The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-11 00:00:00

FIRST CLASS.

IV. H. Pierson—The Pollock Medal, Ist mathe-
matics, 2d fortification, 2d military drawing, Ist
surveying, and 2d civil drawing,
Lord STANLEY, in presenting the Pollock Medal,
said—Mr. Pierson, I have the greatest pleasure in
presenting you with the Pollock Medal, which is
the highest honour this college can bestow. It was
established in commemoration of the illustrious ser-
vices of General Sir G. Pollock, and I hope his bright
example will stimulate you to follow in the same
course. You have earned this distinction, and lam
told by Sir Frederick Abbott that you have com-
peted successfully with those who are members of
a senior term, and Sir Frederick has spoken of your
conduct in more than ordinary terms as being emi-
nently distinguished. This medal you have fairly
won, and I hope it may be but the prelude of more
important and brilliant success in a wider field.
George Strahan—First. good c,oinsdtumctil(ittlaieryswdorardw):
wn.ing, Ist Hindus-
ti2nadngmathematics,2ldst
photography,
surveying,
1 s tlfso
and
fortification,
la
Ltdiarotani
Lord STANLEY, on handing Mr. Strahan the
sword, said he had entitled himself to it by his
good conduct, for during the whole time he had
been at Addiscombe he had conducted himself
equally with diligence and ability.
Robt. M'L. Hawkins—Second good conduct.
John IV. Taylor—Second Hindustani.
J. A. S. Colquhoun—French.
IV. E. Forbes—Second photography.
SECOND CLASS.

E. L. Marryall—Fortification.
H. C. Rowcroft—Military and civil drawing,
Hindustani. _ _

A. W. Elliott—Mathematics, surveying, and
Latin.

J. F. Cookesley—French.
W. J. Heaviside—Third good conduct.
THIRD CLASS.

R. V. Riddell—Fourth good conduct, mathema-
tics, fortification, isurveying, civil drawing, and
Hindustani.

A. D. Grant—Military drawing.
J. Cruikshank— French.
M. Saward—Latin.
Lord STANLEY then addressed the cadets to the
following effect—Gentlemen Cadets :—I feel myself
highly gratified, as all must who have an interest
in this college, at the very satisfactory report we
have received of this institution. I have, in com-
pliance with an old custom of this time and place, to
address a few words of counsel and good will to
those who are about to enter on their career of
service in India. It is a task which I willingly
undertake, and yet one which at the present moment
may seem almost superfluous, for to those who have
eyes to see and ears to hear, the events of the last
tyro years have spoken., and will speak, with far
more force than any words of mine. Ido not refer
to the political or social causes of the insurrection
which has taken place : wah that we have nothing
to do. What I mean is this—that the great lesson
we have received must impress on thoughtful
minds more strongly than ever was impressed
before the peculiarities of the position which an
Englishman, and especially an Englishman in
military or civil employ, now occupied in the East.
Everything in Asia—public safety, national
honour, personal reputation—rests on the force of
individual character. In Europe law and routine
are the limits of personal action, for society is
stronger than any man in it. In India, in military
life, particularly, incompetency is never perma-
nently safe from detection ; and valour, with
perseverance, need never despair of an opportunity.
You have lately had a memorableinstance of what I
say in General Havelock, who, when the insurrec-
tion broke out, was a man of advanced years—his
life had been in services duly and st rictly performed
but comparatively obscure ; and two years ago,
neither himself nor his friends could have antici-
pated that he would take a place in history.
(Cheers). He sought only to do the work that lay
before him. Distinction was long delayed—it came
unsought for, but it came at last. (Renewed cheer-
ing.) Somewhat similar was the career of Sir W.
Nott, the able general who retrieved. English hon-
our in Affghanistan. He was for thirty years en-
gaged in ordinary service, in which military genius
found no scope, but late in life lie was selected for
the command of the army in Affghanistan, and you
know the result. I dwell on this, because I know
that in the life of those who serve the State abroad
there arc .apt to be moments of despondency, per-
haps caused by exile and climate, when exertion
seems vain and success hopeless, and when even
active and enterprising men shrink from the labour
of qualifying themselves for a position in which
they may never be placed. If it should chance that
in such moments—for to you such may come—any
word that I now utter should recur to your minds,
remember this, that you arc only passing through
the trial which is common to all who encounter
the hazards of your profession, whether abroad or
at home. Remember that_that most valuable pub-
lic servant, Lord Metcalfe, who reached the highest
posts of Indian and colonial administration, once
wrote back from India entreating-to be allowed to
give up the scivice for which he felt no taste, and
in which he had no hope of 'success. 'Remember
that, if common report be not unfounded, the most
illustrious soldier of English history, the Duke of
'Wellington himself, in the early period of his life,
contemplated abandoning the profession int which
he despaired of advancement, and seeking employ-
ment of a different kind. And bear in mind that
when the time of trial arrives—as arrive it will to
those who can work and wait—a few months, a
few weeks, even a few days may suffice to build up
the edifice of fame and success for which the whole
of your previous life has been training. (Loud
cheers.) But such chances occur only for those who
can turn them to account, and for the highest suc-
cess even of a military life a merely military train-
ing is a very insufficient qualification. (Cheers.)
No man, I believe, can be a really efficient general,
far less an efficient administrator, who does not
carefully study the human machinery with which
he is to work, the pepple of the country in which
he lives and acts. (Cheers.) Do not imagine that
your work is more than begun when you have
acquired the necessary qualification of language.
Examine the native habits, examine native ideas,
examine native characters, and you will gain at
least this, even if yon gain nothing else, that you
will avoid that ignorant and unwise contempt for
all that is Asiatic, which personally and politically
does Englishmen so much harm in the East.
(Cheers.) You cannot live, however you may
attempt, in a state of indifference to those who
surround you. If you do not bear them good will,
you will bear them ill will ; and as it seems the
law of nature between different races of men, that