The Express.
London, England, 1858-12-27 00:00:00

TER VICTORIA CROSS.

The last two were in which this country has been
tso~d have been signalised by the inatitutkm of a vow
order emanating from the Crown, but forming what would
once have been oinaidered one of the most " levelling" insti-
tutions of the country. In the official record of the Gazette
of Yet night we dad a fresh list of the new oblvalry, begla•
slag with a private seaman, ending with a subaltern of
cavalry, and in the midst of it we sea, " jumbled" together,
non-cocumlmeoaed officers, privets soldiers, oommlinioned offi-
cers of cavalry and infantry—men of the hum West
birth, and those thatinguisbed by the augmenta-
tive of " honourable. " Mose, the honour which

is bestowed by the Connusee'der-in-Chiet in LLIAN
and confirmed by the Owes, la oonlerred upon men
who are elected for the distinotioa by their own peers In the
army, the noncomml•eioned caws er the private soldiers.
There i• not a man in the whole amber who is noe proud to
be in the same category with saoh as. of those 'sued with
him; as, in fact, there is not a diminotkei the Poem
ma bestow which is mons valued than the plain
Victoria Cross. The brief reespitniatku of the /per-
vious in each ease is a tale that would have formed
a brilliant page is the noblest passeges of oar history, or be
chivalrous romance of prose or verse. Here is au example:—
" let Madras Fnelliers.—Privale J. Smith, for having been
am of the first to try and miter the gateway on the north
side of the Secundra Bach. Oa the gateway being burst
open be wee cos of the first to eater, and was micas edsd
by the enemy. He received a sword cut on the bead, a
bayemit wound on the left side, and a contusion from the
butt end of a musket on the right shoulder, notwithstanding
which be fought his way out, and continued to perform his
duties for the rest of the day. Sleeted by the private sol-
diem of the detachment."

Hen le another taken from the elms liat : it reeds exactly
like a passage from TA. Cid or 41 seam of Good—
" 84th Regiment (now of the 7th linesers).—Captain the
Hon. Augustus Henry Archibald Anson, for oonopiceoes
bravery at Bolundehahur on the 28th of September, 1887.
The 9th Light Dragoons had charged through the towa, aeid
ware reforming in the Beni; the ens= auempted to ekes
the entrance by drawing their carts acmes it, so as to shut in
the cavalry and form • cover from which to he spat them.
hain Anson, biking a lance, tubed eat of the pteway,
end knocked the drivers off their care. Owing to •wound
in his left hand, received at Delhi, he could not atop
hie horse, and rods into the middle of the enemy, who
fired • volley at him, ono ball pealing through his ooat.
At Lucknow, at the assault of the flectuadra Binh, on
the 16th of November, 1857, he entered with the storm-
Mg party on the gates being buret open. He had hie ,
horse killed, and was himself slightly wounded. He has
also= the greatest gallantry on every occasion, and has elan
many enemies to fight.—Despatch from Major-Geteral Sir
Jens Hope Greer, H.C.8., dated August 12, 1858."
Katy of the Mores combine with a most daring bravely
the moot affectionate devotion to others. Take the case of
LeetwOorporal Sinnott, who, at Luelneem, ea the OM of
Weber, went out with three other men " ramie Lieut.
Olbsat, who, in aerning out water to Winged& a the in the
brisintwork, bed been mortally wooaded, and lay outside.
They brought in lb* body =tier • beery firs. Lanni-
Corporal filmeon wan twice wounded. His onarados =emi-
nently Wooled him for the Viotorle Cross, es the meet
wonky. He bad previously repeatedly accompanied Lent.
Ofbsst when be ferried out water to extinguish the fire."
Or the ease of liergeant W. Napier, at Ashogbur, who rea-
med his eseezede, Private Benjamin Mlles, " remained
with his. se the bawd of his Mk, when surrounded by
e=
bendeset his wooed ender fire, and then carried
lip to the wavey." We may deplore the fact that
se bag afar the Mission of Pawn wars continue to be neces-
sary is the world ; bet we still have barbarous rostoles,
treacherous Sepoys. end perhaps ambitious aei,;hboars
mew home, towards whom • mealy front is essential, not
only to our owe independence, bat to the due performance
Boar tram. . - . .

Mils; —colliote ti Europe and ladle ham called forth owe
more qualities whims suable u to coshed with difficulty,
toil, sod datum be their most gigantic forme. The Order of
the Victoria Cron is composed by Its coostituffou of the eta-
aside which maks us the most coolidate, the most faithful,
esti—may we asy It with grostel humility P—the most ma.
eseefol servants of freedom, dudes civilisation. of the most
busicest intercourse bstweet the amebas.— Glebe.