The Press.
London, England, 1853-11-19 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

FAREWELL. BANQUET TO LORI)
E LP II IN STON E.
Tim approaching departure of the new Governor of
Bombay was signalised by a complimentary banquet
given to Lord Elphinstone, according to the prece-
dent established with regard to his predeceasors, by
the East India Company. On Satuniay last this
feast wax spread at the London Tavern, and was
characterised by more than all the magnificence for
which that establishment is famous. The dinner
displayed an unusually lavish array of delicacies,
wines, Szo.; and among the less evanescent con-
comitants of the banquet was a g rgeous show of
plate, furnished forth from the glitte►ing trophies
which had accumulated for generations past in Lead-
enhall-street. Mr. Russell Ellice, Chairman of the
Board of Directors, wax the ex-officio president of
the day, and among the guests were most of the
Cabinet Ministers, a large section of the India Board,
together with the Lord Mayor and a number of City
magnates. After dinner Lord Elphiustnne's health
WAS first proposed. his lordship, said Mr. Ellice,
was not an untried man. lie had given great satis-
faction to the directors as tiovennor of Madras, and
they felt accordingly at once safe and pleased to
concur, by a unanimous vote, in his appointment to
the more important governorship of Bombay.

Lord ELPIIINSTONE acknowledged the compliment,
under a full sense of the arduous duties which he had
now undertaken. His previous experience had taught
him justly to estimate the immense responsibilities
devolving upon the post which bad been assigned
him. Hut he felt reassured when recollecting " the
assistance and support he had received both from the
directors of the company and their servants in India,
without whose assistance ho felt he should never
have been equal to the situation "
" It WAY (he Mani 111 l ell ) the peculiar good fortune of the
Indian iiovernment to possess a body of MerViiithl, both in
the civil and military departments, which he believed to
Ise altogether unequalled Mr their zeal and ability—men of
tried experienoe, who had been educated and bootight up
in the service of the company ; and, with their assistance,
he did net despair of seeomplishing the objects fur which
he had been sent out. (Applutme.) It was unnecessary
for him to dwell to env length on what he conceived were
the ditties of an Wallin governr. He would only say
thin the principal objects which he proposed to himself in
Iris government were three—tio'xi, to develop the resources
of the country ; second, to promote the sontoland monistical
secular education of the natives—(applause)—and third,
to advimee and 'women., as opportunities might oiler,
these natives who might (totality themselves for situations
of trust in the twiddle service. (Great uppleure.) In all
thew• objects he relied with perfect confidence the coun-
tenance and support of the ('unit of I drecturs."
Sir JAMES (NAIRN afterwanls, responding on be-
half of the navy, eulogised the performances of
several naval officers who, while serving the corn-
putty directly, haul accomplished feats glorious and
advantageous to the country at. large. Ile also com-
plimented the East India Company upon their public
services in another point of view, remarking that
their Oriental possessions " yielded Koine of the
finest timber of which the ships of the navy were
constructed ; and from their arsenals had been sent
Girth some of the strongest and best men-of-war in
her Majesty's fleet."
Lord HAnDINOE having returned thanks for "The
Army," in a speech comprising a condensed eulogy
of the achievements performed by the Indian branch
of the land service,
Earl GRANVILLE replied to the toast of "Her Ma-
jesty's Ministers ":
" Ile would state that the I ;overnment, afterlong, carefUL
and anxious delibenition. NMI resolved to take that course
which appeoultil to them best adapted to promote the wel-
fare of the natives of Indio, with t showing favour either
to one side or another et home ; and he could assure the
meeting that he and all hie colleagues sppreeisied the
straightforward and singleminded manner in which the
East India Company had met their endeavours so to act.
And in future he was sure the East India Company would
thol that her Majesty's tioventment would always be ready
to co-operate with them In every measure calculated to
promote the welfare of the inhabitants of India. (.4,l•Nere.)
Ile should not do justice to the feelings of her Majesty's
Ministers if lie did not express on their port the gratifies-
thin which they felt at the appointment of his noble friend
Lord Elphitistone, which appointment had also met the
approbation of such a high authority as hoed Ilardinge.
(.4pjobruse.)"
Sir Charles Wood's health was then proposed as
President of the Board of ('ontrol—all of whose
measures, said Mr. Ellice, speaking in time name
of his company, "it would be impossible they could
affirm. But tile), always felt satisfied of the honour
able purpose and high motives which actuated them
on all oecasione."
Responding to the toast, Sir C. Woon expressed his
pleasure at finding, by the test of experience, that,
whatever changes were made or contemplated in the
organisation of the Board of Directors, there was
none perceptible in the magnificence of their hospi-
tality. lie proceeded with some allusions to the
India Hill passed in the late aeration by the lie-
wrnment

SATURDAY,

" time changes bad taken place in the government of
India both at home and abroad. lie entild rotprime
that all the propositions he had made should have met the
cordial approbation of all whom hr had now the honour t..
address ; but atlas he could assure them, that in all he had
proputted lie was actuated by the belief that they would vim-
duce to the good go veniment of India. In spite of much
opposif , and of numerous attacks, they had sueeeeded
in preserving entire the home tiovenonent of India, and
the independence of the Court of 1 iirectors. They had
been told that constant altercations and differences of
opinion were going on between the Government awl the
Court of Directors ; but he had early expressed his opinion
that the two bodies would eordiallr co-operate together iu
all th 41140 great purposes for which they were called upon to
act together ; and he was bound now to declare that the
result had fulfilled more than his expectations. lie bud,
both from the late and the present chairman of the cum-
pany, without the slightest exception, rereivesl the most
cordial and undeviating support. (Appiusse.) "
After eitioi.lising the prudence and judgment
evinced by the Hoard of Directors in selecting Lord
Elphinstone to the onerous duties now assigned to
him, Sir C. Wood added :
- -

"The eyes of the people of Englund were more fixed upon
India than they had ever before been, on account of the in•
ereakied facilities of intereoune, and the greater informa-
tion that and consequently dittinted with respect to it. His
noble friend had a dillieult task to diseluirge ; but he be.
neve(' he Wait fully equal to it; if he had not, he would
never have given hie own consent, or the directom theirs, to
Lie being placed in that battalion."

The Marquis of LiNsoowNE proposed a return
toast in honour of the Chairman of the East ludia
Company. In the charactor both of a Cabinet Mi-
nister and an experienced member of the House of
Peers, th►e noble marquis referred to the " long in-
tercourse " he had enjoyed with► the company, and
►u'knowledged " the advantage of having the affairs of
the company in the hands of the directors and their
chairman. Both houses he was sure would recog-
nise the merit, the skill, and the judgment with
which they had administered the affairs of India."
With toasts for the " Civil Service" and the " Indian
Army," to the latter of which Sir 0. Pollock responded,
the festivity terminated.

The Indian journals received by the last mail re-
port a melancholy occurrence which has caused
much sensation throughout the Bombay Presidency.
Mr. A Malet, chief secretary to the Government, with
his wife and infant child, left Bombay on the lith of
October in the steamer Achilles, on their way to the
Hills, he having been directed to proceed thither as
secretary in attendance on the Governor. When off
Bankote the entire family left the steamer, and pro-
ceeded in a bunder-boat for the mouth of the river,
up which they were to ascend to a place called Mhar.
There are two entrances to this river, into one of
which boats cannot get unless at the highest spring
tides—the other is accessible at all times with perfect
safety. It being dark the boatmen took the wrong
channel, the boat struck on the bar, and immediately
sunk. Mrs. Malet, her infant child, the ayah, and
nearly every soul on boord, including all the house-
hold servants, were drowned. Mr. Malet reached the
shore clinging to a spar, and the lifeless body of his
ill-fated wife was brought to land by a few boatmen :
the body of the infant and those of the other persons
drowned have never been recovered,