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

THE SON, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 24, 186 g.

BANQUET TO CAPTAIN SPEKE,

On Tuesday night, a banquet in honour of Captain Spoke
was given in the Grand Jury-room at the Shire-hall, Taun.
ton. About 150 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.,
Sir W. Miles, M.P., Colonel Pinny, M.P., Mr. W. G.
Langton, M.P., Mr. A. Mills, M.P., Mr. Danby Seymour,
M.P., Mr. Sergeant Kinglake,
MajorL Lieutenant-Colonel
Neville, Lieutenant-Colonel N. Grenville, Captain Raban,
TCaibpataritn,
CCaaprteawin,
DCazetatoinn,Emveajreodr,warry,
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 was right they should express their
gratitude to Captain Speke for his cervices 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
lawgiver and the cradle of Christianity. He believed that
Captain Speke had done a great deal 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 Speke 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 Spoke'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 CHAIMLA.N then proposed " The Health of Captain
Speke."
Captain J. H. SPEKE, who was received with vociferous
cheers, spoke as follows :—You 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 Nile to lie
in the position in which I found it. All this, gentlemen, I
grant ; but 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. Ono of these missionaries made
a map of the country, and taking it to the Geographical
Society of England, proposed to examine 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 headquarters 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 company 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 the latter would inter-
fere with their labours in a geographical point of view. I
was a necessity to Captain But ton, for I had formerlyserved
with him in Africa, and had learnt the use of surveying in-
struments. We wont 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 Tangan-
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
/Unlearn ; 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. Grant, 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
my faLure 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-
eished me. 1 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.
Tbere 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 them 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
Africa, I would say that this region is especia:ly 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 these
people. I am 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 sacri •
feed 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 so 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 be employed in the work negro clergymen, of whom
many are to be found on the western coast. Of course,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
and appleuse)—whic'h i
can never thrive so well elsewhere until we have been there
t.t. certain time, and have got acclimatized. But,gentlemen,
in addition to the clergy there ought to be ambassadors to
Africa—men with authority emanating from our Govern-
ment,a
ut gone' It
and whoitrading with the kings, would be able to put
stop to the diabolical s st€ in of the slave trade—(hear,hear,
cially s . :ruining the country,end mote espe-
inhabiting the district through
which I have go,
Christianity, 1, 11181
at
tt isl truel
latentt h
iant thesethem . peopleA t
th reosragme te theirtime
those vile traders instead of purchasing the ivory with
down the natives or bulletssteal them
than anything else, and shoot
those take many morn
cattle, have rendered the Coen' away,
and rob them of their
so insecure that no one
wa force superior to that
can travel through it hasunlesauhnetr
of the native races. I maintain that
upon thousands of pounds in a fruitleessurnreanner in our efforts
paying thousands
to stop the slave-trade there. Hip
aerto, we have directed
our efforts principally to running down slayers instead of,

as I think we ought to do, teaching the negroes to stand up
for themselves. (Hear, hear.) The African is a very in-
telligent creature. I have travelled with many of them,
who, although formerly, when in slavery considered them-
selves the property of their masters, because they hid been
purchased, and would neither kill nor desert them, now
declare that the degradation of their countrymen who are
transported into slavery have so excited them that if a good
spirit were infused into them they would rise to a man and
help one another to keep down the traffic. (Hear, hear.)
The more direct plan of doing this would be by organizing
an expedition in the following way. In the first place let
there be negro depots along the east and west coasts of
Africa assisting emancipated slaves; let these be trained as
sailors and taught the English language, so that they may
assist our own navigators ; let the natives after being drilled
be taken across the continent of Africa, and shown the posi.
tions in which the trade chiefly ramifies, and then prevent the
merchants conveying slaves to the ports. By this an organi-
zation would be created which would tend to the entire sup-
pression of the slave trade. I would engage in it myself if
the Government felt inclined to support me in it. After the
depots had been formed, I would take in the aggregate 500
meu, a few from each station, and I would then commence
from the east coast of Africa and march across along the
equator to the west coast. I would, at the same
time, show those spots which are most advantageous to
us in a mercantile point of view, and whichf would pave
the way for a system of—l won't say colonization—but
civilisation, and colonisation will necessarily follow. (Hear,
hear.) That is a matter which we need not doubt for one
moment, for the fact is the negro cannot govern his own
land, and the land is such that it will be the subject of con-
tention before long. Austria has already her eye upon it.
An Austrian gentleman has gone out there, and his object
cannot be to discover the source of the Nile, because it is
settled. (Hear, hear.) He may have gone out to certify to
the truth of my statements, but they have been corrobo-
rated by my companion Captain Grant. (Hear, hear.)
Captain Speke concluded by proposing the health of Captain
Grant, and also the Geographical Society.
The toast was very warmly drunk.

Mr. DANBY SEYMOUR, M.P., responded on behalf of the
Geographical Society, and other toasts followed, after which
the meeting broke up. _ _ _

The ball took place at the London Hotel. Among those
present we noticed Captain Speke, Lord Taunton, Lady
Taunton, the Misses Labonchere (3), Mr. H. D. Seymer,
M.P., Colonel Penney, M.P., Sir A. Hood, M.P., Sir P.
Acland, Sir William and Miss Medlycott, Capt, Scobell,
R.N., Mrs. Barton Scobell, Sir W. Miles, M.P., Mr. W.
H. P. Langton, M.P, and Lady Anna Gore Langton, the
Hon. Mrs. Elton, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Elton, the Hon.
Miss Chetwynd, the Hon, E. J. Chetwynd, &c.

do with the act which you committed, the Court has deter-
mined to sentence you to a short imprisonment, and to
substitute a fine for the remainder of the sentence which it
is proper to impose upon you. Of course, the fine must be
of a substantial character, rather with reference to your
position as an estated man than with reference exclusively
to the consideration of the oftence for which you have been
properly advised to plead guilty. Under all the circum-
stances of the case the judgment of the Court upon you is,
that you be imprisoned in the common gaol of this county
for one calendar month, and that you pay to our lady the
Queen a fine of £3OO, and be further imprisoned until that
fine be paid.
The prisoner was then taken below.

SOUTIIf WALES CIRCUIT.—CAnnirr, Dec. 21.

(Before Mr. Justice Crompton.)

Sarah Lancastell was indicted for the wilful murder of
her child at Llandaff.

Mr. Thomas Allen appeared for the prosecution; the pri-
soner was undefended.

There was no doubt from the depositions that this unfor-
tunate woman was not in a sound state of mind at the time
of the murder, and in consequence of what Mr. Payne, the
surgeon of the gaol, said, a jury was empannelled to try
whether she was in a fit state of mind.

In answer to the questions put to him by the Court, Mr.
Payne said that she was, in his opinion, in such a state as
to render her unable to give an answer to any questions put
to her, and that ho was afraid it was not a temporary but a
lasting case of insanity.
The unfortunate woman, it appears, met with some great
domestic affliction about a year ago, and when the child
whose death was the subject of the present charge was born
she had a very bad confinement, and in a fit of insanity, de-
scribed by the doctor as puerperal mania, she forced her
hand down the child's throat—labouring under the impres-
sion, as she said, that there was a fire inside it—causing al-
most immediate death. The jury at once found that the pri-
soner was not in a fit state to plead, his Lordship remark-
ing that the effect would be that she would be placed in an
asylum, and that the circumstances of this sad case were
such that in the event of her recovery he would give a cer-
tificate, if applied to, to render it necessary that she should
undergo the formality of a trial.
William Williams was charged with maliciously setting
fire to a stack of hay, the property of Lewis Lewis, of Lan-
vaboll.
Mr. T. Allen appeared for the prosecution.

The prisoner was seen in the neighbourhood just before
the fire, and soon after he went to the police-station and
gave himself up, saying at the time that he was induced to
do i 1 because he could not get work and was " hard up."
The jury having found him guilty, he was sentenced to
six years' penal servitude, his Lordship remarking at the
time upon the enormity of the offence and the necessity of
passing a severe sentence, as it was a crime much on the
increase, he having sentenced no less than 11 persons for
the same offence last week at Welshpool, in Montgomery-
shire.

Thomas Phillips was charged on the coroner's warrant
with feloniously killing and slaying one Griffith Phillips.
Mr. Bowen appeared for the prosecution ; the prisoner,
who was very much affected, was not defended.
The circumstances of this case were very sad, and were
shortly these :—The prisoner, who was a hardworking, in-
dustrious man, and bore the bent possible character as an
affectionate husband and father, went home to his dinner
one day, when, unfortunately, a somewhat angry discussion
took place between him and his wife about the children not
having sufficient meat for dinner, upon which she left the
room, the prisoner taking up a small piece of iron and
throwing it over his shoulder after her. The deceased, who
was one of their children, aged nine years, was unfortunately
behind him, and the piece of iron struck him on the fore-
head. A witness who called at prisoner's house soon after
saw both him and his wife treating thechild with the greatest
care. A doctor was subsequently called in, and found a
small wound on the forehead, and attended the child until
hie death, which took place in about a week, A post
martens examination being made, a fracture of the skull was
Lund immediately underneath the wound, causing inflam-
mation of the brain, which was the cause of death.
His Lordship, in summing up, impressed upon the jury

the necessity of finding the prisoner guilty if the death was
caused by any illegal act of the prisoner, whether directed
against the deceased or another, or by any wilful and cut
pable negligence ; but that if they thought it was possibly
the effect of an accident they would be warranted in acquit-
ting him.

The jury immediately found a verdict of not guilty.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS,

TIMES.—It is now nearly 20 years since the Go-
vernment of New Zealand was engaged in its first
great war with the natives. The contest was long,
and, for a colonial war, bloody. Hostilities began in
1844, and the islands were not wholly tranquillised
till 1848. In that time the British troops inflicted on
the Maories many severe defeats, but it is doubt-
ful whether they did not leave them more skilful
warriors and resolute enemies than they were at the
beginning. The native fortification of the "pah"
yielded everywhere sooner or later to the courage of
our troops, but the Maories have never been con-
vinced that it is impossible for them to hold the
country except by alliance with the English. They
have never even been persuaded that it is out of
their power to ruin the colonial settlements and re-
cover the lands of the white man for themselves,
For years past the settlers have found themselves
in presence of a race which cherishes a belief in
its superiority and future good fortune. There
are Maories who are hostile, and others who are
friendly ; but, whether hostile or friendly, they have
been encouraged by events, and perhaps by the
action of our Home Government, to consider them-
selves a powerful and independent race, able to deal
on at least equal terms with the English who are
their neighbours. There is every reason to suppose
that the outbreak which has lately occurred is the
result of a long prevalent feeling. Naturally
clever and learning something year after year of
the qualities and weaknesses of the settlers, the
Maori has fancied that he has come to be a match
for them and the handful of regular troops which
ordinarilyoccupiesNewZealand. He has his gun and
his ammunition, sometimes his horse and cart; he
has learnt by contact with civilization the art of
combining with secrecy and forming able schemes.
The war which has broken out in the neigh-
bourhood of Auckland would probably have been
the most formidable in which the Government has
been engaged, if it had not been for the promptitude
of the colonial authorities, the courage ot• the settlers,
and the generous help that had been received from
the Australian mainland. The deadly nature of the
strife may be understood from the despatch of Gen.
Cameron, just published in the Gazette. The mur-
der of Mr. Armitage, who has lived several years
among the natives, shows the determination of the
enemy, and their power to bring ruin on isolated
settlements. This gentleman was appointed super-
intendent of a =XII depot of stores at a place called
Camerontown, and friendly natives inhabited a pah
near the spot. The pah was suddenly attacked by
a large body of the enemy, the friendly natives
were driven out, Mr. Armitage was killed, and the
stores were destroyed. A more conspicuous in-
stance, hawever, of the courage and strength of
the enemy is the attack on Captain Swift's party.
This officer, on hearing the fate of Mr. Armitage,
went out with 50 men to scour the bush, and was
mortally wounded in the fight with the natives which
ensued. These events appear to have thoroughly
roused the authorities, and, though they will not
imitate the cruelty of the enemy, there is little doubt
that the latter will receive a lesson which will put
an end for ever to designs of massacre and plunder.
The fault has been so wholly with them this time,
the atrocity of their conduct has been so undeniable,
the danger to the white population has been so
threatening, that even the ordinary spokesmen and
defenders of the native have been unable to say a
word for him. The clergy, who have ever stood
between the Maories and the white man, are now
ready to admit that the Government and the colo-
nists must lose no time in putting down the revolt
and punishing its instigators. A letter we pub-
lished some days since gave a description of the
scene of war, and a narrative of events up to the last
days of October. The ratives have betaken them-
selves to massacre, and do not scruple to shoot down
unsuspecting settlers, and even young boys. But
these crimes have aroused the spirit of all clasees.
The slow operations of former wars are likely to be
abandoned for more summary tactics. Auckland,
which the natives thought to surprise, or at any rate
to besiege, is so effectually garrisoned that General
Cameron, even with an insufficient force, has been
able to disregard the swarms of natives on his flank
and rear, and keep the field on the banks of the
Waikato. To meet the Maories in their own mode
of warfare must be the tactics of the British C9m-
mandcr. It is said that the troops have become skil-
ful in bush fighting, and that flying columns will be
organised to scour the bush and destroy detached
and marauding parties of the enemy. More
attempts to bring such bands of plunderers to a
general action must generally end in failure. Gen.
Cameron, for instance, has been encamped for some
time opposite Mere-mere, a native stronghold on
the Waikato. This place is supposed to be defended
by a great number of Maories, and is probably well
worth the trouble of taking. But the general fear
seems to be that the enemy will steal away, and
make the capture comparatively useless, inasmuch
as the Maori is formtdab:e, not only from the posi-
tions he may occupy, but from his activity, cunning,
and marauding propensities. Hence, if the natives
evacuate the place, and, forming themselves into
straggling parties, carry on the war, little will
have been gained by theiriexpulsion from a single
position. The military authorities seem
to
enter-
alive to the necessity of adopting a more,
says
prising kind of warfare. " A conviction, ._ r
our correspondent, "is gaining groundhv that
.lour
tleaorun
troops are to subdue the natives
to meet theta in the bush in their 0:11 fea-sh.i°n*".
troops are becoming ace istomed to this kind of