The Press.
London, England, 1857-11-07 00:00:00

THE BANQUET.

In the evening the Lord Mayor entertained his
Royal Highness at a magnificent banquet at the
Mansion-house. Upwards of 300 guests were in-
vited, including the foreign ambassadors now in
town, several gallant and distinguished officers of
the army, Lord Granville, the Chief Baron, and the
principal City dignitaries. After the usual loyal
toasts, the Lord Mayor rose to propose the toast of
the evening, and in a brief speech, coupling with it
the " Army and Navy," gave " The Health of_his
Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge."
The Duke of CAMBRIDGE, who was received with
loud and long-continued cheering, said that, born and
bred a soldier, any compliment paid to the army he
accepted as a compliment to himself; " and I think
we have a right," added the Duke, " if I may venture
to say so, to be satisfied with ourselves." His
Royal Highness, then briefly noting in high terms
the conduct of the army in India, referred to the
position generally of the British army :
We are not an aggressive country. We do not wish to
be an aggressive country. Our army is not an aggressive
army, and therefore I have no hesitation i❑ speaking of
the efficiency of that army in the presence of many dis-
tinguished foreigners who might otherwise think that thy
observations implied a feeling inimical to other powers.
Nothing of the sort. I only wish to impress upon the
country the necessity of keeping up an efficient army for
the necessary and legitimate service of the State,—such
an army as a great empire like England ought always to
maintain. See, my Lord Mayor and gentlemen, in what
a position our army has been placed ! See what has
occurred in India! What certainly we had no reason to
expect. No human being could have anticipated the
events which have taken place in that quarter of the
world ; but when I look at the number of European troops
in India it is a marvel to me—it must be a marvel to
everybody—how so small a proportion of European soldiers
could have held their own as they have done, and could
have carried on the extensive warlike operations in which
they have been engaged. Now, are we doing justice to
our army or to ourselves if we place our troops in so
important and at the same time so dangerous a position?
Surely as an act of humanity to the troops we employ it is
only right they should be maintained in sufficient force
and efficiency to uphold the interests of the empire. I
ask whether the events which have recently occurred in
India ought not to induce us to open our eyes and to look
a little ahead, and never again to allow the interests of the
empire to be so seriously endangered ?
Returning to the position of the troops in India, the
Duke said the question was how should the mutiny
be put down :
I hope no one would suggest that we should mow in-
discriminately right and left ; that we should burn villages;
and that we should destroy their inhabitants. Such a
proceeding would be suicidal. But, on the other hand, I
conceive that no man, whatever may be his views of
humanity, can maintain that a body of mutinous soldier 4
is to he permitted to stroll from one end of the vast empire
of India to the other, and that when the mutiny is sup-
pressed they are to be treated as if they had dune no
wrung.
In conclusion, his Royal Highness contradicted the
statement that Sir Colin Campbell and Lord Canning
" are not on good terms," paid a high tribute to the
conduct of the English officers in the Company's
service, advocated the re-formation of the native
army as "an auxiliary army," and concluded with
an eloquent eulogism on the military spirit of the
country as evinced in the recent recruiting.
Sir S. Lushington returned thanks for " The
Navy." The Turkish Minister and the American
Minister each returned thanks for "The Foreign
Ambassadors." The American Minister observed :

You will perceive, therefore, that circumstances con-
nected with my uniform republican rearing and education
have in a measure unfitted me for what at first appeared
the interesting and appropriate ceremony of today