Mr. DISRAELI spoke at great length, repeating the
accusation already Brought against the government.—
Lord JOHN RUSSELL, after some remarks on the speeches
of Sir J. Pakington and Mr. Disraeli, proceeded to vindicate
the policy of the war, and defend the Admirals
both in the Black Sea and the Baltic. Referring to
Austria, he said she had not pursued that course which
her position in Europe, and the character of the present
stand for the highest interests of Europe, demanded:
she ought to have joined the Western Powers earlier.
Austria (said Lord John Russell) has now taken a step
further; but she does not say that before the end of the
war she will be a belligerent: she has only gone the
length of saying that if she should be at war with Russia,
a treaty offensive and defensive would then, ipso facto,
exist between Austria and England and France. She
has also agreed that, before the end of the year, she will
take into further consideration what steps she will be
prepared to take with respect to the terms of peace with
Russia. I understand the meaning of that article,
(certainly not containing anything very precise,) that
if England and France propose conditions of peace which
are in conformity with the four bases, and come within
these terms, and if Russia refuse her assent to such a
treaty of peace, then, that Austria will no longer hesitate,
but will form part of the alliance against Russia. I do
not wish to overstate the nature of the engagements into
which Austria has entered, for hereafter she may be at
perfect liberty to say that we are exacting too much of
Russia; but my belief and expectation is, that she does
concur with us with respect to the basis necessary for
the security of Turkey, and that if Russia do not consent
in the next campaign, the forces of Austria will be joined
to those of England and France. It might be said that
better terms should have been obtained; but the question
was, whether we should enter into these engagements
at all; and the opinion was, especially that of the
Emperor of the French, that it would contribute to the
success of the war. Lord John continued—I cannot see
how the Emperor of Russia, being of the same religious
communion as eleven millions of the subjects of the
Sultan, and having their sympathy, how he is ever to be
prevented from having a considerable influence over
those subjects. I believe we may limit that influence,
and prevent his having the power which the Menschikoff
note proposed he should. I believe by uniting the other
Powers in a general guarantee, and accepting from the
Sultan, instead of a treaty with Russia, a general
declaration in favour of his Christian subjects, we may
deprive Russia of her protectorate. But I do not believe
that any articles that could be framed could entirely
deprive Russia, in time of peace, of the influence I have
mentioned. If that be the case, so much more necessary
is it that we should not allow to Russia the means of invading
or conquering Turkey. This appeared to me in
July last to be an essential condition of peace, and I
have not altered my opinion.—The Address was agreed
to, nem. con.

On Wednesday, December 13th, the Report on the
Address was brought up and agreed to, after a short
discussion.

Lord PALMERSTON, in moving for leave to bring in a
Bill to Enable her Majesty to Accept Offers of Service by
Militia Regiments in Places out of the United Kingdom,
said, the goverment had been accused of entering into
war without having a reserve; but he begged to say
the reserve they counted on was the British nation.
The object the government had in view by this bill was
not to send the militia regiments to the Crimea, but to
send them to do garrison duty in Malta, Gibraltar, and
Corfu, and thereby to set free the regiments now serving
there. Circumstances might also occur to induce her
Majesty to send them to the North American colonies;
but at present that was not contemplated. He entertained
no doubt that the militia regiments would volunteer,
and he was satisfied from the reports of competent
military authorities that the militia regiments would be
as efficient for garrison duty as the regiments in the line.
He would not detain the House farther, as he did not
anticipate any opposition to the motion.—Mr. NEWDEGATE
asked whether this measure was intended to
facilitate the formation of an army of reserve?—Mr.
SIDNEY HERBERT said the government were most
anxious to form such an army, and the plan of the government
was to form four additional companies to each
regiment, and to place them at Malta, which would be
the most convenient spot for promptly reinforcing Lord
Raglan.—Mr. PALK, feared that this measure would drain
the agricultural districts of labourers, and expressed a
hope that, to save the poor-rates, some provision would
be made for the wives and children of militia soldiers.—
The bill was then introduced and read a first time.

On Thursday, December 14, Sir JAMES GRAHAM, in
reply to questions from Mr. Hildyard, said that no
official information had been received of the circumstances
connected with the Loss of the Prince, but he
had reason to believe that, as a high wind had set into
the harbour of Balaklava for some days before the storm
of the 14th, which prevented that vessel entering the
harbour, the troops were disembarked from outside the
harbour by means of a small steamer. He contradicted
the report that the best bower anchor had been lost from
the cable not being properly fastened, and added that
the cables themselves had been tested by the ordinary
process used to test the cables of men-of-war. In justice to
the memory of Captain Goodall, he added that they had
received the most satisfactory assurances of the ability
and seamanship of that officer; and among the testimonials
was one from Lieut. Baynton, R. N., who went
out in the Prince, and lost his life on board of her.
His letter was dated from Constantinople on the 3rd of
November, and spoke highly of the seamanship of the
commanding officer, and of the good order he maintained
on board. Sir James Graham further stated, in answer
to Mr. Milner Gibson, that the transports were anchored
outside the harbour of Balaklava on the responsibility
of the senior naval officer commanding there.

On the order of the day for the second reading of the
Militia Bill, objections were urged to points of detail by
Colonel SIBTHORP and Lord LOVAINE, who suggested
that on the volunteering of a militia regiment another
militia regiment should be raised in the county.—Lord
PALMERSTON said such a step was not contemplated by
the government. There were many county gentlemen
now in the militia whose social position rendered it far
more important that they should stay at home than that
they should do garrison duty abroad. No imputation
would, therefore be made on the public spirit of any
gentleman who declined to volunteer: and on the other
hand, he hoped, if her Majesty declined the services of any
gentleman who did volunteer, it would not be considered
a slur on his character. The bill was then read a second
time.—On the motion that it be committed to-morrow,
Mr. DISRAELI suggested that the committee be delayed
till Monday, and in doing so he expressed his regret
that such a measure should have been introduced at the
present time. It would render the militia service unpopular
in the country, and it would give foreign nations
the idea that we were already at the end of our resources.
He was therefore opposed to the principle of the bill,
but, in the present circumstances, he would not offer
any opposition to the government; but he did hope the
committee would be delayed till Monday.—Lord J.
RUSSELL denied that this measure would give foreigners
an idea of our weakness. The army was now on little
more than a peace establishment, and though recruits
were now coming in freely, still it must be remembered
these men could not at once be transformed into soldiers.
It would be easier, therefore, three years hence to find
an army to garrison our foreign dependencies than it was
in this first year of the war. He had no objection to
postpone the committee to Monday, which, after some
discussion, was agreed to.

On Friday, December 15th, Lord JOHN RUSSELL laid
upon the table a copy of the Treaty between the Emperor
of Austria, the Queen, and the Emperor of the French.
His Lordship then moved a Vote of Thanks to the Army
and Navy in the Crimea and the Black Sea. The
resolutions, in the same terms as those moved in the
House of Lords, were seconded by Mr. DISRAELI, and
unanimously agreed to. In the course of the discussion
Mr. Drummond animadverted upon the attacks on
Admiral Dundas, which brought up Mr. LAYARD, who
regretting that a confidential communication from him had
been made public, declared he was ready, if called upon,
to substantiate the charges he had made against the