The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1866-10-27 00:00:00

THE BANQUET TO THE VOLUNTEERS-

AT BRUSSELS.

Th. following is an interesting account a the grand
buionet given to the Volunteers by the King of the
Baltriaus' which is furnished by the correspondent of the
London Standard, writing from Brussels, last Satur-
day night :

„
Meny as have l•pen the fascinating and Interesting scenes
ronstected with the visit of the English and other riflemen
to Restores, undoubtedly the grandest and most rnagntheeut
grectsas of all was the den tilter of the King on Saturday.
It wm the crowning of a grand edifice of hospitality, Dater-
:destine, and international courtesy, which, if ever equalled,
hies certainly never been surnamed. It is difficult to let
I^, min 1 iwell on what the eye ha. just seen, on the
eimple beauty of that fairy-like banquet-hall, of the distill-
Bundled errors therein, arid on the unanimous and heart-
proceeding enthusiasm, and not feel, deeply feel, that .tich
a spectacle can marcely occur more than mice In a life.
The latter° at Brussels is at present guder repair , and
Indeed if it were soherwhe I scarcely suppose any unite of
rooms in the building would be sidted for a sitting enter-
tainment to so great a number of gm ate. The mcii Palace ,
was at first thought of, but it was altogether too small
A tow birthing at th eat rep,l or general receiving stores
of the goods Coming from the northern anti southern
railway., and liable to Import duties, has meetly
been completed, and the taunts are excellently proportiolied
ant of Immense extent. The happy thought occurred to
some one that here was the very place for the exercise of the
king's unblinded hospitality. Pet who that saw these
break, uurlnfehed, and unfurnished sters-roorus but three
eays ego could think it possible foe the art and taste of man
I” take the fairy scene of beauty which enchanted our eyea
to.day. There is no sae in lingerieg outside. it Is in the
lower part of the city. In that quarter which may be celled
the port. The canal harbour is crowded with barges' and
small ships, and to-day from every mast, as well as from
the surrounding windows anti buildings, the national Belgian
Pio was Boating luterspersed occaaitoally with the English,
Fr, Leh, and Dutch melons in the most complimentary post-'
the., A temporary perch is erected at the entrance and you
titter a long lofty hall, with the sparkling waters of a foun-
tain cpposite yon, end coming down with patter n 8 noise on
the bread green leaves of innumerable eastern plant, at its
haste the right was one of the finest tableaux of anus,
ranged against and veer the wall, I have ever teen ; stars
of carbines and bayonets ; muskets rising from the ground
with soldiers' traps of every conceivable shape mou.nted en
the glittering tops of the fixed bayonets. It was, Indeed,
a *2,4w, vivant, for soldiers of various arms of 'the
service were detached diversely within the grouped
arms. A Tauter, with hia long weapon 111 hand, stood im•
movable within the green leaves and the glittering arms.
Near sae a grenadier, rigid as death, with his enormous
bearskin ban. An artilleryman or a green-coated dragoon
tithe Guidee mieht lee seen in another part of the trophy,
so still that little heys would gladly feel him to see It he
lived. Wigh slave the main trophy was a marble bust of his
Malesty the King, from the back of which a dim, ple*ant
light afterward, gleamed, making the Monarch's Insa* to
seem to recline against a theerful sun. Nearly oppollie th.,
main trophy, at-ove the door of entrance to the grand saloon, A
was another trophy with its small beam gun, and gunner,
with rummer is hand, etandhig motionless at its side. It
heel an exmilent effect. Banner., mostly bearing the Belgian
Lion, were suspended trim the ceiling, and everywhere there
were vast masses of verdure, the plunder probably of hall-
s-dozen luxuriant greenhowesa From this outs r hall, which
might be called the reception-room, and oil whish was a
dreeslngsroom for the tints, the ascent was by a low flight
of steps, flanked by sculptured lions, to the banquet hall.
It required eorne time to gather within the scope of the mind
this east saloon, which with ease accommodated over twelve
or thirteen hundred guests. The decoratione were simple, but
perfect, and there was nothing the eye could deal's except
what, considering that all preparation has been made in only
three days, was an Imposaibility-1 mean • gallery for teepee.
What scene, what banquet is ever perfect without the happy
presence of the graceful sex But tithe fairest creaturts of
the world were absent, there was in abundance those natural
heauties which, teat to those I have mentioned, most de-
light the eye. Verdure was everywhere, and intermingled
lowers ahundantly gave gay relief to this fresh deep green.
From the ceiling, by ivy-covered cords, were suspended at
intervals drooping pendants of flowering plants. Bp and
down opposite the King's seat at the Royal table were
haegleg 'rota the ceiling, attached to gilded poles, great
tapestried leaner,, with the Belgian Lion, the Leopardi of
England or the Cross of Switzerland; and escutcheons were
painted in fresco on the piers of the wall, two on the right,
with the nnfted aems of Belgium and England and Belgium
sod Holland, and two on the left, with the combined armaof
Belgium and France and Belgium and Switzerland. A long
table was laid parallel and near to the entrance door, this
door being screened ty large cloth curtains, and It was just
opposite this plas, with his back to the curtains, that the
Royal hest nat. At right angles to this table ran up six or
seven ether., all spread with the rarest fruits tu ornamented
high diattes the dejetiner was ala INR, and having their
snow,' napkins and ahoumling plate reflected in halta-dozen
n agnincent mirrors framed to the rarest exotic plants . . .
The passage to the banquet hall was thickly carpeted, and
that a magnificent carpet was also spread 1111t1:r all the long
table at which his Majesty and the principal guest. dined I
The arrangement was that all should be seated precisely at
▪ e ofeleck, and before the King entered the room. From
shortly after twelve groups of distinguished persons began
to gather in the ante.room. There were generals, ministers
of state, msmben of the actual cabinet, the prestdenta of
the leg'elative bodies, the hurgomaatere of provincial towns,
dial/vs-ebbed members of the Belgian press, and others. I
saw two gentlemen In the noiform of English general officers
tithe line, and there were alto two or three gentlemen in
the uniform of our deputy lieutenants. Shortly after twelve
the Eugllsh volunteers mustered in the I'lace dual mesa and,
under command of Colonel Loyd Lindsay, marched down
to the entrepet. The French had come earlier, and had al-
ready seated themselves comfortably at one of the tables
fronting the King. The Dutch contingent also made
an early appeaeance. If the English were a little
late it sely gave them an opportunity of showing
the rapidity and silence with Which, in a minute
or two, without the least confusion they variously
ra mid themselves at these Immense tables. For the
s ',teary gussets there was no special arrangement of places.
But at every cover on the King', table the name of the
sitter was placed on the napkin. At the other tables, in ,
easy view i f reserved places were kept at which foreign ;
field officers were afterwards seated. lte editor of the
Belgian Mlni too was present In otficLil uniform. Opposite ,
Inin was M. Berardi, director of the I ial,pendanee. Other ,
gentle-matt of the Belgian press were also accommodated • ;
with plan.. M. Couvrent, the representative of Brussels, ;
and a large number of other representatives, were also I
present. and amongst the ministers of state I saw conve, ;
nog with the L .rd Mamie hi. D'lloffemide Minister of ,
Soda and senator, the former respected 31loister for Foreign ,
Affairs. All are it a• duly mated, and the variety of uniforms
of ell nations DB, cted In the surrounding minors was a
Granular and wonderfully picturesque eight. But the loud .
talking is euddenly hushed ; energetic calls for silence at ,
Ise produce aims.* a perfect .tilltless the sound of distant ,
ann. 94..0011 heossily eh the ear: the strains of outer music ,
can be faintly recognised as the Brabauvonne ; cheers come ,
In upon us through the doorway, showing those outside ;
are as noisy as we are silent r by a sort of common impulse
we all rise suddenly to our feet, and you could hear a pin
fall as a gentleman hill of gold lace and orders, drawing the ,
Mood curtain aside, calls out "The King!" and his
Majesty, bareteed. el, enters, makes a low bow, and
gracefully takes Ida neat as host of this party of 1,200 guests ;
A ringing cheera-we can no longer to silent--grrets his ,
Majesty, and then we proceed to businees. The de je'llne
was an excellent one, and as some of our I.dy readers might
wish to know the steno I give It for their henefle a true copy
from one of those magnificent, elaborately-designed cards
which lay before every plate. Merin du dejeuner donne par
le Rot auto Tire urs Esrangers :—Bouchees Isabelle an funnel;
Filet de tonal Perigneux ; Chapons du Mans a la Raise
Tete de yeas en torrue : Aspic de filet de turbot bellevue :
Galantine de panlante nun troffes Chevreull de sauce
polvrado; Pate de gisier a Is gelee: Erevisses de Meuse;
Celerie a la Motile; Padding a la Ronde : Pieces
monteese, Maces, envois, Dessert, Frill. The banquet
was ex:silently terved anti the wines most abounding.
leo King wore the uniform of a lieutenant general of his
army, with the band and ribbon of the Order of Leopold.
About the noddle of the banquet the Reunion Lyrlque, under
the able leaders:di) of NI !slather, sang some choruses at the
and of tlee room In wonderfully halmonius accord. It was
at the dessert that the King first rose, lie was remtived with
repeated acclamations, and it was with SUMO difficulty
Gloom was read-red, when we could hear Ilion saying ;
translate all the speeches delivered In French,

I dttok to the monarchs of other coutitries ; to a cons
tfourinct of the spirit of irderhational union which has cha-
racterised cur pee ; I drink to the august sovereigns who
are to-day reprsseuted smcngst or"

Cheers, rep,a.ed again and again, followed this tout,
which the King, standing up, gave with emphasis. Colonel
Loyd Lindaay next rose, and addressed his Majesty and the
company all follows, in English:—

May It please neaT Malesty,—We have received the hos-
pitality of this generous people to the utmost, day after day
and night after night We have bees treated with kindness,
affection, and friendship, and now the time is come when we
are anent to part. Our arrival was welcomed with acclama-
ti.ms of joy and hope, which the cheer, denoted, and which
excited etch ipirli in our heart.. And DOW we hope that
ties,' feelings may be tempered with some of the more sober
thoughts of regret which always attend the separation of
friends We have accepted your proferred hospitality in the
same cordial spirit in which it was tendered—in the spirit of
goodwill and full confidence, which we fully believe will
lead to good understanding and mutual improvement, to
WON coma knowledge of our own defects and of each of
our neighbours' good qualities. The result of this must be
an increase of gootixtill amongst men and peace between
the ration, of the earth. Daring the past week we, volun-
teer., have been taking a lesson—not from books or news-
papas,but from a nation Itself: from a people into whose
seep h arts and thoughts we have been allowed to look. We
have read in then hearts that which Eugland most admires
—love of country, respect for their own nationality, and
determination to maintain it of themselvea lii, not moun-
tain parses or mighty fortifications which secure the indepen-
dence of • people. It is respect for their institution, and
love of their Itnertign. I now come to the toast which it Ls
my privilege to give. It la 'The Health of the Sovereign of
this generous people.' We remember the illustrious father
ed Our host, the founder id the monarchy of this country.
Be was the relative and friend of oil, late lamented Prince
Albert SIDI of nor beloved Queen. Ilia son, our hod, unites
the is ledom of hi• father with an energy and • kindness of
heart which belong to himself. Emperors and Kings have
insegorated international exhibitions of industry. It re-
trained for Leopold IL to inaugurate an international
exhibition of iriendship, a friendship which may well make
natii.ns and then rulers rejoice, for it augurs well for the
future history of the world. Gentlemen, we have all been
ambast adore of peace, and, as such, have been acting apart
In the history of the world, and advancing the feeling of
goodwill Nutmeat men and hatiene."
C.ilonel Lindsay f p-ilec the aeon in Efnellsh, amid re-
peated ebeen, soil closed hit speech in French to the fol-
lowing purpose
"hip fle lean friends, ill have spoken to you in a foreign
language ills because I hope that our words will one day be
replaced by acts. Tour frtendship Is a treasure which In-
MINA by hion. I drink to this international triettlehip,
and I pray God to give you grace to sustain your noble King,
that he any long continue to be the father of his country.'
Sean, In Enzlfsh, fun loud voice, the Colonel addressed
the vOlnoteers:—
- -

" Zyphh Volunteers, I C4lll upon you to give three genuine
'good cheers for the King of the Belfdans."
That was the most exciting moment of the day. Up Spt.l.llf(
' the men in g, en, and drab, and blue. The shouting was
pomettdo unprecedenttd and those In the more gloomy and
distest t Of the room, pre !ably thinking their cheers
might not e heal .1, wave I white handkerchnls violently.
glitela rep la of expressing favour, usually confined to the
.rither sex, setmel to be c itehinin for btutilreda of hautiker-
- 'Weis were frantically waved in all parts. As the enthusisarn
in ended In o,eor after cheer the ground could no ImAer
bold those excited rind's. Almost every loan was on a
hermit or. chair, and It was • strange sight tine, the cool,
tuor welly gentlemanly fiwition of the upstanding
Meg, an thal mitts sincere pleasure, and probably also a
ildtig.sinpristpi at these wilt hurrahs. When silence was at
• liaetrpOorsd, the K jug lemcdtalhly said, with great feeliag
o Nommen of-the Volunteers—l thank you for the kind
' way in which yow have received the toast which has just been
drunk, and I (tank any friend Colonel Lindsey ;kr the very
hamisoine Manner In whit I he has proposed my health, and
for the great spool feeling he has maidterted toward, my
countrymen rtd weal. You have indeed randved the men-
tion of my name with a heartiness which I shall never for-
get The kindness of the reception you gave the Belgian
volunteers inisty,ett Wimbledon naturally inspired us with
• the wish to male. some return for the kindness yon then
.1' whew,/ them. Brusrels cannot I ff.r to visitors the name
,steractionnas your OWN capital ; but a friendly people has
y' fl with the oiliest.' cordiality, and with that
profound totem which your devotion to your own country
given CU a cialen'to expect frost every other. It is with
' great satisficdon I ohs. rve that no large a body of British
' volunteer has crossed tlus sea to fraternhe with their
French, Dutch, and Belgian convertor I bid you all a
hearty we come, and au glad to have this opportunity of
drinking to the health of tt. British volunteers, for whom
entertain the very highest admiration. '
You may easily imagine the applause with which this
admirable "patch was received, especially when I add that
It was spoken most fluently and with roarkeit emphasis In
excellent Engliah. After a pause, Al. lieherpe, the French
commandants rose anti maid.—

. -
"Gentlemen,-1 drink to the health of the gracious Con-
sort of the Monarch whom the French nation is happy to
cdtwit smanspit Its friends. Will hie Majesty pardon my
pieguagliuti-U4 sr 44 is • 4mtv 'k7 04 4y407 miti ci

soodness as well as. by lailesnk ? 'To theAsiel.orthe—
lielglana.'"
The shouts ot " {rive la Reim. !" and the cheer' Were tre-
mendous. The King returned thanks
I em ii•ppy to see the French fraternising with us In
these it t.c of my national independence. We hove not for-
gotten how much we owe that Independence to your great
and generous country, and we never will forget It (great
cheers!. The reciprocal sympathy of the two people answer'
to my most cherished doldrums, and the reception you have
received proves that my sentiments are shared by all liel•
glans. I drink To the French people; to the whole of 1
Franco!'"

ajor Meader afterwards proposed The Death of the
Prince Royal" In an excellent speech. I should have said
Major Meeder Is the Dutch commandant. The King res-
ponded gracefully and. briefly, and shortly after, bowing low
to She company, he retired. The voinpreers, who, contrary to
NI our expectations, MEI remahred -in large, numbers Lu
liffilsaels, were marched back, to the number of about 800.
The following Is the official list of the prizes, with the
names- of tkeir winners:—

- -
I. Colour Serjeant Curtis, 11th Sussex (winner of the
King's prize), 35: 2. Serjeant Hooper, Queen's (Westminster
(Irma, of the Queen's prize), 35 3, Nilsson, 4th Kent
Tenet de Elandres' prize), 35; 4. Ensign Stark'., Queen's
westmlneter) (Duke de Brabant'. prize), 35: 5. Ferrer, Br 4
west York, 35 6. Kirk, let East Vqyk, 35;( 7. Peake, 6th
Lancashire, 35; 8. ClAbbs, 12th Gloncestes, 35; 9. Foster,
Queen's (Westminster), Si, 1 Muraitt, Qtteen's (Westralti.
Bier*, '33 1). Syme. let Lenart, 33; 12. lnnlgn Black,
Queen's (Westminster) 33 ; 13. Marsh, Ist Norfolk, 33 14.
Haigh. lit East York, 33; 15 Lieut. Marriner, West Middle-
sex, 33; 16. Corporal Leete, Queen's (Westminster),
33 17. tier:leant Gould, 37th (Bloomsbury), 33 ; 18. Sprott,
32; 10. purchase, nt 20. Whitehead, 31, 21. Captain Hops
kin., 41st Middlesex, 31 ; 22. Cooper, 31 23 Barrows:l3lth,
31 24. tiharman, II ; 25, MontgOmery, 31; 26. Harms, 81;
27 Shaw, 30; 28. Cartes, 30; 20. Edmonds, 30: 30, Hodg-
Masan, 30: 31. Berry, 29th (North) Middlesex, 30; 32, Rus-
sell, 30. The following have also scored 30 points :—Ma-
crosidc, Hewett, and Greenwall. _

The competition reserved for the Belgiansat long distances
war:—

I. 1. Flewlit, Schanbeck, 38 points L Collette, Liege,
31 : 3 A. Andre, Charleroi, 31; 4. F 301120, Liege, 30; 5. J.
Jacques, Mons. 29 : 6. Edward Seers, Bruxelles, 26; 7. A.
Coadm, Charleroi, 26: IL Paul Bares% Brunelle% 27. These
lista were signed by She secretary of the commission.

The Times' coerespondent, speaking of the banquet,
says :

The banquet Continues to be the theme of conversation,
and large numbers are visiting the Pavilion toe.. the deco-
rations which yet remain in their places. It is not a little
remarkable that from the commencement of the feast to the
close no guest had to ask for anything. There were no
fewer than 200 servants in attendance, and every want of
any of the company IVY anticipated by them with an Intel-
ligent readiness. The number of plates used on the occasion
was 20,000 there were 15,000 seine glasses and 0,000 dishes
on the table, and yet everything was served with as
little confusion as if the party was • small one in
• gentleman's house. The King of the 11eIghuse in
said to he nervous about his English ; but he has no
oceaalon to be no. On Saturday he spoke his English speech
admirably. There wee no undue emphasis, and Ms% a slight
foreign pronunciation. His French speeches are spoken
with much fluency ; but, whatever the language In which
be may be speaking, there 11 • tone of earnestness ill his
words which conveys to the hearer the impression that the
King la saying what he really believes. The officer who
commands the French National Guard, Colonel Deherpe, Is
a good and ready speaker; but the most eloquent of the
foreign riflemen is Major Meder, the commanding officer of
the Dutch, who uses French, English, and Flemish with
nearly equal facility.

On Sunday afternoon the prizes for the shooting at the
long range, forty in number, were distributed at the Tir.
All these prizes were handsome, while many of them were
exceedingly beautiful, and of very considerable value. Among
them were silver cup• richly gilt, crystal vases with silver
Mandl, a very large and splendid silver medal, gilt and silver
forks and spoons. There wax not very much state or form in
the ceremony of presentation; but, though it wan oonducted in
a business form, scenic effect was not disregarded. The prizes
were ranged along • table covered with a bright cloth, and
placed under the President's canopy. That gentleman was
present, surrounded by the members of the Foreign
men's Reception Committee and the principal ofilcers of the
Garde Civique . and an the primmen came up to receive their
regards they were loudly cheered by their comrades and by
the large crowd assembled in the building. Alter the dis-
tribution the Volunteer, were received by the committee
of the Exhibition of Modern Painting and Sculpture now
open here, and conducted round the various 1.001111.

The following is from the correspondent of the
Dad y Nom writing from Brussels, on Tuesday morn-
ing, and which describes the termination of the visit
of the volunteers to Belgium :

The large balk of the Critish volunteers have departed,
and with the exception here and there of a few well-flown
uniforms of our citizen soldier', and the Belgian colours
which still decorate the principal thoroughfare', there is but
little left to remind one of the display" with which this
capital has abounded during the pt fortnight colonel
Loyd Lindsay yesterday issued his final general order, it is
aa folloa

" Bead-quarters, Illusseh, October 22, 1806 —Lieutenant-
Colonel Loyd Lindsay, in concluding his der as com-
mandant of the detachment of volunteers in Belgium, has
to thank all ranks with whom he had the hon-or to act for
the generous asaistance they have on all occasions given
him In maintaining the credit and good name of the English
volunteers in this foreign land. Within a period of twelve
hours, eleven hundred soon, drawn from almost every c wigs
In the kingdom, were assembled in Brussels, and were lin•
zrediately called up In to take part in parades and reviews
prepared for their reception. That they were enabled to
do this with credit to themselves is doe to their apprecbs-
lion of the normally of discipline, and the readiness with
which they attewie Ito all orders and regulations which
were issued for their guidance.
"The visit of this large body of British volurdeers to Bel-
gian soil is an epoch in the history of our volunteers, and
cannot fall to be remembered with pleasure and satisfaction
by all. The gratifying proofs of Belgian kindness, hospi-
tality and goodwill, accorded at our arrival, have been en-
hanced by the general asattrance at our departure of their
appreciation of our good behaviour. That all ranks here
present have contributed towards the good understanding
and mutual respect which have sprung up between the
volunteers of England and the people of Belgium is a matter
of congratulation not only to one thonsand v clunteers here
present, but to the one hundred and eighty thoosaud, vow,
teem whom they represent in Engl.and."..
. " "

During the afternoon addresses from the executive of the
English volunteers were prepared in French, and presented
to the ministers of the King, to his Excellency the Burgo-
master of Brussels, and to the president and other authori-
ties of the commission of the Tie National, thanking them
In the name of the entire body for the great kiniinem and
courtesy the volunteers had received at their hands._

In my last communication. after descrb mg the presents-
Von of the prizes at the Ti, National on Sunday. I omitted
to mention that at the conclusion Captain Wilmot, of the
Victoria Lines, handed to the Minister of the Interior the
design of a magnificent silver cop Intended to be presented
by tne meml.ers of the Victoria Rifles then In Belgium to
the Guard Civic of Brussels for competition amongst them
at their Tic National of iB7. Captain Wilmot also made
some appropriate remarks, thanking the Belgians for their
kindness and hospitality, amidst great applause.