The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-28 00:00:00

LOINDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 28, 1858.

EAST INDIA HOUSE, 2Grir MAT, 1858.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, That the
next Examination of Candidates for the appointment of As-
sistant-Surgeon in the service of the East India Company will be
held at this House on MONDAY, the 12th July, and succeeding
days, and that the probable number of Vacancies in the Meilcal
Establishment to be then filled up will be Forty.
J. D. DICKINSON, Secretary.

GRE AT WESTERN RAILWAY.-
WINDSOR and BACK for 2s. 6d., from Paddington. Week
Days at 8.45 and 10.30 a.m., returning at 6.35 and 8.5 p.m. On
Sundays, from Paddington at 9 a to., returning at 7 p.m.
HENLEY or TA.PLOW and back, on Sundays, for 2s. Gd., from
Paddington at 9 a.m., returning from Henley at 8.55 p.m , and Tap-
lea', at 6.57 p.m.

ASCOT RACES.—LONDON and SOUTH-
WESTERN R A ILWAY.—From Waterloo-bridge Station to
Ascot, within 400 yards of the Grand Stand.
Horses and Carriages—On Monday, May 31, a Special Train, with
carriages and horses, will leave Waterloo for Ascot Station, at 3.50
p.m. The 4.40 p.m. ordinary train on that day will not convey
horses and carriages.
Arrangement of Trains on Ist, 2d, 3,1, and 4th June.—On Tues-
day the Ist, and on Thursday, the 3d Jane, a train, with seated
covered carriages, will run from London to Ascot at 8.15 a.m., add
will return from Ascot to London at 7.30 p.m.
Fares there and back, or either way, 6s ; or fares there and back,
with the privilege of returning by any train to which covered car-
riages are attached, up to Saturday, 7s. 6d.
Special Trains will run from London to Ascot, each day, from
10 a.m. till 12.45 p.m., and will return from Ascot to London from
4 till 7 p.m.
Fares there and back, or either way.-0n Tuesday, Ist, and
Thursday 3d—first-class, 12s. 6d.; second-cla:s, 10a. On Wednes-
day 2d, and Friday, 4th—first-class, 10s.; second-class, 7s. Double
journey tickets, available for the four d tys —first- c ass, 425. ; second-
class, 325. Sufficient 11rd-class accommodation cannot be guaran-
teed by every train.
Tickets, at the above-ment Toned fares, can be obtained on awl after
Monday, the 31st May, at Messrs. Tattersall's, Hyde-park corner ;
and at the Universal Office, Regent-c:rcas ; Swan-with-two Necks,
Gresham-street; Spread Eagle, Gracechurch•street ; 53, King Wil-
liam-street, City ; Bolt-in-Tan, Fleet-street • Green man and Still,
Oxford-street; George and Blue Boar, Ifolborn ; Golden-cross,
Charing-cross; Blossoms Inn, Lawrence-lane, Cheapside ; or 90,
high-street, Borough. By order.
Waterloo-bridge Station, May, 1853.

ONDON and NORTH-WESTERN RAIL-
A WAY.— RETURN TICKETS, First Class 21i.' and Closed
Carriages 12s. 6d., available for seven days ; and First Class 375.,
and Closed Carriages 175., available for 28 days, are Paned until
further notice, by all trains, according to class, between London
(Euston Station) and Liverpool, Birkenhead, Chester, Warrington,
Wigan, Preston, Manchester, Stockport, Stileybridge, Greenfield,
Oldham, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Batley, Birstal, and Bolton.
Care should be taken at the London-road Station, Manchester, to
atk for tickets by the London and North-Western route.—By Order.
London, Euston Station, April 9, 1858.

ONDON (SE NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY
LA COMPANY. NOTICE is HEREBY GIVEN, that a
SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING of the Proprietors of the London
and North-Western Railway Company will be held at the EUSTON
STATION, London, on FRIDAY, the 11th day of June, 1858, at
Twelve o'clock at Noon, for the purpos3 of submitting to the Pro-
prietors for their consideration, and, if thought fit, for their approval,
the following hills affecting this Company now pending in Parlia-
ment; that is to say—
" A Bill to enable the London and North-Western Railway Com-
pany to construct works and to acquire additional lands in the
counties of Salop, Middlesex, Hertford, Buckingham, Warwick,
Chester, Stafford, Northampton, and Leicester ; for authorising
arran cements in reference to The Improved Postal and Passenger
communication between England and Ireland Act, 1855,' and with
the Midland Rollo ay Company; and for other purposes."
" A Bill to enable the London and North-Western Railway Com-
pany to make extensions of their Railway from Longsight to Hyde
and Staleybridge, and for other purposes."
" A Bill to authorise arrangements between the Chester and Holy-
head Railwny Company and London and North-Weitern Railway
Company, and to authorise the Chester and Holyhead Railway C, m-
pany to raise a further sum of money, and for ether purposes."
"A Bill to enable the Mersey Docks and Harbmr Board to con-
struct works at Birkenhead, in substitution for, and in addition to,
those already authorised, and to construct a sea wall and other works
at the north end of the Liverpool Docks, and for other purposes."
",A Bill for enabling the Shrewsbury and Welchpool Railway C m-
pany to make a deviation and a short line of railway rear Shrews-
bury, and to extend the powers of the said Company for purchasing
lands and completing their Railway, and for other purposes."
" A bill for the amalgamation of the Hertford and Welwyn Junc-
tion Railway Company and the Luton, Dunstable, and Welwyn
Junction Railway Company into one Company, to be called ' The
Hertford, Luton, and Dunstable Railway Company,' and for regu-
lating the capital of the Company formed by the amalgamation, and
for ott' er purposes."
"A Bill for making better provision with respect to the manage-
ment of the Manchester, South Junction, and Altrincham Railway
Company, and for other purpo,es."
Euston Station, London, 27th day of May, 1855.
CHANDOS, Chairman.
C. R. MOORSOM, Deputy Chairman.
By order, HENRY BOOTH.
CHARLES E. STETrART,I Secretaries.

SALE OF PROVISIONS, &c., AT GOSPORT.
ADMIRALTY, SOMERSET-PLACE, 25th May, 1858.
THE Commissioners for Executing the Office of
Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of. Great Britain
and Ireland, do Hereby Give Notice, that on FRIDAY, the 18th
June nest, at 1 i 'o'clock in the forenoon, the Captain Superin-
tendent will put up to sale, in the Royal Clarence Victualling Yard,
at Gosport, several Lots of
NAVY PROVISIONS, VICTUALLING and TRANSPORT
STORES;

consisting of Tongues, Rice, Biscuit, Biscuit Dust, Salt Beef and
Pork, Staves, Pay m ,sters' Implemen,s, Seamens' Clothing, and
Transport Bedding, &c., &c., &c., all lying in the said Yc.rd.
Persons wishing to view the Lots must apply to the Superintendent
for notes of admission for that purpose.
Catalogues and Conditions of Sale may be had here and at
the Yard.

SALE OF PROVISIONS, /Ice. AT DEPTFORD.
ADMIRALTY, SOMERSET-PLACE, 27th May, 1558.
THE Commissioners for Executing the Office of
Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland do hereby give notice, that on WEDNESDAY, the :16th
June next, at I I o'clock in the forenoon, the Captain Superintendent
will put up to Sale, in her Majesty's Victualling Yard at Deptford,
Several Lots of Army Stores, Seamen's Clothing, and Transport
and Medical Stores; consisting of Compressed Vegetable., Coffee,
Shoes, Jackets, and Trousers, Bedding, &c., &c., &c., all lying in
the said Yard.

Persons wishing to view the Lots must apply to the Superintendent
for notes of admission for that purpose.
Catalogues and Conditions of Sale may be had here and at the
Yard.

CONTRACTS FOR WHEAT, COCOA, AND SOAP.

Department of the Comptroller for Victualling and Transport
Services, Somerset House, 25th May, 1858.
rrE Commissioners for executing the Office of
Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, 1)0 HEREBY GIVE NOTICE, that on THURSDAY,
the 10th June next, at Half-past One o'clock, they will be ready to
treat with uch persons as may be willing to Contract for sup-
plyin r and delivering into her Majesty's Victualling Stores at Dept-
ford, the undermentioned at titles, viz. :
WHEAT... ....... .. • ....... 3,n00 quarters.
C0C0A...... • • • • ...... • . .. 100 tons.
SOAP ....... 100 tons.
When to be delivered—Half of each in three weeks, and the
remainder In three weeks afterwards, or earlier if preferred by the
party tendering.
A proportional part of the price per bushel of Wheat will be paid
for any weight exceeding 60 lbs. per bushel.
Tenders may be made for the whole or any portion of the articles.
Their Lordships reserve to themselves the power, when the Ten-
ders are opened, of contracting either for the whole, or for such part
thereof only as they may deem fits or for a greater quantity, or of
not contracting for any, and also an unlimited power of selection.
The Cocoa to be exempted from the Customs' Duties, and Parties
tendering are to state where it is lying.
Samples of the wheat (not less than 2 quarts), of the cocoa (not
less than 2lbs), and of the soap (not less than a bar), must be pro-
duced by the parties tendering.
The Samples produced by persons whose Tenders are not accepted
are requested to be taken away by them immediately after the Con-
tracts have been decided.
No tender will be received unless made on the printed form pro-
vided for the purpose, and which may be obtained on application at
the said Office, or to the officer conducting the Packet Service at
Liverpool, or to the Collector of Customs at Bristol.
The conditions of the revised contracts, to which particular
attention is called, may be seen at the said office, and at Liver-
pool and Bristol.
No tender will he received after half-past one o'clock on the
day of treaty, and it will not be required that the part? :tendering,
or an agent on his behalf, should attend at the office on the day of
eoacmon
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GEORGE DODSON begs to invite the attention
of Gentlemen to his new Stock of Trowserings for the pre-
sent season, price 21s. to 255. •

G. H. submits for inspection his new Overcoats, in all the new ap-
proved and various shades of colour for sp Ing wear. Excellence
with Economy. A salt of clothes made in a few hours' notice.
GEORGE HOBSON, fll'. Lombard-street.
ESTABLISHED 1796.

F. HANCOCK, of Bruton-street and New
C• Bond-street, Jeweller and Silversmith to the Principal
Sovereigns and Courts of Europe, begs leave to remove an erroneous
impression which exists amongst some of his cu-tourers, that he has
retired, or is about to retire, from business. This impressiOn (which
is entirely unfounded) has probably arisen in consequence of the re-
tirement and selling off (,f a jeweller of the same name, also of New
Bond-street, but with whom C. F. Hancock is not, and never has
been, in any way connected, either in business or by relationship.

Vi R. HOWARD, Surgeon-Dentist, 52, Fleet-
IT _E street, has ntroduced an entirely new description of ARTI-
FICIAL TEETH Axed without springs, wires, or ligatures. They so
-erfectly resemble the nataral teeth as not to be distinguished from
he original by the closest observer; they will never change colour or
foray, and will be found very superior to any teeth ever before used.
this method does not require the extraction of roots, or any painful
operation, and will support and preserve teeth that are loose, and is
guaranteed to restore articulation and mastication; and that Mr.
iloward's improvement may be within the reacliof the most econo-
nice% he has fixed the charges at the lowest scale possible. De-
cayed teeth stopped and rendered sound and useful in mastics.-
tion.-52, Fleet-street. At home (tom ten till Fore.

SIR A. H. ELTON, M.P., ON MR. CARD-
WELL'S MOTION.

On Wednesday evening a public meeting was held in
the Guildhall, Bath, fur the purpose of bearing from Sir
A. H. Elton an explanation of the oourse adopted by
him on the recent motion of Mr. Cardwell, and also an
expression c f his opinion on the leading questions of the
day. The Banqueting-hall of the Guildhall W 11,3 com-
pletely fi led, and a great many Conservative electors
were present ; Mr. Alderman Hunt presided, in the ab-
sence of Dr. Falconer.

Sir A. ELTON was received with loud cheers. He
said,—Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, its has been my
endeavour to act openly and honestly,eand I hope I
have acted fairly during the short p:riod which has
elapsed likes you did me the honour of electing me at
the head of the poll as one of the representatives of this
city. Since that time many great and important events
have paysed, and the state cf political parties in the
House of Commons at this moment is one of a very com-
plicated nature. I wish to address you upon those sub-
jects, and to explain the course which I have felt it
my duty to take during the last few months. The sub-
ject, matter, gentlemen, upon which I wish particularly
to address you relates to the proclamation of Lord Can-
ning to the people of Oude, to the despatch written and
published by Lord Ellenborough coni'emning, and to a
certain extent abrogating, that proclamation, and to the
motion for a vote of censure upon the Government,
which Mr. Card well unsuccessfully endeavoured to carry
through the House of Commons. The people of Oude
were certainly placed in a peculiar situation with regard
to us. They had only recently been brought in contact
with us ; they had not sworn fidelity to us, and when
the great mutiny broke out they natural y caught the
infection and flew to arms for the purpose of asserting,
however mistakenly, their independence. Well, Lcid
Ellenborough having sent out instructions to this effect,
we can understand their amazement when the news of
the proclamation of Lord Canning. actually reached them.
Of WA proclamation I shad read a couple of paragraphs,
because they contain the prominent features of the docu-
ment, and because they will enable you to understand
its spirit. The Governor-General declares that, " with
the above-mentioned exceptions, the proprietary right in
the soil of the province is confiscated to the British Go-
vernment, which will dispose of that right in such man•
ner as to it may seem fitting. To those talookdars,
chiefs, and landholders, with their followers, who shall '
make immediate submission to the Chief Commissioner
of Oude, surrendering their arms and obeying his
orders, the Right Honourable the Governor. General pro-
mises that their lives and honour shall be safe, provided
that their hands are not stained with English blood mur-
derously shed. But as regards any further indulgence
which may be extended to them and the condition they
may hereafter be placed in, they must throw themselves
upon the justice and mercy of the British Government."
Now, I am not gang into discussion of the meaning of
the words "confiscation," " proprietary rights," or
" talookdars." These matters have been settled, though
at first they afforded the materials for considerable dis•
cession ; but as to the extent of confiscation of proprie-
tary rights, I think it is settled by Lord Canning in a
letter from his secretary, Mr. Edmonetone, in which he
says that, while those talookdars who surrendered their
arms should be allowed to return to their homes, this
condition was expressly inserted :—" The permission to
return to their homes must not be considered as a rei' - '
statement of them in the possession of their lands, for
the deliberate disposal of which the Government will
preserve itself unfettered." Now, this is addressed to
the whole people of Oude, and I ask any man here to
picture to himself, if he can, the condition of a landholder
after an absence from home, undergoing perils and hard-
ships, returning and perc,.Wirig the f toailiar landscape,
seeing the distant outline of the hills he knew so well nod
the trees whose shape dwelt in his heart, thinking of em•
bracing his wife and children, and just consider what
would be his feeli.gs when one reflects that he finds that
this home and all that be'ongs to him are gone from him
for ever, and he may say, " I am liable to be sent forth
into the world with all I love, friondleee, helpless beg-
gars." (Cheers.) Consider this, gentlemen ; the onus
was placed on the shoulders of every man to prove his
innocence. In the case of other conquests this has been
ha exception aid not the rule Those conspicuous in
their oppos ton to us have been puni, he 1 by the confisca-
tion of their property ; but in this case every single man
deprivedis of his property without evidence, simply be-
cause he is one of the people of Oude. Now, the people
of Oude knetv nothing of the discretion given to Sir J.
Outran], the Engl sti Commissioner ; they could see
nothing but the proclamation posted on the walls of the
city. (Hear.) But it has been said that the talookdars
and chiefs of Oude are a lawless and rapacious set of
men. I admit that we see in Colonel Sleeman's
and other works ample proofs that they are for
the most part a wild, disorderly set of c'eieftains
something like the feudal barons of old. It is said also
that theee lawless chieftains are in the habit of plun-
dering their weaker neighbours. Then, why, I a-k,
are these weaker men subjected to the same atrocious
punishment which the more powerful are to have in-
flicted upon them ? (Hear, hear.) Tees we have the
tyrant and victim equally subjected io the same sweep-
ing punishment. Now, I admit that Lord Ellenborough's
despatch was harsh, severe, stringent, and wanting in
conciliatory tone, and that it contained very indiscreet
and unwise allusions to the family of Oude, and mere
particularly so as that despatch was published. I'do not
acquit the present Ministry of blame in that matter ;
but, Nevertheless', I agree with a man whom I think
some of you are acquainted with—John Arthur Roebuck.
(Loud cheers.) I agree with that brave and honest man
that the despatch was an honest one. (Applause.) It
may have been indiscreet, but it certainly was honest.
And as regards whatever offence may have been com-
mitted, I say it was amply satisfied and atoned for by
the resignation of that nobleman (Lord Ellenborougb),
and by the proposed amendment of Mr. D,llwyn. Well,
this question has been largely discussed in the house,
and on the last day cf that discussion Gen. Outram's,
letter arrived. It fe 1, I ensure you, like a thunderbolt
on the House cf Commons. Why ? Bscause in almost
identical language it breathed the same sentiments as
Lord Ellenborough himself in that despatch. (Cheers )
Well, that letter of Gen. Outram'A produced such au
effect upon many members of the House of Commons
that when the debate was on the eve of commencing,
member after member rose. up—and I shall never forget
it as long as I live-1)341)y of them going to different
parts of the house to make it appear that they were more
in number, and, so anxious were they to stop the debate
that they appealed to Mr. Card welt to withdraw his mo-
tion, and he was obliged to do so. If he had gone to a
division he would have had a majority— a large majerity
(1 will not say how many)—against him. (Applause.)
But now I come to another consideration—that is, the
character and antecedents of those hon. members who
wished to walk t• m the house and resume their places
on the Treasury benches. Now, let me not be mistaken.
I have a respect for many cf the members of the late
Administration of Lord Palmerston. There are some
among them who ought not to be absent from Liberal
Administration, and I will allude, among others, to Sir
G. Grey, Mr. J. Wilson, your neighbour and Sir R.
Bethell ; but I do say that the A.druieistration was a
censured Administration. It had been censured fur
neglecting the honour of their country within the last
two months, and, therefore, I say that it would have
been preposterous to have condoned that offence,
and to have allowed them uponsuch a question as
this to resume their places on the Treasury benches.
(Applause.) Let me briefly call to your minds the at-
tempted assassination of Louis Napoleon, for this is one
of those questions on which I wish to explain the course
I took on the occasion. I wish here Publicly to state my
conviction that a more brutal+and barbarous attempt at
assassination was rarely in ,he anuale of history made
upon any Sovereign, and I am sure there is not an Eng.
lishmau in this room who does not respond to that sen•
tin:lent, We one and all loathe and abominate assassina-
tion ; we are not worthy of the name of Englishmen if
we do not. But I did feel, and I am proud that I was
one of the 99 who voted against the introduction of the
Conspiracy Bill, I did feel that after the insults lavished
upon us by French c)lonele and French Ministers in
high position., which insults of themselves were not,
perhaps, worth a straw, but being embodied in the
Moniteur, the officialjeurnal of the Emperor, they were
stamped with an importance and an authority which did
not rightly belong to them, and after that I considered
that to reply to those insults, reply to the despatch of
Count Wale wski—which I will s-ty, deliberately libelled
our country—to reply to these provocations by a
I however, reasonable in itself, for acting with more strin-
gency towards refugees, was a dereliction of duty on the
part of an English Ministry which the English House of
Commons ought not to pass over. Therefore I held at
the time, and I hold now, that the vote of censure on
Lord Palmerston's Administration was a just and righte-
ous judgment. (Applause.) I now wish to touch upon
some of the questions of the day. I will take first of all,
the India Bill, which was amply discussed in the House
of Commons. I wish to explain to you some of the feel.

rugs in my mind respecting that bill, respecting the in-
tended step to destroy the double government, and place
the Indian empire under the direct authority of the
Crown. I thick that in the first place there was one
good feature (and there were not many good features in
the India Bill of Lord Derby's Administration), and
that was the naming of a certain number of members of
the intended India Council. I think it would be a great
guarantee for the character, the qualifications, and the
competency of the Council that in whatever bill is passed
the names of the intended council should be inserted..
Then another impor'ant question is the distribution of
the immense patronage which will be at the disposal of
that council when it is formed ; and I am heart and soul
in favour of introducing boldly and extensively the prin-
ciple of competitive examination. (Cheers.) Coming to
the question of the Reform Bill,-I must say that when I
look back upon it it puts me in mind of the launch of the
Leviathan steamship--(laughter)—which moved two
inches in a month. But the Leviathan was launched at
last, and we hope the Reform Bill will be launchel at
Rome time also. (blear.) I desire to see a large and corn-
.prehensive measure—not a bit-by-bit measure, introduced
and carried in the house. (A. Voice, " Locke King's
motion.") I should have voted for Locke King's motion
if the Derby Administration had gone to a division,
which they knew better than to do ; but I do not know
that I should have voted for a 10/. franchise, taking the
measure by itself. I should like to see a certain alters
tion in the electoral di tricts in the first instance. I claim
the ballot, not as any wonderful machine, not as one of
those things that wilt entirely prevent wrongdoing, but
as a great check upon bribery and as an extinguisher cf
intimidation. There is another subject which I must
touch upon briefly again—namely, the question of com-
petition. I want to see introduced honestly a system of
competitive examination for appointments in the civil
service in this country. (Hear.) When I entered Par-
liament I felt that there ought to be a substantial pecu-
niary compensation granted to the church if church-
rates were abolished. (Hisses and applause.) But when
I came to feel and understand the temper and opinion of
the House of Commons upon this subject, and when I
looked over the past debates upon it in Hansard, and
fouod that the very proposition I had at heart had been
over and over again discussed and discarded by the
house, when I felt that it-was. impossible to carry any
such proposition, I turned my attention to the fact whe-
teer in any bill for the abolition of church-rates we might
(discarding all notions of pecuniary equivalent) pro-
vide some machinery by which a sufficient maintenance
for the fabric of the church could be collected without
infringing upon the consciences of the Nonconformists,
without compelling any man against his will to give any
share towards that contribution. All I have asked for
churchmen is that which I am willing to concede to my
Dissenting brethren ; and I have stated it in the Rouse of
Commons, and I hope to state it again, that I think that
in the management of these funds, which have been
raised by churchmen for the purpose of sustaining the
church fabric, only churchmen ought to have a hand. I
have found many gentlemen connected with the Dissent-
ing interest who frankly admit this proposition to be
honest and fair. Now, gentlemen', the present Ministry
may fall in three different ways ; first, by inherent
weakness and incapacity ; secondly, through some
blunder or delinquency which cannot be passed over ;
and, thirdly, in consequence of resisting some wise and
well-considered measure for the benefit of the country
which has been introduced by the Liberal party. Bat,
I for one, unless they commit that delinquency, or show
evidence of that total incapacity, or resist a measure of
well considered reform, do, not feel it my duty to join in
a plan for evicting them from power, at a time when the
eirnst) e_r eas sd ofw tehne
tßh
er i
et iosuhn
termy ph iarse a
on rl
ye
raet
csetnatklye
—wh(loudvacshte
recovered from a great commercial crisis. (Renewed
cheers.)

Mr. JOLLY (Liberal), town councillor, moved, and
Mr. HAYWARD (Conservative) seconded, a vote of thanks
to Sir Arthur Elton, which was carried by acclamation
and duly acknowledged by the hon. baronet; and after
some further remarks by Mr. Archard, and explanatioi
by the chairman as to the absence of Mr. Tite, the
thanks of the meeting were awarded to Mr. Hunt for
presiding, and the proceedings terminated.

PUBLIC BANQUET TO LIEUTENANT-

COLONEL ALISON.

GLASGOW, WEDNESDAY EVENING.

This evening a splendid banquet was given in
the corporation hall in honour of Lieut.-Colonel
Alison, a native of the city, and son of the historian
of Europe, who has recently returned from India
in consequence of severe wounds received before
Lucknow. The banquet was given alike to wel-
come the gallant officer and to honour in his per-
son Sir Colin Campbell (also a native of Glasgow),
and the heroic army at present serving in the East.
Upwards of 100 of the most distinguished citizens
sat down to dinner. The Lord Provost of the city
filled the chair, supported right and left by the
guest of the evening and his father, Sir Archibald
Alison, Sir John Maxwell of Pollok, Mr. Stirling
of Kerr, M.P., &c. The croupiers were Sir James
Campbell and Mr. Hugh Tennent, of Well-park.
After the accustomed toasts to the Queen and
the Royal Family, the Army and Navy, &c.,
The CHAIRMAN proposed in a special bumper
" The health of Lieut.-Colonel Alison," and in so
doing gave a brief sketch of the gallant Colonel's
career.

The toast was received very enthusiastically.
Lieut.-Colonel Ausoar (who, upon rising, was
received with cheers) said—My Lord Provost and
gentlemen, it is with no common feelings that I rise!
to thank you for the more than kind way in which
you have drunk my health, and the far too flatter-
ing mention which has been made of my name.
Gentlemen, to such an honour as this I have no
claim. A soldier, I have striven to discharge a
soldier's duty is the position in which I was placed;
but that can give me no right to such a distinction
as this, for others there are connected with this
place who have done far more than I have. I need
but mention the names of Kerr, Bannatyne, Drys-
dale, and Hamilton. Gentlemen, there are two
circumstances to which, and to which alone, I owe
it. The one, that it has been my misfortune to be
one of the first who has been compelled by wounds
to return to this country from the army of India ;1
the other, that while serving in the ranks of
that army I bad the privilege of being employed
upon the staff of Sir Cohn Campbell. To these,
gentlemen, will you permit me to add a third of
a more personal and private nature—your kindly
sympathy with a father who, from having two sons
engaged in this war, has been called on to suffer
much, and a mother who has had to endure long ?
Gentlemen, there is one part of Sir C. Campbell's
career to which I trust you will pardon me if I for
a few minutes advert—because I think in this coun-
it has been misunderstood—and that is the delay
which occurred between his arrival at Calcutta on
Aug. 13, and his taking the field in the end of Oc-
tober. I know, gentlemen, he has been blamed for
this ; but yet that was precisely the period when his
marvellous activity, his ceaseless energy, were most
displayed, and when he laid the foundations sure
and strong upon which all his subsequent suc-
cesses have been built. Gentlemen, when
he first set foot on the Indian soil nothing
could well bs more disastrous than the
news which awaited bim-0 ode in arms, Rohilcund
revolted, the Doab in the hands of the enemy, all
Central India in confusion, one great magazine
captured at Delhi, our gun carriage manufactory
lost at Futtyghur, all communication with the
Punjab cut off—a small British force struggling to
hold a position of observation, not of siege, before
Dc-,llA—Lucknow and Agra, rocks rising out of
the surrounding surge of rebellion, which threat-
ened every moment to ingulf them_Havelock,
with matchless skill and courage, maintaining him-
s if in the neighbourhood of Cawnpore against
overpowering numbers and the ravages of a deadly
epidemic—Allahabad our only sure point of foot-
ing in the Doab—in Calcutta itself anxiety and
dread, a small European garrison overpowering the
loose native population, and watching three dis-
armed Sepoy regiments in the vicinity. In other
words, gentlemen, the mutinous army of Bengal,
100,000 strong, and the revolted population of.
Onde and the north-western provinces to contend
against, and what to meet them ? In Bengal, and
subject to the direct orders of the Commander-in-
Chief, a force numbering not 7,000 English
bayonets, with about 2,000 native troops who
could ba relied upon. And this, gentlemen, not
one body united on a single field, but scattered
over that vast extent of country which lies between
Calcutta and Cawnpore—having to hold the river
line of communication to Allahabad, 800 miles in
length—to keep open the land route to the same
point, 500 miles of road—to maintain a threaten-
ing head under Havelock 130 miles further in ad-
vance at Cawnpore—and to hold down with an
iron hand the great cities of Benaros, Patna, and
Calcutta in the rear. Gentlemen, the odds at first
seemed to unequal, and one almost listened to hear
the crash of a falling empire. (Cheers.) The fall
in the Ganges had rendered the river route to
Allahabad both tedious and uncertain, and it be-
came necessary to organise another and surer
method of forwarding the reinforcements to the
front. This was done by establishing along the
Great Trunk Road a mode of transport by which
200 men a day were regularly forwarded in
covered carts drawn by bullocks, which ore
relieved at regular stages ; and to such perfection
did this system attain that when the troops
arrived at their halting places they found
their meals regularly prepared for them, as you
would do at a railway station in this country,while