The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-18 00:00:00

THE SUN, :LursPON, MONDAY EVENING, JUNE 18, 1860.

yields to none in those qualities of courage, discipline
and endurance which form the best characteristics
of soldiers. (Cheers ) The duties which that army
has to perform, in times of peace as well as of war,
are such as I make bold to state no other army in
the world could discharge—(cheers)—and, although I
it may be the fashion to say that this nation is not a
military nation, I totally disbelieve that any other
country could produce an army like ours, composed
as it is entirely of volunteers. (Cheers.) Gentle-
men, in drinking to the army I beg to couple with
the toast " The Health of my dear relative our gal-
lant Commander-in-Chief," who is indefatigable in
his exertions to maintain, and, where possible, even
to improve the efficiency of that army. (Loud
cheers.)
The Duke of CAMBRIDGE, who was received with
cheers, said,—On the part of the army, and in my
own name, I rise to return thanks for the compli-
ment you have been kind enough to pay us. Believe
me, I am always especially proud of having my
name coupled with that of the British army. (Cheers.)
As your illustrious chairman has most justly
remarked, although in comparative numbers we
cannot hold our heads against the great continental
armies with which we are in the habit of coping,
still I am happy to think that in reputation, in
honour, in discipline, in courage we are second to
none of them. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, I have the
honour of addressing you this evening in a double
capacity—as one of the colonels of the brigade of
Guards, and as a Line officer at the head of the
British army; and all I can say is that I most cor-
dially assent to the observations which fell from
your chairman, to the effect that there ought to be,
as I believe there is, but one universal feeling of
mutual affection and respect between the Guards
and the Line. (Cheers.) I cannot conceive how
any other sentiment than that could exist, when I
remember the great deeds performed by the brigade
of Guards, of which we have to-night had so
admirable a description. On the other hand, if the
Guards turn to the achievements of the rest of the
service, they will see that regiment after regiment
of the line has been invariably joined with them
on their own most memorable fields. (Cheers.)
Gentlemen, the spirit of the army is kept up by
the esprit du corps of regiments, and I am con-
vinced there is not a regiment in the service which
is not as proud of its achievements as you are of
yours. (Cheers.) This is the feeling which ought
to animate the different corps of an army, and as
long as our army is composed of regiments which
can boast so brilliant a history as ours, as long as
we find success after success thus emblazoned on
their arms, I am persuaded that one sentiment of
mutual esteem and veneration must leaven the
the whole mass of infantry, cavalry, artillery, and
engineers. (Cheers.) I can assure you, sir, and
all my gallant friends and comrades, whether
civilians or military men, who now surround me,
that it is with an earnest desire to foster that good
feeling which I trust will ever prevail that
I have attempted to carry on the duties of
the service, and while I have the honour to
hold my present position it shall be my
constant endeavour to unite and blend the various
branches of the army harmoniously together, con-
fident that in that manner, and in that manner only,
I shall be performing my duty to my Sovereign and
my country. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, I cannot sit
down without briefly bearing my personal testi-
mony to the gallantry I saw displayed by your
regiment in a recent campaign. I refer at this mo-
ment to the Grenadier Guards only, because it is
the regiment I am now addressing; but it is only
just to add that the same feeling also pervaded the
entire brigade of Guards, and, indeed, the whole
army on that memorable occasion, And as long as
that undaunted courage and spirit which I then
witnessed among you survives I am sure you will
have reason to be proud of the regiment to which
you belong and of the service of which it forms so
distinguished a part. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, per-
mit me again to thank you for the honour you have
done the army, and to express my gratification in
being present as a guest at this most interesting
banquet. (Cheers.)
The PRINCE CONSr.RT.—Gentlemen, we are ho-
noured to-day by the presence of the other regi-
ments, both of infantry and cavalry, who constitute
the Household troops, whose services live also
in history, and render them truly worthy to form
the body-guard of the Sovereign of these realms.
(Cheers.) I painfully feel the absence of one whose
name is associated with the glories of the Guards in
many a well-fought field. I allude to Gen. John
Byng, Earl of Strafford—(cheers)—who was lately
removed from this temporary scene to an eternal
and better world, and whose memory will ever be
cherished by his brother officers. (Cheers.) Gen-
tlemen, I propose to couple this toast with the name
of that distinguished and gallant General, Viscount
Combermere, now the last surviving officer who
was present with the Grenadiers at the battle of
Lincelles, (Cheers.)
Viscount COMBERMERE.—In the name of her Ma-
' jesty's Household brigade of cavalry,l bog to return
my most humble and heartfelt thanks to the illus-
trious Prince in the chair for the flattering manner
in which he was graciously pleased to propose our
healths. It is only upon few occasions that her
Majesty's household cavalry have been or can be
employed ; but upon these occasions, I believe, they
have always done their duty to the satisfaction of
those under whom they served. (Cheers.) I am
happy to tell you that the brigade is at present in
a very efficient state, and if it ever should again be
called upon to take the field I am certain it will
maintain the character it has already acquired.
(Cheers.) It may be great presumption in me to
add anything to what has been so well Said by
your Royal Highness in praise of the Grenadier
Guards, but I may be allowed, as a very old officer,
to mention that, having known this regiment dur-
ing the campaigns of 1793 and 1794 (cheers), and
having had the honour of serving, not in, but with
the Ist Regiment of Guards, I can speak to the gal-
lantry it displayed. My recollection extends as far
back as the battle of Lincelles, when the Ist Regi-
ment of Guards distinguished itself under that
eminent commander, General Lake. The regiment
also distinguished itself on various subsequent occa-
sions. It would be ridiculous in me, after what
has fallen from your Royal Highnesses, to touch
upon its more modern history, further than to say
that in the Peninsula, at Waterloo—in short wher-
ever they have been employed—the Grenadier
Guards have always rendered the most efficient and
eminent services. It was my intention to do my-
self the honour of proposing the health of the
Guards, but your Royal Highnesses have completely
taken the wind out of my sails. (Laughter.) But
I may at least venture, in conclusion, to wish every
prosperity to his Royal Highness the Colonel of the
Grenadier Guards and to his distinguished and
splendid regiment. (Cheers.)
At this stage of the proceedings their Royal
Highnesses the prince Consort and the Commander-
in-Chief quitted the hall, accompanied by their re-
respective suites. The vacant chair was then filled
in turn by Col. Lindsay and by Col. Lewis, the
commandant of the regiment.
Col. LINDSAY, M.P., proposed "The Health of
the Coldstream and Fusileer Guards," coupling
with the toast the name of Lord Rokeby, the -com-
mander of the brigade of Footguards in the Crimea.
Lord ROKEBY, in responding, eulogised the firm-
ness and constancy with which the brigade endured
all the privations of a terrible Crimean winter, as
well as the gallantry which it had uniformly evinced
in action. The corps was now in an admirable con-
dition, and animated by the highest spirit. The
noble lord concluded by giving " The Health of
Col. Lindsay," whose unceasing exertions to pro-
Mote the interests of both officers and men could
not, he said, be over-estimated.
Col. LINDSAY, in acknowledging the compliment,
said that while endeavouring, in his peculiar posi-
tion, in conjunction with Gen. Drummond, to up-
hold the interests of the brigade when seriously
threatened, lie had never been unmindful of the just
claims of the rest of the service. Passing to the ex-
ploits of their regiment in the field, he could not
forget that on that day 45 years ago was fought
the battle of Quatre Bras. On that occasion their
third battalion had halted on a march of 27 miles
towardsthe
taalnldtldr
itomiaysi
advanced
eveetnanhdneeei
cmao
et
French
rsytc
in g its dinner when it heard guns firing in the dis-
suspended
e tion, and was quietly cook-
oenffetefforts
ret
and
woodn
during
u rhi
ne itsol
frd tßht
olei
seculinaryue wm wood
remainder
out
tdp
ieoenrf-
of the day. At that memorable eNa-ent there were
pN,ivirhzeos,
seLen
othrwedai
itGthhrtsahnheteireewygoiamunleddn tmntowo distinguished officers
Mr. Robert
naosbkertthßernrutcoe,dorfiKn ke—n-
neth. (Cheers.)
Lord GRANTLEY, in responding, remarked that
although there were very few of his old comrades
now left, he was sure they would all be ready to
buckle on their swords again in defence of their
Queen and country.

Colonel LEWIS gave the next toast, "The only
three surviving colonels who had commanded the
Grenadier Guards—viz., General Stanhope, General
Wood, and General Ridley." (Cheers.)
General STANIIorE said that he and his two com-
rades accounted it a high honour to have commanded
that regiment, but unfortunately they had all been
pitchforked out of it. (Laughter.) lie had him-
self been connected with the corps for 39 years,
and during the whole of that time the conduct of
no individual officer or man had ever given him any
serious uneasiness.

-----
General WOOD, although he had been consigned
to the dusty shelf, amid ploughs, shepherds' crooks,
and everything that was the scorn of the profes-
sional soldier—(laughter)—could still look upon
that assemblage with gratification and without
envy. (Cheers.) Whatever changes in the service

might ensue—and he believed great changes were
impending—he trusted that nothing would occur
that could alienate the elite of the British army and ,
nation from the Grenadier Guards. (Cheers.) For
himself he saw no escape from the dreary shelf to
which he had referred—(a laugh)—but he must en-
deavour to make himself as comfortable there as he
could, looking, perhaps, to have his solitude en-
livened, or at least mitigated, by the companionship
of some old comrade who might find himself in the
i same situation. (Laughter.)
General RIDLEY confessed himself deficient in the
philosophic resignation just expressed by his gal-
lant friend. However invidious it might seem to
say as much in the presence of the excellent officer
now in command of the regiment, he must own that
he greatly coveted his position. (Cheers, and
laughter.)
The acting Grenadier officers having next pledged
their retired brethren in a bumper,
Colonel LINDSAY said, the company ought not
separate without drinking another toast, which had
special claims on their attention. The example he
was about to follow was set by a very high autho-
rity, the late General Sir Charles Napier. The best
of officers at times made mistakes in action, and
then they looked—and generally not in vain—to
the bravery and self-reliance of their men to ex-
tricate them from their difficulty. He had much
pleasure in proposing " The non-commissioned
officers and privates of the regiment." (Cheers.)
The distinguished party then broke up.
It may not be out of place here to mention that
the men of the regiment will participate in the in-
teresting festivities by which the formation of their
corps is commemorated, it being the intention of
their officers to give them an entertainment on an
early day at the Crystal Palace.

sitting in Portsmouth, and have qualified accord-
ingly.

-The strength of the force at present stationed in
the camp at Colchester is 86 officers and 2,845 non-
commissioned officers and privates. There are
besides 202 women. and 257 children living in the
camp.

The general court-martial for the trial of Capt.
H. G. Savage, commanding the 33d Company of
Royal Engineers, at Brompton Barracks, re-
assembled at Chatham Garrison, at 11 a.m., on
Saturday, under the presidency of Col. H. Jervis,
commanding the Ist Battalion, Major W. L.
Stewart, officiating as the Deputy Judge-Advocate.
The Court was occupied during the day in taking
the evidence adduced by the prosecutor, Lieut--
Col. A. P. Ross, R.E., in support of the prosecution,
the witnesses to be called to establish the charges
on which the prisoner was arraigned being Col.
Sandham, director of the Royal Engineer establish-
ment; Major Stopford, the Adjutant; Capt.
Gordon, Lieut. Harvey, and several non-commis-
sioned officers. The Court continued its sitting
until shortly before four o'clock, during which time
it was occupied in the examination of the witnesses
for the prosecution, and then adjourned. There
are several witnesses to be examined by the pri-
soner for the defence.

The steamer Anglo-Saxon, which arrived at
Liverpool from Quebec on the 14th inst. with mili-
tary invalids, disembarked her troops on Friday,
when the non-commissioned officers and men were
immediately forwarded to Fort Pitt hospital,
Chatham, which they reached on Saturday. after-
noon, in charge of Major D. L. Colthurst, 17th
Regiment. The troops belong to the 17th
(Royal Tigers) Ist battalion, and the Royal Cana-
dian Rifles, together with a number of women and
children ; they sailed from Quebec on the 2d inst.,
the men being generally healthy, with no case of
death on board during the passage. On the arrival
of the invalids at Chatham they were medically in-
spected at Fort Pitt, when seven men were admitted
into the hospital for treatment, and 35 conveyed to
tt:e invalid station to await an order for their dis-
charge.
The annual fete of the boys at the Royal Military
Asylum, Chelsea, will take place on Friday next,
the 22d inst., at a quarter to 3 o'clock. The games,
&e., will terminate about half-past 5 o'clock.