at the Buckingham Palace gate, on Monday and
Tuesday, the 25th and 26th, and at Whitehall Chapel
on Maundy Thursday; upwards of a thousand persons
receiving gifts, varying from a crown to thirteen shillings
each.
The Queen and Prince Albert have made a further
Donation of £100 towards the fund for completing the
Model Baths and Wash-houses in Goulston Square.
The Queen has resolved to purchase for the Prince of
Wales, by "a donation in one sum, the perpetual right
of immediate Admission for a Patient into some of the
leading charitable institutions of London." By her
command, Colonel Phipps applied to the Royal
Orthopædic Institution for a statement of the sum for which
the desired privilege might be purchased in that
establishment; the committee fixed 250 guineas, and her
Majesty acceded to the terms.
Prince Albert has presented to the Boys of Eton
College a copy of the large work of Gruner, "On the Arts
in the Mediæval Ages." On the fly-leaf preceding the
title page is the autograph inscription, "Presented to
the boys of Eton College, with a hope that this book
may not be considered merely as an ornament to their
library, but as a work freely to be used by them for
recreation and the acquirement of taste.—Albert, Windsor
Castle, Feb. 6, 1850."
Lord Gough and Lady Gough have arrived by the
Indus, from Bombay. The inhabitants of Southampton
gave Lord Gough a Public Reception. Sir George Hewett
and a large deputation of officers, clergymen, and leading
townsmen, presented a congratulatory address on his
return home. Lord Gough made a warm reply; alluding
to his fifty-six years of service, and acknowledging
the double gratification of receiving the address through
one of his oldest friends and most esteemed comrades,
Sir George Hewett.
Major Edwardes has also arrived by the Indus. He
has, at his own request, acted as Principal Aide-de camp
to Lord Gough throughout the journey from the Punjaub.
Major Edwardes was publicly welcomed to his native
county of Shropshire on the 2nd, by the municipality
and inhabitants of Shrewsbury. The mayor and
corporation went in procession to the railway-station,
accompanied by thousands of townsmen, to receive him;
escorted him on foot to the town-hall, and presented him
with an address, testifying their admiration and pride at
his brilliant career.
A Magnificent Banquet was given to Viscount Gough
by the East India Company, on the 16th, at the London
Tavern. Lord John Russell and Sir Robert Peel were
among the very large number of eminent guests, and
were speakers.
A Government Reward of £20,000, or £10,000 for
furthering the discovery of Sir John Franklin, is notified
in the Gazette of the 8th, in these terms:—
"1. To any party or parties who, in the judgment of the Board
of Admiralty, shall discover and effectually relieve the crews of
her Majesty's ships Erebus and Terror, the sum of £20,000, or,
"2. To any party or parties who, in the judgment of the Board
of Admiralty, shall discover and effectually relieve any of the
crews of her Majesty's ships Erebus and Terror, or shall convey
such intelligence as shall lead to the relief of such crews, or any
of them, the sum of £10,000, or,
"3. To any party or parties who, in the judgment of the Board
of Admiralty, shall, by virtue of his or their efforts, first succeed
in ascertaining their fate, £10,000."
Obituary of Notable Persons.
SIR JAMES GIBSON CRAIG, BART., died somewhat suddenly,
at his house at Riccarton, about four miles from Edinburgh, on
the 6th, in the 85th year of his age. He took a prominent part
in all the great political struggles of this country from 1792
downwards, and was on terms of intimacy with Fox and most
of the leaders of the old Whig school. As an acknowledgment
of the services which he rendered to that party, he was created
a baronet in 1831 by the government of Earl Grey.
MAJOR-GENERAL THE HON. SIR HERCULES ROWLEY
PAKENHAM, K.G.B., brother to General Pakenham, who fell at
New Orleans, and brother-in-law to the Duke of Wellington,
died suddenly on the 7th, at Langford Lodge, in the county of
Antrim. General Pakenham was about 70 years of age,
and, as an officer, had earned a high character by his services
in the Peninsular war.
GENERAL CHARLES CRAVEN, formerly of the 5th Dragoon
Guards, died on the 22nd inst., at Walsall, in Staffordshire, in
the 81st year of his age.
DOM PEDRO ALFONSO, heir-apparent to the Brazilian throne,
died on the 9th January, after a few hours' illness.
COLONEL CAMPBELL, C.B., of the 9th Lancers, who commanded
the 2nd Cavalry Brigade at Sobraon, died on the 23rd. He
entered the army in 1806, and saw a great deal of service in
India.
VICE-ADMIRAL HON.DONALD HUGH MACKAY, recently in
the command of the squadron at Cork, died suddenly on the
26th, at his residence, in the Albany, Piccadilly. He was a
distinguished officer, and had been in the service nearly 60
years.
LIEUT.-GENERAL SIR JOHN MACDONALD, G.C.B., Adjutant-
General of the Forces, died on the 28th, after a very short
illness, at his house in Bruton-street.
COLONIES AND DEPENDENCIES.
THE mutiny of another Sepoy regiment (a Bengal regiment of native Infantry), in consequence of an
alleged deprivation of extra batta, has excited some discussion in India. Such incidents undoubtedly
raise painful questions. It is manifest that either they impeach the trustworthiness of men responsible for
the Indian commissariat, or that they display a wide-spread tendency to disaffection among the Sepoy
regiments. But in either, or both cases. Sir Charles Napier is the man to deal with them; and he has already
shown with what uncompromising and unsparing energy he is prepared to do so. There is no other news
of any moment during the month past, either from India or any of the colonies. But a recent Bombay
steamer brought us, if not news, some very prominent makers of news, in bringing over the two principal
heroes of the late warlike scenes, Lord Gough and Major Edwardes. To the major the newspapers
incontinently gave a wife and two children, which the gallant bachelor repudiated with a zeal so vehement as to
flutter not a little the hopeful hearts of the maiden population.
The Overland Mail has brought news from Bombay to
the 16th, and Calcutta to the 8th of February; and from
Hong-Kong to the 30th of January.
The event of importance is a mutiny of a Bengal regiment
of Native Infantry, at Umritza, on the 2nd of
February. The men had for some time shown symptoms
of insubordination on account of the Scinde batta,
which they said pressed hard on them, considering the
high price of food and their distance from their homes.
Major Troup addressed them on the 1st, in explanation
of the order; and was doing so again on the 2nd, when
the men openly refused to obey orders. Some precautions,
however, had been taken: the men had piled
arms; a company of cavalry made its appearance at one
of the gates of the fort; the mutineers ran to their piled
arms, but the officers and the armed cavalry anticipated
and prevented them; and after some rough struggling
they were mastered, and turned out of the fort.
Reinforcements arriving, the mutinous regiments were
arrested en masse, and placed for custody on the glacis
of the fort, under the muzzles of the guns loaded with
grape shot.
From Calcutta an expedition has started for Darjeeling,
against the Rajah of Sikkim, to call him to
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