The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-11-08 00:00:00

BANQUET TO SIR EVELYN WOOD.
In London, on Saturday, the Bar of England entertained
Brigadier• General Sir Evelyn Wood, V.C. KGB., banister-
at-law, at a dinner LA the ancient hall of ale Middle Temple,
Which was placed at their disposal for the occasion by the
Ranchers of 0.74 Inn. Sir Evelyn Wood having distinguished
Li:dm"ll In both the naval and the military services of the
.7Ujtr
blood the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple
. 1870, and was called to the Bar in Easter Term,
,'.44,shortly after his return from the Ishantee war. From the
tails oak roof, which is black with age, hung the old colours
Of the Inns of Court Volunteers, which were presented to the
OcrPe in 1804 by the then Prince of Wales, and in the centre
Of the floor were displayed the fine collection of antique
plate which is the property of the Inn, the long tables
rtmning length Wise along the hall being decorated with a
profusion of fruit and Sowers. The gallery, wbich is supported
OY the massive oak screen said to have been carved from
the ribs of ships of the Spanish Armada, was appropriated to
Lady Wood and her personal friends, and in this exceptional
case the usual strict monastic rules of the Inn were set
aside, and the ladies were permitted to remain throughout
the evening to witness the proceedings. Darieg the evening
the Temple choir, under the direction of Mr. Hopkins,
organist of the Temple church, sang several glees.
The chair was filled by the Attorney-General, Sir John
Rolker, who was supported by the Lord Chancellor, Lord
Heatherly, the Hon. Sir H Keppel, G C 8., Admiral of the
Fleet, Lord Chief Baron Kelly, Lord Justice James, Lord
Justice Thesiger, Vice-Chancellor Bacon, Mr. Justice
Dial:linty, Mr. Justice Lindley, Mr. Justice Denman, Mr.
:ustice Fitzgerald, and the Solicitor-General. Nine other
Members of the Bench who are engaged elsewhere on public
business sent letters expressing their regret at being unable
to attend. The attendance-list included a long array of
names eminent in the legal profession.
It is w)rthy of note that on this occasion no invitations
were issued, the Judges, the Benchers, the Queen's Counsel,
and the Bar uniting on an equal footing to do honour to
their sole guest, Sir Evelyn Wood.
Alter grace hiti been sung by the Temple choir, and the
usual loyal to,itats had been duly honoured,
e The, Attorney-General proposed the toast of" The
`l:rtoY, the Navy, and the Auxiliary Forces." In the
bourse of his speech he said :—Our Army, small
though it be, is second to none which can be produced
by the greatest and most warlike power in Europe.
Our navy is admitted on all hands to be equal to the
united navies of the world. It always used to be
thought in my youth that one Englishman wee equal
to three of any other nation. (Laughter.) Whether
that notion is exploded or not I cannot tell; but, at
all events, it still prevails in regard to the Navy,
for undoubtedly the Navy is equal to the united
navies of the world, (Cheers.) lam happy to learn
that our tars behind their gigantic structures
of iron—of which I don't much approve, I should
be very unwilling to serve in one of them (laughter)
—are just as formidable as they were in their
old three-deckers. Indeed, in modern times, our
Bailors seem to have become amphibious animals, for
they now fight quite as well on shore, and are as for-
Midable to an enemy on shore as they are afloat.
(Cheers.) Then I come to a very important branch of
the service, of which, perhaps, I ought to know more
than I do know of the two others I mean the
Auxiliary Forces, Now, I have not very often very
firm convictions about anything—(laughter)--but if
have a firm conviction, it is that, with our
Yeomanry, Militia, and Volunteers, we need have
no fear of a successful invasion of this country.
"cheers.) I know myself there is one corps ,of
Voltuateers that are almost of themselves sufficient
to give an account of any enemy who might venture
to attack us, (Laughter.) Those banners which
float above you were given, I am told, by the
Prince of Wales of that day, afterwards George IV.,
to the Inns of Court, then, as now, known as
the "Devils Own." (Laughter.) They assembled
IA Hyde-park to resist the invasion which was threat-
ened by the First Napoleon, who had then a vast army
On the heights of Boulegne, and who threatenea to
March that army in some way or another over the
"silver streak," and to conquer this country. The
Devil's Own, as I said, assembled in Hyde-park, and
When Napoleon heard of it he did not come.
(Laughter.) I believe if he had they were prepared
to march from Hyde-park to Westminster Hall and
decide the matter in an action in that legal court.
geaughter.) I beg to propose the "Health of the
°yr, the Army, and the Reserve Forces," coupling
With the toast the names of the Admiral of the Fleet,
the Hon, Sir H. Keppel, Major Borrer, 60th Rifles,
and Lieutenant-Colonel Bulwer, of the Inns of Court
Rifle Volunteers. (Cheers.)
The toast being duly honoured, Admiral Keppel
responded on behalf of the Navy, and said he was
Proud to be able to put in a prior claim on behalf of
that service to their distinguished guest, seeing that
It was in the Navy he first served his country, and
that it was in that service he received his first wound,
While earning distinction In the Crimean war.
(Cheers.)
Major Borrer, in returning thanks for the Army,
said that he was proud of his connexion with the Bar
In his capacity as Adjutant of the Inns of Court Vo-
lunteer Corps. He denied that the Army deserved
the severe criticisms that had been passed upon it of
late, and he was satisfied that as long as we had officers
like Sir E. Wood, the Army, whether composed of old
soldiers or of boys, would be ready to follow them any-
where. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Bulwer, Q.C., Lieutenant-Colonel of the Inns
.e,oleourt Rifle Corps returned thanks for the Auxiliary
'n °roes, and expressed his cordial recollection of the
numberless acts of considerate kindness which the
volunteers in former days received from Sir Evelyn
Wood, when attached to the Staff of the Generals in
command at Aldershot.
The Attorney-General then rose and said,—My
Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen,—lt is now my pleasing
duty to propose to you the toast of the evening
(cheers), a toast which I am quite sure will bereceived
With enthusiasm by everybody who is here present.
That tout is, "The Health of our gallant and die-
tinguished guest, Brigadier-General Sir E. Wood."
iFfheers.) As a rule, I imagine a retrospect of a man's
e is an occasion of much greater pain than it is of
Pleasure, (Laughter.) Generally, he who indulges in
euch a retrospect has to bewail many grievous follies,
Much time wasted, opportunities neglected, failures,
fuld bitter disappointments. I t may be that our honoured
guest, when he (tomes to review his life, may experience
sonae feelings of regret. I say it may be that he will do
13?; for who can dive into another man's heart and
discover the secrets that there lie hid? Forming, how'
the best judgment which we can from the know-
-mge of his career, we should come to the conclusion
that the feelings which a review of his past life
Would raise in the breast of Sir Evelyn Wood are feel-
filrlga of unmixed gratification. (Cheers.) Judging
_ern our knowledge of his history and his career, one
Would imagine that his life has consisted of a series of
l*lll-merited successes and of brilliant triumphs.
eCe""re.) We remember—at least, some of us remera-
erre-when, at the age of fourteen, he joined Her
'Qajesty's Navy. We remember his heroic and
Zealuable services when he was attached to the Naval
e,'Qrifeade, and especially his achievements during the
Liege of Sebastopol. (Cheers.) We remember that
°le the 18th of October, 1854, a young naval officer
lae publicly thanked by ' his commanding officer before
re", tale troops for a signal act of valour. (Cheers)
of :Pat, on the 9th of April, 185 d, on the day
the opening of the second bombardment
letgoainst the fortress which gave us to much
yeeuble, he was again thanked for a conspicuous
th ci of
bravery—(cheers)—and that it was his lot on
the memorable 18th of June, in the same year, to be
°,1117 naval officer attached to the right column
ached the Redan, and gaining the foot of. the
rampart of that most formidable fortification, carried
6,.._lcaling ladder with one arm, while his other arm
(07 Powerless by his side, shattered with grape,
ehineel.".) In 1858, not so many years ago as old ones
bfil,;4l. Sir E. Wood, then Mr. 'Wood, resigned his
le-Z;(11a in the Navy, and joined the Army, and all
de`qualid knows what has been his career since that
ra-h7e'lai
whe lay that we, his countrymen, glow with pride
am quite sure you will all agree with me
se ri We recall to ourselves his valuable and brilliant
rvervines sinoe he joined the Army. (Cheers.) We
inilleenther his services in the terrible Indian mutiny,
Ashantee war, and last, but not least, his
teat services while he was in command of what I
die tve was called the Flying Column, which never
ee_ Lir in Zululand. (Cheers.) I could, if time would
and if I had the capacity, give many details
wee'ne achievements of our honoured guest, but I
to 7 ,abstain from so doing, for it would occupy
ene eng, and most of you are constantly hearing
_""° you wauld rather hear my gallant friend'
willttighter.) Now, I may say of him that the orders
els en lie bears on his breast testify to his gallantry,
reco°ltPacit7. and to his personal valour, while the
rds of the achievements of our soldiers are full, at
z▪ ierrente they ought to be, of the recognition of his
the t' Ile fact of the matter is simply this—that in
enec.,rl th se of a very few years Sir E. Wood has become
eee most distinguished officers in Her Majesty's
r▪
oryi e.
izierrgx
the Cs,) When I tell you that, I do not
many distinguished officers that are in the
w 0 men like Lord Napier of Magdala, Sir Garnet
has gleri and a score of others. But Sir E. Wood
aim44Y 18eu himself and has reached his position not
1, on account of his personal bravery and good
uc'epo_ which sometimes may have placed a soldier
on a Pinnacle of fame, but he has become
Meelje:tf , tho most distinguished officers of Her
haa d 37 a services, because during his life he
of
.Bevoted himself heart and soul to the study
''ll profession, and to the study of every
:becoimene of knowledge which would enable him to
Lis th competent leader of men. Such an officer
kPoi tin Queen of glorious memory, whose portrait
• 1:1 gto a likeness of Queen Elizabeth) I see you
nave placed in your ancient hall this day, would if she
a
here' tio doubt have gladly seen at the. head of
a (Hear' hear.) Now, we who are as-
eerabled
s
Studie re Mud not forget that among the other
r ve yti oo as elf, fo-r"tohwhich Si E 1 W dh devoted him.
Ii s . 6 purpose and with the object which I have
itisciinktble described, has been the study of the
to e; We therefore,have,this evening
weico
soldier, b t rue and honour not only to an Illustrious
chee,a;
aud to a member of the Bar of England (loud
1411 d :111°t only to the member of the Bar of Bug-
to
a very competent lawyer, as 1 am in.
he' the learned and, I will ad., the gallant
gentlern a
during Ln who had the honour to be Sir E. Wood's coach
(oheeraae period he was reading for his examin tion
to Bay of aPnlause.) Only one more word have I
reap° Sir E. Wood before asking him to rise to
Word the toast we are about to drink, and that
testeems s 15
Evelyn
All Great Britain honours and
lai
gshed he us
ability, great Wood, because he is a man die-
for valour, because he has shown great
great Patie military capacity, and he has shown
ace
members tf
b and indomitable perseverance; hut we
Other the legal profession held him dear for an-
ee reaso
on. He has a strong claim upon our regards,
Zn. mese he is the near and much-loved relative of a man
iag° tappr.e.suelnt in this hell to-night, and who during a
legal e has been an honoured member of the
has attain:lnn (cheers), and who in that profession
c
the highest honours to which a levy
tcianiratioatt_ab and who has obtained for himself the ad.
of sibilitietZ ~01.43 whole country on account of his
and the esteem and affection of those who
m
of
account of his generous feelings and his
„„nrie f heart. (Cheers.) After your cheers I
iZ)zoNt adowd t_hat. I reefer to Lord Hatherley. (Hear,
tOti to i oi_ LI-Fy lords and gentlemen, I will only a,k
Zvelyn .16,:0dw.4tn., in drinking "The Health of Sir
and trriating wisnin.g him a long life, a happy life,
mans, m___that,
()fl during the continuance of that life,
*fad more ewe may be heaped upon those he has
r Won. (Loud cheers.
The Wad wats drunk with great enthusiasm,