The banquet to the veterans of the Indian Mutiny success-
fully organised by the proprietors of the Daily Telegraph was held in the Albert Hall on Monday. Of the eleven hundred sur- vivors of the campaigns of 1857-58, upwards of five hundred officers and men were present, and Christmas hampers were, sent to those who from age or infirmity were unable to attend. Lord Roberts, who presided, read a cordial message from the King, and congratulatory messages were sent by. Lord Minto and Lord Kitchener. The toast of " The Survivors of the Indian
Mutiny" was proposed by Lord Curzon, who described the banquet as the natural sequel to the memorable entry of the veterans of the Mutiny at the Delhi Durbar of 1902 ; and Lord Roberts in reply made feeling reference to the heroes, long since passed away, on whom the burden of the crisis fell.
After the "Last Post" had been sounded, Mr. Lewis Waller recited the following deeply moving verses, written by Mr. Rudyard Kipling, and admirably reflecting the spirit of a memorable and affecting celebration
" 1857-1907.
To-day, across our fathers' graves, The astonished years reveal The remnant of that desperate host Which cleansed our East with steel.
Hail and farewell ! We greet you here, With tears that none will scorn- () keepers of the house of old, Or ever we were born !
One service more we dare to ask : Pray for us, heroes, pray, That when Fate lays on us our Task,
We do not shame the day."
We congratulate the Daily Telegraph on the admirable manner in which its patriotic and kindly scheme was carried out.
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