The Press.
London, England, 1858-05-08 00:00:00

THE PRESS, MAY 8, 1858.

BANQUET TO THE DUKE OF MALAKOFF.
ANOTHER of those cordial reunions which mark the
real sincerity with which the Anglo-French Alliance
is preserved in this couutry in all its truth and spirit
took place on Thursday evening, and the offi:ers of
the two services who are members of the Army and
Navy Club entertained his Excellency the Duke of
Malakoff at a grand banquet at the new Club-house,
St. James's-square.
The dinner was fixed for eight o'clock, and by half-
past seven the guests began to arrive, pouring up the
magnificent staircase of the club to the library,
where the committee to whose care the conduct of
the entertainment was intrusted received their
visitors. All wore plain evening dress, wearing, how-
ever, their principal decorations, and nearly all were
assembled before the hour at which the guest cf the
evening was expected to arrive.
A little before eight o'clock his Excellency was
announced, and was immediately conducted to the
library. Here he was received with quiet but most
cordial demonstrations of welcome from all the
assembled officers, and especially, of course, from the
chairman of the evening, Sir Fenwick
Some of the most distinguished officers present
were presented to his Excellency. Accompanying
the Duke were the secretaries and principal attaches
of the French Embassy, the Baron de Malaret, Com•
mandant Dubai, Count de Jaucourt, Colonel Appert,
M. Monicault, &c.

The banquet was served in the chief dining-room
of the club, a noble apartment, and,remarkable alike
for its architectural features and the taste and sim-
plicity with which it is adorned. Very little attemp
had been made to enhance its propottions or to add
to its fine general effect by the temporary decorations
which are often resorted to on these occasions, and
nothing but the magnificence with which the ban-
quetting tables were spread, the massive epergnes,
plateaux, cups, and centrepieces which covered
them, filled with the choicest flowers, marked the
style of the entertainment and the importance of the
guest in whose honour it was given. The tables
were arranged in a circular form, going almost com-
pletely round the saloon. In the centre was the
chairman, the gallant Sir Fenwick Williams, the
seat of honour on the right, of course, being occu-
pied by the guest of the evening, and the place on
his left by the Right Hon. Sir John Pakirgton.
After her Majesty's health had been proposed and
drunk with all the honours,
The CHAIRMAN, in proposing the second toast, said
it was one which he knew would be received with all
the warmth and cordiality of feeling which it deserved
—it was " the health of the Emperor and Empress
of the French." He invited them to drink to the
health of that sovereign who had shown himself,
throughout a most ardent struggle, the truest and
most faithful ally of England.
The toast was then drunk with all the honours.

The Duke of MALAKOFF, on rising to acknowledge
the toast, was received with tremendous cheering. He
replied in French, and said that it gave him the
greatest satisfaction to be able to respond to the sen-
timents 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
address. He felt flattered beyond expression by the
warn.th and cordiality of feeling which that toast had
evoked. If anything could add to it, it was the fact
that the glowing eulogium which they had just
heard had been delivered from the mouth of a no
less illustrious officer than Sir Fenwick
the heroic defender of Kars. The illustrious Duke
concluded by expressing a fervent hope that the sen-
timents of esteem which had been declared for the
alliance of England with France would always be
preserved.
. .

The gallant CHAIRMAN, having proposed in the
usual terms " the health of the Prince Consort and
the other members of the Royal Family," which was
duly honoured, next gave the toast of the evening—
" the health of his Excellency the Duke of Malakoff."
This (he said) was a toast in which the officers of
both services would most cordially join. He un
feignedly wished that the task of proposing it had
bt en confided to hands more capable of doing justice
to its great merits ; but he felt sure that nothing
that lie or any one could say could add to the senti-
ments of admiration and esteem with which the
name of Marshal Pelissier would be received at that
table. The Manbal had bad the high honour of
being nominated by his Imperial master to represent
him at this Court ; and the marks of esteem and
affection with which the illustrious ambassador bad
been received in this country must sufficiently con•
vince him of the real sentiments of the British people
towards him. He was sure that the Duke of Mala
koff would appreciate the sentiment of the British
army and navy in inviting him to partake of the hos-
pitalities of their table, anti wh now united in
drinking in all sincerity success and long life to the
Duke of Malakoff.

The Duke of Ma.AlcoFF, on rising to acknow-
ledge the toast, was received with the most cordial

and enthusiastic cheers, which lasted for several
minutes. He said, still speaking in French :
Tt is with a feeling of brotherly pleasure that I find
myself sitting among you. It gives me deep satisfaction
to see your cordial anxiety to give me a welcome. As a
soldier more than one among you know me ; u amber-
aador my principles are invariable, and as I have already
had the opportunity of explaining them it is not necessary
to speak of them again here. But what I wish to tell you
is, that I feel a pride in finding myself again in the midst
of my companions in arms, and that I recal to memory our
valiant standards, our glorious flags, the witnesses of your
great efforts as well as ours, under the shadow of which we
have conquered the peace of the world. Let us in future
know how to Tualatin that peace, so productive of civiliza-
tion, and so fertile, so necessary for us and !or 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 succouring a faitnftil
ally, but shed with equal and mutual eagerness. It is for
is, soldiers and sailors, to remember this. It is for us to
propose, without hesitation, all elltillitiftqiC toast of last-
ing ciincord, and we who have joined oar heroic efforts
together for the advantige of all have the right to say to
two great people, Let us lc:mar how to unite the two
fleets and the two armies, and let our sentiments be
mingled together in one common feeling." I beg to
propose "The imperishable union of our fleets and
armies."

The CHAIRMAN next gave " the English Com-
manders in the Army and Navy then serving their
country abroad," and in whose praise the recent
events which had taken place in the East spoke
louder and more forcibly than any terms of eulogy
which ho could we. He was sure there was not a
man in the three kingdoms who had not that day
been rejoiced at seeing by the newspapers that a well-
earned title of distinction was about to be bestowed
as a reward for the long tried and arduous services
of Sir Colin Campbell. He would couple with the
toast which he had the honour of proposing the
names of Major-General Sir Charles Yorke and Sir
John Pakington. _ _

Sir J. PAKINGTON said, he rose with feelings of
considerable regret that the duty of acknowledging
the compliment paid to the navy had not devolved
upon some of the experienced officers whom he saw
around him ; but though he wanted the experience
of actual service he would yield to no man in his
deep admiration for the heroic deeds of that service,
and for the noble characteristics which almost
invariably distinguished the officer who belonged
to it. On that occasion he was sure he should best
express the feelings of the officers of tl e British navy
when he said that, with sailor like frankness end
warmth, they joined with their brothers of the army
in true and hearty welcome to that most distinguished
French Marshal who had served with Englishmen
of all arms in the struggles and glories of hard.
fought fields, and who bad now conic among them
on a mission of peace, and in the enjoyment of the
honours of that important mission to reap the high
reward be had earned of his country. He trusted
that the Duke of Malakoff had seen enough of thie
country to know that the sentiments of the nation
were not to be judged from those %Inch were evinced
in the deep recesses and crowded alleys of a great
city, nor in those indiscretions of speech which had
been committed by men who ought to have used a
more temperate tone. F,T the sake of France and
tor the sake of England, for the sake of the happi-
ness, the civilization, and the progress of the world,
he hoped that feeling of cordial union might long
subsist between them—a feeling which found its
best security in the mutual respect and confidence
which ought always to be entertained between two
of the most powerful, the most independent, and the
most enlightened nations of the earth.
Major-General Sir C. YORKE briefly acknowledged
the honour which had been dune him by coupling
his name with that of the army.
The CHAIRMAN next gave the toast of " The
Armies and Navies of the English and French in the
Baltic and in the Black Sea."
Sir WILLIAM CODRINGTON returned thanks for the
army, looking back with pride at what had been ac-
complished by their united efforts; by Marshal St.
Arnaud, with whom the battle of the Alma had been
gained ; by Marshal Canrobert, with whom they
had gained the battle of Inkerman ; and the last
glorious months of duty with their illustrious guest,
with whom the final victory had been achieved.
He was sure that the noble Duke would not soon
forget the glorious scenes he had mixed in with
the British army, and he was sure that all in that
army would appreciate the sincerity and worth of
their allies, to whose merits he had borne this slight
testimony.
The Hon. Captain Daustmosn, R.N., having added
a few words on the part of the navy,
Lord ROKEBY briefly gave " The Health of their
gallant chairman, Sir Fen wick Williams, of Kars."

Sir FEN.; tcx acknowledged the honour in a few
words, and said that he felt it to be a high honour
to have been selected to till the chair on an occasion
of such importance. The gallant officer then pro-
posed the last toast on the list, " The Health of the
Club Committee of Management, and thanks to theme

452

for the way in which they had discharged their
pleasant, but important duties, in connection with
the festival." The toast was coupled with the names
of Colonel Daniell, Lord John Chichester, and
Captain Murray.
Colonel DANIELL briefly returned thanks, and said
that with the permission of tho chairman he would
give as a toast to be drunk with all British sincerity,
"L'Entente Cordiale."

With this toast the festivities terminated, and the
company adjourned to the cotfee•room, where coffee
was served, and whence the guests departed as they
chose.

goart ans 4a4ton.

The Queen of Portugal arrived at Buckingham
Palace on Thursday afternoon upon a visit to her
Majesty the Queen.
The Queen of Portugal on landing at Dover was
received by the Earl of Sheffield, Lord in Waiting,
and Major-General Wylde, Groom in Waiting to the
Prince Consort. Her Majesty, accompanied by her
father, the Prince of Hohenzollern, and her brother,
Prince Leopold, and attended by her suite, travelled
to London by a special train on the South-Eastern
Railway.
The Queen received the Queen of Portugal at the
entrance of the Palace. Her Majesty was accompa.
nied by the Prince of Wales, Prince Arthur, Prince
Leopold, and the Princesses Alice, Hekna, and
Louisa. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent
was also present.
The Portuguese Minister and the Countess de
Lavradio, who received the Queen of Portugal at
Dover, followed her Majesty to Buckingham Palace,
with the Secretary and Attaches of the Legation.
The Queen of Portugal, the Prince of Hohen-
zollern, and Prince Leopold, were conducted to one
of the lower drawing rooms, where the ladies, the
great officers of State, and the gentlemen of the
Court were presented to the Queen of Portugal, and
the ladies and gentlemen in the suite of the Queen
of Portugal and the Prince of Hohenzollern were
presented to the Queen and Prince Consort.
Tho suite of the Queen of Portugal and the Prince
of Hohenzollern comprises the Duchess of Terceira,
Donna Maria de Souza Continho, Field-Marshal the
Duke of Terceira, the Marquis of Ficalho, the Mar-
quis of Souza Holstein, Baron Stillfried, Baron
hfocrkem, Major Von Alvensleben, and Lieutenant
Count Finkenstein.
After the presentations the Queen conducted her
august visitor to her rooms.
The Portuguese Minister and Countess de Lay-
radio left Buckingham Palace.
Lady Macdonald, Lady in Waiting, the Earl of
Sheffield, Lord in Waiting, and Major-General
Wylde, Groom in Waiting to the Prince Consort,
will be in attendance upon the Queen of Portugal
during her stay in this country.

Volitttal.

CABINET Courtms were held on Saturday and
Wednesday at theotheial residence of the Chancellor
of the Exchequer in Downing-street. The Ministers
present were the Earl of Derby, the Lord Chancellor,
the Marquis of Salisbury, the Earl of Hardwicke, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Secretary Walpole,
the Earl of Malmesbury, Lord Stanley, General Peel,
Sir John Pakington, the Earl of Ellenborough, the
Right Hon. J. W. Henley, and Lord John Manners.
DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER ON THE MARRIAGE
LAW.—On Tuesday afternoon a large and influential
deputation waited upon the Premier, at his official
residence in Downing-street, to represent the great
social and moral evils resulting from the present
state of the law regarding the invalidity of marriage
with a deceased wife's sister, and to urge the neces-
sity for an alteration of the existing law. The
deputation was introduced to the Premier by Viscount
Bury, who also addressed his lordship, and was
followed by Viscount Goderich, M.P., Mr. Akroyd,
M.P., Mr. Freeman, Mr. Milner Gibson, M.P., Mr.
Monckton Manes, M.P., Mr. Schneider, M.P., Mr.
Coningham, M.P., the Mayor of Leeds, the Mayor
of Sheffield, and Mr. Biggs, M.P. The Earl of
Derby having listened to the deputation, said that,
although no doubt there were very strong feelings
in many quarters in favour of the alteration of the
law, upon the balance of the difficulties and possible
advantages and evils, the inclination of his own mind
was not in accordance with the views which had been
impressed upon him by the deputation. At the same
time this question must be decided by the progress
of public opinion ; and if the public opinion in favour
of an alteration of the law was as strong and as
general as the deputation seemed to think it was,
that Public opinion would be sure to have its effect
upon the House of Commons, and, ultimately, upon
the House of Lords. His own opinion, he candidly
stated, was, that it was a question of no political
party, and he did not think it ought to be taken as a
Government question. He, for his own part, would
not exert any influence whatever over a single indi-