government now relied, not only upon their own friends,
but upon the patriotism of every member in both
houses. He hoped they all would remember that
representative institutions were now passing through their
ordeal, and he hoped parliament would give no occasion
to foreign countries to say that in a state of war
despotism had more advantages than free institutions.—
The Earl of MALMESBURY adverted to the speech of
Earl Grey on military reform a few nights ago, and gave
his opinion that if the army was to be governed on the
same plan as the navy, there would soon be as much
jobbing at the Horse Guards as there was now at the
Admiralty. He defended the composition of the army
from the charge of its officers being for the most part
connected with the aristocracy, and stated that of one
hundred officers in the Grenadier Guards eighteen only
were connected with the peerage. In the regiments of
the line and cavalry the proportion was still less.
He hoped, therefore, the new war–minister would not
be led away by these clamours to make rash innovations.
—Lord PANMURE said that he was quite aware that
reforms were wanted in the army, but he was not then
prepared to state either the extent to which he would
carry them, or the time when he would introduce them.
One qualification, at least, he could pledge himself he
would bring to the administration—that was, purity of
intention. None should be employed whom he did not
believe to be qualified, and in dismissing incompetent
persons he would show that he could sacrifice his own
feelings to his country's good. He entered upon his
office with the qualification of some years' experience in
the War–office, and of having served twelve years in
regimental service. From his own experience he could
state that whatever defects might exist elsewhere, he
believed the regimental system was as near perfection as
possible. He concluded by stating that if he felt
himself unequal to the task he had undertaken he would
not hesitate to give it up.—The Earl of RODEN
recommended a patriotic support to the new government as
far as possible, and wished Lord Panmure every success
in the task he had so gallantly undertaken. He urged
upon the government the necessity of appointing a day
of national prayer for the success of our army. The
house adjourned till Friday the 16th instant.

On Friday, February 16, Lord PANMURE explained
some of the Reforms which were Contemplated in the
War Department, and introduced a bill to allow the
enlistment of men of a more extended age, and for
shorter periods than was at present usual. Lord
Panmure, after giving some further details of what he
proposed to effect, said: In order to obtain a class of
men more capable of enduring the fatigues and hardships
of the service than boys of eighteen, whom they
were in the habit of enlisting, he proposed to enlist in
the army for any period within ten years—that is to say,
from one, two, three, or any number of years within the
ten years which he might desire. These men should,
however, not be under twenty–four nor above thirty–
two years of age. As soon as the government could
obtain a sufficiency of transports, it was their intention
to establish a communication every week or ten days
between Scutari and England. Those transports would
be then enabled every week or ten days to convey to
this country perhaps 500 sick, who would be much
sooner restored to health and to the service of the army
in England, than they could hope to be while they
remained in the place which they then were. He had
been informed by a medical gentleman and others, that
such was the state of the atmosphere in Scutari, that
wounds scarcely ever healed properly there, and that
the fevers which generally supervened were scarcely
ever cured. It, therefore, appeared absolutely necessary
at once to bring those men home, where they could be
attended to with much greater advantage than at
Scutari or the other hospitals in the East. In reply to
a remark made by Lord Ellenborough respecting the
appointment of General Simpson to a high command in
the Crimea, Lord Panmure said that neither that
general's health nor age precluded him from filling the
appointment. Sir John Burgoyne had been recalled to
fill his old post of Inspector of Fortifications, his duties
before Sebastopol having devolved upon Major–General
Harry Jones.

In reply to a question from Lord Campbell, the Lord
CHANCELOR observed that the Thanks of that House
had not been given personally to the Earl of Cardigan,
merely because no precedent could be found for such a
proceeding.—Lord Campbell regretted that, if no
precedent existed before, one had not been made for the
special occasion.

On Tuesday, February 20th, Lord PANMURE moved
the second reading of the Army Service Act Amendment
Bill. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH complained
of the course taken by the noble lord in merely moving
a measure of such importance without a detailed
statement of the condition of the army. He was not
disposed to oppose the measure under existing
circumstances, but he could not help thinking that the period
for which this addition to our military force was
enlisted should be limited to three years. The noble
lord then proceeded in a somewhat discursive speech to
comment on the vices inherent in our military system,
and the mistakes which had been committed in the
conduct of the war. He was dissatisfied with the way
in which the ranks of the militia were filled up, and,
instead of the counties, would make the poor law unions
responsible for the proper quota to be furnished to that
force, fining them if they failed to make it up. With
respect to the conduct of the war, the principle on which
the war department seemed to have acted was that of
sending out to the seat of war every available man,
taking no care to provide for its efficiency by maintaining
sufficient reserves. The only point which he looked
upon with any satisfaction was the treaty with Piedmont,
a country which he rejoiced to see assuming a new
position in Europe. On the other hand, the way in
which the proper carrying on the war in Asia had been
neglected by the government was deplorable. By a
little management Persia might have been made an
useful ally, and an attempt at least should have been
made to employ a portion of our available Indian
strength in that quarter, which, combined with Persia,
and added to the force which Schamyl could bring into
the field, would have proved irresistible.—The Earl of
HARROWBY thought that a great mistake had been
made in not calling the oppressed nationalities of
Europe to our aid in our present struggle with Russia.—
Lord PANMURE had not expected to be led into a
debate on the bill, but had no objection to insert into it
the limitation proposed by Lord Ellenborough, especially
as he fervently hoped the state of things which required
an enactment of this nature would not continue so long
as three years from the present time. With regard to
recruiting, the attention of the government had been
seriously directed to the subject, and there was no
question that means must be found, if not gentle, then
by compulsion, to fill up the ranks of the service, so
that the war might be carried on with vigour. The noble
lord then replied to some other points touched on by Lord
Ellenborough, and concluded by moving the second
reading of the bill, with the insertion of the limitation
proposed.—Lord MALMESBURY complained that the
militia regiments had been completely disorganised by the
sergeants of the line who had been sent to enlist militia–
men 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 militia as a body had not been fairly
treated.—Lord GREY quite agreed with Lord Malmesbury
in thinking that the departure from the original understanding
had had a very prejudicial effect on the militia.
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. With
regard to what he could not help calling the wild and
extravagant suggestions of Lord Ellenborough with
regard to a campaign in Asia, he was glad to find Lord
Panmure 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 divisions, had ruined
their country.—After some further discussion, in which
Lords Harrowby, Fitzwilliam, Granville, Colchester,