The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-03 00:00:00

Yesterday evening the members of the Oriental
Club entertained Slr Archdale Wilson, the con-
queror of Dalai, at a magnificent banquet, which
was attended by nearly 200 members of the club.
The dinner, which was of the most luxurious kind,
was served in the large coffee-room, which was pro-
fusely decorated with plate and living flowers for
the occasion. The chair was taksn by Sir Robert J.
H. Vivian, Bart., supported by F. Matheson, Esq.,
A. Forbes, Esq , J. R. Martin, Esq., Lieut.-Col.
T. Wilkinson, W. Ewer, Esq. ; Lieut. Sitwell,
Lieut.-Col. ough, Lieut.-General - Perry, J.
Rutherford, Esq. ; J. W. Grant, Esq. ; Lieut.-Col.
Minebin, Lieut.-Col. Croft, Lieut.-Col, J. Lewis,
T. Newehem, Esq. ; Col. Saunders, Lieut.-Cel. D.
Montgomerie Capt. Hitchins, Lieut.-Gen. Mon-
teith; Major-Gen. Monteith, J. Vibart, Esq. ;
Lieut.-Gen. Briggs, Capt. G. B. Wilson, Sir Fred.
Currie, Bart. ; T. C. Robertson, Esq. ; Mr. Alder-
man Fiunis, Lieut-Col. Sotheby, P. C. French Esci. ;
Gen. Macgregor, Capt. Eastwick, Lieut.-Gen De
la Motte, Major-Gen. Pettingal, General-Cameren,
T. S. Cowie, Esq. ; C. Berry, Esq. ; C. Allen,
Esq. ; Captain J. G. Gooden Captain .. G. John-
ston, J. De Vitro, Es". ; W. Adam, Esq. ; W.
Broken, Ese., W. Lambert, Esq., S. Glin, Esq.,
J. Curtis, Esq., Colonel De Winton, Col. Grant,
Neil Bayly, Esq.
Amongst the guests were Mr. Wake, the hero of
Arran, and a gentleman whose name we could not
learn, but whose face bore terrible marks of the
cruel mutilations of the Sepoys.
Sir Archdale Wilson, who is a fine-looking man
of peculiarly military appearance, wore a plain
evening dress and the Order of the Bath.
On his arrival he was received with the most cor-
dial marks of welcome by the company.
After the customary loyal toasts,
The CHAIRMAN said—Gentlemen, it is now my
pleasing duty to introduce to your notice the toast
of the evening—the health of our gallant and dis-
tinguished guest, Sir Archdale Wilson, of Delhi.
(Loud cheers.) It is not my intention to trouble
you at any length with details of glorious achieve-
ments, which are as familiar to our ears and memo-
ries as household words, or to enter into any ex-
planation as to why we are assembled here this
evening, but I do desire on the part of this brilliant
company to express to Sir Archdale Wilson their
anxiety to welcome him to his native country at
the earliest possible opportunity. (Loud cheers.)
Ha has lately returned from spirit-stirring scene.,
and from the performance of deeds of daring which
are unsurpassed in our military history, and the
crowning success of his gallant labours before Delhi
are known to u 3 all. (Cheers.) The achievements
of Sir A. Wilson and his gallant soldiers require no
inflated eulogium from me—they are fresh in all our
memories, and there is not a man amongst us who
does not feel a sympathetic pride and exultation in
the feats which our Indian army have performed
in the face of the most extraordinary difficulties—
difficulties which were only met to be overcome. I
regret my feeble ability to give expression to the
feelings that animate me on this occasion, but I
know you will make allowance for my deficiency;
but surely, if anything could inspire a man with
eloquence, it would be the deeds through which our
friend Sir A. Wilson has acquired a world-wide re-
putation—deeds which have added new lustre to the
service to which he belongs, and which have been
of incalculable advantage to his country. (Great
cheering.) I have alluded feebly to the deeds of
Sir Archdale Wilson before Delhi ; but it is not.to
be supposed that his services began or ended there.
For upwards of thirty years had Sir Archdale
served under the burning sun of India previous to
the capture of Delhi, and although iminedietely
after that groat achievement sickness compelled him
to a temporary retirement, he was again at his post
at Lucknow, and again distinguished himself in the
service of his country. (Renewed cheers.) We
are all rejoiced to hear that his services have been
properly appreciated, not only by the Indian au-
thorities hut by our gracious sovereign. I shall
not detain you any longer save by proposing his
health, wishing him health and happiness, giving
him a cordial welcome home, and praying that he
may live long
_to wear the laurels which lie hes so
honestly and so gallantly earned. —The toast was
received with the loudest demonstrations of ap-
plause.
Sir ARCHDA LE Weesoer—Sir Robert Vivian and
gentlemen, I beg to return you my warmest thanks
for the kind and cordial welcome which you have
just given me. I regret that I have not the fluency
to reply as I could wish to the flatt tring speech of
our worthy chairman, but I can assure you, having
received many compliments, that nothing has ever
given me greater pleasure than this invitation of
the Oriental Club, compo,ed as it is of members of
the Indian service from the three presidenc es.
(Rear, hear.) lam proud—l may well, be proud
—to have commanded the gallant band which
achieved the capture of Delhi ; but, I am prouder
still to find that our services have been appreciated,
not only by the Cuurt of Directors, but by all ranks
of our fellow countrymen at home. (Loud cheers.)
It is given to very few to be so fortunate as I
have been ; bat, whatever little credit may be due
to me personally, it is quite eclipsed by the deeds
of the gallant soldiers whom bad the much-prized
honour of commanding, and who bore themselves
all through like true sons of England. (Hear,
hear.) They were daily decimated by the attacks of
the enemy, one-third of them ware prostrated by
sickness, but everything was borne wits- the greatest
patience, and the only difficulty I ever had with my
men was to restrain their ardour until the time
came to let them loose at the enemy. When that
moment arrived you know how nobly they behaved,
and not the least noble part of their conduct was
that, when flushed with victory and in sight of the
blood of their murdered comiades, they still re-
membered that they were Englishmen and Chris-
Cabs, and preserved the captive women and c'tildren
from injury or insult. (Cheers.) And this is true not
onlyof Englishmen but 'of our gallant native allies.
I know it has been stated in print that women
were foully murdered by our troops. I can give a
flat contradictioa to that assertion, and state that
not a single case of a woman or child ill-used was
brought under my notice during the campaign.
(Hear.) Gentlemen, in the name of the army of
Delhi, I again thank you for the kind and friendly
manner iu which our healths have been received.
(The gallant general resumed his seat amid loud and
general cheering.)
The next toast was—" Sir F. Currie and the
Honourable East India Company."
Sir F. CURRIE—In the name of the company of
which I have the honour to be chairman, and of the
Court of Directors, I thank you for the toast which
has been just proposed, and which has been so
kindly received. In the position which I have
now the honour to fill, it is most gratifying to me
to be present on an occasion the object of which is
to do honour to an officer of our Indian army who
achieved such distinction, and who has received
such special marks of favour from his sovereign,
both Houses of Parliament, and from the Court of
Directors. (Loud cheers.) It is not my intention
to enter into long details of those services which,
as the chairman said, are alive and fresh in the
memories of us all, but I will say that while these
services reflect high honour on the army of which
Sir Archdale Wilson is so distinguished a member,
they also secure great national advantages, by pro-
moting materially the stability of British power in
India. It is doubtless gratifying to Sir Archdale
to receive the approval and admiration of his
fellow-countrymen, and to be surrounded by friends
as he is this evening ; but merits such as his are not
to be measured by hospitable entertainments, nor
his deeds to be done justice to in after-dinner
speeches. They are acknowledged by an entire
nation, and they will be recorded and remembered
by a grateful posterity. (Loud cheers.) I may
here, as the representative of the East India Com-
pany—that company whose days are numbered—
(loud cries of "No no")—yes, the house which is
supposed to represent the people of England has
decided by large majorities that the administration
of India shall pass into other hands, but although
the fiat has gone forth, it is admitted by both
houses of parliament that on account of no delin
quency on our part has it been issued—(hear, hear)
our continued existence is a question of