The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-08-27 00:00:00

BANQUET TO THE GUARDS

The promised banquet to the medal men of the Guards
took place on Monday, at the Royal Surrey Gardens, and was
everything that could be desired. The morning was cloudy:
but nevertheless immense crowds of persons lined the streets
through which the Guards passed from their respective bar-
racks to the gardens, and cheered them lustily. The Music
Hall, which is now so well known to thousands, presented
one of the most enlivening, gay, and brilliant spectacles
imaginable. Over the orchestra, was a crystal transparency
of the quarterings of England, France, Sardinia, and Tur-
key, surrounded by the Garter and England's motto ; whilst
on each side and above were intermixed the flags of the
respective nations, over which was placed a miniature
standard of England in gold and crimson. At the °pi:welt!
end of the building was a similar device, and above it oat,
in which the tri-color of France was most conspicuous'
Along the balcony of the principal gallery festoons of arti-
ficial leaves were gracefully and artistically intertwined
with the light filagree work of the front, and in the
..
inter-
stices formed by the festoons were placed the names of
M.'Donald," "Dundas," "Evans," "Bruat," " Wyndharee,,
" St. Arnaud," " Codrington," " Massey," "
"Lyons," "Simpson," "Williams," "Cardigan," "Lucall,
" Bosquet," Canrobert," &c., &e., names which
for ever will live in the page of history. Again'
each of the pillars was hung a flag of each of the
allied nations, whilst around the balcony and the middle
gallery festoons of flags were suspended over them, and I,
along the upper gallery flags were hung around, vsh'ed
floated gaily in the cool breeze. Immediately over a°
behind the chairman, and in front of the orchestra, the fi3gla
of the respectice nations were artistically intertwined, 3110
in a wreath on each side were the words " Redact
Malakhoff," and in the centre the name of that never-t,°:
be-forgotten soldier's friend and ministering angel, Di's
" Nightingale." At 12 o'clock the gates of the garden,
were opened for the admission of ladies and others bi
ticket at an advanced price, the proceeds of which the
proprietors of the gardens have liberally placed at tbe
~,
disposal of the committee, and the galleries were speetl
filled by a number of elegantly-dressed ladies, radiant Ist',
smiles, highly delighted at witnessing such an interestil
scene, and eager to testify their admiration for men wh°l,
daring and gallantry have achieved deeds unsurpassed s"
the page of history. The Grenadiers, mustering 739 met
marched from their barracks in Birdcage-walk, over Wes
minster-bridge, past the Elephant and Castle, along the
Walworth-road to Amelia-street, down which they passed t°
the principal entrance to the gardens. The Fusilier%
numbering 708 men, marched from their barracks, °
Charing.cross, over Waterloo-bridge, following the Gout;
diers from the Elephant and Castle. The Coldstrese;
numbering 562 men, marched from the Tower over London"
bridge by the Elephant and Castle, and the same rollto.„
thence to the gardens. These gallant men, each precedes
by its band, playing various enlivening airs, reached t„b
gardens about two o'clock, when an equal number of eat
regiment took their places at the tables in the music he
ti";
the remainder under an awning in front of the building''
tables
bands playing the " Roast beef of old England." The tan,
were laid out with cold meats of every kind, plum pudding
salads, fruits, cheese, &c., with a bottle of stout to efts,
man. At various places along the tables were a number eci
evergreens, fuschias, balsams, geraniums, vsrbenas,
other plants in flower; and in the centre of the room wB
an emblematic device. The men, on entering the groucuj
were loudly and enthusiastically cheered, which was repeal
of
on their entering the building, accompanied with waivilrf
handkerchiefs, bouquets, &c., by the ladies. The galled
opposite the orchestra was filled by a number of °freers `a
plain clothes, and their ladies. The Right lion. the lefio,
Mayor, Lady Mayoress, and Miss Salomons occupied,4
private box at the right of the orchestra. The men,,hev%o
taken their seats, were provided with a bottle of cbaolee6ao,
with which to drink the toasts. Sergeant-Major Edwar,be
the senior sergeant-major of the Guards, then took
e
chair, supported on either side by those next in seniority "ea
him. During the dinner music was admirably perferi°oo
by the bands of the Grenadier, Coldstream, and Selo "
Fusilier Guards. At the conclusion of the repast s,he
members of the chorus sang the grace after dinner from
Laudi Spirituali, 1545.
eeo,
The Chairman then gave the health of The Q° the
which was enthusiastically received—the bands of .ss,
Guards playing the National Anthem, the solo parts belt;
rendered by upwards of 300 members of the Chorus in
gallery,
osa
The Chairman said, I have to give you another to s,
which Ido not expect will please you as much as the lacebut very nearly so. I give you the toast of " rVtlie
Albert and the rest of the Royal family," and in that ot es
Royal family I include the Prince of Wales, who, b4ll
may live after the example of his Royal parents, and
the day be long before he wears the Royal crown. (Cheers.)
The toast was drank with three times three.
Band—" Coburg March?' al
The Chairman, in proposing the next toast, "His Bile)
Highness the General Commanding-in Chief, our Soluitso
and Sailors, our brave Allies in the late War, and As to
Chaplains of the Army," said he might say a few wet." the
them on the toast, as comrades. To the old mery;o4.
old Guards of Alma and Inkerman—he need not sal ncl,
word to them in favour of 11. R H. the General Conlin*
ing in Chief, for they all knew as much of him as he the
(Cheers.) He must live in their hearts as he did in his (
ore
chairman's) eternally— (cheers)—and all others who
.00
true British soldiers. (Cheers.) It must be their gre4,-ae,,
pride they were with him at Alma and Ihker-
(Cheers.) There was but one thing caused him sorreos
c,-
such a thing ought then to be felt by him, and that :100
find that these tables were not large enough forPa
comerades in the late war to be present. (Cheers.) 4iag
doubted not but that they would feel pleasure at lealliot
the manner in which the Guards had been receive' 00
day. (Cheers) With regard to "our sailors," he etts
happy to say the greatest good feeling existed between teb to
and the line. They and the blue jackets were indebt
f/
one another for many kindnesses all through the late NI,
',04
a better feeling it was impossible could have existed betireo
them and the blue jackets. With respect to their ahlood
was impossible for him to say enough, and to the Inkeroall
men he could say they had seen the day when they °heir
have fallen down and worshipped them like they did t'sbo'
God. (Cheers.) They recollected them coming overf
hill. (Tremendous cheering.) The chaplains of the eAlse
had done their duty. They had been taken so little o,audatt
of in all former military assemblages that he had 100'
them in the toast.
The toast was received with cheers, the choir si°gl'46,
song, the words written expressly for the occasion. by
Linley, Esq. of
The Chairman then gave the healths of the Chairel4o
the Committee and the subscribers to tie Dinner .r tllO,
They had been invited to a dinner such as perhaPlae°,
memory of man had never seen the equal of—(cheers):e
the fact of them having been invited to such a dinner seer Si
that their countrymen were satisfied with the Istes,lisil:e esit
which they had done their duty. (Loud cheers.) Is-tioo'''
recollected the day when they never dreamt or thoug,,S;,Bo/
a day as this would have been in the history of their 11' te;
and after what they had seen and gone through, seek "t fr
ception as that by their fellow-countrymen was suffietecaoll
make him and them jump on one leg through such g
paign as that just finished. (Cheers.)
eve The Lord Mayor, on the part of the committee, re
'
thanks and in doing so paid a just tribute to the b"
idles
of the troops, and remarked that he hoped every 8; 1P:
would be proud of the uniform he wore, and thg;,,t 1"
conduct would be such as to earn honours and resPe-soe
peace as he had done in war. (Loud cheers.) 11,sse
eluded by proposing the health of Sergeant-Major Eur,so4.4
the chairman of the day, and who,
whether they rer v‘
his height to his large beard—(laughter)—which,
hair, was tinged with grey, marked him as the °id
honourable soldier. (Cheers.) He hoped he w°se" d
many years spared to his country which he had ser-
successfully. (Cheers.)
de
Band— " The British Grenadiers." Of 0'
The Chairman returned thanks, which he could P.s.oo°,
in an humble manner in all sincerity. (Cheers.) I,:eogy;
a proud day for them all, and he firmly believed, "-,;0013;
dente between him and them, that he was the first se'ilftlel
major of the British army whose health had beelcbtoth'i
by the Lord Mayor of London. (Cheers and 10,751,,i5'
After again thanking his lordship for the hc°°"af
chairman sat down amidst the enthusiastic cheers
comrades.
CerSi
'1 he Lord Mayor then gave << The healths of the
la JO mending Officers," which was drank with enthusie,°,. .1)e-
About 1,200 dined in the Hall, the remainder a, Palo,
accommodated under the tent in front of the gus-nd
The interesting ceremony was then concluded, ,„ot
soldiers withdrew from the Hall and strolled e"" fro
gardens, where other amusements awaited theTcporfr
following officers belonging to the three brigades ° fir
Were present a—Sir W. Codrington, Lord itokerooe'
Barnard, Colonel the Hon. E. Upton, Colonel the 4 fAii,
Foley, Col. Ridley, Col. Steele, s
Lieut.-General Airsii.eeiff
Bingham, Lieut.-Col. Higginson, Major Sir /tllOl,
Lord Sefton, Col. F. Seymour, Captain Ponser;4•Vl'
Crawley, Capt. Burrand, Lieut.-Col. Hatton, -L.': t.'
Lie
Strong, Earl of Carrick, Captain Lindsay, -
Strong, Col. Lord F. Paulett, Lord George Paget

...r; of 121;eP
Printed and Published by CHARLES WILLIC---„'bils.
street, at his General Printing and Stationery Est"
South PAR-Orcet,Liverpool.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27. age