Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-12-18
0tloI: Statesman. tt|,1; II 1 h.
SHERRY and LObstera In l1ndIa.o


IA The English papers have lately had a
good deal to say about scandal which GER
tainly, throws astrange lighton the domes-
tic life of the military representatives Of,
the British crown in India, and the extra
official relations existing between aIcom-
mander-in-chief and his aide-de-camp,'
The parties to this affair are Sir. William
Mansfield" commanding her Majesty's
forces in British India, and Captain Jervis,
his aide. The latter lived with his superior
en- famille, and discharged, as appears from
the records of the coirt-nartial, In addi-
tion to his military duties,those OF butler
and keeper of the pantFyy besides making
himself generally, usefnl. b. 1t was in this
latter capacity that the Captain had intru.t-
ed to him a large assortment of delicacies,
whose bare mention, we are sure, must
sufficeto make the mouth of every epicure
water. Whatever privations radition may
attach to military glory, It Is certain that
the ''soldier'sfare, !" which the valiant COM
mander-in-chief of the British forces in
India seems to;have regarded as indispens-
able for the discharge of duties so import
ant to the honor and power of hissovereign,
and which perhaps 3eonsoled him in that
distant land for the absence of comforts on
ly attainable at home, will be thought any,
thing but Spartan. Itconsisted of count
less pots Il. e. apparently 'countless," !" for
the General, as will appear afterward, had
carefully counted and kept close watch.
over his treasuresD y containing all sorts of
sweetmeats, preserved fruit, vegetables; Of
hermetically sealed tins, with ham, tongue,
turtle soup, pate-de-fois-gras etc.; of
boxes, in which salmon, oysters, Holsters
and sardines were packed away in brine so
as to "keep in any climate;" and Of a host
nf 81 % M a
olives, capers, truffles, and other seasonings
and -provocatves to the appetite, for Sir
William is not only renowned for the pos
session of high talents for strategy, but
positive genius TOR gastronomy. In short,
the Generals pantry was so well provisions
ed that he might as well have commanded
the bdtterie de cuisine at the Tuilleries as an
Indian army. And the cellar appears to
have been stocked with equal liberality, for
the principal count in heindctmentRgainst
Capt. Jervis accuses him of having con-
verted to the use of himself and friends one
hundred bottles of sherry and forty of soda
water while the missing champagne
genuine UiQlotl. port, claret. Sauterne and
Tockay, are dismissed in lump, as though
not worthy particular mention. Now, we
must confess that Sir Williams habit of
counting his edible riches, and the manner
sponsible for every glass of pale ale or tea
spoonful of preserves, does not entirely
conform to our ideas of the heroic; and
yet the m IN il, beyond all doubt, brave
soldier, 70 he won his spurs under Lord
Clyde. AL this time the commander-in-
chief and his aide lived together, however,
on the most intimate footing members of
oDe family, although the testimony before
TIE court proved that the superior had long
suspected his subordinate of taking unwar-
ranted liberties with his turtle soup, and
even cultivated the acquaintance OF his
preserves. ALL of sudden the sentiments
of the General underwent change which
the record of the trial fails satisfactorily to
account for, though it Is limited that
one of the fair sex had some con-
nection with therupture. BE that, how
ever, as it may, it is sufficient that one
morning two officers entered Capt. JerYis'
room, demanded his sword, and told him
that he was to be placed before court-mar-
tial forghaving abstraeted so many bottles
of wine and other articles, all the property
of the commander-in-chief The captain,
who is described as "thorodgh officer and
gentleman" was naturall Y enraged at what
he called a "mean trick" denounced its au-
thor, refused to obey orders, and thus added
insubordination to the crime of robbery.
Hewas tried on both charges. The pro-
ceedings occupied twelve weeks,and created
in military circles sensation which spread
to the public at large. The sentence of the
court found the accused innocent of the
charge Of robbery, but guilty of the charge
Of finsubordination, and dismissed him from
the service, with strong recommendation
to mercy. But the commander-in-ch
who had to approve the finding, and was
therefore both plaintiff and judge, could
not get over his losses, refused to entertain
the recommendation to mercy, and struck
Capt. Jervis' name off the army list. The
Colonial and the Home press then took the
matter in hand, and it is said that the public
indignation became so strong that the Duke
of Cambridge mas sent Sir Henry Storks to
India to supersede Sir William, and to do
justice in the case, but the impression pro-
duced can never be erased. What must the
people of India think of these disgraeeful
doings? While hundreds and thousands
were starving in the Province Of Orissa, the
Representative of Bpitish power was quar-
reling about sherry and lobstersi