The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-11 00:00:00

_D E C MBEP
, iSL

Government ought to take the subject again into their
consideration. General Havelock was surrounded by
70,000 men and 300 guns. General Havelock had his
son with him serving under him, and this thousand
a-year was not sufficient for such men. He thought the
services of the army were not sufficiently rewarded.
His gallant relative had fought great battles in India,
and his reward was a red ribbon. Lately, we had had
peers made—one because he was father-in-law to a duke
another because he was son of a marquis, and another
because he had written a book. (Laughter.) Sir Henry
Havelock ought to be made a peer, as Lord Gough and
others had been. General Havelock had fought more
battles than were fought in the Peninsula. He (Sir C.
Napier) would take that opportunity of reading a letter
which he had received about the conveyance of troops.
(lie then reld a letter, giving the time of certain vessels
arriving in India, from which it appeared that the steam-
ers had arrived long before the sailing vessels.] Now,
they were told in the summer by the First Lord of the
Admiralty, and by the Secretary of the Admiralty, that
sailing ships would take troops to India quicker than
steamers. He thought the Government were right in not
sending troops by way of Suez, but ho said they had
made a lamentable mistake in not using steamers. It
had been said in the House of Lords that captains in
navy objected to carry troops, but he was convinced
that no captain in the navy would have objected
in such a case as this. The Duke of Wellington could
have taken 1,200 men, and the fault was not with the
navy, but with the House of Commons. The cry of re-
trenchment had been the cause of the inefficiency of the
navy. The navy had been greatly reduced. Let them
consider what would have been the effect of twelve sail-
of-the-line arriving in Calcutta with 12,000 men. He
did not mean to say that Casvnpore would have been
saved, but Luckno ee would have been, and now the next
mail might bring the intelligence that the people shut up
in that garrison had been sacrificed. He trusted, how-
ever, that General Havelock would not allow the women
and children to fall into the hands of the savages, but
that he would rather send them all into the fort and blow
them all into the air, and fire the train himself. It was
his duty to do so. The] last accounts said that they
were killing the bullocks, why he (Sir C. Napier) would
kill every Hindoo and eat them. He trusted and hoped,
however, that better news were coming. He trusted
that the Almighty Providence who had already done a
great deal more for us than we had done for ourselves,
would still protect thee unfortunate creatures, and that
General Havelock would be able to march out again
and destroy the whole of the savages by whom he was
surrounded.
Mr. P. O'BRIEN feared that the discussion had
diverged from the legitimate subject before the house.
(Hear, hear.) He rose to express the gratitude of
his countrymen for the gallant conduct of the troops
in India. (Hear, hear.) It was not in money value
that the services of such a man as General Havelock
could be estimated ; but, notwithstanding the eminent
services of that gallant officer, there were other officers
in India who had claims upon the gratitude of the coun-
try. General Nicholson—(cheers)—had been a coun-
tryman and companion of his own, and it was a source
of pride to feel that that galflant general by his admirable
conduct had won for us the fealty of the Sikh nation,
and had aided Sir John Lawrence in the acquisition of
the Punjabi). (Hear.) Acquiescing in the justice of the
amendment, he nevertheless regretted that the forms of
the house would not perrnit of its being carried into
execution. (Hear, hear.)
Sir H. VERNEY said that this short debate could
not be without its advantage, if it conveyed to the Go-
vernment the feeling of the Parliament, that the grant
to Sir H. Havelock should be increased. He suggested
that the case of Sir H. Havelock was a special one for
consideration—(hear, hear) —as there could not be a
doubt that the services of officers who moved large
bodies of men in the field deserved a more signal recog-
nition than those of other officers. (Hear, hear.) He
threw this hint out to the Government in order that the
Government might reconsider their decision. The
proposed pension to a man of the age of Sir H. Havelock
was the reverse of large, and although he approved
caution in such matters on the part of the Government
as a general rule, he hoped her Majesty's Ministers
would take into consideration the generally expressed
wish of the house. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. CLAY hoped that the present distinction was
only an instalment of greater rewards. (Hear, hoar.)
An observation had been made by an hon. and gallant
member (Sir C. Napier) which he could not allow to
pass unnoticed. The hon. and gallant member said
that a peerage had recently been conferred on a man
" because he had written a book." (Hear.) He (?Ir.
Clay) thought that a very illiberal sentiment. (Hear.)
The House of Commons had often been enlightened by
the talents and delighted with the eloquence of Baron
Macaulay—(cheers)—and he believed her Majesty had
never acted more in nelson with the feelings of her
people than when she raised that distinguished man to
the peerage.
Captain SCOTT bore warm testimony to the services
of General Havelock, and expressed disappointment at
the inadequacy of the reward bestowed upon him—
(Hear.) The family of Sir Henry Havelock was not
rich—(hear)—his son was dependant for support on his
pay, and on his accession to the title he would most
likely find himself hampered with it for the want of
sufficient means. (Hear.)
Sir F. SMITS said that nothing could exceed the
conduct of the gallant general in question, who was an
honour to the British nation, and he earnestly hoped
that the Government would consult the clearly expressed
feelings of the house and the nation in dealing with his
claims in a liberal spirit. (Hear.)
Mr, RICHARDSON also thought the proposed pen.
sion inadequ tte, as a recognition for such brilliant
services as those which had been performed by the
gallant general.
Mr. GRIFFITHS suggested the propriety of the
Government following the practice of the East India
Company, in conferring pensions on the widows of offi-
cers who fell in battle. He thought that some such con-
tingent prevision ought to be made in the case of Gen.
Havelock, who, in the chances of war might not live
long to enjcy it. (Hear.)
The bill was then read a second time, to be committed
this day.
The house then adjourned at eight o'clock.