The Press.
London, England, 1856-08-30 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

and pudding were ready dished, cut up in thin
slices, the beer was bottled, and one bottle of cham-
pagne way given between every three men. It was
not a good dinner; it was too delicate in appearance,
and seemed anything but unlimited in quantity. We
are unable to do many things as they do them in
France, but hitherto we have always believed out-
selves invincible in feasts of roast beef and plum
pudding. The attempt on Monday painfully un-
deceived us.

The chairman took his seat, grace was said,
and the dinner was speedily despatched. The
usual loyal toasts were then drunk, that of the
Queen with such enthusiasm only as 2,000
Guardsmen's lungs could give vent to, when Ser
geant-Major Edwards rose and proposed, amid
vehement applause, "His Royal Highness the
General Commanding-in Chief, our ioldiers and
sailors, the chaplains of the army, and our brave
allies in the late war." He said :

I wish to say a few words to you as comrades. Now,
mark me, I wish to talk to you as comrades. Hear me,
old hands of Alma and Inkermann ! I need not say any to you in praise of the Duke of Cambridge. (Cheers )
He must live in your hearts and in the hearts of all
British soldiers as he will in mine eternally. Our greatest
pride must be to say that we were Guardsmen at Inker-
mann. (Enthusiastic cheering.) The Duke of Cam-
bridge was there—(lond cheers)—and that is saying
enough about him. As for our brethren of the line, lam
sorry—if I can be sorry for anything on Buchan occasion—
that the table was not big enough for them as well as for
us. But, as the table was too small—(laughter)—l am
sure that they will not envy us our happiness ; but, on the
contrary, that they will be rejoiced to learn that we have
been so well received. As for our sailors, the good feeling
that subsists between you and the bluejackets is known
to the world. We are indebted to them, and they are in•
debted to us for many a kindness. You know it as well
as I do. (Cheers.) There never was anything like the
good feeling which subsisted during the war between you—
the " red soldiers," as they called you—and the blue-
jackets themselves. ( Loud cheers.) With respect to our
brave allies, if I were the greatest speaker that ever lived,
I could not do justice to their noble conduct. Oh, my
comrades, you saw the day when you could have knelt
down and worshipped them as you would your God.—Don't
you remember when you saw them coming over the hill?
( Tremendous cheering.) As for the chaplains in the
army, they did their duty like men, and so little notice has
been taken of them in military assemblies that I am sure
you will be glad of an opportunity to return them thanks
for all their kindness. Therefore, I include them in the
toast, comrades, and I hope you will make it a bumper.
The gallant sergeant major then proposed the health
of the committee, and in the course of hii speech
said to the men :

Your coming here is an honour to you, because it shows
that your countrymen, the people of England, are satisfied
with the manner in which you did your duty. You did
your duty, or you wouldn't be here; so I'll say no more
about it. But it is clear that we ought to return to the
chairman, the committee, and the subscribers our most
grateful thanks. Ah ! we have seen the day that we never
could have dreamt that such a day as this would occur in
the history of the best of us. Think of what you have
gone through, think of what you have seen, awl then look
around you! Why, man dear, I could jump into another
campaign to get another such welcome as this. (Loud
cheers.) There's not a man of us that would not volun-
teer to-morrow fur another war after what we have seen
to-day.

Other toasts followed, and about four p.m. the
dinner was over. The men then strolled through
the gardens. At five p.m. the general public were
admitted, and the concert and fireworks concluded
the entert.tinments by nine o'clock.
Major-General Lord Rokeby and Colonel Foley
have since formally thanked the Lord Mayor for the
liberality displayed on this memorable occasion.

THE FORESTERS' ANNUAL FETE was given at the
Crystal Palace on Tuesday, when npwards of 30,(H)O
visitors attended. The palace is peculiarly fitted for
such 'hes, and will undoubtedly take a prominent
place in public choice for such public assemblages.
The Foresters on Tuesday enjoyed themselves
amazingly, conducted themselves admirably well,
and were blessed with more sunshine during the day
than has fallen to the whole island for the past week.
In addition to the ordinary fountain display, the two
large jets in the lower basin played, and, undisturbed
by a breath of wind, shot gracefully up to their
utmost height. But if the day was pleasant enough
the getting away was really very discreditable, not to
the people, but to the arrangements made for carry-
ing off 30,000 visitors. The delay and the confusion
were incredible. How is it that this result always
occurs on fete-days ? If you get to London-bridge
on these occasions in any time under two hours, and
with your coat-tails entire, you are fortunate. As for
the sufferings of the other sex, a drawing-room crush
at St. James's is nothing to it. There never appear
to be any but the ordinary supply of trains on these
occasions. It is a matter of such great inconvenience
that the directors should look to it.

MR. ALBERT SMITH last night closed another
deservedly successful season of Mont Blanc. The
ascent has now become so thoroughly one of the

837

things to be "done" on a Swiss tour, that Mr. Alber -
Smith, we apprehend, merely to sustain his re
putation, must undergo a second ascent, or
try the Jungfrau, or Mount Ararat, or some
other agreeable elevation. The Peak of Teneriffe,
we should imagine, might afford an agreeable variety
to the glaciers, crevices, snowstorms, and avalanches
of Mont Blanc, or any of its companions. But it is
just probable that the more the public " do " Mont
Blanc, the more they may wish to "fight their
battles o'er again" in the Egyptian Hall, and in that
ctt.se some fresh anecdotes, told with his usual tact,
a new character or two, taken off with his usual
power, and the usual good song to ronclutle with,
may carry Mr. Smith and Mont Blanc through
another season with the usual success.

838.