The Express.
London, England, 1858-02-17 00:00:00

ARRIVAL OF TKB LUCLNOW HEROINES

AT CALCUITA.

CALCt'TTA, law. it
A Gazette Extraordinary, published an Wednes-
day last, informed the people of Calcutta of the
arrangements which government had ordered for the
eiceptiou of the illustrious heroine. and their
children, who, after undergoing unprecedented hard-
ships during a siege of four months, have finally
been relieved by Sir Cohn Campbell, and sent down
to Calcutta in the steamer Madras. On Friday, the
Bth, at 3 p.m., two guns from the ramparts of Fort
William announced that the Madras was flossing
Acheepore, and almost everybody that had bone or
carriage rode down to Prinesp's Ghat, where it was
intimated the pamengers would land. The Madras
having. however, a beery up-country boat in tow,
made, notwithstanding the tide in her favour, bat
slow progress, and as it soon became evident that
she , mild not come up ere the night set in,
a telegraphic message was despatched to the
commander of the steamer to anchor below
Carden-reach, and to come up next morn-
ing. At 0 o'clock on Saturday morning a crowd
of people assembled at Prinseps Chat, but a dense
fog delayed the arrival of the Madras, and it was
not until a quarter to eight that she could be sighted.
A royal salute of 21 guns from the ramparts of
Fort William announced her arrival, and other
salutes followed from the men-of-war in the river.
All vessels in the liver, with the exception of the
American ships close to Prinsep's Ghat, were dressed
out with all their flags and presented a very impos-
ing sight. Along the steps from the Ghat down to
the water's edge was formed a sort of gangway,
guarded by policemen, and along the whole red car-
peting was laid out, such as it is customary to use on
state occasions. At last the Madras arr,ved off the
Ghat, but owing to some cause or other considerable
delay took place before the passengers could be
lauded ; the public in the meantime looking
on in stern silence, as if afraid lest even now
some accident might happen to those, whose
escape fro al the hands of a barbarous and
blood-thirsty enemy was decreed by a merciful
Providence. The whole scene partook of a solemnity
rarely witnessed, and, indeed, the expression on the
faces of the bystanders betokened universal sym-
pathy for tholes they were about to welcome to the
hospitable City of Palaces. Mr. Beadon, the secre-
tary of the Home Department, on behalf of govern-
ment ; the Hon. Talbot, private secretary to the
Governor-General, 0;0cl:toilet Lord Canning; and
Dr. Leckie, as secretary to the Relief Committee,
went down to the water's edge to receive the
ladies. A sudden rush towards the river, a throng-
ing towards the gangway, and a slight whisper of
voice., indicated that the landing had begun. Cheers
were given at first, but only slowly responded to,
people evidently being too much occupied with their
own refection, to think of ch ering ; but as the
ladies and children proceeded up, people doffed their
hats almost mechanically, silently looking on as the
heroines passed up. At this moment another ship
in the harbour fired • salute, hut it did not sound
joyfully ; it appeared rather like minute guns in re-
membrance of those whom widows and orphans were
Dow passing in solemn review before us.
The black dresses of most of the ladies told
the tale of their bereavement, whilst the pallid face*,
the downcast looks, and the slow walk, bore evidince
of the great sufferings they must have undergone
loth in mind and body. And yet how thankful mast
we be thst they have been spared other trials, in
comparison to which death itself would be relief.
As they passed, a chaos of m.d recollections forced
itself upon our mind, and we asked—where are those
who, for the sake of saving English women and
children from dishonour and death, have willingly
sacrificed their own lives? Where is the illustrious
Havelock' where the heroic Neill? where so many
others that have stretched forth the arm for the
rescue of helpless women and innment children ?
Alas: they are no more; but their names will
live for ever in the heart of every true
Briton. And, though there is no monu-
ment to mark the place where they sleep the ever-
lasting sleep, their blood has mark: d in indelible ink
in the bosom of their surviving brethren the word
" retribution." The solemn precession thus passed
en, and was handed into carnage' which conveyed
them to their temporary home. Home, did we say?
It sounds almost I:.th mockery to call the solitary
4,00ni of the widow and her orphan by that name.
Though the government Ga:etto intimated that the
Governor-General's state barges and carriages would
be in attendance, by some oversight none of them
came up to the Ghat, and we confess that in our
bumble opinion the presence of Lord and Lady
Canning on such an occasion would have been as de-
sirabie as gratifying to all.