The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-24 00:00:00

Pg!. SON, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING}, DECEMI3ER, 24, 1863.

13ANQUET TO CAPTAIN SPEKE,

On Tuesday night, a banquet in honour of Captain Speke
was given in the. Grand Jury-room at the Shire-hall, Tann-
ton. About 10 gentlemen sat down, under the presidency
of Captain Scobell, the high sheriff of the county, and among
those present we noticed Captain Speke Lord Taunton, Sir
W. Medlycott, Sir A. Hood, M.P., Sir P. P. Acland, M.P.,
M.P., Lieutenant-Colonel
, Mr. A. Mills, M.P., Mr., Danby Seymour,
.M.P., Colonel Pinny, M.P., Mr. W. G.
SSir
Langton,llr . 5 le .s
Neville, Lr. Sergeant M.P.,
Grenville, Captain Raban,
Captain Carew, Captain Evered, Major Hedley, Captain
'Vibart, Captain Doveton, Major Warry, &o.
The cloth having been drawn, letters of apology for non-
attendance were read from Lord Portman, Sir A. Elton,
Sir John Lethbridge, Colonel Graham, Mr. Esdale, and Mr.
Dickinson.

The usual loyal toasts having been given, the toast of
" The Bishop and Clergy" was acknowledged by
The Rev. W. R. CLARK, vicar of St. Mary's, Taunton,
who observed that it wag right they should express their
gratitude to Captain Speke for his services in the cause of
religion, Christianity, and philanthropy. No class of men
were more interested in the history of Egypt than the clergy
of the Church of England, for it was the cradle of the great
law.•giver and the cradle of Christianity. He believed that
Captain Speke had done a greataltal towards throwing open
that part of Africa which promised not only to be the basis
of its modern civilization, but also the best sphere for
Christian missions, (Applause.)
Lord TAUNTON proposed the toast of " The Army and
Navy." He hoped the day would be far distant when the
noble qualities inherent in our soldiers and sailors would
be called into action. Those, however, belonging to the
army and navy, he remarked, while professionally inactive,
were finding a vent for their energy and perseverance in
other fields. He need to look no further for an illus-
tration of this than to the gallant gentleman who
was their guest—he had to look no further to
see that the English soldier did not make time of peace
a time of indolence and inactivity, - Captain Speke was
only a specimen of what English soldiers were, able to carve
out for themselves in times of peace. Captain Spoke had
returned with laurels as nobly won as any upon the battle-
field. No one who had perused his book but would see his
endurance, his sagacity, all his prudence, which had en-
abled him to achieve the peaceful victories of science.
(Applause.) He had felt a privilege and a pleasure to join
with other gentlemen in hailing Captain Speke's return to
his native country and in assuring him that during his
labours his career was watched with the greatest sym-
pathy. If he should continue to go on to fresh efforts in
that field in which he had already been so successful he
could assure him that the best wishes of everybody con-
nected with the county of Somerset would accompany him
in all his labours, and that when he returned they should
only be glad to welcome him again. (Applause.)
Colonel NEVILLE briefly responded for the army, and
Captain SCOBELL for the navy.
The CHAIRMAN then proposed " The Health of Captain
Speke."
Captain J. H. SPEKE; who was received with vociferous
cheers, spoke as follows :—Yea may depend upon it, gen-
tlemen, that it was the pride both of my county and of my
• country that carried me through my undertaking. (Ap-
plause.) Wherever I was I thought of home and worked
accordingly. (Applause.) You all know, gentlemen, that
in 1858 I hit the Nile upon its head, and that in 1863 I
drove it into the Mediterranean Sea. (Hear, hear, and a
laugh.) But, gentlemen, while you are doing me this great
honour, and while you are complimenting ,me as you have
done on the success of my late career, I must not omit to
do justice to those who went before me, and by whose im-
mediate instrumentality the work commenced. I have been
accused in the public press of being ungenerous. It has
been said that I have not remembered Beke, who proclaimed
to the world that he imagined the source of the Nilo to lie
in the position in which I found it. All this, gentlemen, I
grant; but I assure you that it was not on account of his
hypothesis that this work was commenced. It was
two missionaries, named Rebmann and Edhardt, who,
first commenced the work. They heard frOM the natives of
Africa that in the interior of the continent there was, as
they imagined; an enormous piece of water, extending from
the equator over the 14th degree of the south latitude, and
being about 300 miles in breadth. This occurred about the
time of the Crimean war.' One of these missionaries made
a map of the country, and taking it to the Geographical
Society of England, propelled to exaraina,this piece of water
and see exactly in what position it lay, He also proposed to
ascertain, I believe, whether it had any outlets, and whether
it formed the hetelquartsrs of any rivers. The Geographical
Society was then at the height of its prosperity, and was
very desirous that some measure should be taken to open up
that part of Africa, and especially the locality in which this
great hypothetical lake was situated. Captain Burton, hap-
pening to be in the cempany of Admiral Sir George Back,
, was accosted by him on this subject. Having heard of Capt.
Burton, Admiral Sir George Back preferred him to the mis-
sionaries, thinking that the duties of tho latter would inter-
fere with their labours in a geographical point of view. I
was a necessity to Captain But ton, for I had formerly served
with him is Africa, aud-hati learnt the use of surveying in-
struments. We went together from Zanzibar to Kingam,
where I first heard from the natives that the Nyanza lay
immediately to its northward, and that it was the largest
piece of water in the country. They informed us that there
were three lakes—viz., the Victoria Nyanza, the Tangan7
zika, and the N'ssa. Capt. Burton expressed his intention
of going to the Tanganzika lake. I went there with him,
and we navigated the lake, but our stores became exhausted
and it was necessary that we should send for a fresh
supply or return. I proposed the former alternative, but
that was negatived. I pointed out that we had done
nothing, that the people of England would expect some-
thing from us, and that we should return only as far as
Kingam; but my companion was ill, or doubtless he would
have gone with me. At that time I had discovered the
southern end of the Victoria Nyanza, and had proved that
it was the source of the Nile, and as no one had anything
to do with the discovery except the two missionaries,
Capt. Burton, and Capt. Gratit, who went with me on my
last journey, I think, having said this much, I have done
justice to all parties. Your worthy chairman has hinted at
toy ftWere prospects in Africa, but it could not be expected
that he should know what I have in view. My object is
nothing less than the regeneration of Africa. (Applause.)
I believe—and I say I believe because I have only been
across the tract once—that I have discovered a zone of won-
derful fertility in Africa. It stretches in a line with the
equator from east to west, and its fertility perfectly asto-
, wished me. I. have shown that the altitude of the country
is between 3,000 and 4,000 feet, that in the very heart of
the country is a great mountain group, which are the rain•.
bearers for fertilising the country, and the consequence is
that throughout the whole duration of the twelvemonths
there is a fall of rain on an average of two to three inches
each day. There is a temperature as mild as that of this
country in summer, and with the moisture, heat, and a
rich soil combined you can imagine what the result must
be. And although the climate is so temperate it is the
most healthy of all the regions in which I have travelled.
It may be said that I am to some extent acclimatised, but I
don't judge from the effect of the climate upon myself alone.
There are Arab merchants and others who say that there
is no place so healthy as the equatorial regions, (Hear.)
Now, gentlemen, as this country is so prolific, as its cli-
mate is so genial, as all facts tend to show that, properly de-
veloped, it is as fertile as any country in the world, I think,
instead of devoting our attention to places more distant from
the equator, where theta are great rains, great droughts,
and fearful famines, we should look to it. If means were
taken to colonise it, there would, I am sure, be ample re-

payment. (Hear.) And if missionaries should again enter

Attica, I would say that this region is especialy the spot
to which they should direct their attention—(hear, hear)----

and if ever they should do so they will meet there a people
who are not purely heathen, but who, having emanated
from the Abyssinian stock, have the germ of Chris-
tianity within them. (Hear, hear.) I wish particu-
larly to draw the attention of clergymen to those
people. lam certain that it the kings who rule the country
could be visited by our missionaries they would heartily re-
ceive them, for they told me so. (Hear, hear, and applause.)
When I spoke to them of the power of knowledge they
wished that I should educate their children—but I was fear-
ful that if those children were brought to this country they
would not desire to return to their homes. I therefore told
them that I would send missionaries to them, and, as they
all accepted the view which I then expressed, I feel certain
that they are now expecting their arrival. (Applause.) You
have read, doubtless, of the number of lives which are sacH
fieed in the kingdom of Uganda alone each year. It is
really very fearful—but it is not only of those who are exe-
cuted, but those also who are carried off by slavery, that
cause that country to be in so turbulent and to excited
a state. Really something ought to be done to put a stop
to this. (Hear, hear.) I would willingly go myself and
lead the way. (Applause.) But I would prefer that to the
regions there should go certain missionaries under such an
able guide as Dr. Livingstone. (Hear, hear.) There should
also 136 employed in the Werk rregrka clergymen, of whom
many are to be found on the western coast: Of conrse,there
could be as many young bloods as. would like to go, being
careful to ascertain that they are constituted for it, bearing
in mind that in Africa the climate is during the Whole year
of an equal temperature. In England we enjoyed better
health, because we were accustomed to the change, and we
can never thrive so well elsewhere until wo have been there
a certain time, and have got acclimatized. But, gentlemen,
in additionjo the clergy there ought to be ambassadors to
Africa—then with authority. emanating from our Govern-
ment, and who,trading with the kings, would be able to put
n• stop to the diabolical system of the Mavetradc--(hear,hear,
those vile traders a_"l,l..appleuse)—which is ruining the corm try,and more espe-
e_l, I.lcY_ these semi-Chrisl isms inhabiting the district through
which have gone it is true that these people forget their
Ciiristiarat
down the nativeYs
Y, but it is still I si-ent in them. At the same time
beads take many who, instead' of purchasing. the ivory with
e travelnath. throughrace i t
or
bullets than anything else, and shoot
e
st l them away, and rob them of their
cattle, have rendered
unless
country so insecure that no one
pounds
all:II:: has a force superior to that
that wl e are paying thousands
hitherto,tess m a n n ehr i nv
have
cr
directed
uocafpnothn thousands of
s
to stop the.slave-trade there.
down slaverswe instead of,'
our efforts principally to running