The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-26 00:00:00

HIGHLAND SOCIETY of LONDON.

The battle of Alexandria, the death of Abercrombie,
and the gallant exploits of the 42d on that memorable
field, are events of which the Scotch nation are justly
proud, and which the Highland :•;ocietrof London in-
variably -commemorate on the 21st of March. That
canyaemaratian t „la aa an Saturday tvening, at the
Freemasons' Tavern ; wh,re were collected together se-
veral of the officer; of _he army Merl navy who served in
the expAitian to Egypt, und,r the late Sir Ralph Aber-
crombie, and many of the admirers of their gallant deeds,
both English and Scotchtnen.
The saciety was first established in 1778, and in-
corporated by Act of Parliament, in 1815, for preserv-
ing the martial spirit, dre,-s, music, and language—the
remains of Celtic literature, and the antiquities of the
ancient. Caledonians—encouraging a kindly feeling be-
tween Highlanders in all parts of the world, and in other
respects promoting the general welfare of the northern
parts of the kingdom
Oa the preSent occasion there was " a gathering" of
about, one hundred and sixty. The Duke of Buccleuch,
the President of the Society, arrived at the Tavern .at
a quarter before seem o'clock, in his splendid uniform,
with the ribbon and star of the Order of the Garter,
of Captain-General of the Queen's Scotch Body Guard.
Many of the members and their guests, were dressed
in Highland costume, and in uniform. The Adjutant-
General, Sir John Macdonald,- wore the uniform of the
gallant 42d Regiment, of which he is the colonel.
Previous to the dinner the Society held a general
court, before which the business matters connected
with the Society were brought by Mr. George Bain, the
hon. secretary. The company afterwards proceeded to
the banquet, in the magnificent hall of the Freemasons'
Tavern, preeaded by her Majesty's piper and his brother,
who is piper to the Society.
Amongst the g.-Uteral company we observed Lieut.-
General Sir .John Macdonald, K.C.8., Majar-General
Briggs, Major-General Duncan Macleod, Sir Fitzroy
Kelly, M.P., The Chisholm, W. Hutt, Esq., M.P., J.
Robinson, Esq, Deputy- Governor of the Bank of Eng-
land ; Colonel Elwin, Keith Stuart Mackenzie, Esq., of
Seaforth ; Cape. Fead, R.N., C. A.. Mackenzie, Esq , the
R v. Principal M`Farlane, and the Rev. Dr. Alucleod,
both of Glasgow; Captain Charles Forbes, Henry Long-
land, Esq., James Malcolmson, Esq., Captain Lamont,
R.N., Captain Pale.y, Sir W. C. Ross, J. Thornton,
J. Tulloch, 11. Rose, Esq., Charles Suther-
land, Esq., W. I'. Black, R-bert Coates, E.q.,
W. Lawrence, Esq., J. Mackenzie, E.q, M. Boyd, Esq.,
IL J. Cameron, E.q., T. Archer, Esq., W. Greig, Esq ,
J. J. Gleanie, El., Ja.iiies Murray, Esq., Alexander
Macdonald, Esq, John MacGregor, Esq., James ;`•lac-
Gregor, Esq., S. W. Brooks, Esq., Tobroas Long, Esq ,
.James Wyld, Esq., Wm. Norri,, Esq., Major-General
Wyatt, G. Bain, Esq., Murdo Young, Esq., &C.
At seven o'clock the company sat down to a dinner
consisting of every delicacy of the season, and the ex-
cellency of %%filch may be judged by the following de-

scription:—
FIRST Counse.—Soups—Cockle-leeltie, green spring,
mock turtle, and clear ox tail. Fish—Turbots, salmon,
mackerel, boiled and broiled ; stewed eels, fried whitings
and smelts.
SECOND COURSE.—Chines and haunches of mutton,
fore-quarters of house lamb, roast fillet of pork, stewed
rumps of beef; roast sirloins of beef, boiled legs of lamb
and spinach, ribs of lamb, roast capons, boiled pullets
and celery, boiled spring chickens, roast fowls, hams,
tongues, pigeon pies, raised mutton pies, mince collops,
cheeps' heads ; les ris de veau an W4einard, roanons
;antes au yin, grenadins de veau picp a, trick: Ls de
volaille, haris de poulet au ris, palais ,de knout au ra-
gout, cotelettes a soubise, ris d'agneau aux chain-
s
pignons, ['rites d'egneau sauce piquante, filets de mouton
piqué, cotelettes d'agneau aux ceucombres, fete d'agneau
en mince, and an excellent Lageess, which was sent all
the way from Reas-shire as a present.
THIRD (CURSE.—Green geese, larded guinea-fowl,
widgeon, larded pea-fowl, black puddings, maccaroni,
sealsale, lemon jellies, blancusaeges, Vauille creams,
French . pastry, gatteaux polopaist s, gatteau Neapoli-
lanes, CisarLete russes, turbans a, la reine, chantillies
sn creme, Italian pastry, rhubarb tarts, marrow pud-
dings, Richmond maids of honour, Italian pastry.
After the cloth had bmen removed, and Non nobis Do-
mine sung in exeellent style by the professionals present,
The Duke of BUCCLEUCH
,on whose right sat Gene-
ral Sir John Macdonald, and on his left Sir Fitzroy
Kelly) proposed the first toast—" Our gracious Sove-
reign the Queen." The toast, in such an assembly, he
was sure required no comment from him.—(Cheers.)
tier Majesty had visited their country, she had seen their
mountains and their glens—(Cheers)—she appreciated
the beauties of Scotland, and she was convinced of the
loyalty of its people.—(Cheers.) Of this he was sure
that she had not more faithful or loyal subjects 'than the
Scotch people, and he believed all would agree with him
that it was impossible for them to have a better or more
excellent Sovereign.—(Great cheering.)
The toast was drank amidst the most enthusiastic ap-
plause.
" God save the Queen," by Miss Horton, Miss Steele,
11i. Sinclair, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Shoulbridge, Mr.
T. Smith, and Mr. Moody.
The next toast was the " Queen Dowager," which was
most enthusiastically drunk.
Glee, "Just, like Love," by Messrs. Robinson, Smith,
mud Shoulbridge.
The Noble CHAIRMAN said, the next toast was that
of "The health of his Royal Highness the Duke of
Roth Fay," for by no other name was he known in Scot-
i and.—(Cheers.) The Prince of Wales was well known
hroughout the length and breadth of the laud—(Cheers)
—but b the name of the Duke of Rothsay he was loved
and venerated by Scotchmen.—(Cheer=.)
The toast was drunk amid great cheering.
Song, Miss Horton, " Come )e by Athol," which was
most deservedly encored.
The Noble CHAIRMAN said, the next toast was that of
The health of the Chief of the Hig,hiand Society, his
Royal Highness Prince Albert."—(Cnsers.) In proposing
this toast the Noble Chairman expres.sed the great
,egret he felt that they had not on that occasion the
tugh honour of the presence of his Royal Highness.—
(Cheers.) Prince Albert had also, he was bevy to say,
with their beloved Queen, visited Scotland.—(Cheers.)
le had been inspired with their sports—(Cheers) —he
lad had an opportunity of following the wild deer over
he hill, of entering into the inspiring sports of the
Held, and of witnessing the hospitality
the people of
Scotia—(Cheers) ; and he 'rusted that many and oft
would bo the time that his 11,J) al Highness would visit
she mountains and glens of the North, and thereby see
how he was appreciated by Scotchmen.—(Cheers.)
The toast was drunk with highland honours.
The next toast proposed by the Noble CHAIRMAN
was, " The health of Lord Saltoun, the late President
of the Society." There was no necessity for him to say
of the Noble Lord tlit he was amiable and gentle in
private life, bold and gallant in the field, and beloved by
alt —(Cheers.)
The toast was drank with Highland honours.
Song, Miss Steele, " Awa o'er the Moors."
The Noble CHAIRMAN then proposed the " Army and
Navy." It was he fashion in the present times to talk
of the degeneracy of the age. He thought he need only
to advert to what had taken place lately, fur the purpose
of proving that there was no degeneracy either in
Scotchmen, Englishmen, or Irishmen, but that they
would still maintain the honbur of their country, and
show themselves not unworthy descendants of those
who ha:4 gone before them.—(Cheers.)
Sir JOHN NiAcDoNALD returned thanks on behalf of
the army. He was sorry it had not fallen to the lot of
some more prominent individual than himself to respond
to the heart-stirring and cheering toast that bad just
\been proposed by their Noble Chairman.—(Loud
cheering.) He might, however, perhaps without
presumption, recommend himself to the com-
pany present on the present occasion as somethieg
of an authority for the state of the army.—(Cheers.)
would take upon himself to state that it had never
been in a more efficient or altogether in a better state
than it was at the present moment.—(Cheers.) It were
not only effittieet at home bat in the field.—(Cheers.)
The native feelings of Englishmen and Highlanders was
such as always to insure so desirable an object. The
orderly conduct and behaviour of the army was such as
to ensure respect for it from all grades of society.—
(Cheers.) And as a proof of that he might state that in
late times no instance had been brought forward against
any officers of irregularity.--(Che.ers.) They would
not be surprised at this when they recollected wbo was
the immortal chieftain who was at the head of the
armies of this country.—(Cheers.) They had, it
was true, some melancholy reflections with respect
to what had taken place in India, but he trusted
that the poignancy of those reflections would
softened by the splendid achievements that had taken
olace in that country by the British arms which re-
Liunded so much to the national pride and honour of
Great Britain.—(Cheers.) , He believed that there never
was an army that deserved more the protection, sup-
riort, good will and good word of every Seotchman and
Englishman than the present army did.—(Cheers.) It
was not irrelevant he thought for him to make this al-
lusion on the 21st of March, a day alike glorious for
Englishmen and Scotchmen, a day on which the im
mortal Abercrombie fell in the arms of victory, a day
renowned in the annals, end one that would long be re-
membered both in England and Scotland.—(Cheers.)
lie would assert again that the army wits never in a
more disciplined state than it was at the present moment
—(Cheers)—and they would at all times be found
ready to defend their country and its rights at the price
of their heart's best blood.—(Cheers.)
Captain FEAD, R.N., returned thanks for the honour
done to the navy by their Noble Chairman. The navy
a-as as efficient now as during the late war, and there
were as good officers and men connected with it as at
that period. During the late war the navy did their
duty, and they wire prepared to do it now as well as
they ever did, if occasion required it.—Sheers.)
There was an old saying, that there was now as good
ash in the sea as ever were caught in it ; the same ob-
esrvation might be made with respect to the naval ser-
s'ee —there were as good men in it now as ever there
were. . He had spent his youth in the service,
and would likewise his old age if he was required to do
so.--(Cheers.) Sir Sidney Smith had performed prodi-
gies of valour in Eeypt, he had conquered the Jnvincibles
of Napoleon, and he (Capt. Feed) felt it no small honour
to have been a humble instrument in that expedition.—
(Cheers.) lie had had the curiosity to endeavour to
escertein what number were left at the present moment
in France of Napoleon's invincible army, and he had
been informed that only five DOW remained of that band
which Napoleon had thought at one time unconquerable.
Such' however, he was happy to says was not the case
with Englishmen and Scotch men, because he saw many
around who had served with him, and who had gained
immortal laurels far themselves. He begged, in con-
clusion, to thank them for drinking the toast of the navy.
"The Army and Navy," duet, by Messrs. Shoulbridge
and Smith.
The Noble CHAIRMAN said the toast he was now
about to propose was one that was invariably given at
this meeting of ths Society to celebrate the anniversary
of the battle of Alexandria. It was, " The memory