The Express.
London, England, 1866-11-22 00:00:00

DINNER TO THE FINANCE MINISTER OF

FICTOlild.

Last evening a complimentary dinner was given
at Willis's Rooms, St. James's, to the Hon. 0. F. Verdun.
Finance Minister of Victoria, in anticipation of his return
to the colony. Mr. H. CHILDIMS, 11. P., was in the chair ;
and among the principal guests were the First Lord of the
Admiralty and the Secretary of State for the Colonies,
"The Health of her Majesty the Queen" was proposed in
appropriate terms by the Chairman, and loyally responded
to by the company.
In proposing the toast of " The Prince and Princess o
Wales and the rest of the royal family,"
The CHAIRMAN said that it would bo esteemed a great
honour by the Aistralian colonists, and would add one
more to the ties which bound them to the mother country,
if a visit were paid to their shores by some of our royal ''
princes. (Cheers.)
The next toast was " The Army, Navy, and Volunteers,"

and in proposing it,
The CiLuansa referred with satisfaction to the

measure which was passed during the last session
of parliament to enable the imperial and colonial

governments to concert measures for the defence of
the colonies ; and in coupling the mane of Sir J.
Pakington with the navy, said that that was a name which
would always be dear to colonists who were acquainted

with his administration of colonial affairs. (Cheers.)
Sir E. lil'Arnica briefly responded on the part of the
army.

Sir J. PAILECOTON, in answering for the navy, said that
so long as he was at the head of the Admiralty he
hoped to treat both officers and men with even-handed
justice and impartiality, and not to be unmindful of his
duty in regard to the maintenance of the naval strength of
the country. (Cheers.) Passing to the especial object of
the meeting, he expressed the highest opinion of the great
intelligence, the integrity, and the practical ability of the
colonial statesmen who had from time to time visited this
country, and with whom official experience bad made him
aoquainted, and declared that among all these Mr. Verdon
held the foremost rank. (Cheers.) it was his agreeable
duty to announce that that gentleman's visit
to this country had not been fruitless. The re-
quests which he had made to the imperial government
were that one of the wooden ships which were Inn almost
useless in our harbours should be sent out to Victoria, to

be used as a training ship for the encouragement of a lUal
navy; and that the government would assist the culonywith
funds, and with a design for the building of an iron-plated
ship for the defence of their noble bay, and of the commerce
which crowded it. Loth these requests had been acceded
to, and Victoria would have both the training-ship and the
iron-plated frigate. (Cheers.) He trusted that the day
would never come when England would fail to give to the
Australian colonies any assistance which it was consistent
with their dignity to ask and our duty to render.
(Cheers.)
Mr. Alderman Roar responded far the volunteers.
The CHAIRMAN, in giving " The Health of her Majesty's
Minister," reminded his audience that a year or two ago
the late Loral Palmerston, then head of the government,
in proposing atthe Trinity-house a similar toast, said that
every one at least wished mental health to the ministers,
and desired that they should be men of sound mind, and
called upon the Lord Chancellor, who officially had charge
of all persona of unsound 'Mud, to respond. (A laugh.) In
regard to the pr. sent ailininietration' colonists had this
source of gratification, that many of its members had some
experience of colonial affairs. The Prime Minister, the
Foreign Secretary, and the First Lord of the Admiralty,
had all filled the office of Secretary fur the Colonies ; the
Secretary for India had visited Australia, and the noble lord
the present Secretary of State for the colonies had served
his apprenticeship in the under secretaryship of that
department. (Cheers.)
The toast having been duly honoured,
The Earl of CAILNAIIVON, in lie pending, said that he
accepted the compliment neither pet sonally nor politically,
but as belonging to the Queen's servants, who represented
the principles of government make which and by which
the affairs of this great empire, both at home and abroad,
were carried on. He hail only lad the advantage of know-
ing Mr. Version for s few months, but oaring that time
they had transacted sous most imps.' unit business, the
result of which would ha for the licieat both of the colony
of Victoria aril of this couutry, a.u: lie li al contracted for
that gentleman a friendship which lie 'should long cherish.
(Cheers.) He had the pleasure to announce that her
Majesty was so sensible of the cervices which Mr. Verdon
had rendered to the colony of Vi-toria, that she intended
to make bins a Companion of the Bath. (('heers.)
La proposing this toast of the e% ening, " The Health
of Mr. G. F. Version, Treasurer of Victoria," the
t'siatiLMAN referred to that genthnian'e early career
in the whiny, and to his political success. and challenged
I the testimony of every Victorian, Milted of every Amara-
-1 lien, as to the ability. industry. .4,11 .trier integrity with
which he had performed his mini. wristl duties. Although
nearly every mail brought us news of a change of ministry
in ictoria, Mr. Version hail ha hl nitec a Chancellor of
the Exchequer in that colony for three yeara ; rind with-
out unduly referring to politics. Le haul no doubt that some
Clinneelluts of the Exchequer N. Wild he glad to ensure such
a tenure of office. (A !quell.)
The toast was received with Ha. greateat cordiality.
The lion. G. F. VEtu,nl, in respond; accepted the
compliment as paid net so much to himself as to the
great colony of Victoria which lie represented. He
acknowledged his obligation* to the committee of the
dated bankers who had so skid fuliy and a. ly managed the
sale of the Victorian Debenture,, tlediked the noble
lord and right hon. gentleman p resent for their kindness
in meeting his views wit!' zegard to the i:efence of the
colony. He hail derived the :•li.,.test sat i.f.,etion from his
visit to this country, became it twit sle,wn l im that, while
the colonists of Australia had the. t sympathy with
the government of Great RI that gives milent repre.
Hitting public sentiment througier.it the country had a
complete and entire sympathy with the colonies. Some
people asked why England sinoild any connexion
with the colonies, and why the celeeies ilesire to
be connected with Engl,mil. far as Australia woe con-
cerned, those questions were founded usum the densest
ignorance. Loyalty in Anstm:ia was a passion ; and
whether it was because they were so distant from the
soother country, or because the e.ahlenis and presence of
royalty were wanting, or to what. vcr other cause it might
be due, the fact was that in la p.rt of r Majesty's do-
minions was the feeling of attachment to the throne and
to the person of the sovereign stroi.ger than in the colonies
of Australia. (Cheer.) Should Ansi ',art from
the soother country, it would ha% e eu history ; and
no greater misfortune could happen to the Australian
colonies than that they 'Mould be deprived of their share
in the glorious recollections which had made Rritain so
famous. He was hardly able to expre,s his gratitude for
the honour which her Majesty !sad (seen pleased to confer
upon him ; he accepted it not so leech us an honour dune
to himself r, to the community whir, he :cpresentesl, and
e would endeavour so to hear it as t1...r it should he in
no nian's power to say that lie Lad not. appreciated the
responsibility that it carried with it. (Cheers.)
Amon& the other toasts which w: re proposed and dul'
honoured ware '• Prosperity to a, Austrahau colonies,
"The Guests," and "The Clmirman."

THE RETURN OF THE FI. ;INeTI TROOPS ETON
Mexico.—We read in the Paris T ..ops of yesterday :
"The Minister of Isar has just aduressed Cie following
circular to the departmental intend:4as :—' The entire ex.
pcditiouary corps of Mexico is to retain to France at the
early part of next year. I rrsimst you in consequence to
order the administrative counci:s of the corps of troops
stationed in your divisions, and who L.,ve portions em-
ployed in Mexico, to cease henceforth to send any stores to
that country. The stores sent to St. Naraire before the
receipt of the present despatch omit not be embarked on
board the steamer of the loth Nov., unless it is urgently
necessary to forward them.' This circular officially con-
firms (says the Teinim) a resolution of which no one could
any longer doubt, and which was too clearly indi-
cated by the nature of things not to force itself in
a measure upon the attention of the government. Our
withdrawal from Mexico will take place speedily, coin.
pletely, and at one time. It will lie eimrltaneous, and
not successive. The partial and successive withdrawal
would only have been justified bad Maximilian's empire
gradually consolidated itself and been able to replace by
its increasing force the strength we withdrew from it.
That has not been precisely the counc of events during
the last few months. It does not need much reflection
now to recognise that the system of gradual evacuation at
first decided on might have exposed the last represents-
' tires of the French flag in Mexico to grave difficulties, and
led of itself to the revival, so to speak, of an expediticet,
the end of which is ardently, and we believe unani-
mously desired."
THE ATRATO.--SOUTHAN ETON, WEDN ESDAY.
One of the Atrato's passengers fell sick yesterday, of the
ague. The Royal Mail Company's Southampton superin-
tendent and the health officer went down to the Mother.
bank to-day, to ascertaln,the state of health of the Atrato's
passengers on board the Pecans, and if the report is a
favourable one it is expected that they will be released
from quarantine to-morrow.