The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-29 00:00:00

ADMIRAL SI n EDMUND LYONS AT
CHRISTCHURCH.

Yesterday, at noon, Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons was
presented, in public, with au address of congratulation
by the inhabitants of Christchurch, Hampshire, on the
occasion of visiting that town, of which he is a native,
and where he was born on the 21st of Nov., 1790. The
gallant admiral, accoinpauied by some of the members of
hie family, arrived at Winktoo, in the immediate vicinity
of the town, the residence of Admiral Walcoit,
his cousin, on the afternoon of Sunday, and remained
there over night. Shortly before 12 o'clock yesterday he
proceeded in an open carriage, in the company of Ad-
miral Walcott and Mrs. and the Misses Walcott, under
an escort of ler men, furnished by the Royal Horse Ar-
tillery, in command of Mr. Torriano, and preceded by a
band of musie, to a platform erected in the centre of the
town, where the ceremony of presenting the address was
to take place. Lord Aethidel and Surrey, the sonain-law
of Sir Edmund, Lord Maltravers, his grandson, Mr.
Bickerton Lyons, his son, Mr. Algernon Lyons, his
flag-lieutenant, and the Rev. Mr. Mackenzie Walcott,
also formed part of the campany. The day was singularly
auspicious, the neighbouring gentry for miles round were
attracted to the scene, and the town presented an almost
endless series of banters and triumphal arches.
On arriving at the hustings -admiral WALCOTT pro-
ceeded to present the address to Sir Edmund. He said
—ln doing so, he had to offer a tribute of admiration on
the part of the inhabitants of that town and neighbour.
hood, and which was in itself the echo of the acclama-
tions of his country. (Cheers.) They now stood side
by side in a position which they never could have ex-
pected to occupy when as boys they trod the streets of
Christchurch. He (Admiral Walcott) could not but re-
collect the anecdote related of agreat and most successful
commander, that in the height of his eminence he never
could be prevailed upon to forego the sight of his
father's house, lest he should loose the object of his eyes
and the memory 6f his childhood. He (Sir Edmund),
by his presence among them that day, showed that he
participated in the same feeling. Born in the same
month, natives of the same hamlet, reared in the same
school, and serving their country in the same profeasion
—these were no orinary ties, and they could both tes-
tify that they had cemented, through, many years of life,
a fraternal affection, unbroken by absence and deepened
at every meeting. Time would he the best commender
oriels (Sir E. Lyons') public acts. No words he (Ad-
mirt3 Walcott) could utter would be deemed the expres-
sion of a too partial regard, when the annals of England
would record him his country's friend, who showed that
the way to peace lay, not in seeming desires to avoid
war, but in making that demonstration of firmness and
resolve which was the most certain means to hasten its
coming and better its conditions. (Cheers.) The gallant
Admiral then read the address, which congratulated Sir
Edmund on revisiting the scene of his birth after an
eventful life, spent chiefly abroad in the service of his
country. It also related his rise, step by step, iu his pro-
fession until he succeeded to the eommand of the . Eng-
lish fleet in the Black Sea, and how among other ex-
ploits, without the loss of a single ship or a single life,
he succeeded in conveying the army -from Varna and
landing it in the Crimea, where again he performed
essential service to the country by the unanimity of his
co-operation with the land forces, by the emulation he
inspired, and the example he gave, and by the cordiality
of his intercourse with our allies. It likewise compli-
mented him for the heroic devotion which he breathed
nto the officers and stamen of the fleet, whom he never
ed but to victory, as at ICertch and Kinbourn. The
ailing of the address was frequently interrupted by the
acclamations of the crowd.
The Earl of MAL3IEBUURT then addressed the meeting
in a speech of seine length, is which he recounted in de-
tail the various public services rendered by Sir Edmund
in the course of his life, and eulogised his gallantry while
in'aommand of the fleet in the Black Sea.
Sir E. LYONS approached the front of the hustings
and was received with a rouiel of enthusiastic cheering.
He said, he must, in the first piece, express his deep re-
gret for the inconvenience which they had experienced
from the postponement of his visit ; but, as had been
already explained to them, that had arisen from circum-
stances which were beyond his control. The gallant ad-
miral, whom be was proud to call his friend and relative,
had apprised him of their kind intentions towards him,
and he had naturally thought of some expressions in
which to convey to them his deep sense of the honour
proposed to be conferred upon him. But their surpass-
ing kindness and the enthusiastic weloome they had given
him had gone straight to his heart and filled it with
grateful feelings, and he candidly confessed he could not
remember anything he intended to have said. He must,
therefore, ask them to allow him to express his emotions
spontaneously as they arose. (Cheers.) Ile was anxious
to say to them, what he felt most deeply, that this was
to him the proudest and most interesting day of a some-
what eventful life. To feel as he did a man must have
been abroad and employed in the service of his country
for nearly 30 consecutive years. Ho must have returned,
as he did now, not only to hie native country, but to his
native town, the place of his birth and 'the scene of his
childhood, where everything be saw around him was asso-
ciated with his earliest and 'dearest recollection,. Bat,
above all, such a man must ,feel, as he did now, the
hearty and generous welcome; for which he was now im-
perfectly endeavouring to-thank them, and which lie
should cherish to the latest hour of hie lite. He could
assure them that both soldiers and sailors, officers as well
as men, who were abroad in their country's service, were
sustained by nothing so much me by the approbation of
their countrymen at home ; and he could conscientiously
say that the proud gratification which he experienced
would be shared by thousands now under his command
in the Mediterranean. The compliment they were now
eying him would he reflected on every man in the fleet,
and he was quite sure that on the day when they
received the news of the welcome given by the people of
Christchurch to himself one common sentiment of gra-
titude would animate the whole of them. (Cheers.) [The
emotion of the gallant admiral for a moment stifled his
utterance.] He was not aeharaed—far from if—to con-
fess his inability adequately to express all he felt on this
interesting occasion. He should be something less than
man if he was not sensibly affected by the scene before
him. To express what he felt in words was utterly im-
possible, and he would only add that, although the cor-
dial welcome they had given him would vibrate on his
ears but once, it would dwell oil his memory for ever.
(Loud cheers.)
The company then repaired to the King's Arms Ho-
tel, where luncheon was prepared, and at which Lord
Malmesbury presided. The cloth having been removed
and the usual loyal toasts drunk,
The GELAIRIIAN gave "The health of Admiral Sir Ed-
mund Lyons and the heroes of the Crimea- and the Black
Sea." He said, in doing so, they would recollect the
position of England when this war begun, and he trusted
the people of this country had deduced a lesson and a
warning from the events of the last two years, and had
resolved that England should never be in such a position
again. At the outbreak of the war, he spoke with a
knowledge of the facts when he said that at one period
this country stood upon a volcano. Since the close of
the last war successive Governments had neglected to
keep up the armaments of the country, and he believed
that none of the gentletneu who composed those Govern-
ments could throw stones at one another, for all had
like neglected their duty. They neglected it, moreover,
tlespite the repeated warning and advice of the greatest
man of the age—the Duke of Wellington ; and as he
went down to the grave full of honours and of years, he
sat down in sullen silence, scary of warning and weary
of giving advice. In 1852, Nilsen he (Lord Malmesbury)
bad the honour to hold office, it came to his knowledge
that in this country, surrounded as it was by nations, not
perhaps its enemies, but many of them envious of its great-
nee., we were in this position—that, with respect to the
artillery—he would quote only one instance—there were
not .50 guns fit for service. That, he believed, was also
recently stated by Lord iffirdinge, the Conamander-in-
Chief. But that was not all. The carriages 'of those
guns were in such an imperfect state that, at the funeral
of the Duke of Wellington, when it was necessary that
an escort of 17 guns should. attend his obsequies as a
deceased field-marshal, it 'erns some considerable time

before that number could be found in a sufficient state cf
repair to travel safely the requisite distance over the

streets of London.

'lt was not Governments so muci

as the people themselves who were to blame for such a
state of things. If they were again deceived by those
who spoke or wrote volumes on false economy the same
thing would happen again, and at a time, perhaps, when
they might not have a strong and faithful ally, by whose
valour and co-operation they alight be enabled to brave
the world in arms. Such was the state of this country
when the war begen,
yet, by the extraordinary
exertions of our officers, soldiers,
and seamen, in °0
months we had reduced the colossal power of Ruesia to
a point of humiliation which we never could have ex-
pected to attain in so short a period. He sincerely
trusted that the services of the army and navy would not
aea'n be require?. He hoped the peace
which was
about to be made would be a statesmanlike peace, and
one which England could not only conclude with honour
to herself. but accept as a guarantee for security in the
future. From the beginning there seemed to have been
the greatest confidence reeosed in Sir Edmund Lyons,
and yet lie must have had moments of deep anxiety and
greet trouble. We hardly did justice in this country to
men whom we sent forth to fight our enemies, charged
as they were with immense responsibility, and subjected
sometimes to an amonnt of fatigue and privation which
we could scarcely imagine. The position of such
teen was difficelt and painful. It was not all
honour and glory with them They must have many
sleepless nights and many harassing days of mental
fatigue and exertion.
They had, too, occasionally the
ignorant calumny of some- and ths personal. pique and
cruel jealousies of others to contend with and to resist
,
such adverse influences required a stoutheart and a ceo-
fident reliance that justice would be done at last. But
it wanted no small ansoun% of fortitude to support a man
under such circumstances and such cruel attacks, and
without that fortitude a weak man might believe that
ell the world and all destiny were against him. They
might look forward to etistinctions and decorations such
as had been accorded to the gallant and distinguished
officer at his side--they might hope that temporary fail-
ures might he in future turned into great victories ; but
all those considerations would scarcely support them.
The only consolation they could have in moments like
those was an approving conscience, which should say to
them, as he said now to his gallant friend " Von have
dene your duty." (Cheers.) ,
The toast. was drunk with amen:m..l6n.
A denim! Sir EDMUND LYONS said,--Nry lords, ladies,
and gentlemen, you have (lone ins the honour of aseoci-
at:og my name with the names of those who have dietin-
guiebed theniseves in the Crimean Campaignyou. only
vr:s'n that f felt myself deserving of the prais
}rave so kindly bestowed upon me. But all 1 pretend td'
en honest and earnest desire to do my duty to my
Severe' to ancl my eorentry to t!se best of my humble
ability. (rehears.) The feature of the I reseet -Tar is

such as to afford but few opportunit'es to fieets or large
ships to take any prominent or distinguished part. In
the Black Sea the Russian fleet has been self-annihilated,
pl and we had the mortification of seeing their ships of war
sunk beneath the waves by their own hands instead of by
lour broadsides. In the Baltic, again, the enemy's fleet
has lain at anchor, secure under the shadow of their own
granite walls and stupendous batteries. The command-
ers-iuchief in the Baltic have had to report many daring
and successful exploits performed by the officers and men
under their command, and 1,. on my part, have had the
satisfaction of reporting what ha taken place in the
Sea of Azoff, where I think I may say, without any
fear of contradiction, and with perfect safety, that the
exertions of the commanders-in-chief have been seconded
by as gallant a hand of young officers as ever went forth
in the service of their country. And here, perhaps, it
may not be irrelevant to say that, in the course of onr
expedition there, a letter was intercepted from the Em-
peror, in which his Imperial Majesty emphatically de-
clared that he would almost as soon see the allies in his
palace at St. Petersburg as in the Sea of Azoff. I should
be ungrateful if I did not on this occasion acknowledge
the good service of the officers and men under my com-
mand, which showed itself in nothing more than in a
hearty co-operation with the army. They conveyed the
troops to the shores of the Crimea; they landed them
there ; they supplied them with food and materiel to
carryon the siege for 11 months; nor was their sympathy
ever wanting in the hour of sickness and suffering ; and
thus was fostered that kindly feeling between the two
services which has from time to time brought forth such
good fruits during this memorable, campaign. We saw
from the decks of our ships the battle of the Alma.
General Bosquet, with the French division, passed al-
most within hail of the Agamemnon, and anything finer
than his attack on the enemy's lines could scarcely be
conceived. We saw the British army ford the Alma and
form on the opposite bank under cover of the ar-
tillery, which on that occasion, as on all others,
peculiarly distinguished them F elves throughout the
Crimean campaign. We saw them also capture the
position of the enemy, whioh the Russians thought im-
possible to be carried by any troops in the world. We
saw them advance to the attack, and so striking was
that movement that Gen. Caurobert, at that time second
in command of the French army, told me afterwards
that he could only compare it to an English red brick
wall supernaturally lifted up from the ground and pro-
pelled forward, so steady, so unwavering, and so irresis-
tible was:that attack. (Cheers.) I saw likewise the charge
at Balaklava, aud, however that may be criticised in
a strategical point of view, I believe that it will go down
'to history.ati one of the finest and most brilliant cavalry
charges that was ever made since the world began.
(Cheers.) No man could have seen that chivalrous ac-
tion, as I did, without feeling proud of his country, and
grateful to the gallant band who engaged in it. At the
battle of Inkerman, again, I had a closer view of that
memorable conflict. On that day great and heroic deeds
were performed. Each man in the French and English
army fought as if the fate of the battle and the honour
of the Allies depended on his own individual exertions.
Aci great and glorious were the results, and I should
think of it to the end of my days with the greatest plea-
sure and satisfaction, did there not come with it the alloy
of the battle-field ; but that is the natural and insepar-
able concomitant of war. We saw, too, from the decks
of our ships the final attack on Sebastopol, in which,
however, a violent gale of wind prevented us taking
part. We saw all the alternations of the struggle of
three hours which terminated so triumphantly for the
allies. We saw the French rush out from their trenches
into the Malakoff. We also saw their attack on the
Little Redan, where, after performing prodigies of va-
lour' they were unable to maintain a position. The at-
tack on the Great Redan was to some extent concealed
from our view by the intervening bills, but I am well
acquainted with the position and the circumstances of
the attack ; and here I may perhaps be permitted to say
in reference to it, that while ourbrave allies, the French,
favoured by the nature of the> ground and protected by
the fire of the English batteries, were enabled to carry
their say within 30 or 40 yards of the Malakoff, it wai
Lot so with oar troops. Every step they took was en-
filaded l'y the enemy's batteries, and they were unable
to approach nearer than from 220 to 240 yards of the
Great Redan. Nevertheless,- our troops, when called
neon, rushed out .cf the trenches to the attack, and
although decimated, and mote than decimated, in
their passage across the intervening ground, they
succeeded in effecting a lodgment in the battery.
and would probably have retained it, but they found that,
unlike the Malakoff, which was closed all round, the
Redan was open in the rear, and thus the enemy was en-
abled to pour in an overwhelming b ,dy of troops, and so
to recover the position as often as ft was wrenched from
them. There is another c'rcumstance, also, which is not
generally known, but the truth of which I assured my-
self by asking Gen. Neil the other day in Parie. When
the French made their unsuccessful attack on the 18th
of June, it was d'scovered afterwards that they had
only spiked the em my's buoy imperfectly, which in their
retreat were may ;idab'y turned upon our allies. A more
politic e order on this subject was subsequently issued,
and on the fith of September all-the gins in the Redan
were too effectually spiked by the English, and thus ren-
dered useless to i Gael the advance of the enemy's hordes

from the rear. It was utterly impossible to withstand
the overpowering numbers that rushed in. But I glory
in being able to say that never was British courage more
conspicucusly displayed than on that day. The example
of the gallant Walston], who fell gloriously in the action,
and ct the bum Hsndcock2 who was killed at the head
of his corps, will never be forgotten ; still less that of
Gen. Windham, who amid a shower of bullets, and, as
if be bad a charmed life, st )od on the ramparts, urging on
his men to the attack. It may be said of them, as Lord
St. Vincent said to Lord Nelson after hie temporary
want of success in his attack with gun-boats on Boit.
logne :—" It is not in mortals to command success, but
you have done more, you have deserved it." The re- ,
suit of all these heroic deeds is that the allies stand on
vantage ground on the eve of negotiations. If these
nezotiations terminate in a safe and honourable peace,
and comprise effectual guarantees for insuring its per-
manence, then all the objects of the war will be at-

tained. But we must not forget the proverb---" Si via
paean. para bellum." Thera will be no relaxation on
our parts in preparing for a continuance of the war, so
that, if the enemy will not • listen to reason and shall

prevent peace being made, we may look confidently,
through the blessing of God and a righteous cause, to
another glorious campaign. (Cheers.) My lords and
gentlemen, I have spoken hitherto of the horrors and
glories of war. I would now venture to mention an
episode in the last campaign of a character that will

come home to the hearts.ot ;a persons residing in Hamp-
shire and this immediate neighbourhood with peculiar
interest. I speak of the benevolent acts of Miss Night-
ingale and of the ladies with whom sbe has been associ-

ated in her work of mercy in the East. (Cheers.)- I
speak with knowledge of the facts when I tell you that
it has fallen to the lot of but few women to do the good
that they have done. To dilate on those acts would be
suralluotis ; no tongue can do justice to them ; but I
trust they are registered in Heaven, as I know they are
engraved on the hearts of thousands of their country-
men. (Loud cheers.) I hope you will do me the justice
to believe that it is impossible for any man to feel more
sensible than I do of the honour which has been paid to
me, not only in this room but out of doors, and I shall
return to my command with an increased desire, if that

Ire possible, to do my duty. (Cheers.)
Several other toasts were drunk and responded to,
and, on the separation of the company, Admiral Lyons
returned to the resitlmce of his relative, Admiral Wal-
cott.

CORN.—The increasing expectations of peace caused
the cons market to be extremely dull yesterday morning
at the decline of Monday last.
MIDDLE Teuree.-11ilary Term, Jan, 'ed.—The un-
dermentioned gentlemen were this day called to the de-
gree of the utter Bar by the hon. society of the Middle
Temple :—Robert Marshall Straight, Esq., Maury Gaw-
tress, Esq., John Dickie, Esq., Queen's College, Cam-
bridge ; Thorras Henry Derbishire, Esq., Wm. Thomas
linage, Esq., 13. A., Trinity-hall, Cambridge ; Thomas
Eyre Foakes, E.g., Henry Gardner, Esq., mid John
Richard Andrews, Esq.
ALARMING COLLUSION ON THE SOUTH JUNCTION AND
ALTRINCEAM RAILWAY.--A collision occurred on this
line of railway on Saturday night, which fortunately,
though alarming in its character, was not attended with
any very serious results. It should be understood that
the main line of this.railway in the South Junction line,
and that at the Oxford-road Station a siding, the length
of the platform, receives the trains from the Altrincham
line, which are shunted upon the main line by points
some 80 yards from the station. At the last train at
night, it is the duty of a porter at the station to relieve
the regular pointsman at this place. On the starting of
the last train from Manchester on Saturday night, at 11
o'clock, the porter, on hearirg the accustomed signal of
three steam whistles from the engine driver, ran out of
the station to turn the points, but unfortunately he turned
the wrong ones, by which means the train, when not
more then 40 or 50 yards from the station, and advancing
at the rate of about two miles an hour, ran into the en-
gine of a goods train which was waiting to come for ward
towards Manchester, when the passenger train bad passed.
The carriages of the latter train were tolerably well filed
with passengers, and it being the last Saturday night
train, the
greater part of them were thrown off the it
seatsh by the collision and some 6 or 8 were more or less
perky, who urt. Among these Mr. and Mrs. Rogerson, farmers', Tim-
eve‘r,F, travelling_ in. a. third-class oar!. g ,
sad
mrsi:lrtr.ogneorgsneursroennerievceedivseod somese ia e
were injured.
inow the
iin
knee ;
yerehuarbt
the head as to induce concussion of the bra i Mrs.
Palmer, of Sale Moor, was also severely n.
hurt, and it was
necessary to detain both those ladies in Manchester till
yesterday (Sunday.) Mr. and Mrs. Rogerson proceeded
to their home in the afternoon of yesterday con,iderablY
better. Mrs. Palmer, who was conveyed to Foulke,s's
Temperance Hotel, Piccadilly, was in a state of collapse
on Saturday night, but last evening she was a goodeal
better. Mr. Gaskarth, spirit dealer, Altrinchatti, re-
ceived a smart blow on the forehead, and a broken
nose ; a lady from Timperley or Sale, whose rame
was not known, received a flesh wound over tLe eye ;
and a servant man of Mr. George Smith's, of rnapetley,
was hurt about the knees. There were several
black eyes and other bruises among the passengers,
but nothing else of a serious description. Mr. Peter
Moyle, surgeon, Lever-greet, who resides at -Vernon
Lodge, Sale Moor, was in the train, and be rendered
prompt assistance to the sufferers ; and Dr. J. G.
Harrimon, of Piccadilly, was sent for, ar.d immediately
attended, and took every care of the injured persons.
Most of the passengers proceeded by the train to eilltrie-
chain about midnight. The porter who acted as points-
man has only been a few months in the service of the
conepataye and was not sufficiently acquainted with the,
duties assigned to hint. Had the train been going at
the ordinary railway speed, when the collision occurred,
the consequences would have been of the meet serieet
and fatal dedcripticlt. wriliZieloster 0:;22-t";34