The Press.
London, England, 1856-12-27 00:00:00

1230

He believed that there never was a commander of more
noble or generous spirit or cooler in the hour of danger
than was Lord Raglan. He knew that sootier or later
justice would be done to that great man, but at the same
time he was persuatled that the position of Lord Raglan
was not _generally understood in this country. He made
a remark to Admiral Lyons, after coming from a con-
oerence, that he did not believe, if even the Duke of Wel-
lington had been in Lord ltaglan's place, he would have
been able to do more. It was a difficult position for a man
to occupy the command of merely a portion of an army.
The great Napoleon himself had said, better one indif-
ferent commander than two good ones. No action, how-
ever brilliant, could be conclusive in its results unless it
was vigorously followed up. The armies of England and
France on first landing in the Crimea were nearly equal,
perhaps that of England was superior. Marshal St.
Arnaud and Lord Raglan were of the same mind as to
tactics, but it was to be remembered that the French
generals were changed three times, and as the war pro-
ceeded the French army was greatly increased. The
peculiar circumstances which thereupon arose would be
understood without his dwelling upon them. He gave
every possible credit to the honesty and perfectly bona-
fide alliance the Emperor of the French wished to main-
tain with us ; but it was not to be expected that with an "
army of 200,000 men every officer and man would be of
the same opinion ' • indeed it had been a marvel to him
that the alliance had been so well preserved, end it was a
credit to both armies that it had been. Then it was to be
recollected that, according to etiquette, the French general
commands the French admiral, and the French admiral
was senior to our admiral; and this, together with other
arrangements, served very much to complicate matters.
lie had the greatest respect for the French, and be be-
lieved they had the same for us; and one result of this
struggle in the Crimea would be that it would be a long
time before they had their slumbers disturbed with the
idea of a French invasion. If they went to war again,
however, each must have his own part to play—a single
commander with a single corps.

Sir Houston Stewart then touched upon the gallant
behaviour of our men under their sufferings, and con-
cluded by reading a few extracts from his private
letters at the period.
Sir ARCHIBALD ALISON, in an eloquent speech,
which was much cheered, proposed the next toast,
" The Army and Navy." He was proud that the city
of Glasgow had been the first to acknowledge the
services of the Crimean heroes by a public banquet,
and it was to the honour of Greenock that it had
taken the lead in according similar honours to the
navy.
The Duke or ARGYLL gave " The memo i y of the
heroes who fell in the last war." He coupled with
the toast the name of Lord Raglan, and said

I was grateful, I must confess, to my gallant friend for
his well timed remarks in connection with the services of
the army and of the navy. He recalled to your recollec-
tion the character of the late Lord Raglan. I need not
tell you that, in now mentioning him again, I do not wish
for one single moment to touch upon those questions
which have been matters of controversy in regard to the
conduct of this last war. Suffice it for me to tell you, and
I think I can tell you safely, that the history of that war
has not yet been written, and that it will be for another
generation to judge entirely of the conduct of the late
Lord Raglan. As far as my own means of observation
can go, I can sincerely say that there was no nobler speci•
men of a British soldier ever born than the late Lord
Raglan. I mention him now not as a general, because on
his capacities in that respect I neither seek, nor do I
care to pronounce any opinion whatever. I mention
him simply as a soldier who tell at his post of duty ; not,
indeed, by the bullet of the enemy, but by the pestilence
that walked at noon day among the gallant ranks of the
British army.

The toast was drunk in solemn silence. The re-
maining toasts including that of " Miss Nightingale,"
and others of a local and personal character, were
most warmly received;