GENERAL M'NEILL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7222, 10 April 1885, Page 3

GENERAL M'NEILL.

General Sir John M'Neill 1 K.C.8.,KC.M.G., V.C., who commanded the British troop 3in the engagement at Hasheen on Sunday, Maroh 22, and who has bsen blamed for the heavy lob 3of officers and men which occurred on that occasion through the enemy effecting a surprise, is well known in this quarter of the globe (observes the Sydney Morning Herald,) When General Sir Duncan Oameron was despatched in 18G1, with an army numbering eventually 10,000 men of all arms, to suppress the Maori rebellion in New Zoaland, Major M'Neill (as he then was) came with him aa aide decamp, and served with him until Sir Frederick Weld'a " self-roliant policy " brought about the withdrawal of the British, troops four years later. The relations of the Imperial officers with the Colonial Government and publio wore" decidedly what diplomatists called "strained," and not a few of the stall appeared to deem it their duty to make themselves bb unpleasant us possible by their grands airs militairtx, Sir John M'Neill, however, was by kinship a colonist, for he had a brother settled in Southland as a sheep-farmer and sitting in tho House of Representatives, and throughout tho whole of those wretched misunderstandings whioh ended in tho abrupt removal of the Governor, Sir George Grey, through War Office intrigues, he contrived to bo popular and respected amongst all claasea of the community. His services in the field wore not less brilliant than his sooial succ:se63. In halfa dozen different engagements and " affairs " he displayed conspicuous bravery, and at the bloody battles of Kangiriri and the Gate Pah he so distinguished bimsoli as to gain both glory aud promotion, On March 30,1804, be earned tho Victoria Cross by one of those cool acts of daring which come naturally to men of his temperament, but which are utterly imposßible to men of a different sort. Riding on staff duty to headquarters at Te Awamutu, ho saw his escort, Privates' Voaper and Gibson, of the New Zoaland Defence Force, suddenly attacked by an ambuscade of 50 Natives, Gibson gained safely by flight, but Voaper was unhorsed, and in a few seconds must have been in the enemy's hands. Thereupon Sir John M'Neill, who was out of danger himself, deliberately returned, caught Voßper's horse, assisted him to mount, andobrought him away in safety by sheer hard galloping, amid a shower of bullets. The Natives admitted that they ought to have killed both officer and man; but they were so dumfoundored by the intrepid courage of tli9 proceeding that they first lost time and then fired wildly. A similar act, under far leas trying circumstances, would hava saved the life of the Prince Imperial in Zululand. After leaving New Zoaland, Sir John M'Neill served with over-increasing distinction in Ireland, at the Rid River, and ia Auhantee, where ho was second in command under General Wolsoloy. Ho was wounded all but mortally in the attack on Eaaaman, during an advance to Coomassie, and retired from aotivo servico with abundance of honours and the besfr Home appointments that happened to bo available. He haa been A.B.C. to the oomtnauder-in-cbief and equerry to the Queen for more than 10 years ; and it was with surprise and pleasure thiit bia frionds heard recently of his having accepted active employmont in tho Soudan, Hi 3 mitfortuno at the outset of his now career in allowing hia force to bo surprised by thoir vij,ilaut and unwearying foa may very likely be attributed to his long absence from military command in the field, and it is to bo hoped tbr.t he will speedily have nn opportunity of redeeming bis reputation, and perhaps of once more leading Colonial troops to victory.

There entered Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, last yoar, 1,041,274 ono and two-horjo vehicles, 21G four-korße vehicles, 37,796 bicycles, 40,777 equestrians, and 4,691,510 pedestrians.