The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-11-15 00:00:00

GRAND BANQUET TO LORD ELP.HIN.
STONE.

On Saturday evening, the Directors of the East India
Company gave a grand entertainment to the Right Hon.
Lord Elphinstone, at the London Tavern, on the occasion of
his appointment as Governor of Bombay.
Mr. Russell Ellice, Chairman of the Board of Directors,
was in the chair, having Lord Elphinstone, the guest of the
evening, on his right hand. There were also present, on
the right—Earl Granville, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord
Canning, Lord Hardin,ge, Sir Charles Wood, Mr. Wigrarn,
Lord Campbell, Mr. Sidney Herbert, Sir James Graham, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Cardwell, Sir James Hogg,
Vice-Chancellor Page Wood, &c. On the left of the chair-
man there were—The Lord Mayor, the Deputy Chairman
of the Company, the Earl of Elgin, the Earl of Bessborough,
the Earl of Shelburne, Lord Sydney, Mr. Lock, Lord Ernest
Bruce, Lord Stanley of Alderley, Mr. S. Lushington, Mr.
Hayter, Mr. Baines, Lord Justice Turner Vice-Chancellors
Kindersley and Stuart, Sir Richard Jenkins, the Solicitor-
, General, &c.
After the usual loyal toasts the CHAIRMAN gave the toast
of the evening "the health of the right hon. Lord Elphin-
stone." (Great cheering).
Lord ELPHISSTONE thanked the company for the flatter-
ing manner in which they had received his health. This
was not the first time that he had stood in the position of
returning thanks for an honour conferred upon him of a
similar nature ; but he must confess he did not find that,
that at all lightened the difficulty of finding words in which
to express its thanks to them. He did not go out to
India an untried man, but in going he felt the full
responsibilities of the situation he was about to under-
take. And he must also add that he would be ungrate-
ful, indeed, if he did not also remember the assistance
and the support which he had received when he was Go-
venor of Madras, both from the directors of the East India
Company and their various servants in India, and with-
out with assistance he felt he should not have been equal
to the situation. But it was the peculiar good fortune of
the Indian government to possess a body of servants, both
in the civil and the military departments, which he believed
to be altogether unequalled for their zeal and ability—men of
tried experience, who had been educated and brought up in
the service of the company; and, with their assistance, he
did not despair of accomplishing the objects for which he
had been sent out. (Applause). It was unnecessary for him
to dwell at any length on what he conceived were the prin-
cipal objects of an Indian governor. He would only say that
the principal objects w which he proposed to himself in his
government were three—first, to develop the resources of the
country ; second, to promote the sound and practical secular
education of the natives.— (applause); and third, to advance
and promote, as opportunities might offer, those natives who
might qualify themselves for situations of trust in the public
service. (Great applause). In all these objects he relied
with perfect confidence on the countenance and support of
the court of directors. He was convinced, from all he had
seen, that it was the wish of the people of this country that
the natives of India should have their full share in the ad.
vantages and privileges of British rule - and it was a great
comfort to him that upon this subject his feelings and views
should be in entire unison with the views of the court of
directors and of her Majesty's government. (Applause.)
He would only say, in conclusion, that if he were in any
degree enabled to promote these views and objects, he should
feel that he had not gone to India in vain. Next to the
approbation of his own conscience, his greatest pride would
ever be to receive the approbation of the honourable the
court of directors, and of her Majesty's government.
(Applause).
The health of her Majesty's Ministers having been
given,
Earl GRANVILLE responded. He said he felt much
embarrassed in rising. to return thanks on behalf of her
Majesty's ministers in the presence of so many of his
infinitely more distinguished colleagues, but it had been so
long his pride and gratification to obey the orders of the
noble marquis near him (the Marquis of Lansdowne)
that he could not refuse to do so now. He might state
that her Majesty's government, after long, careful, and
anxious deliberation, had resolved to take that course
which appeared to them the best adapted to promote
the welfare of the natives of India, without showing favour
either to one side or another at home; and he could assure'
the meeting that he and all his colleagueis appreciated the
straightforward and single-minded manner in which the
East India Company had met their endeavours so to act.
And in future he was sure the East India Company would
find that her Majesty's government would always be ready
to co-operate with them in every measure that was calcu-
lated to promote the welfare of the inhabitants of India.
(Applause.) Ile should not do justice to the feelings of
her Majesty's ministers if he did not express on their part
the gratification which they felt at the appointment of his
noble friend Lord Elphinstone, which appointment had
also met the approbation of such a high authority
as Lord Hardinge. (Applause.) It had happened to
him that by such an accident as that which called
him to-night to return thanks for her Majesty's ministers,
he was placed in the chair of a committee of the House of
Lords to inquire into the affairs of India ; and when there,
he found himself in the position of that young member of
narliamen.t who oxi beim? retnteed for ft pert-Qin
was asked it he Wand much difficulty in public speaking.
His reply was, that practice made perfect ; and that for Ins
part the only difficulty he found was in having something to
say. (Laughter.) So he (Earl Granville) had no difficulty in
putting questions ; his only difficulty was in knowing what
to ask. But he must say that while he found from all the
witnesses full and clear information on every subject, he had
especially found from Lord Elphinstone, whether in the
committee or in the House of Lords, that he not only was in
possession of a vast amount of information with respect to
India, but that he also appeared to have formed clear and
candid opinions on all questions affecting the welfare of those
great dependencies. (Applause.) He believed he might say
with the greatest truth that not only her Majesty's ministers,
but all present, wished him every prosperity in the adminis-
tration of those affairs which had formed the study of his
whole life. An acquaintance with him of twenty years'
standing enabled him (Earl Granville) to say that his noble
friend was one of the most honourable and high-minded men
he had ever been his good fortune to meet with. (Applause.)
He begged again to thank them for the honour they had done
her Majesty's ministers, and he cordially joined them in
wishing all health and prosperity to his noble friend.
(Applause.)
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said he should hardly have
felt himself called upon to obtrude upon their attention on
this occasion, were it not that he knew it would be agreeable
to their feelings that they should not part without paying a
tribute of respect to the chairman of the East India Com-
pany. (Applause.) With respect to the particular occasion
on which they had met—the occasion of celebrating the ap-
pointment of his noble friend to an important station in
India—he need scarcely say anything. As one of her
Majesty's ministers, they had already spoken by the mouth
of their foreman—his noble friend near him, and who was
the first in official rank among them, and by whom they had
been ably represented to-day—so that there could be no
doubt as to their feelings on the appointment. In another
capacity he might be held to appear among them as a
member of one of the most important constitutional
authorities in the country—the House of Lords—who, as
well as the other !house of parliament, have always been
in connection with the East India Company, ,and who have
ever felt the advantage of leaving the affairs of the
company in the hands of the directors and their chair-
man ; and he was sure both houses would always
be ready to acknowledge the merit, the skill, and the
judgment with which they had administered them. As
a member of the House of Lords he was certain he spoke
the feelings of all composing that assembly, when he said
that if a vote could have been proposed there, er if any pro-
position could have been made in conformity with the prin-
ciples of the constitution with respect to the merits of the
selection which the East India Company had made in the
new Governor of Bombay—if ever vote was passed unani-
mously in the House of Lords, that vote would have been a
vote in favour of his noble friend. (Applause.) There are,
and there always have been, in that house members who de-
rive their right to .it that usbeinbly 170 m their connection
with services rendered in India to the East India Company,
and to the country at large. Even in this room, they had
great living instances, (applause,) and among the first
families in the country there were persons who dated their
origin and their position from services in the East. There
were others who had made for themselves a career, in some
respects a new career, by serving not only the Company
with zeal and fidelity, but also, as his noble friend had told
them, by holding it to be a great and solemn duty so to ad-
minister the affairs of the country as to benefit the natives
who were committed to their charge. He had every confi-
dence that parliament had acted wisely in placing the go-
vernment of India once more in the hands of the company,
and his confidence was all the greater from finding his hon.
friend in the chair placed at the head of the company,
to whom he begged to return thanks for the generous
hospitality with which he had brought them together to-day
and he would beg to propose as a toast, " The Chairman
and Directors of the East India Company." (Applause.)

TILE EMPRESS EUOENIE.-But the Empress—has she red
hair? Has she absurdly large features, and a ridiculously
long nose ? Does she look proud and haughty like a parvenu ?
—bronzed and audacious like a successful adventuress ? In
short, is she like the descriptions we have read of her from
the pans of her enemies and rivals ? No, she is not. She is
as sweet and gentle a lady as ever it was our fortune to look
upon. None of her portraits do her justice, a point greatly
in her favor, for we remember hearing Sir Henry.ltaeburn
say, "No woman's face is worth anything if it can be put
upon canvass,"—meaning that variety and transitoriness of
expression were the finest parts of female beauty. Even in
feature she is statuesque and regular; "but 'twasna her bonny
blue e'e was my ruin ;" it was the soft, feminine gracious-
ness of look and motion ; the retiring and yet self-possessed
manner with which she acknowledged the sincere and hearty
reception of the spectators—and to us—
(" Land of any sires ! what mortal hand
Shall e'er untie the filial band _ .

That binds me to thy rugged strand ?")
she had an indefinable charm—powerless perhaps on the
hearts of French, or even English. She was the exact re-
presentative of " the yellow-haired lassie" we read of in
Burns's songs—a refined Scottish expression about her
mouth, winning and humorous, completed the effect.—
Blackwood.