[Illustration: THE SEVENTY-SECOND (“DUKE OF ALBANY’S”) AND SEVENTY-FOURTH HIGHLANDERS.] After a variety of home services, the regiment was removed, in 1844, to Gibraltar, and thence, in 1848, to the West Indies. Leaving the West Indies for North America in July, 1851, it returned home in October, 1854. Proceeding to Malta in January, 1855, and thence, in May following, to the Crimea, it there gained “SEVASTOPOL” for the regimental colours. Returning to England at the peace, the Seventy-second remained at home until August, 1857, when the corps embarked for Bombay on the breaking out of the Indian mutiny, and served with distinction in Central India, under Sir Hugh Rose, especially in the storming of the strongly-fortified town of Awah, being thereafter associated with the Seventy-first Highland Light Infantry in the campaign. The regiment is still serving in the Bombay Presidency. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SEVENTY-FOURTH HIGHLANDERS. CHAPTER XXXIV. “This homage to the chief who drew his sword At the command of duty; kept it bright Through perilous days; and soon as Victory smiled Laid it, unsullied, in the lap of Peace.” INDIA—SERINGAPATAM—ASSAYE—1787–1806. The proximity of two such formidable rivals as France and Britain, notwithstanding the friendly intervention of the Channel, has occasioned on both sides thereof an almost perpetual series of alarms, jealousies, and feuds, too often resulting in wars of the most stupendous magnitude, generally involving in their toils the other kingdoms of Europe. It is of one such crisis we write, when France, politically meddling with the affairs of Holland, excited the suspicions of our Government, and occasioned the combined interference of Britain and Prussia, to preserve, no doubt, the “_balance of power_.” Contemplating an appeal to arms, each prepared for the expected struggle. France and Holland possessing a large colonial empire in India, and both having a rival and antagonistic interest in the politics of that country to the new-born power of Britain, each marked that far-off land as an important theatre of strife. Hence, our legislature determined to strengthen our forces in that quarter of the British world by the addition of four new regiments, ordered to be raised in 1787. Two of these, the Seventy-fourth and Seventy-fifth,[D] were raised amongst the Highlanders of Scotland; and the others, the Seventy-sixth and Seventy-seventh, in England, or generally throughout the kingdom. No sooner were these completed—nay, in the case of the Seventy-fourth, before being completed—than they were shipped off for immediate service in India; whilst the question of their maintenance was installed in Parliament as a subject of bitter wrangling between the home Government and the East India Company, affording a