The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-24 00:00:00

HIGHLAND SOCIETY OF LONDON

A General Court of this Corporation, to celebrate the anni-
versary of the Battle of Alexandria, was held on Monday even-
ing at the Freemasons' Tavern. The attendance was very nu-
merous, and comprised " a large array of the fellow-country-
men of the distinguished soldier whose stirring memory" was a
large and exciting influence, connected with the occasion of
Monday evening's meeting. There was, as usual, a very con-
siderable number of the members of boih services present, and
many gentlemen appeared arrayed in the Highland costume of
their several clans. The assembly was presided over by The
Chisholm, who diseharged the duties of President in a manner
that elicited the most deserved praise. Amongst the principal
present, besides the Chairman, were the following :—Sir Geo.
Murray, G.C.8., Sir Hudson Lowe, Sir John Webb, Sir
John Macra, Sir John M. Wilson, General Pereira, Captain
Kelly, R.N., Captain Fead, Major Stephens, Major Annesley,
H. Longlands, Esq., Divie Robertson, Esq., Dr.. Rolph,
Col. Thornhill, Major Macdonald, &c. &c. The Coldstream
band was in attendance, and played several fine pieces of mu-
sic during the evening.:
Dinner having concluded,
The CHAIRMAN, in an appropriate speech, proposed The
Queen." The toast was received with the most unbounded
enthusiasm, and with reiterated cheering—the band playing
" God save the Queen."

The CHAIRMAN next proposed "Prince Albert and the
Princess Royal."
This toast was received with the most warns and cordial
feeling, and with great acclamations.

The CILAIRAIAN prefixed to the next toast the name of one who,
besides being conspicuous for the benevolence and charity of her
disposition, was distinguished by every virtue that could grace
the woman or adorn the Queen. He proposed " The Queen
Dowager and the rest of the Royal Family."—(Loud and pro-
longed cheering.) The toast was drunk with the utmost en-
thusiasm.

The Ctrantma 14 said that he next wished to propose the
health of an illustrious member of the Royal Family. He
would point to the portrait of that Noble Duke which hung
in that hall, and which displayed him in the costume of his
adopted country.--(Loud cheers.) But besides this, his
Royal Highness had shown further his attachment to his
adopted country, for he had married a Scottish lady.—( Cheers. )
He, therefore, in giving to them the health of his Royal High-
ness the Earl of Inverness and Chief of the Highland Society,
would propose that the toast should be drunk with Highland
honours. The toast was accordingly drunk with Highland
honours and great cheering.
The CHAIRMAN stated that he had received a letter from
his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, expressing his
regret that a recent and sudden attack of illness had pre-
vented him from being present on the occasion ; but express-
ing a desire to become a member of the Highland Society.
He proposed that they should suspend the standing order,
and he jnoved that his Royal highness the Duke of Cam-
bridge should be admitted a member of their Society.—(Loud
cheers.)

Sir GEORGE MURRAY, K. C. 8., seconded the proposition,
which was agreed to with acclamation.
The CHISHOLM then proposed the " Health of the Duke of
Cambridge," which was drunk with Highland honours.
The next toast was " The Duke of Richmond and Lennox."
Drunk with all the Highland honours.
On proposing the Army and Navy, the CHAIRMAN said—
There exists a custom not more sanctioned by usage than it is
congenial with our best feelings, to remember at all festive
meetings like the present, the gallant services of those whose
courage and conduct in war have secured to us the blessings of
peace, and whose high character throughout the world is the
best guarantee for their continuance. If, however, circum-
stances can furnish us with one occasion more fitting than an-
other to pay this just tribute to the merits of our Army and our
Navy, surely the anniversary of the Battle of Alexandria supplies
such an occasion; for if we look at the army under Aber-
cromby, from the moment of its landing in Egypt up to what
I must call the great crowning victory of the 21st, we shall find
it one continued, unbroken series of the most brilliant military.
achievements; and if we call to mind whence that sunny dis-
embarked—from the Bay of Aboukir—we are forcibly re-
minded that on those very waters, three short years before, the
immortal Nelson had asserted and maintained, in the Battle of
the Nile, the supremacy of Britain's flag " O'er the glad
waters of the dark blue sea"—" Far as the breeze can bear
the billows foam." But although we have among us this even-
ing some veterans who witnessed these achievements, their hair
grown scant and grey in the service of their country bids us
recollect that these are not tales of yesterday, and the enemies
of England would fondly hope that in a long protracted peace
our Army has degenerated, and our Navy is not what it was.
Iu the spirit of peace I would urge them riot to lay this flattering
unction to their souls. Has our army degenerated ? Jam glad to
see some officers of the Indian service present this evening, for I
would point to Affghanistan, and bid Ghuznee answer the
question. Is our Navy not what it was ? Let the coast of
Syria reply. Her echoes have scarcely yet ceased to ring back
the triumphant peals of British broadsides. And since I have
touched upon the coast of Syria, I cannot forbear claim-
ing the gallant Napier as our fellow-countryman. I
speak of him as a straight forward,clashing, fighting sailor. I speak
not of him as a diplomatist; yet at the same time /
am free to confess that in these days I have heard cf
worse diplomacy, at least to my mind, than sailing into
the harbour of a refractory Paella, with guns double-shotted,
and decks cleared for action, and using some such language
as this—pointing to his guns :—" Here are my credentials ;.'
pointing to the ultimatum of his Sovereign—" Here are my
terms. Take them, consider of them ; and if at the expiration
of a given time you assent to them—well. I will extend to
you the right hand of friendship, and show you the hospitality
of a British man-of-war. But if not—Beyrout has been bom-
barded—Sidon is taken—Acre has fallen. The walls of
Alex: ndria shall crumble about your cars." Such is the lan-
guage, such the diplomacy of a Scottish sailor. May such long
continue to he the proud bearing of every British soldier and
every British seaman. Gentlemen, let us drink to the pros-
perity of our Army and our Navy.—( The speech of the lion.
Chairman was received throughout with enthusiastic bursts of
applause.)
" The Army and Navy," drunk with the customary honours.
Sir G. MURRAY returned thanks. He said that the best
feeling subsisted between both services. Whenever he had
had the honour of serving with the Navy he had always expe-
rienced from them the best feeling and the greatest kindness.
With respect to these services, he was proud to say that in
whatever part of the globe their exertions might be called for
they would always be found ready to maintain the character
that had always distinguished them.—(Loud cheers.) With
regard to that branch of the service with which he was more
immediately connected, he would say, let them never permit
any injudicions friend or insidious foe to attempt to un-
dermine the discipline of the army, for that discipline was an
essential element of their strength and efficiency.—(Cheers. )
Captain KELLY, IL N„ returned thanks on the part of the
Navy.
On proposing the principal toast of the evening, " The
Memory of Sir Ralph Abercromby, and the Heroes who
fell with him in Egypt," The Citisncieet said The
toasts which I have hitherto had the lionour of proposing,
have been well calculated to call forth your joyous and tri-
umphant shouts. It now becomes my duty to touch a more
tender chord. We have met this evening to celebrate the
victory of Alexandria ; and it well becomes us as Britons, and
as Hielanders, to remember with pride the. glorious deeds of our
fellon -countrymen on that occasion. But it no less becomes us
as men to recollect the price which that victory cost us. Aber-
cromby fell. Early in the action was winged " the far hissing
globe of death," charged with the fatal message to sever the
spirit that conceived, from the frame that carried out that vice
tory. The same frigate which brought to these shores the
standard of " The Invincible Legion," emblazoned with the
names of all those battles in which, till then, it had glanced
unconquered and unconquerable—that same frigate bore the
lifeless body of the conqueror to his sea-girt grave. Aber-
cromby fell, and he fell not alone. Of the hearts that, on
the morning of that day beat high for praise, hundreds, ere the
sun went down, could feel that pulse no more.
" There is something of pride in the perilous hour,
Whate'er be the shape in which death may lower;
For Fame is there to say who bleeds,
And Honour's eye on daring deeds;
But when all is past, it is humbling to tread
O'er the weltering field of the tombless dead,
And see worms of the earth, and fowls of the air,.
Beasts of the forest, all gathering there;
All regarding man as their prey,
All rejoicing in his decay.''
Yes, it is humbling, but to those who have loved the fallen,
" there is," in the words of Abereromby's successor, " this conso-
lation, that their memory wiel be sacred to every soldier, and em-
balmed in the bosoms of a grateful posterity." And to Aber-
cromby was afforded a still greater consolation, for he lived to
see what he died to gain ; he saw Victory, that Lad long hoe
vercd, eagle-like, with uncertain flight, over the dubious battle,
at length (dose her weary wings, and perch triumphant over the
meteor flag of Britain. Well might Abercromby, and those
who fell with him, have said what, I trust, will be this evening
verified:—

" For us, even banquets fond regret supply
In the red cup that crowns our memory,
And the brief epitaph in danger's day,
When those -who win at length divide the prey,
And cry—remembrance sadd'ning o'er each brow—
How had the brave who fell exulted now !"
Let us then drink in solemn silence " To the Memory of Sir
Ralph Abercromby and the Heroes who fell with him in
Egypt."
the toast was drunk in solomn silence.
Song—" To England's renown we gave one laurel more."
Sir GEORGE Mu many said—l have obtained the permission
of the Chairman to propose the next toast, and I would beg
you to drink to the health of our President. It is most appro-
priate to see the Chair of the Highland Society filled by an
hereditary chief, and one, tos, of so ancient a family as The
Chisholm, and the able manner in which he has performed the
duties of the evening show that he is, in all respects, qualified
for the position in which he is placed. You must have ob-
served the gentlemanly suavity of manner, the graceful elocu-
tion, the commanding eloquence, and the hearty feeling with
which he has introduced the subjects of the evening. You
must remember with what loyalty he called upon us to do
honour to our Royal Family, with what martial feeling he
was animated when he recounted the glories of our Army and
Navy, from the battle of the Nile to their recent splendid
achievements on the coast of Syria, and the tact with which
he introduced the bold diplomacy of our fellow-countryman,
Sir Charles Napier. You must have perceived, too, with what
depth of feeling he touched upon the- death of the gallant
Abercromby. I can only speak for myself. Forcibly was
that illustrious man brought back to my mind ; for, being on
the Staff, I received from the lips of the General the order for
the formation of the troops on their landing, and was in the
boat with the distingushed naval officer to whose care was en-
trusted the debarcation of the army. When, too, Sir Ralph
Abercrombie received his mortal wound, he resigned himself
into the arms of the gallant regiment which I now have the
honour to command—the Old Black Watch.—(Great cheer-
ing.)
The toast was received with great enthusiasm, and drunk
with the Highland honours.
In returning thanks, The Cirisnour said my
heart I thank you for the manner in which you have
drank m' health. The flattering and unmerited terms
in which it has been proposed might well nigh make me forget
myself ;'but, while I aim proud of the high position to which
your kindness has raised me, I am not vain enough to attri- '
bute this proud station to any other than its true cause. lam
here because you are Highlanders, and because I am, by my
inalienable birthright, a Highland chieftain. lam painfully
to fulfil the duties that
then, I said that I felt no diffidence in
sensible of my incompetency, adequately
devolve upon me. If,
taking your chair, I should err widely from the truth ;
and that diffidence was much increased when I re- 1
membered that this station was, at your last an--