The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-18 00:00:00

THE - SUN, -LONDON,' THURSDAY . EVENING, JULY IS, 18614

LONDON SCOTTISH VOLUNTEERS.

The members of this corps last evening enter-
tained General Lord Clyde, G.C.8., their honorary
colonel, at a regimental dinner in St. James's-hall.
The chair was taken by Lieut... Col. Lord Elcho,
M.P. and among those who occupied the seats at
the head table were General Lord Clyde, the Mar-
quis of Breadalbane, the Marquis of Abercorn, Sir
R. Murchison, Lord Truro, Lord Valletort, M.P ,
Hon. Col. Erskine, Lord Radstock, the Master of
Lovat, the Marquis of Tullibardine, Lord Saltoun,
the Hon. H. Fraser, Sir A. Comyn, Col. M'Murdo,
Colonel Lindsay, the Hon. G. Waldegrave, the
Macleod of Macleod, Sir J. Shelley, Sir J. Kirk-
land,ondMajor
'Major Wilkinson,Anson cAbout Major
250 sat down to Hughes, Capt. Ross,
dinner.
A guard of honour, furnished by the corps, re-
ceived the most distinguished arrivals with military
honours, and the guests were afterwards marshalled
to their seats in Highland fashion, the piper, a
favourable specimen of his class, heading the pro-
cession, and at intervals during the feast he reap-
peared and circled the board, to the manifest grati-
fication of the company, although his strains sounded
somewhat uncouth to southern ears. Lord Clyde,
in common with the majority of those present, wore
the " hodden gray " of the London Scottish, but
this prevailing shade was relieved at intervals not
only by the glowing scarlet of the regular service,
but by the varying uniforms of many North British
regiments which were creditably represented in the
Wimbledon rifle contest.

After the usual loyal toasts had been given and
acknowledged with the usual cordiality,
The CHAIRMAN gave the combined toast of " the
Army, the Navy, and the Volunteers." Of the two
former services he spoke in terms of the highest
eulogium, but of the latter, he said that in presence
of Colonel M'Murdo, the able and popular head of
the Volunteer force, he felt like a boy under the
eye of his preceptor. (Laughter and cheers.)
The Hon. Colonel ERNSKINE having briefly ac-
knowledged the compliment paid to his own branch
of the service,
Colonel M‘MuDRo responded on behalf of the
Volunteers. He said be had if anything under-
stated on all occasions the amount of the Volunteer
force. Jt would, therefore, be satisfactory to gen-
tlemen to know that at the present moment the
number actually under arms was nearer to 170,000
than 150,000, the number shown by the official re-
turns in August last. It was no small satisfaction
to him as a Scotchman (cheers) to find that Scot-
land, in proportion to its population, had given the
largest contribution to the national force, and that
whereas Englishmen had volunteered at the rate
of one in 46 of the population capable of bearing
arms, Scotland had contributed at the rate of one
in 26. (Hear, hear.) He had seen with pride the
calm and determined advance of the London Scottish
at Wimbledon, and, with a view of calling out the
latent fire which he detected in their ranks, he had
ordered the band to play the particular air, which
in its effects showed him that the same spirit
existed in their corps that enabled his
noble and gallant friend to oppose " the thin
red line " at Balaklava to the onset of
the Russian cavalry. :(Enthusiastic cheering,
the whole company simultaneously rising from
their seats.) The chairman had referred to the
spirit of obedience characteristic of Scotch soldiers.
In the Crimea some soldiers of the 42d Regiment,
who were in a pet with their colonel for not
allowing them to receive the money, which was
more advantageously sent home to their families,
complained of " that dour fellow Cameron," al-
though at the same time they would cheerfully
have died for him. He trusted that, whatever
temporary discontent the London Scottish might at
any time feel with their officers, they would
be willing, as he had no doubt would be the case, to
go anywhere and do anything under the leadership
of that " dour fellow" Elcho. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN then gave " The Houses of
Parliament," coupling with the toast the names of
the Marquis of Breadalbane and Lord Valle-
tort, M.P.
The next toast was " The Health of General
Lord Clyde," in proposing which the CHAIRMAN
said that it would be superfluous in him to descant
upon services extending over a period of half a
century. Some days since he had called upon Lord
Clyde, and found him suffering under a fever,wkich
he attributed to recent services in India, but to his
surprise he was informed that he was " an old
friend which had stuck to him since the Walcheren
campaign." The career which had begun in dis-
aster, in 1809, had since been carried on with dis-
tinction in all parts of the world—in Spain, in
America, in Demerara, in the Crimea, in China,
twice in India, and had culminated at the relief of
Lucknow and in the pacification of our empire in
India. (Cheers.) Lord Clyde, as he had often
heard him say, was essentially a soldier of fortune,
and owed his high position, not to interest or ad-
ventitious circumstances, but to his own right arm
and to his pluck, energy, and perseverance. In
the position to which he had raised himself—so
justly a matter of pride to Scotchmen—he had
chosen for his motto " Be mindful," and for his
supporters two British soldiers, which had been in-
strumental in raising him to his present pitch of
fame. The gallant General had been chosen to
save our Indian empire when it was trembling in
the balance, and did any one doubt that if danger
should threaten nearer home—which might God
grant would never happen—Lord Clyde would
again be sent for ? (Loud cheers.) It was
often matter of reproach to the Scotch,
equally with the Irish, that they claimed
every distinguished man as belonging to their
country; for instance, that they heldSangkolinsin
to be no other than Sam Collins, that Garibaldi was
but a transposition of Baldy Garrow—(laughter)—
and that Schamyl was merely another pronuncia-
tion of Campbell. (Renewed laughter.) Whatever
differences of opinion might exist on'these points,
no one could deny to Scotchmen the right to claim,
and to be proud of, Colin Campbell, the Commander-
in-Chief in India—(cheers) ; and as a proof of the
enthusiasm which his name excited might be men-
tioned the circumstance of some Scottish fishermen
off the Western Hebrides, in the neighbourhood of
St. Kilda, who were overheard singing something
which, on inquiry, proved to be a Gallic epic in
honour of Lord Clyde.
The toast was drunk with much enthusiasm, and
with the manifestation of respect peculiarly known
as " Highland honours."
Lord CLYDE said he felt quite overpowered, by
the kindness which the company had shown to their
humb'e countryman, a simple soldier, whose great
gratification, it had been on returning to this coun-
try to witness the spontaneous and loyal effort in
which the people of Great Britain, and particularly
the natives of Scotland, had united for the defence
of the country. Accustomed as he was to witness
the proficiency attained by soldiers practised daily
under trained instructors, he had been surprised
to find the progress made by Volunteers who could
only spare leisure moments from their ordinary
avocations. In conversation with the Duke of
Cambridge two or three days since, he had
learned with satisfaction the efficiency displayed
by the different corps at Wimbledon, and he at-
tached especial importance to their great self-pos-
session and habit of obedience, as well as to the ab-
sence of noise with which their movements were
executed. He knew by long experience that these
were points which were only arrived at by long
and close attention to drill, and he therefore
honoured the more highly the application, and he I
would add the devotion, which the Volunteers had
exhibited. He had been young himself and he
knew how valuable young men thought the time
which they gave up to drill ; but of this they might
be sure, that they would not in consequence be
placed at any disadvantage in the regards of their
sweethearts. (Laughter and cheers.) Next to love
of country, love of corps was the most powerful im
pulse. He had known wonderful results to follow
from that feeling; he had taken advantage of it, and
he had known it to elicit acts of indomitable cour-
rage, which to appreciate properly it would be
necessary to have seen. On one occasion he had
given strict orders that not a man, from the
colonel to the drum-boy, was to fall out of the ranks,
assuring them that the wounded would he cared for
by others, and, though their dearest comrades and
their most valued officers fell besido them, his
orders were obeyed ; the regiment never fell into
confusion, but remained thr3ughout the day in a
Y. ( position which bade defiance to any assaults of the
Cbheeeenrs.o)btalinheadt wbyassatrricetsudltiswcihpilcihnec,otutlide
only have
corps being exposed
hoped that to a most damaging fire. He
shores. dangerShouldTight never approach these
day come, he was still
strong enough to marcha.
Scottish as a Volunteer the ranks of the London
confessed, Highlander as haide-de-camp, though he
e was, he should have no
objection to mount on horseback. (Laughterand
cheers.) It was the fashion to talk ofthe e olden
time, but he remembered the boys of 50 years ago,
and he was convinced the race had not deteriorate°d
When the moment of trial came he was persuaded
that the same intrepidity, the same fearlessnes's and
the same unanimity of purpose would be exhibited.
" The Health
by drinking to
Lord Clyde concluded
of the Volunteer Force, L
especially the ondon Scot-
tish and their gallant and valued commander, Lord
Elcho."
Lord ELcrro, who was received on rising to re-
turn thanks with the warmest manifestations, said
it was but natural that some deficiencies should be
exhibited by those who were called on to place
themselves in command of corps having never
passed through the preliminary grades. He was
sensible of his own faults, and puld do his best to
correct theta &ring the recess. (Cheers.) He

thanked the members of the corps warmly for the
zeal, attention, and obedience which they had
shown, and stated that those qualities had already
begun to bear most gratifying fruits. A year ago
his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge gave
volunteers some valuable advice about the neces-
sity of attending steadily to drill. They had done
so in the interim, and were now in a position to
devote increased attention to rifle shooting. Being
in the second line at Wimbledon, he had been un-
able to see how the corps acquitted itself, but he
had heard on all hands the highest praise of their
performances, and he was certain that the courage
and discipline which had enabled them to face the
gorse bushes without shrinking—(laughter)—
would hereafter teach them to surmount even
greater difficulties. (Cheers.)
" Captain. Page and the Staff of the London
Scottish," with a variety of other toasts followed,
and the proceedings were prolonged until an ad-
vanced hour.

The band of the Grenadier Guards, under Mr.
D. Godfrey, performed a pleasing and appropriate
selection of music.

LONDON AND WESTMINBTER BANK.

The half-yearly meeting of the proprietors was held yes.
terday at the Bank, in Lothbury—Alderman Salomons,
M.P., in the chair.

The CHAIRMAN opened the business by observing that
he had great pleasure in meeting the proprietors, in order
to lay before them what the directors considered a very
satisfactory state of affairs. At present he would simply
call upon the secretary to read the advertisement calling
the meeting and the report. _

Mr. FARELAND (the secretary) having read the former,
also read the following report :

" The directors have to report that, after making pro•
vision for all bad and doubtful debts, paying the income
tax, and setting apart £2,000 towards the building of
the bank, the net profits of the last half-year amounted to
£131,591 16s. 4d. This sum, added to £10,941 Bs. 5d.,
remaining from the profits of the preceding half-year,
will amount to £142,533 4s. 9d. From this sum, in-
terest on the surplus fund at the rate of five per
cent. per annum (£5,253 2s. 6d.) has been added to such
fund, which now amounts to £215,378 2s. 6d. The
directors now declare a dividend to the shareholders at the
rate of six per cent, per annum, and by way of further divi-
dend out of the profits, a bonus of 7 per cent. on the paid-
up capital. After these payments are made there will re-
main £37,280 2s. 3d., and the directors recommend that
£20,000 be added to the rest or surplus fund, and the re-
maining £17,280 2s. 3d. carried to the profit and loss account
for the current half-year. The vacancies in the direction
occasioned by the deaths of the late Mr, Henry Bosanquet
and Mr. William Haigh have been filled up by the nomi-
nation of Mr. Alex. Gillespie and Mr. C. Freeman, subject
to confirmation at the next annual meeting of proprietors.
LONDON AND WESTMINSTER BANK, JUNE 30, 1861.
DR.

To proprietors for paid-up capital .. £1,000,000 0 0
To amount due by the bank on deposits,
circular notes, &c. .. 14,821,650 16 4
To rest or surplus fund .. .. 210,125 0 0
To balance of profit and loss account,
Dec. 31, 1860 .. .. 10,941 8 5
To net profits of the past half-year ... 131,5 11 16 4

£16,174,309 1 1
Cit.
By Government Stock, Exchequer Bills,
and India Bonds.. .. £2,165,704 19 0
By other securities, including bills dis-
counted, loans to customers, &c. 12,687,004 6 11
By cash in hand .. .. 1,321,599 15 2

£16,174,309 1 1