The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-27 00:00:00

LORD NAPIER AT WOOLJVICIL

On Saturday evening the corps of Royal Artillery enter-
tained Lord Napier of Magdala at a banquet at Woolwich.
The visit of his lordship created considerable interest, and
a large number of people assembled on the barrack-field
when his lordship arrived, and gave him an enthusiastic
reception. Major-General Warde, C. 8., commandant of
the Woolwich Garrison, presided, Lord Napier occupying
a seat on his right, and Field-Marshal Sir John Fox
Burgoyne, Bart., G.C.8., the chair on his left. The
invited guests included the Right Hon. Sir J. Pakington,
Bart., Sir S. Northcote, Bart., Lord Strathuairn, G.C.8.,
Lord Longford, Field-Marshal Sir Hew Dalrymple Ross,
G.C.8., Lieutenant-General Sir James Hope Grant,
G.C.8., &c.
After the usual loyal and patriotic toasts,
General WARDE, in eulogistic terms, proposed the toast
of the evening, the health of their distinguished guest,
Lord Napier of Magdala. The toast was drunk amidst
the most enthusiastic plaudits, with three cheers, and
" one more gunners' cheer," the cheering being kept un
until drowned by the band.
Lord NAPIER of MAGDALA expressed his acknowledg-
ments of the great honour conferred upon him. The com-
mendation of such distinguished officers as those present
was amongst the highest honour which could fall to the
lot of any soldier. He knew he should receive a hearty
welcome at Woolwich, and was anxious to express to them
in person the great assistance he had received from the
Royal Artillery in the recent campaign, amongst whom
he might mention Colonel Milward, to whom he
was indebted for the valuable assistance rendered
in conveying successfully the 12-pounder batteries a
distance of 800 miles, over a rocky and mountainous coun-
try, sometimes (where the ground admitted of it) dragging
them, and at other times (where the country was steep
and rugged) placing them on the backs of mules and
elephants. In the war in China he had au opportunity of
noticing the skill and courage of Colonel Milward in posi-
tions of difficulty, and his services he considered it highly
desirable to obtain, so that he at once requested the Com-
mander-in-Chief to allow him to accompany the expedition
to Abyssinia, and his Royal Highness, without regard to
precedence, at once conceded it. In short, a great deal
of the success of the Abyssinian campaign was due to the
judgment of Colonel Milward. He desired to acknow-
ledge the services rendered by Lieutenants Nolan and
Chapman (two other Woolwich officers), and to Colonel
Penn and Captain Twiss. He also expressed his great
obligations for the assistance given by Brigadier-General
Petrie, Major Geary, and other artillery officers engaged
in the campaign. He found the sailors, too, as ho had
always found them when he had had the honour of being
associated with them, useful, pleasant, and zealous
adjuncts to the military operations. They left their ships
and accompanied them, as they thought first, for a pleasant
trip ; but it turned out to be beset with many difficulties.
They, however, made very light of them, and were cheer-
ful, contented, and merry throughout the whole campaign.
But for the services rendered by the navy at Zoula the
Abyssinian army could not have existed. They supplied
200 tons of water daily to the eager and thirsty troops,:and
embarked and disembarked thousands of men and animals
without a single accident or mishap. In considering the
result of the campaign, it was satisfactory to find that they
left the countrywith a better prospect of peace and of its ad-
vancing in civilisation than when they entered it. They did
all they could by example and persuasion to incite the chiefs
to cultivate the arts of civilised nations, to live at peace
with each other, and to promote the welfare of the
people. They found them a very interesting race, pro-
fessing to be Christians, with a creed very much
resembling our own. There was a simplicity in their
religion which was very touching. They bad a degree of
organisation in their churches which it was pleasing to
witness. They possessed a well-established priesthood,
and had a strong sense of real religion, and they
appeared to him about as good Christians as they
were in England. They sometimes did wrong ; but every
one did the same, and if they took a debtor and creditor
account of them, the Abyssinians would be found pretty
much the same as people at home. It was under those
circumstances that the question arose as to whether they
ought not to leave some English with them to assist them
in perfecting the civilisation they had commenced ; but it
was ultimately thought better to leave them alone. He
trusted the result of their visit to Abyssinia would not be
without a useful effect in rendering the country prosperous
and peaceful. In concluding, his lordship expressed his
extreme gratification at the welcome he had received at
Woolwich. He felt as proud of his brother officers in the
Artillery as of his own in the Engineers. They had lived
together and fought together, and he trusted the good
feeling they had manifested towards him that evening
would last as long as he lived. In sitting down, Lord
Napier was loudly cheered.
General WARDE then proposed " The health of colonel
Milward and the officers who shared the danger and
glories of the Abyssinian war," which was responded tQ by
throe cheers, and auknowletind by QvinvlUitwoxit