The Press.
London, England, 1857-11-14 00:00:00

THE BANQUET.

The Guildhall, in which the grand banquet took
place, was decorated for the occasion with even more
than ordinary magnificence. The predominant
character of the decorations was certainly warlike.
In the centre of each compartment between the
clustered columns were large trophies, composed of
armour, swords, guns, and pistols, with eir blazoned
shields of various countries, bound together with
laurel, and the columns themselves were flanked by
muskets and halberds. On the embattled screens
surrounding tha hall were bayonets and pistols so
disposed as to give the appearance of a chevaux-de-
frise, and relieved by flags and Union Jacks. The
eastern window had in its centre a large trophy com-
posed of flags and armour, beneath which, in letters
of gold, were the words " God save the Queen," and
above it the Prince of Wales's feathers in spun glass.
The western window had for its deco ation the beau-
tiful glass star furnished by Copeland, and from
every disposable point waved " the flags of all
nations." Jets of gas followed the lines of the
arches from one end of the hall to the other, and
cast a brilliant light upon the gay throng of guests
beneath.

Her Majesty's Ministers and the more distin•
guished guests began to arrive about half-past six
o'clock. Lord Clarendon, Lord Panmure, and Lord
and Lady Palmerston entered shortly before seven
o'clock. The diplomatic corps was represented by
the Swedish Charge d'Affaires and the Ministers of
Hayti and the Hanse Towns.
The following was the general bill of fare :

250 tureens of real turtle (containing 5 pints each), 200
bottles of sherbet, 6 dishes of fish, 30 entrées, 4 boiled
turkeys and oysters, 60 roast pullets, 80 dishes of fowls,
46 ditto of capons, 50 French pies, 60 pigeon pies, 60
hams (ornamented), 50 tongues, 2 quarters of house lamb,
2 barons of beef, 3 rounds of beef, 2 stewed rumps of
beef, 15 sirloins of beef, 6 dishes of asparagus, 60 ditto of
mashed and other potatoes, 50 ditto of lobsters and
prawns, 150 jellies, 50 blancmanges, 40 dishes of tarts
(creamed), 40 ditto of almond pastry, 30 dishes of orange
and other tourtes, 20 Chantilly baskets, 60 dishes of mince
pies, and 80 salads.
TIIE REMOVE 4-80 roast turkeys, 8 leverets, 100
pheasants, 50 dishes of partridges, 15 ditto of wild fowl,
and 2 pea fowls.
DESSERT.—!OO pine apples ( from 21b. to 31b. each), 200
dishes of hothouse grapes, 250 ice creams, 50 dishes of
apples, 100 ditto of pears, 60 ornamented Savoy cakes, 75
plates of walnuts, 80 ditto of dried fruits and preserves,
50 ditto of preserved ginger, CO ditto of rout cakes and
chips, and 36 ditto of brandy cherries.

After the removal of the cloth, the LORD MAYOR
pledged his guests in a loving cup, and bade them
all a hearty welcome.
The usual loyal toasts having been disposed of,

The Lout) MAYOR proposed /° The Army and Navy,"
coupling with this toast the names of Lord Pan-
mare and Capt. Mylne, one of the Lords of the
Admiralty.
Lord PANMURE returned thanks on the part of the
army, and in doing so remarked that the recruiting
for that service was hourly increasing, and that it

1105

was a matter of the greatest satisfaction to those
intrusted with the government of the country to see
the military ardour which had been evoked by the
late disasters in India .
Captain MYLNE, RN., one of the Lords of the
Admiralty, returned thanks on behalf of the navy.
The healths of the late Lord Mayor and the Lard
Chancellor followed, when the Lout) MAYOR rose to
propose the health of Lord Palmerston :

I feel the more satisfaction, too (said Sir R. Carden),
because he is accompanied on this occasion by Lily
Palmerston, and because I believe the citizens feel addi•
tinnal pride when the guests they invite are accompanied
by their " better halves."

Sir It Carden concluded by proposing, amidst con-
siderable laughter, "The Health of Lord Palmerston,
Lady Palmerston, and the rest of hec Majesty's
Ministers."

Lord PALMERSTON thanked the Lord Mayor for tho
compliment, and, observing that he had been in
hopes of anpouncing important news front India,
passed on to eulogise the superb conduct in India of
the British army :

There never was an instance in the history of the world
of such splendid examples of bravery, of intrepidity, of
resource, and self-reliance accomplishing such results as
those which we have lately witnessed. The Government
at home, on the other hand, may justly pride themselves
on not having been unequal to the magnitude of the occa-
sion. We took the earliest opportunity of despatching to
India a great army—an army which had not yet arrived
when those great victories were accomplished, but which,
when it shall arrive, will render that which remains to be
done comparatively easy of accomplishment, and will, I
cannot entertain the slightest doubt, re establish the power
and authority of England upon an unshakeable basis
throughout the whole of our Indian empire. My noble
friend Lord Panmure has alluded to the spirit which has
been displayed in this country, and I am proud to say that
although we have despatched from these shores the largest
army that I believe ever at one time left them, we have
now under arms in the United Kingdom as many fighting
men as we had before the news of the mutiny reached us ;
and therefore, if any foreign nation ever dreamed in its
visions that the exertions which we had been compelled to
make in India had lessened our strength at home, and that
the time had arrived when a different bearing might be
exhibited towards us from that which was safe in the
moment of our strength, the manner in which the spirit of
the country has burst forth, the manner in which our
ranks have been filled, the manner in which our whole
force has been replenished, will teach the world that it
would not be a safe game to play to attempt to take
advantage of that which was erroneously imagined to he
the moment of our weakness. It has been the fashion
among the people of the Continent to say that the English
nation is not a military nation. In one sense indeed—in
their sense—that assertion may be sail to be tree. An
Englishman is not so fond as the per ple of some other
countries are of uniforms, of steel scabbanls, and of iron
heels ; but no nation can excel the English, either as
officers or soldiers, in a knowledge of the duties of the
military profession. and in the zeal and ability with which
those duties are performed; and wherever desperate deeds
are to be accomplished—wherever superior numbers are to
be boldly encountered and triumphantly overcome—wher-
ever privations are to be encountered—wherever that
which a soldier has to confront is individually or co:-
lectively to be faced, there, I will venture to say, there is
no nation on the face of the globe which can surpass—l
might, without too much national vanity, say, I believe,
that there is no nation which can equal—the people of the
British islands.

The noble lord did justice also to the conduct of our
countrywomen, and, vindicating the proceedings of
Lord Canning, said that he would have to punish the
guilty, not only "in a spirit of vengeance," but in a
spirit of security, in order that the example of
punished crime may deter from a repetition of the
offence, and in order to insure the safety of our
countrymen and countrywomen in India for the
future. In conclusion, Lord Palmerston said :
I am convinced that if Lord Canning receives—as I am
sure he will—that confidence on the part of her Majesty's
Government and of the people of this country without
which it is impossible for a man in his high position to
discharge the duties which have devolved upon him, it
will be fonnd, when this dreadful tragedy is over, that he
has properly discharged his duty, and that his conduct
has not only been governed by a sense of stern and un-
flinching justice, but also by that discriminating gene-
rosity which is the peculiar characteristic of the British
people

The other toasts were—" Lord Granville and the
Lords," responded to by his lordship, who referred
to and excused his " prolixity " on a previous occa-
sion by a promise to be brief on this ; "Her Ma-
jesty's Judges," acknowledged by Lord Campbell ;
" The House of Commons," for which Sir F. The-
siger was called upon to return thanks; "The
Sheriffs of London and Middlesex ;" "The Lady
Mayoress," proposed by Earl Granville; " The
Solicitor-General and the Bar of England ;" "Sir
James Duke and the City Members ;" " The Alder-
men and the Recorder."

The ladies had retired from the dinner•ttble some
time before the last toast was given, and occupied
themselves in inspecting the sculpture and very
tasteful decorations of the various rooms leading
froth the Guikkhall.

Y

, ..irdrar.r.