , when the treaty Bha . ll have been signed , it is intended that the Conference shall bo dissolved , but that a committee shall be left sitting to carry out the details which there is not now time to arrange . Tho question of tho Principalities and of tho Turkish Christians will probably . reaeive the attention of this body . At the conclusion of tho peace , conferences -will bo hold at St . Petersburg for the purpose of examining and discussing projects of reform' in commercial policy .

      Untitled Article

      duty at the explosion of the White Buildings on Thursday evening last ( Feb . 28 th ) . The accident occurred at the south-western corner of the edifice , and has been related as follows : —A mine having failed to explode , and some minutes having elapsed , Major Ranken sent his men to a distance and himself entered the place to renew the train , scattering loose powder over it . From the position in which his corpse was found s it is supposed that he bad completed his perilous task and was about getting thrpugh a window when the explosion took place and the building fell in . His arm "was broken , and there were injuries to the skull and spine which must have qccasioned instant death . Army Works Corps men dug for his body until midnight on Thursday ; they were then relieved by Sappers . The body was not extricated until past eight o ' clock on Friday morning . —Times Correspondent .

      Ismail Pasha ( of Kalafat celebrity ) has been appointed Commander-in-Chief of the army of Anatolia . General Kmety will accompany him . Thbee Russian Offioebs have entered the regiment of Ottoman Cossacks . The Polish Legion . —General Count Zamoyski has proceeded to Constantinople to complete the organisation of his legion of Cossacks of the Sultan . Several very eminent officers have tendered their services . The existing body of men is to be formed at once into four r egiments of infantry , two of cavalry , and a battalion of rifles . The General was recently at Paris , when he had an interview with Lord Clarendon , who urged him to press forward the organisation of the corps .

      WAR MISCELLANEA . An Accident at tub ISxpjcosi-on oir ma Wmm Woiuca . —Major Qoorgc Eanken , of tho Royal Engineers , wan killed in tb . o Kealous discharge of hie

      Sir . Edmund Lyohs . —We find it stated by the Marseilles correspondent of the Times that orders have been received from the Admiralty to land the baggage of Sir Edmund Lyons , which has remained onboard the Caiadoc since the arrival here of the gallant Admiral from Constantinople ., as it appears lie is not to return to the Black Sea .

      Untitled Article

      Several conflicting opinions were given as to whether this shop could be reached by persons on the stage or in the audience part of tho house ; some being of opinion that such access was possible , and others asserting that it waB not . Mr . Anderson had the key of this shop , and lost it . On the night of the hal wnaaqyd , iMr . Anderson ordered that the batten-lights should be . turned on-strong . These were lights suspended from the floor of the . carpenter ' s shop at a distance of about twenty or thirty feet , and their objeot was to throw a light on the stage from above . They were formed of barrels lined with sheet iron , running across the upper part of the stage , and supported by lines reaching to blocks and attached to the

      flies . Two of the witnesses were of opinion that one of these lines may have caught fire , and communicated it to . tie floor of the carpenter ' s shop . William Dalliston , a carpenter employed about the theatre , . said that , "if one of the battens was unlighted , but charged with gas , the . gas would ascend and fill itne carpenter ' s shop with gag , and , if the gas got over the front of the house under the . carpenter ' s shop , it might be ignited . The flooring and materials of the carpenter s shop were very dry . " Richard Jones , engineer to the London Gas Company at Vauxhall ( the company employed by Mr . Anderson in preference * to that already connected with the theatre ) , said he was alinosfc convinced that escape of gas had nothing whatever to do with the fire .

      Mr . Anderson gave evidence , and mentioned that there had been some dispute between Mr . Sloman , master carpenter , and Mr . Palmer , the gasman , both of whom referred the disagreement to Mr . Anderson , who settled jit , and the two disputants became better friends than ever . There had been a summons from the police-office ; but no threat had been held put . Mr . Anderson said he had sustained a loss by the fire ; but he could not as yet say to what amount . He was insured in the Sun office , to the extent of . £ 2 , 000 . TJbjs insurance expired about a week after the fire ;

      but he did not know whether it would extend to the property if moved from the theatre . He was no longer liable for rent . His lesseeship terminated on the night of the oal masque . He was aware that there had been an escape of gas , but he did . not think that could possibly have caused the fire , and ^ he had told Mr . Sloman that , considering his shorb term , he could not undertake to remedy the defect . There had been a great deal of smoking during the night , and Mr . Anderson said he had been in six fights while endeavouring to prevent it , but that it wag beyond his power to stop the annoyance .

      The inquest was once more adjourned ; Wednesday being appointed for its resumption . On that day ? a little additional testimony was received . The son of one of the carpenters admitted that he had , o n the night of the masquerade , lighted his father to the foot of the step-ladder leading into the carpenter ' s shop , and that he carried a candle , because there was no lamp trimmed for use ; but the candle was not taken into the shop . From the evidence of a man named Coopei ' , it appeared that , about five weeks ago , some carboyb of . what he conceived to be vitriol were . hoisted on to the roof of the theatre ; from which he augured that a fire would be very likely to occur . Mr . Anderson , being asked for an

      explanation , said that the Electric Light Company applied to him for permission to burn their light over the portico of the theatre ,. as they had done over the Lyceum . The compiany used Bulphuric acid ; and they had the entire arrangement and responsibility of the matter , Mr . Anderson not troubling himself with it . It appears , however , that his carpenter placed the acid on the roof , where it remained about three weeks , and was then taken away . Mr . Anderson said he had two private rooms , which he kept , locked , because he had properties there , tho nature of which he did not wish every one to see ; bub the firemen had tho beys , and were instructed to look iuto tho rooms in their rounds . A portion of these proporties had boeu removed before the fi . ro broko out . Mr . Anderson had wires communicating from tho stage to various partB of tho theatre , for tho uho of his

      galvanio batteries . Both sulphurio acid nud nitric acid were used by Mr . Anderson iu liis proecouuuu box ; but it upbears ho had never inoro thau fourteen or fifteen pounds in that box at ouo tima Mr . Slomau stated that , when first ho aaw the firo , it was rising out of tha ventilator in tho roof , whioh was from forty to fifty foot from Mr . Anderson's prosoonium box . Mr . Griovo , tho scene-painter , raeutionocl that ho had often called attention to the heaps of combustible matter whioh were allowed to accumulate in tho pro ^ porty shop , and which he once fouud smouidermg ; and Mr . Braidwood , tho superintendent of the Firo Brigudo , coufoaaod his inability to state the cause of tho firo , though ho thought tho moat probable reason was to be fouud in the over-fatigue of the watchmen , uomo of whom had been on duty f jr forty hours . 'J'ho jury returned an oijgu verdiot .

      THE DESTRUCTION" OF OOVENT-GARDEN " THEATRE . Twb inquiry into tho ouuao of this fire wan resumed boat Suturday , when ouo of tho witnesses waa Mr . Sidney Siairke , brother of tho original architect of Co vent-garden Theatre , who said that , on searoMng his brothor ' a drawings of the theatre , ho found that over tho proacwuum there had boon a thiok wall , so thut a flro occurring at one end of tho roof would bo out off before reaching the other . That wall had "boon removed , to whioh fixot he attributed tho extensive progrqflB of tho ft . ro . Ho could wot form any idem of the oauso of tho fire , but he thought there was a laxity in . re&poot to aoceae allowed to the owpontor ' w shop .

      Mhictijnu oif 'mm SuAaucuoLDttna of Covkmt-oarub ] TwBA'jeiuiJ . — -A meeting of about fifty ronterw or share holders of Covoub-gardon Theatre was held lust Bivtui day , at Mr Robinp ' s auction-rooms in Co vent- ardor for tho purpose of receiving from the proprietors ii

      Untitled Article

      March-33 , t 8 & 6 ; - } TEE LEA : D 11 . ^ 267

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), March 22, 1856, page 267, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2133/page/3/