Crimean texts
THE strength and command of the Persian expeditionary force, and the possibility of Russia mixing herself up in the Persian quarrel are alluded to in the letters of this month, which, for the rest, are almost exclusively concerned with questions of reductions, barracks, and fortifications, and other details of military organisation.
The strength of the Army for the year 1857-58 had been fixed at about 140,000 of all ranks, exclusive of troops for service in India, implying the concession to economical prejudice of a reduction of 7000 men. The sum provided by the Army Estimates amounted to £13,000,000.
ST. JAMES’S PALACE, December 3, 1856.
Against wintering troops at Aldershot.
The present state of the weather has again made me feel most anxious about the position of the troops at Aldershot. I confess I do not think that it is at all desirable that a large body should be there assembled during the winter, and I should greatly prefer to send them into winter-quarters by Brigades, assembling them again when the spring sets in.
There are, however, two difficulties which present themselves to me in making such an arrangement. In the first place, I do not like to disturb the new system of concentrating our troops by Brigades and in Divisions, fearing that, if ever infringed upon, it may be altogether abandoned, which I should much regret; and in the next place, I know not what you will say to the additional expense that must be incurred by the moving of the troops into winter-quarters now, and bringing them together again in a few months. If you can give me any satisfactory assurance on these two points, I should have no hesitation in writing to the Queen on the subject, but without such assurance I can hardly venture to do so.
An objection to Aldershot.
Upon making full inquiries, I am happy to find that the health of the troops has, at all events up to the present time, not suffered. But I know that the officers dislike Aldershot very much, a feeling which I believe is further shared by the men. The want of occupation during the long winter nights is the great drawback, and I should not wonder if it led to some unpleasant attacks and observations in Parliament, which it will not be very easy to meet. What Her Majesty may think about it I do not know, but I think it is a subject well worthy of our most serious attention.
ST. JAMES’S PALACE, December 12, 1856.
Suggestions as to troops being stationed at Aldershot.
As regards our conversation last night on the subject of Aldershot, what I suggest is as follows:—
1. That Aldershot should in future be occupied to the extent of the permanent barrack accommodation provided for that station.
2. That during the winter months the troops that cannot be thus accommodated be sent by Brigades, with their Brigadier and Staff, into winter-quarters in the various barracks of England.
3. That during the summer and autumn these troops be again concentrated for drill at Aldershot, the barracks they have occupied during the winter months being temporarily used for the Militia regiments that are called out for their training.
4. That advantage be taken of these periods to make the annual reliefs of regiments — those regiments going to Aldershot replacing those that have been there for the preceding winter.
5. That the same rule should to a great extent be applied to the station on the Curragh.
I think such a plan would work well. I would like much to go over some of your new barrack estimates with you before your final decision upon them, if there are any about which you are at all in doubt.
It will also be well to consider the question of hut barracks as compared to permanent ones. I do not speak of Aldershot or the Curragh, as I look upon those as exceptional stations, but I allude to Shorncliffe, Colchester, Pembroke, etc. 1
OSBORNE, December 17, 1856.
Remissness of Fortification Department.
The Queen wishes to remind Lord Panmure that we are now approaching the end of December, and that she has not yet received the report from the Fortification Department for the September quarter. She hopes that Lord Panmure will be able to stop this continued remissness of the same Department, of which she has to complain every quarter.
The Queen wishes also to hear from Lord Panmure how the preparations for giving the Guards new barracks at Chelsea are going on. The advantage which Lord Panmure described as arising from the giving up of the purchase of ground near the Thames, for which the money had been voted by Parliament, was the immediate convertibility of the Chelsea School this year to that purpose, which would give the Guards accommodation before new barracks could be built on the other site. The Queen understood that no time should be lost in the transfer and the preparation of plans. The year is now drawing to its close, and the Queen has heard no more about it. Having for years seen plans adopted for the Guards’ barracks and abandoned again for better ones, which were again abandoned in their turn, the poor troops remaining all that time in Lord Portman’s old mews, the Queen is anxious to hear from Lord Panmure on the subject.
December 19, 1856.
Lord Panmure presents his humble duty to Your Majesty, and has the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Majesty’s note of the 17th inst., which has just reached him.
Lord Panmure would have written to Your Majesty sooner, but he is only just recovering the use of his hand, and he trusts that this may plead his apology.
Reports proceedings War Committee.
Lord Palmerston promised to acquaint Your Majesty with the proceedings of the two last sittings of the War Committee, in which it was decided to confine the operations of home defences next year to Portsmouth, Plymouth, and Dover, as the main points of outlay, reserving smaller sums for some minor though important points. The Cabinet, before separating, came to the conclusion that the strength of the Army for 1857-58 should be about 140,000 of all ranks, exclusive of the troops in India. The reasons for this reduction of 7000 men are purely of a financial character, and Lord Panmure regrets to have to state to Your Majesty that the limit of the estimates under his control is confined to 13 millions, which will restrain him from undertaking much that he would readily have gone into, inasmuch as £1,200,000 is about the extent of the sum which can be devoted to both fortifications and barracks.
Prospective reduction of the Army by 7000.
By the middle of January Lord Panmure will be prepared to submit to Your Majesty a detail of the manner in which it is proposed to distribute the 13 millions. In the meantime, as soon as Your Majesty shall have signified to Lord Panmure Your Majesty’s concurrence in this prospective reduction of 7000 men, H.R.H. the Commander-in-Chief will submit to Your Majesty a scheme by which such reduction can be carried out without deranging the system of organisation or the principle of expansion, which Your Majesty has already sanctioned and appointed.
It must be borne in mind that the Army will start on the commencement of next financial year at its full establishment, and can easily be maintained at such, and will after all afford a good force for immediate service both at home and abroad.
Having stated thus much as to the future establishment of the Army, Lord Panmure has now the honour to address himself more particularly to Your Majesty’s letter. He cannot understand why the Fortification branch seems so determined to neglect its duty in delaying to furnish its last Quarterly Return, but he has addressed to Sir J. Burgoyne 2 a letter intimating Your Majesty’s surprise and dissatisfaction at its non-production. Lord Panmure has desired a circular to be sent to all Heads of Departments to be ready with their reports at the close of the year.
With respect to the barracks at Chelsea, Lord Panmure has to inform Your Majesty that the Treasury could not consent to the appropriation of the sum of £33,000, voted for the purchase of the site near the river, either to the alterations necessary at the Asylum or those at Kneller Hall. Both are included in the forthcoming estimates, and the barracks will be proceeded with immediately. The plans are nearly ready for submission to Your Majesty, and subject to the consent of Parliament, of which Lord Panmure entertains no doubt, the works will be immediately proceeded with.
Barracks at Chelsea, Portman Street, and Kensington.
The lease of Portman Street Barracks only endures for another year, and will not be required to be renewed. Lord Panmure has, however, the satisfaction of knowing that, though in an inconvenient locality, the Portman Street Barracks are even more healthy than St. John’s Wood, or any other barracks in London. Lord Panmure has the satisfaction to inform Your Majesty that the small barrack at Kensington is progressing satisfactorily. There has been, and will be, great clamour from the neighbourhood of both Kensington and Chelsea in the next session on account of these works, but it must be faced resolutely.
Lord Panmure begs to apologise to Your Majesty for such indifferent writing, but the weakness in his hand will let him do no better.
WINDSOR CASTLE, December 24, 1856.
Against reduction of Army as proposed by Cabinet.
The Queen has received Lord Panmure’s letter of the 19th. She is very sorry to hear that the Cabinet think it their duty to advise a reduction of the Army of 7000 men, as the state of our relations with many countries, the general state of Europe, and our war with Persia, which it will be quite impossible to carry to a successful issue with the miserably small force which has been allotted to it (5000 men), hardly appear to justify such a measure. If upon financial grounds, however, the Cabinet should find it impossible to propose an alternative, the Queen will sanction the reduction. She sees that Lord Panmure counts men of all ranks in his communication; in all official documents, the Queen thinks the established rule of counting only rank and file ought to be adhered to, as having been found practically to give a more correct appreciation of the disposable force. Thirteen millions is a very respectable War Budget, however, and ought to give us the proper means of defence if properly distributed and applied. The Queen looks forward with anxiety to Lord Panmure’s plan.
She is glad to hear that the plans for Chelsea and Kneller Hall are progressing.
Fortification Report.
The only explanation the Queen wishes to have on the Fortification Report is about the ‘Purchase of land for Rowner Fort and to connect Gomer, Rowner, and Elson.’ Against that is written: ‘In the hands of the Solicitor of the War Department.’ Now, this may mean that the purchases are completed and that the money voted can be paid within the quarter, or, that the money will again be lost and the Solicitor keep the business in his hands for years. As it is most important that so large an item as £100,000 should be taken out of next year’s funds, the Queen is anxious to know what progress the Solicitor has made, and what hope he sees of concluding his business within the financial year.
‘Lawyers like delay.’
Under the Defence Act there ought to be no difficulty in it, but lawyers like delay.
WINDSOR CASTLE, December 25, 1856.
New candidates for the Bath.
The Queen was very much surprised to receive for signature a new list of Crosses of the Bath without her pleasure having been taken upon the subject, or its having been previously mentioned to her in any way that there was an intention to extend the rewards still further. With regard to the Queen’s own officers and the French, this is most likely an addition found necessary on further examination of the lists; but with regard to the Turks, it introduces an entirely new subject, which will require very mature consideration. . . .
The Queen trusts that Lord Panmure has been cautious not to communicate with these officers beforehand. She has signed the four lists and retained that of the Turks.
ST. JAMES’S PALACE, December 27, 1856.
Apprehensions in regard to the expedition to Persia.
I have received your confidential note of the 24th instant, and I confess that the contents of it have made me feel more than ever anxious about the expedition to Persia.
From the first I was afraid that it was a much larger undertaking than we bargained for, and that the force employed was not nearly sufficient for what was required, if the whole thing were to be more than a mere demonstration. I very much fear that, having gone as far as we now have, it will be impossible to draw back without loss of prestige and honour, and so it is as well to be prepared for all contingencies, and I am obliged to you for the early warning you have given me on the subject, even though the whole thing may come to nothing. I shall take care to keep the matter as secret as possible, by not saying a word to anybody till I hear something positive from you. I very much fear that you will find Russia mixing herself up in the quarrel . . . and in that case we shall be in for another great war, an event much to be deplored. Is it prudent, with this staring us in the face, to go on with our reductions of 7000 men? I hardly think so, and I would suggest to you the propriety of staying this measure till we can see a little more clearly into the future.
As to the force to he employed and its Commander.
As regards the force to be employed, 10,000 men is not in any respect too large a number of troops, and I will take care to have them in hand. I apprehend that the four regiments of Infantry destined for India may form a portion of this force, as well as the two regiments of Cavalry intended for India next year, as a relief for the 9th and 14th Dragoons. I quite agree with you as to the propriety of sending some batteries of Artillery, as well as a troop of Horse Artillery. There is nothing like sending a complete force from this country if it is to act with effect. As regards the command of these troops, I cannot help thinking that Sir Colin Campbell would be the best man to send in charge of them, and he would be assisted by several Brigadiers, to be selected hereafter according to the numbers that are to go. . . .
December 29, 1856.
Lord Panmure presents his humble duty to Your Majesty, and has the honour to acknowledge Your Majesty’s two notes of the 24th and 25th instant.
In reference to the first of these, Lord Panmure regrets the necessity for the reduction of 7000 men from the ranks of the Army, but trusts, as the reduction will not take place till the close of the financial year, that our relations with foreign countries may be on a more satisfactory basis. If operations are to be carried on in the interior of Persia, Lord Panmure quite concurs with Your Majesty that the force at present engaged is far below what is necessary for the maintenance of our honour and prestige, and he is glad to see that Lord Canning 3 is duly impressed with the same views.
The reason why, in giving Your Majesty a review of the strength of the Army, Lord Panmure mixed all ranks is that it represents the Vote submitted to Parliament and inserted in the Mutiny Act.
£13,000,000 for defending the country and maintaining the Army.
As soon as the various demands for Military Services for the ensuing year are put in order, Lord Panmure will transmit a fair detailed copy to Your Majesty, which will exhibit the proposed allocation of the sum of £13,000,000, given for the purposes of maintaining the Army and defending the country.
The Vote of £100,000 for the purchase of land to form the advanced lines and defences at Gosport will be all expended before the close of the financial year, with the exception of £30,000, for which provision will have to be made next year if it cannot be settled in time. 4
With reference to Your Majesty’s note of the 25th inst., Lord Panmure has the honour to represent to Your Majesty that the lists of the Bath were submitted for Your Majesty’s approval preparatory to Warrants being prepared or any official step taken in regard to them. The honours conferred upon Your Majesty’s own officers and the French is nothing more than the final completion of the rewards in this branch, earned by the war, and contemplated in the exchange of honours with the French.
To the Turks no communication will be made until Your Majesty’s pleasure is known. This list has been pressed upon Lord Clarendon by Sir W. Williams, and Lord Panmure will immediately communicate to Lord Clarendon Your Majesty’s doubts upon the subject.