The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-27 00:00:00

!AND BANQUET AT EDINBUIWII TOI
THE 7861 HIGHLANDERS.

Since the popular ovation of this gallant corps on
the occasion of their entry into Edinburgh, a strong
feeling has pervaded all classes in favour of some
more appropriate demonstration in honour of their
heroic services during the revolt in India. This
sentiment speedily took shape, and it was deter-
mined to to confer upon them a similar compliment to
that which the citizens so enthusiastically offered
to the 33d Regiment in the form of a Crimean
Banquet. An influential committee undertook the
arrangements, a handsome subscription was raised,
and the scene of the entertainment was fixed upon
in the Corn Exchange, the largest hall suitable for
the purpose in the city. This military fete accord-
ingly came off on Tuesday night with extraordinary
eclat, and was attended not only by the gallant
guests, who nearly filled the area, but by a large and
distinguished assemblage, amongst whom the ladies,
the majority in full dress, shone conspicuous, adding
a degree of animation to the scene which formed
not the least of its attractions.
The floor of the hall was divided into nine tables
running longitudinally, and including those at the
sides were laid out for upwards of 1,400 persons,
comprising both the entertainers and the gallant
guests. The whole display had not only a highly
festive and gorgeous effect, but exhibited the best
taste both in the design and execution of the deco-
rations.
At about five o'clock the troops entered the hal

headed by six pipers, and they were received by the
whole company standing—the ladies waving their
handkerchiefs, and the gentlemen cheering lustily.
The Lord Provost occupied the chair, and was
supported on the right by Viscount Melville, Sir J.
Douglas, K.C.8., Sir Hew Dalrymple, Sir J. Rich-
ardson, Bart., Capt. D'Eyncourt, and on the left by
Vice-Admiral Hope Johnstone, Sir J. Baird, Col.
Walter Hamilton, C. 8., Col. Richardson Robert.
son, C. 8., Col. M'lntyre, and Dr. Lee.
The duties of principal croupier, in consequence
of the absence of Sir John M‘Neill from indispo-
sition, were discharged by the Hon. Mr. Bouverie
Primrose, who was supported right and left by Sir
W. Gibson-Craig, Colonel Skyring, Sir W. John-
stone, Colonel Tremayne, 14th Light Dragoons;
Colonel Geddes, C. 8., Colonel H. Hamilton, C. 13-.,
Mr. Stewart Mackenzie of Seafortb, Col. Maclean,
Royal Artillery; Mr. Hall Maxwell, C. 8., Bailie
Blackadder, and Dr. Douglas Maclagan.
After the usual loyal toasts,
The CHAIRMAN rose amid great applause to pro-
pose the toast of the evening, " The 78th High-
landers," coupling the toast with the name of
Colonel Ewart, who, thouih not in command of the
78th till recently, was with the 93d Regiment at
the final relief of Lucknow, and who evinced in his
person the dangers through which he passed, and
which he cannot be said to have escaped, and wears
on his breast tokens of the valour he has, both in
the Crimea and in India, so nobly displayed. (The
toast was responded to with the greatest enthusiasm,
cheer succeeding cheer for several minutes.)
Colonel EWART, in reply, said--My Lord Provost,
ladies, and gentlemen, in the absence of our gallant
friend, Lieut.-Colonel Sir William Chalmers, the
duty devolves upon me of responding to the toast
that has just been drunk. In the name of the
officers of the 78th Highlanders I return you our
warmest thanks for the kind and hearty manner in
which you have drunk our health. My gallant
friend and comrade, Sergeant Pocock, will rise pre-
sently to thank you for the way in which you have
drunk the healths of the non-commissioned officers
and men. It affords me very great pleasure to be
present here to-day, because to every commanding
officer it is a great happiness to see his officers and
men enjoying themselves. (Hear, hear, and cheers.)
But, my Lord Provo •t, and all who are here present,
I assure you that had it been left to myself I should
not have been here to-day, because I feel that I am
preventing those gallant cfficers who led the 78th
into action from coming now to the front. (Hear,
hear.) I had not the honour of fighting with the
78th in India, but I am proud to say I was there
with the 93d (enthusiastic cheers) and that
I had the happiness of first meeting at Luck-
now the regiment which I have now the
proud honour to command. (Cheers.) It affords
me the greatest pleasure, as I am sure it will all of
you, to see here to-day that gallant officer, Colonel
Walter Hamilton—(loud cheers)—the senior lieu-
tenant-colonel of the 78th, who has led them
through so many of those actions of which all have
heard. I think it right, also, to mention, that we
have here to-day three officers who have been
raised to high and more important commands, but
who at one time led the 78th in action. You have
here to-day Lieut.-Colonel Henry Hamilton, Lieut.-
Colonel M'lntyre, and Lieut.-Colonel Lockhart—
all of whom at different times commanded the 78th
in action. I have been asked how many are here to-
day who fought with the 78th in India ? and I am
proud and happy to say that there are around me
15 officers and about 350 men who fought abroad.
(Continued cheering.) I have no doubt, when I
mention this number, the ladies will look around
and endeavour to count the beards. (Laughter.) I
am sorry to say that during the month of March
some evil-disposed persons spread the atrocious re-
port that it was the intention of the commanding
officer to take off all the beards on the Ist of April.
(Loud laughter.) The result of this was that many
of my comrades around me, rather than be made
April fools of by the colonel, immediately shaved
their beards off. (Renewed laughter.) I do not
know who spread this abominable report, or I
should rather say, perpetrated this dreadful
" shave"—(great laughter)—but I am sure the
ladies will agree with me that he was a most bar-
barous fellow. (Continued laughter.) I can assure
the ladies that notwithstanding they do not see
350 beards, that nevertheless there are that num-
ber of men present who fought with the 78th in
India. (Cheers.) lam sure you will excuse me
speaking at great length, because I wish to bring
to the front that gallant officer who brought home
the 78th from India. 1 would beg leave to call on
Lieut.-Colonel Henry Hamilton to say a few words.
(Loud cheers.)
Lieut.-Colonel HENRY HAMILTON, on rising,
was very warmly received. He said—My Lord
Provost, ladies, and gentlemen, as I have been
called upon by Colonel Ewart, with the kindest
consideration, and in recognition of the lengthened
period during which I served in the 78th High-
landers, it would ill become me to manifest any
backwardness in endeavouring to respond to the
call, and in endeavouring to express the thanks of
the officers for the honour you have thus conferred
upon them. I say endeavouring, because I regret
to state that I feel myself wholly incompetent for
the task. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, 30 years ago, in
my boyhood, I joined the ranks of the 78th High-
landers. (Great cheering.) I have served with
them from that hour to the present—(hear, and re-
newed cheering)—thus passing amongst them the
best years of my youth and manhood, and I have
ever found with them a happy moveable home.
(Continued cheering.) Gentlemen, excuse me for a
moment being egotistical ; I have ventured thus
briefly to allude to myself personally—not, believe
me, to obtrude myself individually on your notice,
but, conscious of my inability adequately to express
my feelings, I wish that every one of you, placing
yourselves in my position, may, by reference to
your own hearts, be able to estimate in some de-
gree my feelings, when I see this large and en-
lightened city met to-day to do honour to my old
and much-loved comrades. (Cheers.) You all
know that the army is not a lucrative profession—
(laughter)—the pecuniary and tangible honours
that fall to the lot of soldiers are very few. The
great honour that every soldier looks to or desires
is the consciousness of having done his duty, mid
the approbation and sympathy of his fellow-coun-
trymen. (Cheers) That the 78th Highlanders
should have been able, under circumstances of diffi-
culty, to do their duty in a way to elicit your ap-
proval, must ever be amongst them a source of deep
gratitude, and thankfulness to Him who alone
teaches the hand to war and the fingers to fight.
But the way in which you have expressed your ap-
probation—the kindness, the warmth of heart, the
more than cordial warmth with which you wel-
comed the regiment on its arrival in Edinburgh, is
now still further manifested by this entertainment,
which must ever be a source of the greatest pride
and gratification to every person connected withthe
corps, and 'must lay every one under a deep and
lasting obligation to you. I may be permitted to
observe that your kindness to the 78th will have a
wider effect—will speak to a wider circle—than,
perhaps, you originally intended. (Hear, hear.) It
will tell the British soldier at large, the British
army in general, and those that have not yet joined
the ranks of the army, that under no possible cir-
cumstances, no lapse of time or distance of space
will the British soldier ever cease to be an object of
interest and regard to his fellow-countrymen at
home. (Loud cheers.) This is peculiarly manifest
in the case of the '7Bth ; for at the time when these
events took place to which allusion has been made,
the 78th had not recently left your shores. A long
period had elapsed since the 78th Regiment had
left Scotland—a time long enough to permit those
who were then infants in arms to have grown up
to man's estate. (Hear, hear.) A great European
war had arisen, which had engrossed your attention
in common with the rest of Europe, and in that war
the 78th had not the honour of being engaged. But
they were serving in a far distant and comparatively
unknown station, and they might well have ima-
gined that, as a regiment, they were forgotten. But
thanks to your long enduring sympathy and warm
hearts, it was not with you, as the proverb says,
" Out of sight out of mind." (Hear, hear, and
cheers.) Events arose to which allusion has been
made, and the progress of the 78th was watched