The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-24 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—There are more "Jack Steelea" in the
British army than perhaps the country wots of.
You have quoted the instance of two in the In-
fantry ; I hope. you will not refuse to chronicle one
of the Artillery. It is that of the present Quarter-
master of the 2cfbattalion of that corps. I need
not designate him by name, lest, like all such men,
he should not bepleased at it. He was the sergeant-
major of the G field battery attached to the Second
Division, and landed with it in the Crimea; He
was 'zealous and intelligent, and an example to
every one in the performance of his duty. At the
Battle of lukermann a portion of the battery to
Which he was attiched, for a moment deierted by
the infantry, fell into the bands of the enemy. 'The
Artillery "Jack Steele," the Quartermaster. I speak
of, aideil'by a gunner, with that courage so often
characteristic of the British soldier, and which
seems to set all odds of number at• defiance, stood
his ground, He got his back to a wheel and de-
fended hiniself as well as he could with his short
Sword. He was bayonetted in no less than twelve
places. The g.titiner, whose name (it may cause a
glow of 'pride in some cottage or home in England
to mention it) was James Taylor, was killed---at
least he died of his wounds next day: The Russians
for some unaccountable reason did not fire, but
they used their bayonets freely on the two English-
men both wbile they resieted and when, from the
eff cts of their wounds, they fell.. There were soon
driven:back, I believe, by a portion of the 88th
Regiment, and the guns recovered. The sergeant-
major was taken intl.-camp and his wounds at-
tended to. • One in the breast, from his difficulty
of breathing, was supposed to have penetrated the
lung. He was sent to Scutari, and recovering suffi-
ciently, he, at his own request rejoined his battery
in the Crimea; and lie was, though a good deal

ebilitated, the same active, attentive non-com-
missioned officer he had always been. He
continued in this position until, for his
merits and his services, he was promoted
to a commission in the Land Transport
Corps. He remained in the Crimea with this
part of the service until the war was over. He
won the respect acids esteem of all under whom he
served in the Artillery, and I believe he did the
same in the" arduous duties he had to perform in
the newly-raised Land Transport Corps.
When peace came the latter was reorganised (we
are always reorganising everything now-a-days)and
became the Military Train. The Artillery sergeant-
major, who had risen to the rank of captain, was
offered, with the liberality and good faith which
distinguished the end of :the war, an inferior posi-
tion under the new arrangement, or a half-pay of''
ss. a-day. He very properly accepted the latter,
and an' excellent soldii-r in the prime of life was
worse than lost to the service. It is almost equally
the same in his present position. He is, as a quar-
termaster of a battalion, condemned to be stationed
all his life at Woolwich, and never to rise higher.
He.is decorated with A well-earned Victoria Ccoss,
but his military career is at an end. If he has any
ambitious aspirations, any desire- to do more than
he has done—and his decoration at the hands of his
Queen, with the notice he has met with for his
valour, make; it likely that it ib so—he must be
content to merge them in that sickly designation,
mora sickly now than ever to such men as he in the
present circumstances of England, a " WoolWich
soldier."

It is a hard case that some hope of a worthier and
better fate is not before him. Is it, may I ask, im-
possible to open it ? He has qualities besides the
highest courage, or no one would seek it for him.
If you notice his case, perhaps something may be
done. These men never grumble, never attend
levees, never disturb official ease in any way. The
desire to do their duty is their first and only con-
sideration. They will, I think, be grateful to the
liberality of the Times to permit to be said for them
what their modesty will never allow them to sly
for themselves.' _ _ _

If they can be benefited, and ours must be a bad
system indeed if they -cannot, the service will re-
ceive au impulse which will circulate a healthy
tone to its very extremities. 'lf we have no room
for such men, let us crowd less and try to make it.
A FIELD OFFICER, R.A.
Sept. 20.

SCINDIA AND 110LKAR.

At a time when these almost forgotten names are

likely to become as familiar as they were in the
days of Lake and Wellesley, the following extract
from a recent number of the Wellington, Gazette
may not be uninteresting :
" The most powerful of the modern families were
those of Holkar and Scindia. The founder of the
former was the nephew of an officer of the court.
When about 7 years old he was marked out for dis-
tinction by a prodigy that might have been related
of a Greek or Roman hero. A snake was seen fan-
ning him withits hood, while he slept on the ground
unconscious of the presence of so dangerous a neigh-
bour. When still young he was taken to`the capi-
tal by his uncle, and he gradually rose to a high po-
sition at the Peshwa►'a Court. Readopted in course
of time another Holkar, and the families continued
to rise in fame and importance. They obtained a
Jaghire, or military fief, and their capital was In-
dore, in the province of Malwa, which ultimately
became dividel between the Peshwa, Holkar, and
Scindia. _ _ _

• The Corporation Stakes and Innkeepers' Plate did
not fill.

....
" The Scindia family were of still more humble
origin : Ty-apa, their founder, was a Khetmutgar,
or personal attendant of 4 the great' Bagi Rso, so
called to distinguish him from a successor in the
Peshwaship who will figure in the subsequent nar-
rative. Like the first Holkar, Ty-apa was raised
to power and then defied his benefactors. But the
military character of the Yeshivas was not yet ex-
tinct, and the first Scindia, was overpowered by their
troops, and was at last assassinated while on a
campaign. His descendants inherited his warlike
and encroaching spirit, and seized the government
of Ougein, the ancient capital of the King of Mal-
wa. The jealousy of these two great families
seemed inextinguishable—Rome and Alba, Athens
and Sparta, were not more bent on mutual exami-
nation, and the wars of the Holkars and Scindias
would furnish to history an episode as exciting as
those of York and Lancast r. A single defeat
produced but a slight impression—the slaughter
of a chief served but to inaugurate the reign of a
more energetic successor. The Holkars seemed
utterly overthrown in the great battle of 1797, as
fierce and brilliant a deed of arms as Bannockburn
or Crecy ; but seven years afterwards Jesesnnt Rao
Holkar was knocking at the gates of Imperial Delhi.
" The Guskwar was another chief of importance;
the first who bore the title contributed to establish
the fame of the Mahratta arms, and received valu-
able grants in Jaghire. He afterwards asserted his
independence, and seized the maritime province of
Guzei at, which at the time of our narrative still re-
mained in his family. Another potentate was the
Raja of Berar, whose ancestor had received Berar,
in Jahire, but had converted it into a separate
State, and acknowledged only the political autho-
rity of the Peshwa. Thus there was no less than A FORITUESS TO DEFEND TIM SEA OF A ZOFW. —The
five distinct rulers in the Mahratta country, each Cologne Gazette mentions that a fortress of the first class
with his own capital and his own court. Holkar and is to be built on Mount Mithriaates, near Kertch, for
Scindia were incomparably the most influential, the purpose of protecting the entrance to Yenikale.
and the Peshwa was perhaps the weakest of all, EaLiseers have already arrived on the spot, from St.
though all called him their superior. The legal Petersburg, to carry out the project, the cost of which
fictions of this peculiar people were carried into the is estimated at 12,0_00L,E0o0TeiosiNlverArroubles.
eturn has •ust b
empire itself, where, after Sciudia's arms had placed .
PARLIAMENTARY E
Yr
to an address of the House ofj
Lords,eeu
him at the head of affairs, the Peshwa was styled Va- prin ,
guel ul Mutuluk, or Regent under the Emperor; theshowing the number of electors in every county and
bee
rngodf ormeg.:BFterroomd thisbou county
document it iitnapEpnegalrasntdhaatntaliewnutame;
division of a county, city and borough in the United
conqueror himself was the Peshwa's deputy, and
M. Perron, commander-in-chief of Scindia, called
his troops the imperial army, and himself the sub- is 505,988, and in Scotland 50,403. The borough
lurntuhmerberre
toufrvne tersi
specifiesn Great
ject and servant of the Great Mogul. voters is England and Wales number 439,046, and in
"pions. Perron was the second European who
BScroittalainndissol,,oo649s.,soic6Tno.uhEennttAygoltaf
had commanded Mahratta forces ; the first wasthe
Mona. de Boigne, a native of Savoy, who disci- number of county electors in each county, division of a
pliued the army of Madaji Scindia, and attracted etootuanityn,uomr.berridionfg
many foreigners, especially Frenchmen, t 0 the
infantry,
property situate within theat
coming within this
vice. His army consisted of 38,000
category in En till
iedu anic
ti !erds° fW aanl_yeerrer.ge ail
8,000 cavalry, and 270 iron and brass guns. Mons.T
eaeve gland and Wales is 155 is"e .raordinary
ItTISEMENT.I—Among the numerou a-z
Perron was a native and subject of France.
.o
cures without (Dyspepsia), Flatulency,
medicine of • tion
Indiges egther.edTfbore
him Dowlut Rao Scindia committed the care of his
Constipation, Nervous, Bilious, and Liver complaints, Cough,
northern provinces, while he himself remained near Asthma, Consumption, and Debility, effected byd Du Barry's
Poonah to overawe hisnominal mast sr, the Peshwa. delicious health-restoring nevalenta Aurarebsicea Food, f
.—.o,rsv;
Holkar followed the example of his rival in inviting jeer are not the least remarkable : C
Vicarage, Walth;tmeross, Herts : a
Europeans to his service, but the star of Scindia Elizabeth Jacobs, of
olluaszniensgs, indigepstion , gathering, low spirits,
was brighter than his, and Perron held cure of extreme nerv,,
Cure No. 48,314. —" Miss Elizabeth
and MMUS fancies.
all the north-western frontier of India, in- Yeoman, Gateacre near Liverpool: a cure of ten years
eluding Delhi and Agra. He seems to have been in dyspepsia. and ail the horrors of,nerveouhs.ittcaibi ieleitye."
ti Cand
every way worthy of the trust. He did his utmost No. 3,906,
-- Theivrteeehnee
nyremovec:l4 Du Bargry's excellent
every
to favour French influence, and to purge the army genearale debilityth..a b
Ai bica Food.—JAMES PORTER, Athol-street, Perth.
of English officers, yet an English author wrote, erteeevportned by testimonials from the celebrated Professors of
' Gen. Perron, a French officer of great experience Chemistry, Dr. Andrew Ure ; Dr. Shorland ; Dr. Harvey;
and consumete abilities, both as a statesman and a Dr. Campbell ; Dr. Gattikheer ;DDr. Wurzer ; Dr. Ingram;
soldier, rep! eseuts Dowlut Rao Scinda in Hindosta,n, Lord
Stuart; Stuu;tr-dGeemDeciees ; tmas Kingowanagemr Counte es of Castle.
and is invested with the most full and absolute autho- prsons, whose health has been r'estoredanbyyit, other
after
rity over every department of the Government, civil ,Weans of „re had failed. Suitably packed with full in•
and military; this power he exercises with great etructions. In canisters, 11b, 2s. 9d. ; 21b, 4s. gd. ; 51b,
moderation, and at the same time with a degree of lie ; 1.21 b, 225. The 121 b canisters aro sent carriage free,
judgment awl energy that evince very superior on receipt of
ereost-0 face order.—Barry Du Barry, .
destC°tl;,e
77, Regent t t, London. IMPORTANT
talents.' -6
rof . imitations
CAUTION
sat
fearful dangers spurious :— ie vice-Chancel.
" Could all the five chiefs have understood their for Sir William Page Wood granted an Injunction on the
national interest, and united under a common head, 10th March, 1854, against Alfred Hooper No iill, for imitating
or formed a stanch anti-European alliance, the con- in! Da Barry's Revalenta Arabica Food."

ER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.
One More Night only, at Reduced Prices,
on Saturday Evening next, September 26, with Piceolomini,
Giughhi, Beneventano, Rossi Vialetti, and Belletti.
In consequence of the great demand, and to accommodate
those who have found it impossible to obtain places, one
more night will be given
On SATURDAY EVENING, when will be repeated
LA TRAVIATA.
After which, THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, by Madlle.
Piecolomini
To conclude with the Last Scene of LUCIA DI LATER-
MOOR, by Sig. Giuglini.
PRICES
Boxes to accommodate four persons,
Grand Tier, Pit Tier, and One Pair £
2 2 0
Two Pair 1 1 0
Three Pair 0 15 0
-Pit Stalls 0 10 6
Tit 0 3 6
Gallery Stalls 0 3 6
Ga•llery

11)0YAL LYCEUM THEATRE.—Lessee, Mr.
Di.llon.—Under the joint management of
Miss LOUISA PYNE and Mr. W. HARRISON.—Open for
an OPERA SE &SON of THREE MONTHS, with the fol-
lowing Distiegui:thed Artistes :—Madame Caradori, Miss Co-
relli, Misa Susan Cvne, Miss;Marian Prescott, Miss Cuthbert,
Mrs. Manley, ..I.nd Miss Louisa Pyne ; Mr. Augustus
Braham, Mr. A. St. Albyn, Mr. Edmunds, Mr. Hamilton
Braham, Mr. Ferdinamd Glover, Mr.lßernarci, Mr. Kerby,
Mr. Wall worth, Mr. G. I Toney, Mr. Weiss, and Mr. W. Harrison.
Conductor, Mr. AlfrOd Mellon. The Orchestra selected
from the Royal Italian (Were, Jullien's Band, and the Orches-
tral Union. The Chorus selected entirely from the Royal
Italian Opera. Stago Manager. Mr. E. Stirling. Assistant
Acting Manager, Mr. William Brough. Ballet Master, Mr.
Frampton. Chorus Master, Mr. G. Smythson.
THIS EVENING, THURSDAY, Meyrbeer's opera, THE
ELUGUENOI.S.
To conclude with Buckstone's farce, entitled A ROUGH
DIAMOND.
Private Boxes, £2 12s. 6d., £2 25., and £1 115. 6d. ;
Stalls, 6s, ; Dress Circle, ss. ; Upper Boxes, 4s. ; Pit, 25.;
Gallery, ls.—The Box Office is now open daily, from 11 to
5, under the direction of Mr. Clhatterton, inn.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Lessee—Mr. J. B. Buckstone.
rnis EVENING, to commence at Seven o'clock. with
Sheridan's comedy of THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL. Sir
Peter Teazle, Mr. Chippendale ; Sir Benjamin Backbite, Mr.
Buckstone; Joseph Surface, Mr. Howe; Charles Surface (3d
time), Mr. W. Farren ; Moses, Mr. Clark ; Sir Oliver, Mr.
Rogers ; Crabtree, Mr. Compton ; Lady Teazle, Mrs. Cathe-
rine Sinclair (her 3d appearance in that character in this
country); Lady Sneerwell, Mrs. Poynter ; Mafia, Miss Emma
King ; and Mrs. CAndour, Miss Talbot.
After which, A CURE FOR LOVE.
To conclude with THE SWISS COTTAGE.
Orchestra Stalls (which may be retained the whole of the
evening), 6s. each. (No charge for booking.)
First Price. s. d. Second price. 5. d
Dress Boxes 5 0 Dress Boxes 3 0
Upper Boxes ....... 3 0 Upper Boxes 2 0
. ........... 2 0 Pit 1 0
ower Gallery 1 0 Lower Gallery 0 6
Upper Gallery 0 6No half-price to Upper Gallery.