The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-22 00:00:00

The Highland Society of London.

The annual festival of the members and friends
of this society took place yesterday at the Free-
masons' Tavern, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-inn-
fields, to celebrate the anniversary of the battle of
Alexandria—his Grace the Duke of Manchester in
the chair.
The announcement had been put forth to the effect
that survivors among the officers of the army and
navy who served in the expedition in Egypt under
Sir Ralph Abercromby were invited to attend this
commemoration as the guests of the society ; but it
appeared that the only visitors present who were I
able to claim this distinction were the Marquis I
of Westmeath and Capt. Forbes, R.N. There
were present, besides these two distinguished
veterans, Lord Campbell, Sir Robert Colquhoun,
Sir Patrick Colquhoun, Colonel Pitcairn, Major
Alison, Major M'Leay, Captain Cary, &c.
The CHAIRMAN, having given the usual toast of
" Her Majesty," and " The Prince and Princess of
Wales, with the rest of the Royal Family," proposed
in due course "The Army, Navy, and Volunteers."
The toast was responded to by able representa-
tives of each of the services, including Captain
FORBES, RN., who, in returning thanks on behalf
of the navy, said he was approaching his 90th year,
and the long experience he had enjoined had taught
him to believe that the great deeds which had been
achieved on the sea in times gone by would be fol-
lowed up in days to come. The energetic manner
in which this gallant veteran (who kept his seat
while speaking) expressed his sentiments in regard
to the scenes he had witnessed, and the confidence
he had in the future career of the navy of this
country, formed a novel feature in entertainments
of this description, and excited a peculiar satisfac-
tion amongst the auditory, who cheered enthusi-
astically when the hale old gentleman concluded his
speech by observing that, while he emphatically
acknowledged the good that had been done by the
navy, all he could do now was to shoulder his crutch
and show how fights were won.

The CHAIRMAN, in proposing a toast to the
memory of Sir Ralph Abercromby and the heroes
who fell with him in Egypt, made a few brief allu-
sions to some of the interesting features of the
battle of Alexandria, and said it was a source of
great gratification to think that two of the heroes
of that victory were present on the occasion.
The toast having been drunk in solemn silence,
Sir R. COLQUIIOUN proposed " The Survivors of

the Victory of Alexandria," coupling with the toast
the name of the Marquis of Westmeath, who, it ap-
peared was, at the time of the memorable battle (65
years ago) a subaltern in the Guards.
The Marquis of WEST3IEATII returned thanks in

language expressing the gratitude he felt at the com-
pliment which had now been paid to him, and for
the mercy which he had received in being spared to
be present at this anniversary, after the lapse of so
many years.
This toast was followed, in rapid succession, by
" Chiefs and Clans,"" The Ladies," " Highlanders,
shoulder to shoulder," " The Sword and Banner,"
and " Pipe and Plaid."
These various toasts were respectively received
with those vigorous manifestations which are pecu-
liar to Highland honours, and the intervals between
the delivery of the several speeches were filled up by
performances on the bagpipes by the Queen's piper,
and the boys of the Royal Caledonian Asylum.
The entertainment on the whole passed off with
very decided success—a result which was certainly
to be attributed, in some measure, to the satisfactory
character of the banquet.

By adviccs from Hamburg the price of gold Is 424 per mark
and the short exchange on London is 13.41 per £1 stcrlin2.
Standard gold at the Eng Mint price is, thererore, at
about the same price in London and Hamburg.