The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-23 00:00:00

THURSDAY EVENING, MA

THE COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
A magnificent entertainment in the character of' a
b-centenary festival was given last evening in the
royal hanquetting room of St. James's Palace, by
the officers of the Coldstream Guards, to celebrate
the 200th anniversary of the enrolment of that dis-
tinguished corps by the celebrated General Maack,
afterwards Dike of Albemarle.
The intention of the officers of the regiment to
commemorate this event in their annsls by a grand
banquet having become known to the Prince Consort,
his Royal Highness in the kindest manner interested
himself to obtain the use of the banquetting-room in St.
James's Palace for the purpose, and, her Majesty's
gracious permission having been accorded, the neces-
sary preparations have been in progress for some
weeks past under the direction of a committee, of
whom Col. Lord Frederick Bullet and Col. Daniell
were active rnembzra.
Tee invitations were necessarily limited to officers
formerly belonging to the regiment, and those still
attached to the cores, these forming an aggregate
number of nearly 150 gentlemen. A request was
made to the Prince Consort that he would con-
descend to hnnour the festival with his presence, but
the Court having arranged to leave town yesterday,
his Royal Highness was prevented joining the party.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, colonel
of the regiment, was of course present. His Grace
the. Commander-in-Chief, the Secretary-at-War, the
Adjutant-General of the Forces, and a few other
officers were the only visitors present.
It should be here mentioned that the Royal Regi-
ment of Coldstream Guards is the oldest corps in the
service, with the exception of the Ist Foot. The re-
giment owes its origin to General Monck, by whom
it was raised in August, 1650, five companies having
been draughted, by the Protector's authority, from
Heselrigge's regiment, quartered at Newcastle,
and five from Fen wick's, then garrisoned at
Berwick. Thus formed, the regiment entered
Scotland with the army under Cromwell, and
did not return till General Monck, on the Ist
of January, 1659-60, quitted his head-quarters at
Coldstream to restore the monarchy under Charles
11. From the place whence these brave men set out,
and where the plan had been matured, the regiment
derives its distinctive appellation, an event which
Gumble, the Chaplin of General Monck, has thus re-
corded :—" This town hath given title to a small
company of men, whom God made the instrument of
great things, and, though poor, yet honest, as ever
corrupt nature produced into the world, by the no
dishonourable name of Coldstreamers." Of the ser-
vices of the Coldstream Guards, it is sufficient to say
that none of her Majesty's regiments have more
distinguished themselves.
The guests assembled in the long gallery, whence,
on dinner being announced, they proceeded to the
state banquetting-room—an appartment of great mag-
nificence erected by George IV., and frequently used
by the late King William IV., but only once since
the death of that Monarch, on the occasion of the
marriage of her present Most Gracious Majesty. Two
long tables were arranged on either side of the room
with a cross table, together affording seats for 140 guests
and exhibiting a magnificent display of the choicest
plate. The appartment was superbly illuminated,
and when the guests were seated the effect was ex-
tremely grand. Behind the chair, supported on either
side by the colours of the regiment, was a fine por-
trait of General Monek, purchased by the officers of
the corps some years since, and bearing the following
inscription :—" General George Monck, Duke of
AlbPmarle, the first Colonel of the Regiment of
Coldstream Guards." Over the fireplace was a mag-
nificent gold cup, presented to the officers of the regi-
ment, and upon either side waved the tattered colours
borne at Waterloo; which were presented to the corps
only yesterday by Lieutenant-General Sir Alexander
Woodford, the Colonel commanding at that period.
Colonel Chaplin, the commanding officer of the
regiment, presided, and was supported right and left
by his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge and
his Grace the Duke of Wellington. To the right of
the Duke of Cambridge sat the Marquis of Huntly, the
Esrl of Stradbroke, and the Right lion. Fox Maule,
M.P. To the left of the Duke of Wellington we
remarked the Marquis of Westmeath, Lord Frederick
Firzclarence, and Sir James Macdonell, K.C.B.
The banquet was furnished under the exclusive su-
perintendence of Messrs. Gunter, of Berkeley-square
—a fact in itself sufficient to guarantee the entire
perfectibility of all the arrangements.
During dinner the fine band of the regiment, under
the direction of Mr. Godfrey, played a selection of
favourite music.
The dessert having been placed upon the table,
The Gallant CHAIRMAN gave, "The Health of her
Most Gracious Majesty the Queen," by whose kind-
ness they were allowed to celebrate the present fes-
tival in a Royal palace.—(Cheers.)
The toast was responded to with the utmost en-
thusiasm, the band playing a few bars of the National
Anthem.
The Gallant CHAIRMAN next gave "The Health of
his Royal Highness Prince Albert and the other
Members of the Royal Family."
This toast was also enthusiastically responded to,
the hand playing the Coburg March.
The Gallant CHAIRMAN, in rising to propose the
next toast, claimed the indulgence of the company, as
he felt himself nimble to do it justice.—(Hear, hear.)
They were met that day to celebrate the 200th anni-
versary of the formation of the regiment of Coldstream
Guards —(Hear, hear.) He believed it was in Au-
gust, 1650, that this distinguished regiment was first
raised by General -Monck, afterwards the Duke of
Albemarle. Had they put off their festival until
August next perhaps they might not have been
honoured with the presence of his Royal Highness
the Duke of Cambridge and so many gallant mem-
bers of the " Nulli Secundus" as he then saw around
him. His Royal Highness having consented to
honour them with his company on that day, it had
been thought better to celebrate this festival at once,
and hence the occasion of their present meeting.—
(Hear, hear) He regretted to say that be was not
very well up in the history of the regiment, but he
believed it took its name from the village of Cold-
stream, which was the head-quarters of General Monck
in 1650, when he commenced his celebrated march
towards London. In February of the same year he
arrived in the metropolis, and the regiment was
quartered in the precincts of the Palace in which they
were then assembled. In May General 'Monck
marched to meet Charles 11., who, on his restoration,
created him Duke of Albemarle, and convert el his
regiment into one of Royal Guards.—(Hear hear.)
Since that time the regiment had had many colonels,.
but he believed he was correct in saying none so long
as their present illustrious colonel.—(Cheers.) His
Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge had been
connected with the regiment for nearly half a century,
and, as one of the oldest officers in the corps, he could
himself bear witness to the many advantages for
which it was indebted to his Royal Highness.—
(Hear, hear.) His Royal Highness has always
been anxious to promote the best interests of the
regiment, and he begged to propose the health of their
illustrious Colonel, with three times three, and the
expression of a fervent hope that many years of health
and happiness might be spared to him to command
the Coldstream Guards.—(Cheers.)
The toast was most rapturously received, the band
playing the Coldstream March.
His ROYAL HIGHNESS, in responding, expressed,the
P xtreme gratitude he felt both for the kind manner
in which the toast had been received, and for the
flattering way in which the gallant chairman had in-
troduced his name. He contessed the pride he felt in
commanding so distinguished a regiment as the Cold-
stream Guards, and that pride was increased by the
fact that the regiment had been formerly commanded
by his beloved and affectionate brother, the late Duke
of York, to whom he believed the corps owed great
obligations for the efficient system he had introduced
into his management.—(Hear.) He truited the
principles which had hitherto marked the regiment
would be continued, and that it would in future
prove, as it had hitherto done, "null/ secundue In
conclusion, his Royal Highness begged to be allowed
to propose the health of their illustrious Commander-
in-C lief, his Grace the Duke of Wellington."
The toast was drunk with all the honours, his
Royal Highness giving the cue in the hearties
mannner.

The Duke of WELLINGTON, in reply, said—My
lords and gentlemen, I am greatly indebted to his
Royal Highness for the honour he has done me in

proposing to you to drink my health, and to you for
the manner in which you have accepted the proposi-
tion of his Royal Highness.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen,
I may well be gratified and flsttered at the honour
you have done me in inviting me to attend your festi-
val on this occasion. Gentlemen, long before I had
the honour of holding a commission in the corps of
Guards, I had every reason to respect that corps on
account of their display of every military quality as
soldiers in every situation in which they could be
placed. I have hatthe good fortune to see them in
the presence of the enemy—in situations of difficulty
under every possible circumstance, and on every such
occasion they have conducted themselves with distinc-
tion, and displayed every quality which could be ex-
pected from the best class of soldiers.—(Cheers.)
Among these the least distinguished have not been the
Colthtream Guards.—(Loud cheers.) I see many
around me whose conduct I have had occasion to ap-
plaud under every variety of circumstance—in the

. _
fl :J, in cantonnteats, and in quarters. G:nntle-
tw,n, I know also it is impossiblo to gee troops equal
to the efficioney of the Guards. Look at your every-
day occurrP..nces in Foreign countries. Wile, gentle-
men, shall it ba said that in England the people are
leis courageous than in other countries? Is not an
Englis;t mob as brave as. that of any other country,
whether French or German ?—(Hear.) Well, just
look at the handful of men who in this metropolis and
in the great towns of England have maintained peace
and order under very difficult circumstances, and
compare them with the enormous armies quartered in

23, 1850.

foreign countries.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, you have
all seen whit has passed both here and elsewhere, and
I need not enter noon it in this place. You are aware
of the difficult pisition and trying circumstances
whi,di have occurred, but you must also have ob-
served that while with ourselves anarchy has never
had a chance of success, other countries, after months
of rapine and misfortune, have only been extricated
from their difficulties after severe aed fatal contests.—
(Rear, hear.) Gentlemen, I want to know how it
happens; and I believe it is attributable in a great
measure to the principle of bravery and good discip-
line which animates the corps of Guards, and which
has its example and effect among all classes of the
people.—(Cheers.) Among this corps, I say again,
the Coldstreams have never been the least distinguished
and reiterating my thanks for the compliesent you
have paid me, I wish every one of you prosperity and
happiness. The Noble Duke resumed his seat amid
loud cheers from all parts of the room.
The CHAIRMAN next gave " The sister service, the
Navy," which was duly responded to.
The CHAIRMAN, on again rising, proposed " The
health of the Right H ,n. the Secretary at-War,"
prefacing the with a few eulogistic re-
marks on the official canduct of the It;ght Hen. Gen-
tleman.

The Right Hon. Fox Ithimu responded in an elo-
quent ad.lress.

The other toasts proposed were—" The Adjutant-
General of the Forcec," "The Grenadier Guards and
Colonel Lascelles, "The Fusilier Guards and Colonel
Drummond," "The Millais of Huntley, the oldest
Coldstreamer present," the Gallant Marquis having
left the corps in 1790; " Tne Cnairmut " by the Duke
of Cambridge; "Sir Alexander Woodford and Gene-
ral Trevor," "Sir James Macdonnell and Sir Henry
Bauverie," " Sir William Gomm," "'Tie Cavalry
13rie:ade," reqionded to by Lord George Manners,
M.P. ; " General Milman," " General Walton," " Ge-
neral Shawe," " Lord Frederick Fitzclarence," " Cox
and Co , the agents of the regiment," " The old Cold-
streamers," and " The non-commissioned officers ;"
the latter by Colonel Daniels.

The party broke up about midnight highly de-
lighted with the festival.
A grand entertainment, in celebration of the event,
was given yesterday at the Portmau•street barracks,
to the non-commissioned officers and privates of the
regiment. The men, numbering 1,400, assembled
in St. James's-park at one o'clock, under the com-
mand of Colonel Bentinck, and, after a brief parade,
marched from there to the barracks at Portman,
street, where a substantial repast had been prepared
for them. Tne Duke of Cambridge (Colonel of the
regiment) and all the officers were in attendance.
Tne large yard occupying the centre of the barracks
was completely covered in with canvass, in the form of
an oriental marquee, this portion of the arrangement
having been entrusted to Mr. Benjamin Edgington.
The colours used by the corps at Waterloo occupied
a prominent position at the entrance, and were taste-
fully entwined in laurel and ribands. Other portions
of the tent were emblazoned with the national em-
blems of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and with a
variety of flags and banners. Tne men having sat
down, grace was said by Sergeant• Mijor Hurle, who
presided. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cam-
bridge occupied a seat among the privates with whom
he conversed with his wonted affability. The fare
consisted of about 1,4001 b. of beef, with a liberal sup-
ply of pudding and beer.
At the termination of the entertainment,
Sergeant-Major HURLS, in a brie' address, pro-
posed " The health of her Majesty the Queen," a
toast which was drunk with acclamation.

The SERG EAN T. MAJOR then rose and proposed
" The health cf his Royal Highness the Duke of
Cambridge and the Officers of the Coldstream
Guards." The sergeant, in very eloquent terms,
eulogised the services of the Coldstreamers, and en-
tered into a brief detail of their services from the time
of General Monck downwards. He observed, that
although there were no Waterloo veterans at present
in the corps, he was sure the Coldstrearners of the
present day were not inferior in point of martial
spirit to their predecessors. He next dilated upon
the many good qualities of the officers who at present
formed the staff of the regiment, and instanced several
cases in which the general welfare of the men had been
enhanced through their instrumentality. In no regi-
ment did the mutual relations between officers non-
commissioned officers, and men more cordially exist
than in the Coldstream Guards.

The toast was most heartily responded to.
His ROYAL HIGHNESS returned thanks, and con-
cluded by observing that, having been connected with
the corps for upwards of 45 years, he felt no small
pride in denominating himself " The Father of the
Coldstreamers."

The Royal party retired shortly before four
o'clock.

Later in the evening the me❑ were permitted to
have their friends, and dancing and other amusements
were kept up for some hours.

THE ARMY.

ROYAL ARTILLERY, WOOLWIC ff, MAY 22.—An
order was issued during the latter part of last week
announcing that no permission would be granted to
any of the troops in the garrison to proceed to Green-
wich Fair during the Whitsun holidays, as several of
the men had got into trouble when they were per-
mitted to visit the fair last Easter. The drills in the
garrison were carried on from 3 to 5 o'clock P.M.,
instead of '2 to 4, and the tatoo roll••call was beat at
8 instead of 9 o'clock at the Royal Artillery and
Royal Marine barracks. A strong piquet, consist-
ing of 1 captain, '2 lieutenantp, 6 sergeants, and 100
rank and file of the battalions ; 1 lieutenant, 2 ser-
geants, and 13 rank and file of the Royal Horse
Artillery paraded on Monday, Tuesday, and Wed-
nesday afternoon, and the horses after parade were
taken to the stable and kept ready saddled in
case their services should be required, or any
attempt made to disobey orders. A sergeant of the
Royal Artillery, and a sergeant of the Royal Ma-
rines, were stationed at each of the stations of the
North Kent Railway, at Woolwich ;and a sergeant
of die Royal Artillery and Royal Marine, at each of
the steam-boat piers. The whole three days of the
fair have passed over without any attempt en the part
of the men of the garrison to disobey the injunctions
of their superiors. The officers of the garrison in-
tend to have races on Monday next, and have sub-
scribed liberally for the amusement of the men on
that day, and a committee consisting of Brigade-Major
Walpole, Royal Engineers, president; Captain Ward,
Royal Horse Artillery; Captains Wodehouse and Rad-
cliffe, Royal Artillery ; and Captain Hounslow, Royal
M trines, has been appointed to award prizes to the
men for leaping and running, running in sacks, climb-
ing poles, and other entertaining amusements, after
the races are over.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
ARRIVAL OF THE COURT.
PORTSMOUTH, WEDNESDAY..—The royal yacht
Fairy, Master-Commander Welsh, was put in requi-
sition to-day, by Captain Lord Adolphus Fitsclarence,
G.C.H., Commander of the Royal Squadron, to con-
vey the Court from Gosport to the Isle of Wight.
The royal party arrived in the Clarence-yard at ten
minutes to five o'clock, and were received by the heads
of departments, as usual, and a guard of honour of the
28th Regiment, commanded by Major Adams. By
her Majesty's express command, no royal salutes
were fired, nor band played, but the Queen's colour
was borne by the guard of honour. The Fairy left
with her illustrious freight at 5 3 for Osborne, fol-
, lowed by the dispatch yacht Elfin, Master-Commander
Balliston.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent will ar-
rive of Gosport to-morrow, at half past one o'clock,
to visit her Majesty, and remain over the Queen's
birthday.
The band of the Royal Marine corps of this division
is ordered to proceed to Cowes to-morrow evening in
the Echo steam-vessel, to be in attendance on the fol-
lowing morning to serenade her Majesty on the anni-
versary of her birthday.
The Stromboli steam-sloop, Commander Lord
Amelins Beauclerk, arrived at Spithead this afternoon
from Greenock.