THE NAME OF MOUNT EDEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 117, 18 May 1892, Page 2

THE NAME OF MOUNT EDEN.

(To the Editor.) Sik,— Pormib me to reply to " A Resident of Mount Eden." As rogards the name Auckland, the choice was unfortunate, but there is a small town in England called Bishop-Auckland, after which strangers mighb suppose our city to bo callod. Tho founder of New Plymouth, like the pilgrim fathers, remembered with affection tho beautiful city whore they said their last farewells to England, and the Dutchmen who probably named Mount Egmont thereby honoured the memory of one their greatest patriots, whoso statue now faces the Hotol cle Ville, of Brussels. My statement of the facts respecting the retreat of tho British army from Afghanistan was an almost vorbabim exbract from Chambers' Cyclopaedia Arbicle " Afghanisban." It there states that there were 26,000 persons wh'o returned, and who were all killed except Dri Brydon and the ladies who were kept prisoners for &ix months. I have consulted that work constantly for several year 3 and have never had reason to doubb its accuracy. 1 find ib, however, stated in tho " History of Our Own Times" thab they came through the Koord Cabul Pass, and in thab work and in Bright's " Progress of Democracy" the figuros aro stated at 16,500. I havo seen in another work that 95 men were afterwards rescued. Your correspondent is probably right ; there were only about 16,000 persons killed. Dr. Bright in his work says :—" The horrors of the retreat form ono of tho darkest passages in English military history, in bittor cold and enow, which took all the life out of the wretched Sepoys, withoub proper clothing or shelter, hampered by a disorderly mass of camp t'ollowors, the armyenbered tho terrible defiles which lie botwoen Cabul and Jellalabad. All humiliations were in vain. Of the whole retreating mass consisting of 4,500 troops and 12,000 camp followers, ono single man survived to roach Sir Robert Sale." It ia true, as your correspondent states, thab "General Pollock from Peahawur forced the Kybor Pas?, bub jusb before an inefficient and disastrous attempt had been made by Brigadier Wild, and it was to an army thoroughly dispirited, robbed of nearly half its numbers by sickness and tied to Sikh allies on tho verge of mutiny thab Pollock came." For all fchia disgrace, misery and death Lord Eden Auckland ie responsible. Ono writer 6peaks ofibas " a tale,of such misfortune, blunder, and humiliation as the annaU of England do not anywhero present. Ib was a blunder worse than a crime." The only reason " A Residont" gives for retaining the name is that he likes it. Tho infamy bolonging to the namo is nothing to him. JWaworm in " The Hypocrite " say a, "I like to be deepisod," so there aro people to whom names which bring to mind their country's sharao are as acceptable as any other. I believe if 1 had proposed to change tho namo to Majubn, Hill he would havo mado less objection. I was once travelling in tho Midland counties of England, and wasatbraeted by thesightofa grand monument on a hill, which was aeon for many miles round. Ib was that of a nobleman who had lived in tho noighbourhood and was much respected. At another time I went to see the monument of John Hampden, in some open (iolds in Oxfordshire. Ib was erected by Lords Denman and Brougham, and other distinguished Liberals. It is splendid, but neglected and soon by very few. My proposal to place ono to Sir Ueorgo Grey on Mount Eden aroso out ot this recollection and comparison. I see no reason why historicus must be translated historian.' If ho will consult a Latin dictionary ho will find the meaning— " ono versed in, or a student of history." It is tho famous signature of ono who is now a prominent statesman, but who never wroto a history or is thought of in that light.—l am, etc., Histotucus.