BANQUET TO THE DUKE OF MALAKOFF.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 599, 31 July 1858, Page 4

BANQUET TO THE DUKE OF MALAKOFF.

A grand banquet to the Duke of Malakoff, the General Pellissier of Crimean renown, was given by the members of the Senior United Service Club on the evening of Thursday, April 22. " His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge occupied the chair, having the Duke of Malakoff on his right. The company, who were out of uniform, and exhibited few military decorations, having done ample justice to the feast,

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge rose and said, that although the occasion might, to some extent, be considered a private one, still it was one of great public interest, inasmuch as they had met to welcome and do honour to the arrival of the Duke of Malokoff in this country. He was sure the gallant Marshal must be happy to find himself, at so early a moment, in such a party of British officers, and with them to be drinking the health of the Queen of England. (Hear, hear.) He begged to propose to them " The Health ot Her Most Gracious MajestyQueen Victoria."

The toast was received with loud acclamations and a general "hurrah," which rang through the room.

The Duke of Cambridge, on again rising, said that he was sure the next toast he had to propose would be received with the same spirit. He begged now to give them " The Health of his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Prance," and with that toast he would couple the health of the Empress. (Loud cheers.) The manner in which this announcement had been received would sufficiently assure his friend the Duke of Malakoff" that the name of the Emperor of Prance was in itself a signal for the expression of the warmest good feeling in this country. (Hear.) Whatever shade of politics might prevail among them—and, no doubt, politics of every shade had their representative in that room—still, there was not a man, there was not a heart among them, but rejoiced at the providential escape of the Emperor and his Empress from the late diabolical attempt to assassinate them. (Cheers.) He had had opportunities of conversing with the Emperor under all kinds of circumstances, and at moments of entire privacy, and he could most conscientiously state that every expression and every sentiment of his Imperial Majesty was in consonance with the public opinions he had expressed of the great value of the mutual alliance of Prance and England. (Loud cheers.) 'His Royal Highness concluded by proposing "The health of the Emperor and Empress of France," which was drunk with great enthusiasm.

His Excellency the Duke de Malakoff1, when the cheering had subsided, acknowledged the toast, speaking in French, as follows:—" The toast which you have honoured to the Emperor and Empress will be particularly agreeable, and my conviction of this is deeply founded upon the sympathetic words pronounced by my Sovereign when I had the honour of taking leave of him previous to visiting the coasts of Old England." (Cheers.)

The Duke of Cambridge, on again arising, said he must now, after the fashion of the toastmaster, call upon them to drink a bumper toast, " Tlie health of their illustrious guest, Marshal de Malakoff"." (Loud applause.) It would be unnecessary for him to dilate upon the reasons why they were assembled on the present occa sion to give a dinner to the illustrious warrior who sat on his right hand. The fact was, as officers of the united services, they were anxious to take the earliest opportunity of showing their estimation of one who had been associated with themselves in recent events which would occupy so grand a page in the European history. It would not become him to venture upon any lengthened detail of the services of their illustrious guest. He could boast the honour of having known the Marshal's great predecessors —St. Arnaud and Canrobert—and that knowledge satisfied him that no one better than Marshal Pelissier could have conducted to a successful termination the grand operations which had been initiated by the allied generals. (Hear, hear.) Their distinguished guest had been for a^long time associated with the British army, and had learnt with himself to value the advantages of the alliance. That alliance, he was prepared to contend, would be as fortunate to botli nations in peace as in war, and it was their duty to both countries -to avail themselves of every opportunity to cement an alliance which tended so much to advance the interests of the whole world. (Applause.) Entertaining these sentiments himself, and believing they were reciprocated by the whole empire, he was only too happy to fill the chair on an occasion when

the members of .the club came forward to do honour to whom honour was due. (Loud cheers.) He should, not detain them by making along speech, but he thought it only respectful to give utterance to the sentiments which he individually felt, and in which he was sure they all sympathized. (Cheers.) He gave them the " Health of Marshal Pelissier, Duke de Malakoff."

This toast was welcomed with loud acclamations, and drunk with great animation, amid general cheering. His Excellency in reply, said: In appearing among you I have confidence in recalling to tlie two great nations the glorious remembrances of their alliance; and, believe me, that my warmest desire is to be recieved as the symbol of a loyal, dignified and firm policy (cheers). My course will be always without reservation or concealment, and I will not cease to maintain the grand idea which I have had so many occasions to estimate face to face, or side by side an alliance between two great nations which implies the necessary condition that the honor of the one shall never be sacrificed to the honor of the other (renewed applause). I come to you offering the hand of friendship: I come to ybu full of respect for your institutions and your gracious Sovereign; and it is with all my heart that I pledge anew the toast to her august person, • and that I drink to the prosperity of England, and to the perpetuity of its alliance with the noble country which I represent among you (continued applause.) Several other toasts were heartily responded to, and when the company separated the distinguished visitor expressed a wish to give fa hearty shake hands" to the royal chairman. <