The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-26 00:00:00

BANQUET TO THE GUARDS.

[The following appeared in successive editions of TA
Sees of yesterday.]
The promised banquet to the medal men of the
Guards took place yesterday at the Royal Surrey
Gardens.

The morning was cloudy, and anything but in-
viting, a misty rain falling about the middle of
the day, but nevertheless immense crowds of per-
sons lined the streets through which the Guards
passed from their respective barracks to the gar-
dens, and cheered them lustily.
The Music Hall, the capacious dimensions of
which, and its light and elegant construction and
decoration, which is now so well known to thou-
Sands, presented one of the most enlivening, gay,
and brilliant spectacles imaginable. Over the
orchestra, high up above the upper gallery, and
springing from the base of the dome, was a crystal
transparency of the quarterings of England,
France, Sardinia, and Turkey, surrounded by the
Garter and England's motto ; whilst on each side
and above were intermixed the flags of the re-
spective nations, over which was placed a minia-
ture Standard of England in gold and crimson.
At the opposite end of the building was a similar
device, and above it one in which the tricolor of
France was most conspicuous.
Along the balcony of the principal gallery fes-

toons of artificial leaves were gracefully and artis-
tically intertwined with the light filagaree work of
the front, and in the interstices formed by
the festoons were placed the names of "J.
M'Donald," " Dundas, " "Evans," " Bruat,"
" Wyndham, " " St. Arnaud, " " Codring-
ton," " Massey, " " Raglan," " Lyons, "
" Simpson," " Williams," " Cardigan, " Lucan,"
" Bosquet," " Canrobert," &cc., Jrc., names which
for ever will live in the page of history ; and how-
ever much some of them might not have realised
all the anticipations of an ardent, enthusiastic,
brave, and courageous people, there are many
amongst them whom a generous public delighteth
to honour, and who have gallantly and nobly sus-
tained the reputation of the country. Against
each of the pillars was hung a flag of each of the
allied nations, whilst around the balcony and the
middle gallery festoons of flags were suspended
over them, and along the upper gallery flags were
hung around, which floated gaily in the cool
breeze which, by the extraordinary construction of
the ventilation of the building, passed through it
during the day, and kept the place delightfully
cool, a desideratum highly to be prized in crowded
assemblies—whether in the heat of the day, or
those which succeed them.

Immediately over and behind the chairman, and
in front of the orchestra, the flags of the respective
nations were artistically intertwined, and in a
wreath on each side were the words " Red an,"
" Malakhoff," and in the centre the name of that
never-to-be-forgotten soldier's friend and minis-
tering angel, Miss " Nightingale."
At 12 o'clock the gates of the gardens were opened
for the admission of ladies and others by ticket at an
advanced price, the proceeds of which the proprietors
of the gardens have liberally placed at the disposal
of the committee, and the galleries were speedily
filled by a number of elegantly-dressed ladies, radi-
ant with smiles, highly delighted at witnessing
such an interesting scene, and eager to testify their
admiration for men whose daring and gallantry
have achieved deeds unsurpassed in the page of
history, and who suffered the hardships of war,
aggravated by official blundering, with a magna-
nimity savouring more of romance than reality.
The Grenadiers, mustering 739 men, marched
from their barracks in Birdcage-walk, over West-
minster-bridge, past the Elephant and Castle,
along the Walworth-road to Amelia-street, down
which it passed to the principal entrance of the
gardens. The Fusiliers, numbering 708 men,
marched from their barracks, at Charing-cross,
over Waterloo-bridge, following the Grenadiers
from the Elephant and Castle. The Coldstreams,
numbering 562 men, marched from the Tower over
London-bridge by the Elephant and Castle, and
the same route thence to the gardens.

These gallant men, each preceded by its band,
playing various enlivening airs, reached the
gardens about the appointed time, 2 o'clock, when
an equal number of each regiment, according to
previous arrangement, took their places at the
tables iu the•capicioas magic hall, the remainder
being accommodated under an awning in front of
the building, the band stationed in the °relic:Ara
playing at the time the " Roast beef of old
England."
The tables were laid out with cold meats of every
kind, plum puddings, salads, fruits, cheese, &c.,
with a bottle of stout to each man. At various
places along the tables were a number of ever-
greens, fuschias, balsams, geraniums, verbenas,
and other plants in flower ; and n the centre of
the room was an emblematic device, designed by
Messrs. Potel and Shabot.

The men, on entering the grounds, were loudly
and enthusiastically cheered, which was repeated
on their entering the building, accompanied with
waiving of handkerchiefs, bouquets, &c., by the
ladies.

The gallery opposite the orchestra was filled by
a number of officers in plain clothes, and their

ladies.

The Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, Lady Mayoress,
and Miss Salomons occupied a private box at the
right of the orchestra.

The men, having taken their seats, were prlvided
with a bottle of champagne with which to drink
the toasts.

Sergeant-liajor Edwards, the senior sergeant.
major of the Guards, then took the chair, sup-
ported on either side by those next in seniority to
him.

Daring the dinner the following programme of
music was admirably performed by the combined
bards of the Grenadier, Coldstream, and Scots
Fusilier Guards, under the direction of the band-
masters, Mr. Godfrey, Mr. Bose, and Mr. D.
Godfrey :

March—" The Return of the Guards" D. Godfrey.
Quadrille—" Hibernian" (On Irish Melodies) Jullien.
Selection—" La Traviala "
Quadrille—" Sweaborg" (On Nautical Me-
Indies)
" Hymn of the Allied Army "
Quadrille—" Bonnie Dundee " (On Scotch
Melodies)
Waltz —" Star of the West "
Selection—" Serniramide,"
Polka—" Rataplan "
Selection—" Robert le Diablo"

At the conclusion of the repast the members of
the chorus, who kindly volunteered their services
fot the occasion, were stationed in the chorus gal-
lery, and, under the direction of Mr. Land, sang
the grace after dinner from the Laudi Spirituali,
1515.

The CHAIRMAN then gave the health of " The
Queen," which was enthusiastically received--the
bands of the Guards playing the National
Anthem, the vocal parts being rendered by upwards
of 300 members of the Chorus in the gallery.
The CHAIRMAN said, I have to give you another
toast, which I do not expect will please you as much
as the last, but very nearly so. I give you the toast
of "Prince Albert and the rest of the Royal family,"
and in that of the Royal family I include the
Prince of Wales, who, I hope, may live after the
example of his Royal parents, and may the day bo
long before he wears the Royal crown. (Cheers.)
The toast was drank with three times three.

Band—" Coburg March."
The CHAIRMAN, in proposing the next toast,
" His Royal Highness the General Commanding-
in-Chief, our Soldiers and Sailors, our brave Allies
in the late War, and the Chaplains of the Army,"
said ho might say a few words to them on the
toast, as comrades. To the old men—the old
Guards of Alma and Inkerman—he need not say
one word to them in favour of H.R.H. the Genera!
Commanding-in-Chief, for they all knew as much
of him as he did. (Cheers.) He must live in their
hearts as he did in his (the chairman's) eternally—.
(cheers)—and all others who were true British sol-
diers. (Cheers.) It must be their greatest pride to-day
that they were with him at Alma and Inkerman.
(Cheers.) There was but one thing caused him
sorrow, if such a thing ought then to be felt by
him, and that was to find that these tables wore
not large enough for all their comrades in the late
war to be present, (Cheers.) Tie detibted not