MUTINY HEROES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 121, 14 February 1908, Page 9

MUTINY HEROES.

THE JUBILEE BANQUET.

:,IttVi3 a':;'i»oJ»le remnant' -of tho brave amy which: saved. India for England . which assembled.at ; tho : ; Albert. ; Hail recently to oommoriiorato,tho jubilee of tho Mutiny;; a gathering that, was stirrod to,-its 'depths by Mr, Lewis Waller as' ho - recited.- in thrillingaccents .tho verses. specially written for : the occasion by-Mr. Rudvard Kipling, entitled V1857r1907.", .. . , • v ', • ,

- 'About. 700 survivors''of -that famous'''campaign, all fwraring f their ' niodals' telling'.of 'great-deeds, done';, cam'o^ifrpinjijll .parts of ,tl\o country'''t43. attbiicl tho /jubilee dinner; gcne j •rdUsly provided by the proprietors or tho -'Daily .Telegraph;"■' Tliey. came from places as voir.ote v as- L'ist'i: in . tho'. Outei-.'Hebrides, aml'fi'ora Conneutara, .in' Ireland. ' Threo hundred more survivors, who, because of ago .and infirmitj. oridistarico. Jrom' England, worn ■jinable-.. to bo present, were all .consoled 'with a Christinna-hajnpcr. - ' The fare at the banquot comprised tnrfclb ?oup, fillets of solo,'roast stuffed tur;key," York ham, ;bx tongue,'roast' beef;;and f.ajad, plum.puddiiig, iriinco pios; and dcssort. Dinnoi'-'dono, tho strairisVof -''Th'o'Campbells ■ar® . Coming'' (which gave tho ifirst sign of relief 'to tiro -besieged; at Lucknow) wero heard from' the'' farther _ end of tho hall, played bv , tho only ■ survivor of "tho many .pipers- who-went tlirough' : tho MutinyAngus . Gibson, .of. the -Black; Watch:'-' .- THE KING'S GREETING: ' '' Earl Roberts, who presided, announced tho receipt of messages. .froin-' : tho King, tho Viceroy ,of India, , and Lord Kitchener. Tho King wrote:— ; , ■. , ... . ... Earl ■ Roberts; 1 Roval -. Albert: Hall,, South Konsingt-on.—l shall ho glad if you would niakb; known to the vetorans who are assem- - bled at the Royal Albert Hall to-day, imdor your, chairmanship,, my . great , satisfaction at learning how,'large a number of tho survivors. v.'ho took part, in tho mcmorablo. Indian Mutiny 0f,1857 nro nbio;to be.present oii such an ijiterostirig occasibii. -• I speak, in tho' iiamo of myself and of tho \ylioleEinpiro when I say: tli at we deoplv appreciate tho' cpncpicubus services roiidpred by them and their comrades who havo now. passed away, under most trying, circum-stances,-and tho gallantry and tlio endurance which, v/ero : the mean's 'tinder Proviiicnco of savinu our Indian Empiro from a grand peril. (Cheers).

Tho Viceroy, cabling' from Calcutta, saiil: Hearty good wishes* to historic gathering of Indian Mutiny veterans, whoso services in tho hour'of peril'can never bo fargott'on. i LordKitchonor also telegraphed from Calcutta:'' . ;' !-' . Please convey tho hearty greetings and good wishes of tho Army in India ,to meeting of Veterans. • Their, pa^t-glorious'deeds aro.uot forgotten in''this country. . -Wo all wish them a pleasant afternoon awl a harmv New lenr. ', V, 1

A GLOWING TRIBUTE.

■ Lord Cureon then proposed "Tho Survivors of tho Indian Mutiny," recalling tho scono at tho Delhi Durbar nearly fivo years ago, when a' small and tottering "band of . veterans marchcd into tlio arena. A roar : of acclamation burst from (hat vast ;aisotnbly,, ho said, and .cvcii - strong men broke domi and wept.

■\Viiat India did then for its Indian -veterans England was doing that. day... They in that great-hall 'were gazing for tho last timo at ono .of the snproino pages of history before it was turned back for evor 'and. stored away on tlio dusty shelves .of tinie." (Applause)!

, Tho Mutiny, to.all -Englishmen, young or old, was ono of tho combined tragedies and glories of tho nation. From all that havoc and disaster there sprang tho majestic fabric of an India united under n single crown. • • Lord Cnrzon concluded with a glowing tribute to Lord Roberts and to the dead heroes of tho Mutiny.

Lord Roberts, in reply, regretted' that thoro was no ono left alivo who held any position of, responsibility in the Mutiny. MaiiT who fought in tho Mutiny had gone to' their rest. Their Last' Post had long been ■ sounded, and tho youngest of tho survivors could not. bo long boforb tho call camo. Slight ho and his old friends and comrades bo prepared .when their last call was sounded to obey that summons. (Applause). . 'l'ho buglers of tho Ist l)nl;o of Cornwall's Light Infantry then played tho "Last Post." Mr. Bon Daries sang the "Recessional," and Mr. Lewis AValler recited tho_ verses by Mr. Iludyard Kipling, "1857-1907," Tho commomoration (dosed-with tho singing of "Auld Lang Sync" by Miss Muriel I'Vistor and Mr. Ren Davies and tho National Anthem, the audience joining in. - Among thosoi present at tho dinner, also, woro a number'of civilians—ladies and gentlemen—who went through the siwo of Luckn off.