MUTINY VETERRNS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 43, 10 February 1908, Page 4

MUTINY VETERRNS.

IiIiEAT KNTKPiTALWMEiNT AT ALBERT JIALL. CAMPAIGN MEMORIES. The atmosphere is full of < hlMinas festivities Mys the London ".Morning Leader'*); ther are home celebrations and public gatherings: none, however,

will compare for interest with the Mutiny golden commemoration, which, liiroiU'Ji the enterprise ot the "JJaily Telegraph.'" took place at the Albert Hall.

It is el-aimed that SO per cenl. of the survivors of the tragic outbreak 01 \>7 were feasted yesterday either in London, or, if too ill or infirm to attend, in I heir own honnv.—and grand old chaps th"y proved to be. Not one was under vear-of age. and mo«,l ol them—whether in )lie uniform of Chelsea Hospital pensioners or Corps of Commissionaires (which proved that they were tstill working lor their living}, or in the civil dre»* winch meant, let us hope, that they are -pending their declining days in dignilh'd ea-e—they all turned up with breasts < overed wiih medals. Round the veterans were grouped manv of the heroines of the .Mutiny, women who were in Lm-know during the perilous days «,f the siege, with tho-.e uho had followed the relieving force-: and beyond, in the skills and tiers ofthe inighly hali, were tin* mhis and daugii- ; tejs and children of men who look part I in ihe stirring events, and are proud | to-day to be reckoned amongst the descendants of the >mvivors. Field-Marshal Urd Roberts injected the old soldiers in the morning, and afterwards presided over their entertainment. He had expected to be supported by three other Jield-inarshals: but Sir Evelyn Wood is known to be unwell, and there were letters of apology from Sir | Ceorge White, who won his Y.C. on Indian fields, and from Viscount. Wolscley. who also found himself unable to attend. Dotted away in the galleries were patches of scarlet, and khaki. These Avere representative groups of the pre-sent-day members of the regiments who took pari in the repression of the mutiny: and they must have been touched, as everybody else was. with the honours conferred on the batch of aged men who sat in the body of the great ha'l. Defenders of Lucknow. stonners of Delhi, participator* in less historic gatherings. do per cent, of them grey-bearded men. llicy sal at the long tables. They i plainly enjoyed their excellent repast

and the music of the Royal Artillery band.

As the fruit was being handed round the tremulous sounds of a bagpipe were heard, and in one of the dark arches

leading to the stalls a small boarded figure was seen wrestling with the piprs. 'l'he air lie played was "The Campbells

are Coming*—the melody that heralded a relief to the miseries of beleaguered

Lucknow. The performer was Pip»r Angus Cib~Min. the only surviving pip"r

of iho-e who had taken part in th 1 .Mutiny.

When the >igniiicance of the incident wan recognised the audience burst into

enraptured applause, which was renewed when Lord Roberts proposed the health of King Edward. Miss. Muriel who was led on to the stage by Mr. Marry Lawson. p»ang the National Anthem. and then the old men and their admirers <hcered themselves hoarse on Ilea ring the following messages read:--From the King: I will he glad if von wiil make known to the veterans who are assembled under your chairmanship at the Albert 1 fall to-day I my gwat satisfaction personally at

tiic liir«o number of survivors who ■ took part in the memorable Indian Mutiny of 18.57 whit are able in be prc-ent on such an intore-tiny occasion. I for tlio nation ami Ihe whole Empire when I siy wo 1 are deeply appreciative of the conspicuous services rendered liy them and their comrades who iiavc now pa>*ed away. under most trying cm - cunMance* anil with a Haulry which were the moans, under Providence. of savin# our Indian Jim - pirc in this peril. From the Viceroy of India: Hearty #ool] wishes to historic of Indian .Mutiny veterans. who>e >erviccf in the hour of peril cau nuver he forgotten. Krom Lord Kitchener: Please conwy the hearty "reelings and good wishes of the army in India to the meelinp: of veterans Their past gallant _ deeds are not forgotten iu thicountry. We all wi-di them a pleaant afternoon and a happy Ne-\ \ ea c. Lord Curzon. whose loftily-c.ni lived speech on thirs occasion must make hi;a a M'iioii> rival to Lord Kosebery as ih* national orator, declared that the day's proceedings were much more in the nature of a ceremony than a fe-iivi>v. lie, (rated iU liiri.li from ;\u incident (iw yens ai/o. when the Indian >urvivoiv -f 1 lie .Mutiny appeared, unexpected an I unannounced in the Delhi Durbar, and iereived an overwhelming ovation. Tho-e who were present that afternoon uere jrazin# for. perhaps the ].\ q lime oil one of the sublime payes of !iir.t<»ry before it was turned back for ever and >tored away on the dusky >hr!ve- of Time. They were pre>ent !o lender a la<t tribute of gratitude and respect to tho-c who wrote their names on a paj>e that would never die; and tho-e whom they were honouring were )iresent to answer to the last roll call that they will hear together upon earth, in the presence of tiieir old comrades and before their old commanders. I'reMimin# that uilli most the -lory of the mutiny was a tradition rather ihan a memory, Lord Curzon addressed himself for some time to (!c hearty old veteran*. who drank in every word, lie evoked pictures of their leaders, reminiscences of scenes, and at each mention the men turned from one to Hie other.

From the box that Ihe Daily TeV#raph " put at llu- di-=po>al of itp contemporaries of the London pre-> you could imagine them saving in whispeis. • i knew him." " I was there.*' L'nite a pathetic little incident—it was nothing more—wns the interruption of a veteran, who wauled to know why 1.0-.d Curzon hud not *aid anything about a lieutenant, whose name he mentioned, who had distinguished him>elf at Delhi. The interruption was symptomatic of the brcathle>s interest with which tlie«e old men waited for the mention of tin l n;nne> of men they had nerved under. Win*ii Lord Robert- came to reply lo the toast and addres-ed his "old tviemU and eomrades.'' lie made special mention of all the unknown heroes of Hie campaign thai his wide memory could recall. More than one old man va* led away in tear- from the table- at the lhon«ht< that Hie Chief's recital mint have cvok-

If the twentieth century li.-t"JU'r thought {ho speech foo I<nijL r . his feelings were not shared hy 11i«> r»1*l Hirlitwlm delighted in every one of the kindly reference* to cherished lenders. All]ioiii;]i hi ;i sense replying to Ijsir 1 ('nr/on 1 - -peeeh. Units'- wns pr.n»i»>in:j----iUi-n C'unriii),.,.;' nl ihe end <•)' hi-« ivmnii-ceiit -peerh tin 1 whole !y iln-re utii-t !i;i\<• he:«ii lil.oim pent'!" 1 here -I I in while the linger of the old il'Jiid I'lint (the regiment tii.it defended Liiekiiow'i r.inu' mil th" "1.1-1 I'o-t." The elhvl w;i> (die to rememiiri' not to 1 ell of. Tht l men who lmd seen their comrades drop off like Hk'- '«> ihl not. keep luiek their te;ii'-. ;ind iMi ;)t----tetnpl ;lt ;1 eheer W;l> ehecked I>\ elmk-'d i vies of " Hush!" Mr lien Dnvies siny Kudyard l\iiili»»> " ]?P< e--ioiM 1 in the tniie of '* luvni i! Futher. -tronu' to -;ive." ;nul with (hiin the t>;ir* the coniiiieiiuir.iti-»n cjime to an end.

BREEDERS AND STOCK-OWNERS. Who are sustaining losses from abortion art; surely unfair to their own interests if lliey neglect the use of remedies tli.it arc reasonably sure to eradicate those troubles from their herds. Many si nek-owners have tried drenches of various kinds, and have found them useless. Hundreds who have had this experience have sent for Sykes's Drench and Svkevs Animal Abortion Cure, sometimes as a Jast resort, and have found them effectivs. Better use these remedies first, before wasting time and money experimeutin#. They are doing the work. Thev are .saving money for others. They will save mor.ev for you. "Will this convince you? i