The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-27 00:00:00

BANQUET TO TFI OFFICERS OF TIM
ST AFRO tthSHI BE MILITIA.

A banquet was given on iuesday last at StaffoYd to the
officers of the Staffordshire Militia. In the absence of the
Lord-Lieutenant, the chair was taken by the Right. Hon.
the Earl of HARROWBY. Near the chairman were the

Hon. Colonel Talbot, the Earl of Dartmouth, Viscount
&union, Lieut.-Colonel Dyott, the Hon. A. WrottesleY,

Sir Robert Peel, Bart., M.P., Rear Admiral Mainwaring,
General Sir Harry Smith, Bart., G.C.8., Viscount St.
Vincent, the Earl of Lichfield, the Right Hon. Viscount
Newport, Viscount Irgestre, and the Bishop of the

Diocese.
Lord HARROWBY, in proposing "The Army and Navy,"
remarked that be hoped Englishmen would not be ungrate-

ful—indeed that was a sin not common to our countrymen
—(cheers)—and that they would never forget the services
the army had rendered them. And while they remembered
the services of their gallant army, and with what anxiety
they looked for intelligence during the late struggle, he
trusted that it would fill them with the determination to
be prepared for another war, if unhappily they should be
compelled again to enter into hostilities. (Hear and
cheers.) No false feeling of security, nor a feeling that
peace would would be lasting, should lead them to unwise
economy in the measures necessary for the protection of
their country—measures which at one time were in some
degree lost sight of, but which he hoped would never be
the case again. (Cheers 4) When he spoke of an unwise
economy he did not mean that care was not to be exereised
in the expenditure connected with the protection of the
country, but what he would have remembered was that
that which was cheapest was not always the best,
and that
that which was required to be done must be done, what-
ever the cost might be. (Hear.).
At a subsequent stage of the proceedings Lord Harrow'
by, proposing as a toast, " The health of the officers, non-
commissioned officers, and privates of the Ist, 2d, and 3rd
Regiments of Staffordshire Militia," said—lndependently
of the direct services they had rendered the country, the
three regiments of Staffordshire Militia had contributed
upwards of 1,500 men to the regular army. He might sal
further, that the militia had been the means of infusing
martial spirit amongst the people of the country; and for
himself—he spoke as a civilian -he should like to so the
militia used more as a means of recruiting the regular
army. For some considerable time this important element,
of the national defences had been allowed to rust in its
scabbard, and after forty years' peace it was thought 11
some that this weapon, belonging to other days, would a°,,
longer be fit to be called into use.. It was thought that
the people had bacome so immersed in trade and mane'
factures that it would be impossible to man the militia as
we did in former times. But he was happy to gay that
when the necessity arrived it was found that the ordinary
occupations of the people did not detract in the least /Nal,
their high public spirit and devotion to their country, ha;
men of every class in life and of occupation abandone"
their ordinary pursuits and placed their time and their
services at the disposal of the country in her hour of need'
(Great cheering.)
fir R. PEEL, M.P., in acknowledging a toast drunk t°
him, said he did not know that he could with propriety
refuse compliance with the request which had been Inaue'
and he would endeavour to make a few observations 011
what he had witnessed in Russia. He need not sal'
then, that the noble representative of England at the
Court of Russia discharged the duty imposed 011
him in the manner that was expected of him, an
in a manner, too, which far exceeded the way rd
which other embassies discharged their duties, an
that he clearly enhanced the character of this country
in the eyes of the Russian Court. Besides, in Earl Gran
ville, Government, had one who, though carrying cotirtesl
to its utmost limits, was not anxious to impress the 1113/1;
sian Court, as another ambassador did, that a differen
Withfeeling prevailed towards Russia to what was reallYt
case. He had had the opportunity of conversing wt
Totleben, the distinguished engineer, and a highly ,_i
nourable man ; and he had seen Gortschakoff, Menschik°l
and a number of other distinguished personages, Who.:
names were almost unpronounceable. He had seen asset'
bled in Russia 120,000 of the finest infantry in the worse.
Those troops, in stature and appearance,exceeded anythinge
he had ever before witnessed, and he had been over tb
whole of Europe, yet he had no doubt that the pluck of t;
English army would be a match for them. (Cheers.) 11:0
the
had visited the fortress of Cronstadt and there was but °
opinion, from, the Grand Duke Constantine down to
youngest " middy" on board the Vladimir, that British_l
energy of the commander equalled the pluck of the
navy, that fortress at the present moment would be Wiwi_
bled in dust. (Hear.) Sir Charles Napier had been tbroug
the whole of the fleet and fortress, and he gave it 39 it
opinion that it was impossible to destroy the fortress.
was certainly very clear at this moment that it was In.
possible to attack Cronstadt with success now, but when
the war commenced the case was very different, and if t'
man who commanded the fleet at Copenhagen had Co.r;
manded the Baltic fleet, or if a man possessed of the
and capacity of a Nelson had commanded that fleet, helot'
not the slightest doubt that as the fortress at Copenhage.
yielded so would Cronstadt have fallen. (Hear, hear.) Mi
he was most unjustly on his legs, they would perhaps allolf
him to say, that although peace had been concluded, there
was much to prevent them from relying on a continuance
of peace. They were on the edge of a volcano, which
might break forth at any time ; and among the causes for
disquietude were Naples and the Danubian Principalities.
Had the war continued, there was no doubt that She
resources of Russia would have been inadequate t(cii
cope with the resources of France and England,
that a most effectual blow would have been dea
that power, from which it would have taken her Pt
lone time to recover. But peace had been made, and
ad
was to be hoped that it would continue. He must s",
that there never was a contest in which the people of f
country were more justly engaged than were the people °,l
this country in the late war, or in which the people ha`"
come out of it with greater honour and distinction.
Sir HARRY SMITH, in returning thanks for his health
having been drunk, sail be thanked them from the 13°t
tom of his heart for the honour they had that women'
conferred upon him. It had been his good fortune in ever!.
quarter of the globe to witness evidence of the prineil/f;
by which, as it had been said that day, Englishmen w,_erir
actuated, viz., a discharge of the duty they owed to tn.-.
Sovereign. However fortunate he might have been aid "
soldier, he was, he assured them, indebted for the g°°,:t
fortune to the men and his comrades, for, no matter Oil-
mistake a general might commit, the pluck of the pritiT
army would set it right. (Laughter and cheers.)
there was no doubt, been the subject of a series of
gpO
fortune, and had witnessed many a contest; and no 11170
he assured them, could witness the gallant deeds ot,
countrymen without a feeling of pride at their braver,'
nor could he look back on the victories achieved by the bloc;
of his countrymen without emotion. It had fallen to
lot to organise levies from various countries, and to krill),
them rapidly to the seat of war, and he assured them, I,° 0
his own experience and ocular demonstration, as sveu :s
from history, that no forces were found so formidable
the
those coming from a country united within itself, and •st
people of which were united in their determination tore slo
the common foe. (Cheers.) The militia system was Wei
important part of the constitution, and he assured thec e
that there was not a general officer in her Majesty's voted'
but could bear testimony to the active, energetic, &vet
and obedient services of themilitia of Great Britain. (Cbeereoi.
When he comman led at Portsmouth there were two rev k
menus of militia thole, composed chiefly of saw recruits,, >~
such was the attention they paid to their officers thatqliee
few weeks' time they were not only fit to perform garrlre,
duty, but became effective, obedient, trustworthy seldl!eo,
It afterwards became his duty to command in this distrime
from Berwick to Peterborough, in which there were 10,i;
or 15,000 militiamen, and he must say of them, as a
that they had manifested every desire to please him, ~ato
wherein the officers were ignorant of certain points it P.te
been their anxious study to be made acquainted vt;o
them. (Hear, hear.) One spirit seemed to animate 1,74
whole of them—that of obedience to their Queen and th,v;,,
country. (Cheers) It was indeed a great pleasure to hl
to be present on that occasion, when they had asseniln
to do honour to the militia of the county, which comprldre
he was happy to say three most effective regiments. 'l'4,
first regiment was commanded by Colonel Talbot, who,is
though a young man, was an old soldier ; and he, with
regiment, gallantly volunteeredto serve his country abrn
His offer was accepted, and, although he and his men '!.6
not been exposed to the enemy's fire, they had been exn.
to a more deadly foe—to the raging pestilence and the o:at
ness which walketh in darkness. (Hear.) That marl mule
be a coward indeed who was not ready to meet and rife%
with the enemy in the open field ; but when a command
officer saw his men knocked down by an unseen hand, v,f1,16
pestilence raged around him, then, if he maintained a
courage, and under such trying circumstances condue,'.lo
himself manfully, he deserved equal if not greater eine
than the mail who in the heat of battle led his mesh
the cannon's mouth. (Hear.) In Colonel Talbot tbeY,,lre
such a man. (Cheers.) Of the militia of Staffordni
generally, he was proud to say that they had been re °Ol
to discharge any duty demanded of them. (Chews.) eta
the feelings which animated the militia as a body he 107,t.
relate an anecdote. There was an Irish regiment clifree
tered in Sunderland, and some of them in a disturbOo
got into the hands of the police. Paddy was not the :00
to stand by with arms in his h .nd and see his cora 00
taken into custody—(a laugh)—and accordingly the 11jto
were rescued. The authorities of the town telegrhphe god
him to remove the militia from the town, but he reP the
that ho would do no such thing, but would leave it t°
rdA
officers to maintain order. A great fire shortly afterwaw
took place in the town, and the militiamen, without halo.
asked, turned out cud rendered good service in extingalhile
ing the flames, and for which they received the pool.
thanks of the very men who had asked for their ran° ep.
(Cheers.) The gallant general resumed his seat asal",,ere
plause hy repeating that it was with the greatest pinitta
that he attended that day to pay honour to men who
so nobly done their duty.

THE GOLD DISCOVERY IN TASDIANIA.—The rePlretv"
from the gold fields are still encouraging. Mr. Cli'
Blot
who at the request of the authorities' inspected
was surprised at the promising indications 'P t
of gold ,or
his short visit to Fingal showed to him. Unfortulo",,,cl
he could stop at each field but one day, and
therefore time but to make the most superficial °Use' ;
tions. Those observations will shortly be publisll
to
and as Mr. Clarke has expressed a wish to be alloWe-not
present them to the gold committee himself, I wilif-end
as yet detail the various remarks which the recl"
gentleman has made during his visit. Gol"doet
lately been found in the neighbourhood of Dul°r,Tiecti,
about twenty miles from Launceston. The norfiela
papers speak highly of the prospect of a paying g°"
being found in the locality specified.—Austra/iO.
New Zealand Gazette.