The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-05-11 00:00:00

BANQUET To Tits DUKE or MALAKHOFF.

Another of those oordial rlunions which mark the real
sincerity with which the Anglo-French alliance is pre-
served in this country in all its truth and spirit took
place on Thursday evening, 'and the officers of the two
services who are members of the Army and Navy Club
entertained his Excellency the Duke of Malakhoff at •
grand banquet at the New Club-house, St. James's-
square. Nothing that could contribute to the impor-
tance of the occasion or mark the high sense which the
gallant members of the club entertained of the posi-
tion end services of their illustrious guest was neglected,
and the whole character and tone of the entertainment
was worthy both the reputation of the "Army and
Navy" and the distinguished soldier and representative
of the great Monarch in whose honour it was given.
A little before 8 o'clock his Excellency was announced,
and was immediately conducted to the library. The tables
were arranged in a circular form, going almost win-
pletely round the saloon. In the centre was the chair-
man, the gallant Sir Fenwick Williams, the seat of
honour on the right, of course, being otionpied by the
guest of the evening, and the place on his left by the
Right Hon. Sir John Pakington. Behind the chair-
mon's seat the tricolour and English ensign were
grouped together. The cloth having been withdrawn, ,
the Chairman proposed " The health of Her
Majesty." (Enthusiastic cheers.) The Chairman, in
proposing the second tout, said, it was one which he
knew would be received with all the warmth and oor-
diality of feeling which it deserved—it was "The
health of the Emperor and Empress of the French."
(Great cheering,) The Duke of Malakhoff, on rising to
acknowledge the toast, was received with tremendous
cheering. He replied in French, and said that it gave
him the greatest satiafsetion to be able to respond to the
sentiments of respect and regard with which the health
, of His Imperial Majesty and the Empress had been
hailed by the company he. had the honour then to ad.
dress. He felt flattered beyond expression by the
warmth and cordiality of feeling which that toast had
evoked. If anything could add to it, it was the fret
that the glowing eulogiutu which they had just heard had
been delivered from the mouth of no less illustrious an
officer than Sir Fenwiok Williams, the heroic) defender
of Kars. (Cheers.) The illustrious Dnke concluded by
expressing a fervent hope that the sentiments of esteem
which had been declared for the alliance of England
with France would always be preserved. (Cheers.) The
gallant Chairman afterwards proposed " Thu
health of his Excellency the Duke of Malakhoff."
The Duke of Malakhoff, on rising to acknowledge the
tout, was received with the most cordial and enthusias-
tic cheers, which lasted for several minutes. He said,
still speaking in French,—lt is with a feeling of bro-
therly pleasure that I find myself sitting among you.
It gives me deep satisfaction to see your cordial anxiety
to give me a welcome. As • soldier snore than one
among you know me; as aindiusador my prinoiples are
invariable, and as I have already had the opportunity
of explaining them it is not necessary to speak of themn
again here. But what I wish to tell you is, that I feel
• pride in finding myself again in the midst of my own-
minions in arms, and that I recall to memory our valiant
otendards, our glorious flags, the witnesses of your great
effort' as well at ours, under the shadow of which we
have conquered the peace of the world. Let us in
future know how to maintain that peace, so productive
to civilization, and so fertile, so necessary for us and for
you—that peace so indispensable for the welfare of all.
I hope that peace will be durable, for it was cemented
by generous blood—by blood shed side by side in sue-
isounng a faithful ally, but shed with equal and mutual
eagerness. It is for us, soldiers and sailors, to remem-
ber this. It is for us to propose, without hesitation,
an enthusiastic toast of lasting concord, and we who
have joined our heroic efforts together for the advan-
tage of all, who have the right to say to two great peo-
ple, "Let us know how to imitate the two fleets and the
two armies, and let our sentiments be mingled together
in one common feeling." I beg to propose "The im-
perishable union of our fleets and armies."