The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-19 00:00:00

DINNER TO SIR CHARLES
NAPIER.

On Saturday the chairman and Court of Director s of
the Hon: East India Company gave a grand complimen.
tary dinner to General Sir Charles J. Napier, on the eve
bf his departure to assume the functions of Commander-
in-Chief: of the Armies in India. The entertainment
took place at the London Tavern, and never did Messrs.
Bathe and Breach display the resources of their un-
rivalled establishment with more taste and splendour.
The service of plate was most magnificent, and all the
accessories of the. feast were of the most sumptuoui
character.
Sir J. Lushington, the chairman of the Hon. East
India Company, presided. On his right sat Sir Charles
Napier, G.C.B. ; the Duke of Wellington, K.G. ; the
Marquis of Breadalbane, K.T. ; the Marquis of Clanri-
carde, K.P. ; Viscount Hardinge, G.C.8.; Lord Camp-
bell, the Right Hon. Sir J. Hobhouse, Mr. Wigram,
the Right Honourable Sir G. Grey, Bart.; the Right
Honourable Sir F. Baring, Bart. ; the Right Bon.
the Chancellor of the Exchequer ; the Right Hon.
Sir G. Arthttr, Bart. ; Sir 'l.`. M'Mahon, Bart.; Sir 11.
Verney, Bart. ; Sir J. W. Hogg, Bart. ; Sir G. Pollock,
G.C.B ; the Solicitor-General, Sir G. W. Anderson;
and on the left the Duke of Norfolk, K.G.; the Deputy.
Chairman, the Marquis of Sligo, the Earl of Clare, K P.;
Viscount Jocelyn, the Right Hon. Fox Maule, the Right
Hon. Sir J. Graham, Bart.; Mr. Mills, the Right Hon.
S. R. Lushington, the Right Hon. H. Labouchere, the
Right Hon. R. L. Shell, the Right .Hon. W. G. Hay ter,
Sir C. Sullivan, Bart., Sir R. Campbell, Bart., Sir A.
Rothschild, Bart., Sir J. Caldwell, G.C.8,, and Sir C.
Trevelyan, K.C.G.
Among the other company were—the Hon. J. Elliot,
Hon. Colonel Anson, Sir Richard Jenkins, G.C.8., Sir
Charles Malcolm, Sir Frederick Smith, Sir John Camp-
bell, Sir R. J. Murchison, Mr. Nlasternsan;Hon. A. L.
Melville, Hon. W. L. Melville, Sir John Macdonald,
G.C.8., Sir C. Pasley, K.C.8., Sir H. Willock, K.L.S ,
Sir E. Stannus, C. 8., Sir George Back, Mr. Muspratt,
General Hunter, C. 8., General Macleod, C. 8., General
Macdonald, Mr. Matheson, M.P., Mr. Wilberforce
Bird, Mr. Prinsep, Colonel Stack, C. 14., Colonel Leslie,
C. 8., Colonel Napier, Major Macmurdo, Captain Bun-
bury, &c.
The ladies of the directors occupied the gallery.
The cloth having been removed, the CHAIRMAN gave
in succession the healths of " Her Most Gracious Ma-
jesty, and God bless her!" " The Queen Dowager,
whose many virtues and charitable disposition endeared
her to every British heart;" " His Royal Highness
Prince Albert, Albert Prince of Wales, and the rest of
the Royal Family," which were severally drunk with all
the honours.
The CHAIRMAN then rose, and said—My Lords and
Gentlemen, we are assembled this evening expressly to
receive and do honour to the gallant officer on my right
upon the occasion of his appointment as Commander-
in-Chief of the army in India.—(Loud cheers.) Called
upon by the Queen to take the command of her Ma-
jesty's troops, the Court of Directors have conferred upon
Sir Charles Napier the command of the forces of the
East India Company. We must all feel the greatest con-
fidence in the qualifications of that gallant officer for
military command.—(Cheers.) The victory of Meeanee
reiterated with most impressive force a lesson often be-
fore inculcated in Indian warfare. It taught that an able
and devoted commander may infuse his own spirit into
the native soldier, and that success is the result of disci
pline in the soldier, and skill and science in the general.
—(Cheers.) In placing the sword in the hands of Sir
Charles Napier we feel that his former distinguished
services are the best possible security and pledge of what
we may expect from him.—(Cheers.) The gloom which
recent accounts from India have cast over the public
mind will, we trust, prove transient. We hope it will
have passed away before the gallant officer can assume
his command; but if when he arrives in India there
should unhappily be a necessity for continued military
operations, we are quite sure their conduct could not be
confided to abler hands, and that the sword will never
be replaced in the scabbard but with honour and glory.
—(Loud cheers.) I know you will all join me in the
sincere desire that the health of the gallant officer may
remain firm, and that he may return to his country with
increased fame and additional claims on the gratitude
of the British public.--(Loud cheers.) I call upon you
to do all honour to the toast I have now to propose—
" The Health of the Gallant Sir Charles Napier, as Com-
mander-in-Chief of the Army in India."—(Drunk with
three times three and one cheer more.)
Sir CHARLESNAPIER; in acknowledging the compli-
ment, said—My Lords and Gentlemen, I rise to thank
you for the honour you have done me in drinking my
health this night, and also to thank the Chairman for the
compliments which he has been so kind as to pay me.
Igo to India at the command of her Majesty, by the
recommendation of his Grace the Duke of Wellington,
and I believe I go also with the approbation of my
countrymen.—(Much cheering.) My Lords and Gen-
tlemen, I might well hare been excused had I declined
under the pretence that I have not the ability to sustain
such a command in the trying circumstances of the pre-
sent hour. Two considerations prevented me declining
this grand and honourable command. The first
that I have the kind advice and assistance of the
greatest soldier in the world.—(Loud cheers.) The
next was, that I go forth with the most full and perfect
confidence in the support and cordial co-operation which
I shall receive from her Majesty's Ministers and the
Hon. Court of Directors.—(Loud cheers.) But at pre-
sent, my Lords and Gentlemen, you will, I think, all
agree with me that the old proverb applies—" Least said
is soonest mended;" and that I should conclude by pray-
ing to God that I may not disappoint the confidence of
her Majesty, the recommendation of his Grace the Com-
mander-in Chief, the expectations of the Court of Di-
rectors, and the confidence of the people of England.—
(Loud cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN—The national bulwark of Great Bri-
tain is her navy. The glory of the country is identified
with the brilliant achievements of that arm of her power
which we call " The wooden walls of Old Eugland." I
have great pleasure in seeing here the First Lord of the
Admiralty. I beg to propose to you " The health of
Sir Francis Baring, and the Navy."—(Loud cheers.)
Sir F. BARING—As the official representative of the
service whose health you have drunk, allow me to tender
you our best thanks. The toast is not unknown in any
meeting of Englishmen; but in such. an assembly, and
proposed by you, Sir, the representative of the Queen's
Government in India, it confers additional honour.
ga t e youthey accident thani
Allow me to assure you, on the part of those officers,
tiny of whom would much better have performed the
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gallant as ever.—(Loud cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN—Most sincerely do I rejoice, should be required
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sure you all do, that we have on this occasion the as I am
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of the presence of his Grace the Commander-in-Chief.—
(Loud cheers.) Long may he be spared to serve her
Majesty in that capacity,—(Loud cheers.) The East
India Company must ever remember with pride and sa-
tisfaction that in their territories sprang the first germ
of that laurel which so abundantly encircles the crown
of the illustrious Duke, whose career of glory and re-
nown has been the admiration of the world, and entitled
him to the eternal gratitude of his countrymen.—(Loud
cheers.) lam sure you will giro the most cordial recep-
tion to the toast of "His Grace the Duke of Wellington
and the Army." -
Drunk with all tha honours.
The Duke of WELLINGTON—Mr. Chairman, my
Lords, and Gentleman, in my own behalf and on behalf
of the army, I beg leave to return you thanks for the
honour you have done me in drinking my health, and
for the notice you have taken of the military service. I
trust that the army will long continue to deserve the ap •
probation of such societies as I now see before me.—
(Cheers.) Mr. Chairman, I have frequently enjoyed your
hospitality on occasions of festivals which you have given
upon the appointment of Governors-General, Gover-
nors, and Commanders-in-Chief of the armies at your
different presidencies ; but I have:never attended with
more satisfaction than upon the present occasion.—
(Cheers.) The officer whom. you have selected to com-
mand your armies in the East Indies has been distin•
guished already in that country by his public services.—
(Loud cheers.) He has conducted most important and
difficult operations under most trying circumstances with
the utmost ability. He has fought general actions ex-
traordinarily well contested by the enemy with uniform
success.—(Loud cheers.) He has shown that he de-
served the confidence of the Government he served,
and of the troops he commanded.—(Cheers.) It is not,
therefore Surprising, that those whose duty it is to advise
the Sovereign, and those intrusted by law with the ad-
ministration of the British Government in India, should
have selected my Honourable And Gallant Friend to be
Commander-in-Chief in present circumstances. As the
period of the service of the Noble Lord who now com-
mands in India will soon expire, and he will be desirous
of returning to his country, it is desirable that an officer
of such distinguished services and ability as my lion.
and Gallant Friend should be on the spot to take
command of the army.—(Loud. cheers.) It is well
known that I do not consider the existing state of
things as one of most extraordinary emergency. I
have seen that the object of the war has been attained.--
(Cheers.) A great fortress, which it was perfectly ne-
cessary to possess, in order to maintain our power, has
fallen into our hands, after a long siege, by the un-
qualified surrender of the enemy. True, great loss has
been sustained; but I must say, if we are to fight great
battles, if great risks are to be run, we must expect to
incur losses in the attainment of great ends.—Cheers.)
If such actions could be fought, and such victories
gained, without loss, it might be considered that little
honour was acquired in achieving them. While, there-
fore, I do consider it most important that such a man as
my Hon. and Gallant Friend should be at the head of
the armies in India, I cannot look at the circumstances
of the moment in hat country to be such as should be
regarded with gloom or discouragement.—(Cheers.) I
am glad my Hon. and Gallant Friend has taken the
command there.—(Cheers.) I have done everything in
my power to accomplish that object, both with my Hon.
and Gallant Friend and elsewhere—(Cheers)—and I
have no doubt, if occasion should offer, my Hon. and
Gallant Friend will so conduct himself as to do honour
to himself and to satisfy this country by some of the
most splendid successes of which it has ever received the
account.—(Loud and continued cheering.)
The CHAIRMAN—I had hoped to be honoured on
this occasion by the presence of
.the Prime Minister of