The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-15 00:00:00

direction That officer is one who, from the commencement
of the revolt, has always filled a prominent place in the
military annals of the time. He has commanded
with unfailing skill, and has probably been mentioned
more frequently (perhaps with one exception) than any
other officer in the whole list. He was engaged in constant
and almost always successful contests with the enemy from
first to last, and from the final relief of Lucknow (town to
the latest period the exertions of Sir H. Grant have been
unceasing. (Cheers.) Between the 23d of February, 1858,
and the 30th of June, 1858, he was engaged in no less than
six general actions with the enemy, and on the 25th of No-
vember, after the rains, in the renewed campaign, he
crowned his great deeds by the signal defeat of a large body
of insurgents whom he drove into if not across the Gogra.
(Cheers.) I now pass to an officer whose name stands pre-
eminent to those I have had the honour of mentioning, and
I should not have been so long in bringing it before your
notice, had he not held a command in a district of the
country entirely different, and in which he exercised
supreme command. It affords me additional pleasure to be
able to speak of Sir Hugh Rose in the immediate presence
of one of his nearest relatives. (Cheers.) That officer has
earned for himself the highest and most distinguished cha-
racter. (Cheers.) It would be long indeed to enumerate all
the distinguished achievements of that gallant officer, but
from the 29th of January to the 22d of June, a period less
than six months, here is a tolerable list :
"He commanded the Central India field, constantly en-
gaged in action with the enemy. Among their achieve-
ments may be enumerated the reduction of the fort of Rath-
gur, the relief of Saugor, the siege and storm of the fort of
Chandairee, the siege, investment, and storm of the fortress
of Jhansi, the capture of Calpee, the general action on the
Betwa."
After these achievements Sir Hugh Rose, exhausted by the
labours of the campaign, and sinking under serious illness,
laid down his command. But, at the very moment when
he was withdrawing from the command of the force which
had so highly distinguished itself, he heard that the rebels
had seized upon the Fort of Gwalior. Placing himself
again at the head of his force, Sir Huge Rose, between the
16th and 22d of June, stormed the Gwalior cantonments,
fought the general action before Gwalior, and assaulted,
and captured that city. (Cheers.) To sum up the achieve-
ments of the gallant body that Sir Hugh Rose had the
honour of commanding, and in his own eloquent words,
they "marched 1,084 miles, took upwards of 150 pieces-of
artillery, took one entrenched camp, one fortified city, one
partly entrenched town, fought 16 successful actions, cap-
-20 forts, and never sustained a check." (Cheers.) My
lords, in the operations which were conducted with so much
skill and gallantry by Sir Hugh Rose, he was most effi-
ciently aided by Major-General Roberts and Major-General
Whitlock. Those officers greatly distinguished themselves
under the command of and in ca-operation with Sir H.
Rose, and they were actively engaged in pursuing and in
many cases capturing and destroying, those bands of
rebels which, dispersed over the country, caused considerable
annoyance, although they never ventured to make any
head against her Majesty's forces. I cannot pass over an
officer who in a separate and well-known district performed
efficient service—l mean Major-General Sir John Michel,
of the Mhow Field Force, who with the force under his com -
mand defeated the rebels under Tantia Tepee and took 27
guns. (Cheers.) Since that time Sir J. Michel, with other
officers under his command, has been most actively and
zealously engaged in pursuing the fugitive bands which
have infested that part of the country. One name more must
be mentioned—the name of one who fought at the side of
and under the Commander-in-Chief at Lucknow, who shared
the labours, anxieties, and dangers of the period which fol-
lowed the relief of Lucknow, and who subsequently, placing
himself under Sir H. Rose, co-operated in the capture of
Gwalior, and defeated the rebels on that and various occa-
sions—a name that has an hereditary claim on the honours
not only of this country but of India—the name of Sir
Robert Napier. (Cheers.) I need not recount in detail his
pursuit of the enemy after the capture of Gwalior at the
head of a small cavalry force, with which he charged the
enemy, defeated them, took 24 guns, and intercepted the
return of the rebels. (Cheers.) I have to apologise to
your lordships for the length of time during which I have
occupied your attention. (Cheers.) I feel how imper-
fectly and inadequately I, a civilian and an unprofessional
man, have done justice to the gallant officers whose names
I have mentioned, but I thought, in my position, I had better
risk the infliction of a lengthened discourse upon your
lordships than seem to undervalue services which cannot
be too highly estimated. I have now gone
through the list of those distinguished officers to whom
I ask your lordships to pay the tribute of your
thanks, and seldom on any occasion has a list of more dis-
tinguished men been presented for such a purpose, or one
with regard to Indian warfare which could be more appro-
priately headed by the name of Lord Clyde or more appr-
priately terminated by the equally honoured name of Napier.
(Cheers.) Of course, in the selection of the names to be
brought under the consideration of Parliament, to receive
the gratitude of Parliament and the country, it is necessary
to draw some line of distinction, and to lay down some
rules in order to avoid any invidiousness which might fol-
low from the selection of individual names without refer-
ence to position or responsibility. But I doubt not that, if
any military authority should follow me,. many names
not included in the list before will receive that testi-
mony of approval and approbation, the value of which
will be infinitely enhanced when coming from a military
authority. I shall not presume to select from the list of
those men many who have eminently distinguished them-
selves, but who are not upon the votes for any special notice
or special thanks. In the general vote your lordships are
asked to grant the thanks of the house to "the other gal-
lant officers in her Majesty's army and navy, and also of
her Majesty's Indian forces, for the intrepidity, zeal, and
endurance evinced by them in the arduous operations of
the late Indian campaign"—(cheers)—and your lordships
are asked to vote, "That this house doth highly approve
and acknowledge the valour, self-devotion, and brilliant
services of the non-commissioned officers and private sol-
diers, both European and native, who have taken part in
the suppression of the recent disturbances in India." I
pause, my lords, to say that by an inadvertence :which I
regret there has been an omission in this resolution. In the
previous resolution your lordships are asked to thank the
officers of her Majesty's army and navy, but inadvertently,
in the fourth resolution, no notice has been taken of a not
very large number of her Majesty's forces, but who in pro-
portion to their numbers rendered most distinguished ser-
vices—l mean the " seamen and marines," and I propose to
put them in the fourth resolution, as equally deserving of
our thanks with the European and native army. (Cheers.)
I will only say, in conclusion, that at the present period we
may congratulate ourselves upon the complete and absolute
return of tranquillity in India, and the restoration of peace.
I think I saw the other day that, in a comparatively recent
period in Oude, there have been something like 1,000 forts
already captured, something like 480 cannon already taken,
and a million stand of arms. The subjugation of Oude, and
the restoration of our authority in India, is now complete.
So far as military operations go, we have entirely accom-
plished our task. But the experience of the last two years
teaches us that there is yet before us a more arduous and
more serious duty than that which we have accomplished.
You have subjugated the natives of India, and impressed
them with a sense of your irresistible power, and your reso-
lution to maintain that power. But that which remains is
more difficult. You have yet to subjugate their hearts and .
affections to your rule, and as you have impressed them
with a sense of your irresistible power, so you must
impress them with an equal sense of the benevolence
and justice of your rule. (Hear, hear.) We have an
arduous task to perform, and we have to apply ourselves
diligently, sedulously, and anxiously to a duty a hich must
occupy us for many years—namely, to restore, establish,
and confirm the blessings of good government for India.
(Cheers.) We shall, with all our military force—and it will
be necessary for many years to maintain it—find our sway
unquiet and our possession of India uncertain, unless we
govern that country not for the advantage of the few but
for the happiness of the many—unless we endeavour to ad-
vance the moral and social condition of the population
which, under Providence, is placed beneath our rule—un-
less we endeavour to develope the resources of that exten-
sive and naturally wealthy country, and unless by a firm
and temperate sway we satisfy the natives that, if we are
masters, we are friendly and benevolent masters, to whom
it is not only their fate but also their interest to be faithful
and obedient subjects. (Cheers.) I believe that, by act-
ing on the wise and humane principles expressed in her
Majesty's most gracious proclamation, and endeavouring
to heal the wounds and obliterate the scars inflicted
during this unhappy revolt, we shall best consult the
interests and honour of this country. And. I trust, un
der the blessing of Divine Province, that the posses-
sions reconquered for us by the valour of our military force
will, to the benefit of India, long be maintained, supported,
and confirmed by the liberal and judicious -wisdom of
the statesmen of this country. (Loud cheers.) The noble
earl concluded by moving the following resolutions :
" That the thanks of this house be given to the Right
Hon. Charles John Viscount Canning, G.C.8., her Ma-
jesty's Viceroy and. Governor-General of India; the Right
Hon. Lord John Elphinstone, G.C.8., Governor of the
Presidency of Bombay ; Sir John Laird Mair Lawrence,
Bart., G.C.8., late lieutenant-governor of the Punjaub ;
Sir Robert North Collie Hamilton, Bart., agent to the
Governor-General in Central India ; Henry Bartle Edward
Frere, Esq., commissioner of Scinde ; Robert Montgomery,
Esq., late chief commissioner in Oude—for the ability
with which they have severally employed the resources at
their disposal for the re-establishment of peace in her Ma-
jesty's Indian dominions.
" That the thanks of this house be given to General the
Right Hon. Lord Clyde, G.C.8., Commander-in-Chief in
India; Lieutenant-General Sir James Outram, Bart.,
G.C.B. • Major-General Sir Hugh Rose, G.C.B. ;
Major-General Henry Gee Roberts; Major-General
George Cornish Whitlock ; Major-General Sir Archdale
Wilson, Bart., K.C.B. ; Major-General Sir James Hope
Grant, K C.B. ; Major-General Sir William Rose Mans-
field, K.C.B. ; Major-General Sir Thomas Harte Franks,
K.C.B. ; Major-General Sir Edward Lugard, K.C.8..;
Major-General Sir John Michel, K:C.B. ;
General Robert Walpole, C.B. ; Brigadier-General zi
thepeßorsebevrtentNnapeeiedrisKpia.Cy.eßd.—byfetrhemduring eminent
opera-
tions by which the late insurrection in India
effectually suppressed.
thesk military
, g ,
has
oepbe andee been
l
gallant officers of her Majesty's arm
" That the thanks of this house andtre , zeal, and
Y ln pidiiy,
aevn3,
,tounthdealostob other
her Majesty's Indian forces, for the
" That this house
endurance
elndin ca a evinced
dby them in the l
.PParduousntservices of the
.
doth highly arove and acknowledge
brilliant
the valour, self-devotion, and a
non-
commissioned officers
taandkeia part private
in the suppression soldiers, both Europeano
and native, t the
recent disturbances in India ; and that the same be signified
them to
by
the commanders of their several corps, who are
desired to thank them for their gallant
Earl GRA.NVILLE, in seconding the motion, said the
behaviour."
speech of the noble earl had not only contained a most ac-
curate statement of the services which their lordships were
called upon to thank, but it had also been marked by a
complete absence of anything like personal or party feeling
It was therefore hardly necessary for him (Lord Granville)
to add anything to the noble earl's address ; butit was desir
ablothat some one on the opposition side of thehouse should
express his entire concurrence in a proceeding which would
no doubt excite great interest in the country, and still more
in India. (Hear, hear.) It was impossible not to recur to the
vote of thanks moved by his noble and gallant friend last
Year ; for there were one or two matters on which they could
not look without satisfaction. On referring to the list of
distinguished persons who were thanked last year, they
would not find that one had died ; and not one had done an
act that in the slightest degree tended to tarnish his honour;
while many of them had doubled and trebled their claims
upon the thanks of their lordships. (Cheers.) The first
civiliansrheesartfoluteilotnplreeasfuedatondthseat
and accurate tribute which had been paid by the noble o.!,11_
isfaction; antod
thheehasdinlisotearnedly
31
to the Governor-General. Last year there ww_Eteaticlzikr
out
whether Lord Canning was then entitled to
the house ; j
aied in obli-
memory of these distusaiona might nowilowa
as t
but he (Lord Granville) rejoiced to find
Violl. ES WORN, Apt Mao W. 440.9 that the