ST. HELENA 81 



they were handed by Captains H.Doveton and Kennedy to 

 Miss Ross, who handed them to the ensigns elected to 

 receive them. She made a short speech on delivering 

 them, and they were then trooped down the front of the 

 line attended by the guard, who took their appointed 

 stations, when the old colours were conducted to the mess- 

 house. The governor commented upon the absence of 

 Lieut.-Colonel Lambe, who was suffering from severe in- 

 disposition, and stated that, as the memory of the late Sir 

 William Doveton, under whose command the St. Helena 

 militia served for many years, was held dear, not only by 

 the regiment but by all classes of island people, he had 

 directed that the old colours, under which the corps had so 

 often meritoriously and so gallantly conducted themselves, 

 at the time when the security of the island was seriously 

 threatened, should be placed over the monument of that 

 patriotic individual, as a memorial of the esteem of his 

 countrymen. 



Distressing accounts of the destitution in Ireland and in 

 the Highlands of Scotland came to the island, and we find 

 that the non-commissioned officers and men of the St. 

 Helena regiment nobly came forward with a day's pay 

 each (which a soldier can ill afford in this colony) for the 

 relief of their destitute countrymen. This offering, with 

 the contributions of the officers, made the sum of 40, 

 which was forwarded to London for the sufferers, and the 

 receipt of it was acknowledged with warm and sincere 

 thanks. At this time the Chinese barracks in Plantation 

 grounds were pulled down, but the cut blue stone and 

 other valuable relics were preserved. These are now in 

 the museum. 



The foundation-stone of the present country church 

 was laid on February 6, 1850, by Major-General Sir Patrick 

 Ross, and in 1851 a printing company was formed. Up 

 to this time all writing had been under the control of the 

 Government, and this was the first free press imported 

 from England for use in the island. 



In August a fire broke out on the premises of Mr. Gigney, 

 but, under the indefatigable labours of Mr. Gigney himself, 

 together with Town-Major Barnes and troops, it was 

 extinguished. 



