The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-17 00:00:00

SYNItING,

IfSIDAY

ithifT DIVISION-BANQUET TO

SIR HARRY SMITH.
PORTSMOUTH, THURSDtY. - Last evening the
officers of the 52d and 43d Light Infantry and the
60th Royal Rdie Regimeats gave a sumptuous ban-
quet, at the George Hote;, as a parting tribute of re-
spect to Sir Harry SmitE
Upwards of sixty officers of the above regiments
sat down in full unif'orn, Major Fraser, of the 43d,
in the chair, having Sir Harry on his right, and
Major Davies, of the 52d, on the right of Sir Harry.
The banquet was most elegant, and reflected much
credit upon the hostess of the George.
After the removal of the cloth,
Major FRASER gave the usual loyal toasts ; after
which came the toast of the occasion.

Major FRASER said—Gentlemen, I propose the
health of the Gallant Officer who has honoured us

with his company this evening—the gallant com-
rade, I may justly call him, for whose honour we
are now met. If Sir Harry Smith will allow me,

I will relate a circumstance-
which took place on the
day the dispatches announcing the achievements of
Aliwal arrived in England. Colonel Macdonald and
another gallant officer were cigaged,
in my pre-
sence, in looking over a map of the tract over which
Sir Harry bad marched, and after intently marking
off the line, arose from its contemplation, simul-
taneously exclaiming, " What a magnificent victory !"
I now propose to you the hero of that victory, with
three times three, and one cheer more.

The cheering having sabsided,
Sir H. SMITH rose, and thus addressed his gallant
entertainers :—My gallant comrades and soldiers, I
thank you sincerely. Scarcely had I returned to Eng-
land, received as I was by my Queen and country,
when all the members of the Light Division assembled
together, and paid me ore of the highest compliments
ever paid to an elder soldier, by giving me a public
dinner in London. The scene of their enthusiastic
greetings is now made alive in my ears by the
method which you have adopted this night to cheer
me.—(Cheers.) You, sir, have paid me a far higher
compliment by calling me a comrade of the Light
Dive:ion than any encomium that has been passed on
me.—(Cheers.) It is true I was trained in the same
school as yourselves; and, having been trained in
this school, my gallant comrades, every action that
you see recorded upon these immortal colours (the
52d) I am happy to say that I participated in.—
(Cheers.) The glory which attaches to ancient deeds
is felt more by those who have contributed to them
than by others—(Cheers)—but when I see that en-
thusiasm with which you revert to the seasons of
ancient glory, then do I feel satisfied that the same
spirit which animated your forefathers operates in the
gallant Light Division now filling the heart of every
one of yon noble looking fellows.—(Tremendous
cheering.) It was always said by his Grace the
Duke of Wellington of the old immortal Light
Division—and when I mention it I beg the officers of
the 60th Regiment to consider that I mean them
equally, for they pertain to the same service in
every respect, they have equally distinguished
themselves " When I have set the Light Di-
vision to do anything which was difficult and
dangerous, requiring enterprise, the next day I found
that division, with scarcely any loss, ready again
to fight."—(Cheers.) My comrades, believe me, the
first duty of a soldier is to destroy his enemy while he
saves himself.—(Cheers.) I glory not in that stupid
courage which smites down men, and makes what we
call a "butcher's bill." lie is the best officer who
does the most with the least loss of human life.—
(Cheers.) Having alluded to those memorable words
of his Grace the Duke of Wellington, do not suppose
that I wish to detract from the other division of that
immortal army in the Peninsula. It was equally the
fortune of that other division to distinguish them-
selves; and, although we Light Division men con-
sider ourselves an example for fashion and neatness in
the army, believe me, every British soldier, no matter
what the number of his regiment is, and joyfully do I
say it, is covered at this moment with the same glory.
—(Cheers.) The appearance of ray old comrades and
friends of the Light Division yesterday on parade re-
joiced every feeling of my heart. I there saw the same
regiment, whether of tit present day or the old
soldiers, they were made of the same stuff, the same
spirit in the officers, and the same obedience in the
men ; and although we lock back to deeds of glory of
the ancient Light Division, Ido believe the present
Light Division to be as glorious, in a moral point of
view, for there is no punishment in it now, as there
used to be.—(Cheers.) Believe me, the tone of
courage is taken from the officers ; whatever the con-
duct of officers is, such will be the soldiers.—(Cheers.)
And, gentlemen, if you knew the feeling of the British
soldier in the field, if you viewed as often as I have
the triumphant bayonet marching equally triumphant
over the enemy, then would your devoted service
be for the comterts and happiness of your men.—
(Hear, hear, and cheers.) Do not let it be supposed,
gentlemen, because I talk of the comforts and hap-
piness of the men, that I am one of those officers who,

I regret to say, exist in the present day, who have a,
kind of twaddle in talking about " the poor soldier.'
In the country I am going to, I regret to hear it is
said " the poor soldier" sleeps here and sleeps there,
" the poor soldier" wants this and wants that. It is
the duty of every officer to provide to the utmost
for the comfort of his men, and when comforts are
not to be had, " bad luck to the shilling."—(Tremen-
dous cheering, long continued.) And, my gallant
officers, believe me, our soldiers are equally gallant
men ; and, where these comforts are not to be had,
they don't call themselves " poor soldiers," they call
themselves the glorious soldiers in the service of her
Majesty—(Cheers)—meeting the hardships and toils
of English military life, such as exist on the frontiers
of the land I am going to, with that degree of moral
courage with which they encounter the enemies of
their country, and with the glorious shout of victory.—
(Cheers.) I speak from experience. I never yet
saw the British soldier fail either before his enemy or
in enduring the hardships of a campaign ; and it is
because he knows his officers endeavour to procure
everything they can for him. The starving popu-
lation of Ireland do not complain, and say that it
was the rich people's fault that they were in that con-
dition ; no more do the soldiers that they cannot obtain
tips or cannot have that. I mean to say that due exertions
and due precautions ought to be taken that every re-
source of the country is applied to the soldiers en-
gagedhave all a right to say it might have been done better.
The British soldier is a man of indomitable courage ;
in the war. Where this is not the case we
he requires, perhaps, to be restrained in his impe-
tuosity in the discharge of his duty, to be honoured
by his Queen and his country.—(Cheers.) I do
assure you, my gallant comrades, on this,
which is
probably the last night I may be upon the land of my
forefathers, that I feel towards you, with every ex-
pression I am able to give, what I was designated by
your gallant president—your comrade—(Cheers)—
and whether I am successful or whether I fall, the
glory shall be to the soldier—the blame to me.—
(Cheers.) And now, my gallant comrades, it is hard
to say " Farewell ;" but in the most difficult cases of
farewell, hope cheers us on ; and I trust I may again
return to my native land, to be welcomed by my
country, but above all, by the old and present Light
Division.

Long continued cheering followed this inspiriting
and soldierly address, which was re•echoed outside
the house by some hundreds of the inhabitants, who
gave three-times-three, as the cheers inside subsided.
Major FRASER, then proposed " The Health of
Lady Smith," to which
Sir HARRY replied—" My Noble comrades of the
Light Division, it is difficult to express ourselves
when the heart overflows. I thank you for the
honour you have conferred on my wife—a wife of
many years, and tried in many circumstances—a wife
ho has participated in the hardships of almost every
one of those gallant actions recorded on your colours;
she who was three times besieged in her native city ;
she who was rescued on that occasion, and has fol-
lowed me through the four quarters of the globe.—
(Cheers.) And as she has been honoured by every
one of my fellow comrades whom I have led to glory,
so has she been respected by those of her own sex.—
(Cheers.) My friends, lam aware you will give me
credit for all I desire to express; and if I do not
sufficiently return thanks for the honour done me, or
fail in expressing what my wife desires as I should, you
will receive as an apology my incapability of doing
so." The gallant Sir Harry resumed his seat amidst
the most enthusiastic cheering.
Alajor FRASER then proposed " The better health
of the general officer under whom we have the honour
of serving," and said they all regretted his absence
from the field on the previous day, and his inability
to visit the festive board that evening. Lord F.
Fitzclarence's health was then drank with tumultuous
applause.
Sir H. SMITH acknowledged the compliment paid
to Lord Frederick, and said he believed there never
was a red coat with a more gallant heart beating
under it, and mentioned the gratifying compliment
paid him by his Lordship on his landing at South-
ampton, when, it will be recollected, his Lordship
sent over a guard of honour to receive him, com-
manded by the only officer left (as he himself stated
last night on his health being drank) of the old Light
Division—Quartermaster Rands, of the 43d.
" The gallant Light Division," " Captain Knight,
formerly of the 16th Lancers," " Sir Charles Ogle,"
" Major Smith," " Major Gurwood," Major Fraser,"
and other healths were afterwards drank, and at half-
past 11 o'clock Sir Harry retired, saying, " Now
gentlemen, the best of friends must part; may God
bless and protect you all."

A YELLOW HARE.—On Wednesday Mr. James
Adams, of Woodson, went out shooting with a party of
friends, shot, on his own estate, a fine young yellow
hare. The eyes of pussy were rather peculiar, being of
a kind of pink, but which, we believe, changed to a
darker colour in a day or two. We understand Mr.
Adams has forwarded the quadruped to Worcester to
L be stuffed.-. Worcester Chrvnick.