HC Deb 22 February 1855 vol 136 cc1731-2
MR. BERESFORD

said, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of the War Department, whether, as reports generally concur in the statement that the quality of the food supplied to the army in the East was bad and injurious, that the tents issued were inefficient for the necessary shelter of the troops from the exposure to which they were subjected, and that the hospital arrangements, especially as to the corps of ambulance and orderlies, were lamentably deficient, any suggestions were made, as they ought to have been, by the principal medical officer there, to Lord Raglan, commanding the forces, or by the Director General at home to the Secretary for War, and, if any, whether the Secretary for War will produce copies of the suggestions, with the date of their receipt, and the answers returned to them?

MR. FREDERICK PEEL,

in reply, said, that the Government were not in posses- sion of copies of any correspondence that might have passed between the principal medical officer abroad and Lord Raglan as to the imperfect provision that had been made for the army. With regard to the other part of the question, Dr. Smith informed him that he had made representations as to the importance of organising a staff of persons to attend upon the sick in hospital, and also upon the troops; but perhaps the hon. Member would not press him for the production of that correspondence till he should have had an opportunity of seeing whether it would be for the benefit of the public service to produce it.

MR. WARNER

said, he begged to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, whether the Commission proceeding to the East, in relation to the Commissariat service, was to be merely a Commission of inquiry, or whether it will have power of summary dismissal and appointment extending to all officers and appointments to which its power of inquiry extends; and, if it shall appear that the Commission will have powers of appointment and dismissal subject to any kind of restrictions, what those restrictions are?

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

said, that the Commission would have power to alter any arrangements they might think calculated to be effective, and to make reports both to the Commander of the Forces there and to the Government at home, with a view to any personal arrangement also. But they would have authority to carry into execution immediately any change or arrangements they might think essential to the public service.