Chapter I: Declare This Dock Now Open, and That Henceforth It Is to Be (2)

"My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen,--Allow me to return you all my
most cordial thanks for the kind way in which you have supported
me by your presence, and to my noble friend for the way in
which he proposed the resolution. Not wishing to keep you here
any longer, let me only urge you to be as liberal as you can,
and I hope that the excellent speeches we have heard to-day may
impress you with the importance of this meeting, and with the
feeling that those speeches have been made not as a mere form,
but as real and earnest appeals to you to open your purses most
liberally. Lord Westminster has just alluded to the hospital at
Milan and to the portraits of different sizes, according to the
amount of money subscribed by the originals. I have but one
suggestion to make to you in that respect, and one to which I am
sure you will respond--that you should all contribute very
largely that circular golden portrait representative of the
Queen which this Hospital so much needs."

DULWICH COLLEGE.

_June 21st, 1870._

The old corporation of "The College of God's gift" in Dulwich, in the county of Surrey, was founded in 1619, under letters patent of King James I., by Edward Alleyne, player, a contemporary and friend of Shakespeare. Those who knew Dulwich College, before its reconstitution in recent times, must remember its being spoken of as a notable instance of "the abuse of an ancient charity." In 1857 the old corporation was dissolved by Act of Parliament, and a new Governing Body was established, consisting of 19 Governors, of whom 11 were to be appointed by the Court of Chancery, and the remainder by the parishes of Camberwell, Bishopsgate, St. Luke, Finsbury, and St. Saviour's, Southwark, each appointing two Governors. A further scheme for the management of the charity was approved by Her Majesty in Council in 1882, greatly modifying the arrangement of 1857. By the latter scheme the management of the estate in its eleemosynary branch was wholly separated from the educational branch, with separate governing bodies.

The great increase in the value of the estates had allowed the establishment, in 1857, of Alleyn's School, and a large sum was then provided for the erection of school buildings, a splendid edifice being constructed by Mr. Charles Barry.

It was to open this new school that the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales was made on the 21st of June, 1870. By a singular coincidence this day was the anniversary of that on which the charter of the College had been first signed, on the 21st of June, 1607. The Prince of Wales distributed the prizes, after the pupils had delivered speeches, and gone through the exercises usual in public school examinations and anniversaries. The recitations were brought to a close with singing the National Anthem.

At the luncheon which followed, the Rev. W. Rogers presided, and proposed the health of the Royal visitors.

His Royal Highness, who was loudly cheered on rising to reply, said:--

"My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen,--I feel deeply the kind way in
which you have received this toast, and I can assure you that it
is with great pleasure we have to-day made so interesting a
visit to a place which, for all of us, possesses an historical
interest. It is hardly necessary for me to refer to the early
history of the College. You all know that it was founded in the
time of Queen Elizabeth, although the charter was actually
signed by James I., and that Edward Alleyne was an eminent
actor, and that he also held, I believe, the post of
bear-keeper--I hope not bear-leader--to Queen Elizabeth. What we
witness to-day is a gratifying result of that foundation.
Everybody who has had the opportunity of seeing this splendid
building must have derived gratification from the spectacle, and
also from the proofs which have been furnished that education is
by no means neglected. These proofs we have listened to in the
English and French languages, and also in the ancient Greek, and
we have done so with very great pleasure, in spite of the great
heat which it was necessary for that purpose to encounter.

"I will not detain you with further remarks. But before I sit
down let me wish thorough success and happiness to this College,
and let us hope that the success which has attended the last ten
years especially of its existence will continue and increase,
and that year by year it will advance in standing and position
and in the number of the scholars within its walls. I have now
the pleasure of proposing a toast which I am sure you will all
drink with enthusiasm--'The Health of the Master of Dulwich
College, Dr. Carver.' From the cordial way in which his name is
cheered by the boys there can be no doubt of his popularity; and
to his efforts, I believe, much of the success which the school
has attained is owing."

The Rev. Dr. Carver "returned his very sincere thanks for this compliment, which he took to be meant really for the institution of which he was at the head. The inheritance of the last five half-centuries was a noble one, but with it they inherited many responsibilities, resulting from the faults and failings of their predecessors, and there was much not only to do but to redeem. He believed that a new era for Dulwich College had been inaugurated, and he trusted it would hereafter win and occupy a place among the most important and valuable institutions of the kingdom."

Their Royal Highnesses then proceeded to the Library. Before the ceremonies at the School, they had visited the magnificent collection of paintings, known as the Dulwich Gallery. These pictures were collected by Sir F. Bourgeois, R.A., bequeathed by him to the College, owing to his friendship for Mr. Allen, the Master of the College, at the time of his death, in 1810. Some of the best pictures in this gallery were obtained in Poland, at the time of the partition of that ancient kingdom by the three Great Powers.

SCHOOLS FOR THE CHILDREN OF SEAMEN.

_June 30th, 1870._

Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, on the 30th of June, 1870, performed the ceremony of opening the new schools for the children of seamen. There was a large assembly present, including the Lord and Lady Mayoress, the Bishop of London and Mrs. Jackson, the Sheriffs of Middlesex, several Aldermen and public officials. The schools are situated near the London Docks, in Wellclose Square, where for two hundred years stood the church for Danish seamen. The site of the buildings was the property of the Crown of Denmark, and, with the church, was purchased from the trustees with money granted from the Bishop of London's Fund. The newly-erected schools afford accommodation for 600 children, and the cost was about £5500.

An address, giving the history and purpose of the institution, was read by the vicar of St. Paul's Church for seamen of the port of London, to which

The Prince of Wales responded, saying "it was a source of
infinite gratification to him to be present at the completion of
a work originated by his lamented father, and to fulfil his
benevolent design of providing for the education and religious
welfare of the children, after having secured a place of Divine
Worship for the parents. He trusted that the association of the
site with its former uses would bear its fruit in the success
of this sacred work of education and religion."

After prayers were read by the Bishop of London, the ceremony of declaring the schools open was performed, and purses were presented, with donations to the amount of £1500, including a hundred guineas from the Prince of Wales.

A luncheon followed, at which the Bishop of London, in proposing the health of the Queen, recalled a saying of George III., who once expressed the hope that the time would come when every man in England would possess a Bible, and be able to read it. This sentiment was also felt by the old King's grand-daughter who now filled the throne, and nothing was dearer to Her Majesty's heart than the religious education of the people.

In next proposing the health of the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Bishop said that the Royal visit of this day would give a prestige to the schools which would ensure their popularity in the neighbourhood. There was a special interest for the Princess of Wales in the fact that they were on the site of the old Danish Chapel, long the only place of worship for Danish seamen in London.

The Prince of Wales, in response, said:--

"My Lord Bishop, Ladies, and Gentlemen,--Allow me in the name of
the Princess of Wales and myself to tender you my warmest thanks
for the kind way in which this toast has been proposed and
responded to. I need not tell you that the proceedings of to-day
have given us great pleasure, or that we feel a deep interest in
the success of the schools which we have now opened. When we
were asked to open these schools and play-grounds for the
children of seamen and other persons living in this
neighbourhood, we at once felt that the object was excellent,
and we were anxious in coming here to-day to evince the interest
we take in the schools. They have, as has already been
mentioned, an especial interest for myself, because just
twenty-four years ago the foundation stone of the neighbouring
church for seamen was laid by my lamented father. That church,
during the twenty-four years it has been in existence, has
answered the purpose for which it was built, and I believe as
many as 240,000 seamen, together with their wives and families,
have attended divine service within its walls. Let us, then,
hope that the children also may receive the benefits of a good
education and religious training, and that these schools may
fulfil the object for which they were built.

"In this part of London there are so many poor that good schools
are especially needed, and as these schools are not intended
exclusively for the children of seamen, they will probably be
most beneficial to the neighbourhood at large. Allow me to thank
you for the way in which you have listened to the few remarks I
have made, and to assure you that I feel deep gratification in
being present to-day at the opening of these schools. I have,
before sitting down, to propose 'The Health of the Lord Bishop
of London,' to whom we owe our warmest thanks for the kind way
in which he has come here to take part in the proceedings of
this day, when he has so many other and important duties to
perform. As I know that he has another pressing engagement in a
short time, the fewer words said the better. I therefore call
upon you to drink the health of the Lord Bishop of London."

NEW GRAMMAR SCHOOL AT READING.

_July 1st, 1870._

The good people of Reading are said sometimes to have grumbled at being neglected by Royalty, their town being overshadowed by its proximity to the Royal borough of Windsor. This notion was effaced by the splendid events of the 1st of July, 1870. On that day the Prince and Princess of Wales, with imposing state and ceremony, visited the ancient town, in order to lay the foundation-stone of a new school, which was to be the successor of the historical Grammar School, at which Archbishop Laud was educated, one of the masters of which, Julius Palmer, was martyred during the Marian persecution, and which in recent times had attained high celebrity under the scholastic reign of Dr. Valpy.

The town was in high festival for the occasion, and distinguished company assembled to meet the Royal visitors. When the Address had been presented by the Mayor and Town Clerk, giving a summary of the history of the school, and the purposes of the new undertaking, the Prince replied:--

"Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen,--I desire to return my cordial thanks
for your address, and to assure you, on the part of the Princess
and myself, of the pleasure it affords us to visit a town so
conspicuous in the pages of English history. It is most
gratifying to me to co-operate with you, gentlemen, in securing
for your town the benefits contemplated by the Royal founders of
this ancient school. In extending to Reading and its county the
advantages of a middle-class education, you are providing an
education which, if conducted on sound principles, must conduce
to the welfare and happiness of all who desire to profit by it;
and that this result is anticipated is satisfactorily indicated
by the amount of contributions already subscribed. For myself, I
sincerely trust that the good work of which we are now assembled
to lay the first stone may, under God's blessing, prosper and
accomplish its purpose. It will at least prove to a succeeding
generation that we, on our part, have striven with all our
hearts and all our means to ripen the good seed sown by our
fathers upwards of 300 years ago."

The ceremony of setting the stone then began, for the ceremony was to be done with masonic honours, one side of the tent having been entirely occupied by the Masons in costume. The Mayor, having received from the Provincial Grand Master the handsome silver trowel prepared for the occasion, now asked the Prince, in the name of the School Trustees, to proceed with the ceremony. The Grand Chaplain offered a prayer, the Architect presented his plans, the Grand Secretary read the inscription on the stone, and the Grand Treasurer deposited gold, silver, and copper coins of the present reign in the cavity prepared for them.

The Prince then proved and set the stone, saying:--

"May the Great Architect of the Universe enable us successfully
to carry on and finish the work of which we have now laid the
principal stone, and every other undertaking which may tend to
the advantage of the borough of Reading and this neighbourhood,
and may this school be long preserved from peril and decay,
diffusing its light and influence to generations yet unborn."

To this the Masons present answered with one accord, "So mote it be." The Prince next spread corn on the stone, and from the ewers handed to him poured out wine and oil, saying:--

"May the bountiful hand of Heaven ever supply this country with
abundance of corn, wine, and oil, and all the necessaries and
comforts of life."

The Brethren again responded in the Masonic formula, "So mote it be." Then the Treasurer to the school presented to the Senior Master Builder (Mr. Parnell) a purse of gold, saying: "It is the pleasure of the Prince that those who have hewed the stones, and those who have laid them, and all who have assisted, should 'rejoice in the light.'"

Prayers by the Bishop of Oxford, and the Hallelujah Chorus, performed by the band and choir, closed the ceremonial, which was very quaint and impressive.

At the luncheon afterwards given in the Town Hall, the Prince, after acknowledging the usual loyal toasts, that of the Prince and Princess of Wales having been proposed by the Mayor, said:--

"My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen,--It gives me great pleasure to
have an opportunity of expressing to all those present the
gratification it has given both to the Princess and myself to be
here this day. I am glad also to have the opportunity of
congratulating the Mayor and Corporation and the inhabitants of
Reading on the great success of all the proceedings of the day.
In passing through the town we could not fail to admire the
tasteful way in which all the houses and streets were decorated;
nor was it possible that the arrangements for laying the
foundation stone of the new schools, and the magnificent
ceremony attending it, could have gone off better. I trust we
shall all take a deep interest in the school which is to be,
succeeding as it does to one which has already existed for a
great number of years, having been founded by my ancestor Henry
VII., and receiving a Royal charter from Queen Elizabeth. I
trust that the wishes expressed by the Mayor concerning the
school may be realized, and that the children not only of the
inhabitants of Reading but of the whole county of Berkshire will
have an opportunity of receiving a thoroughly good education in
it. I will not occupy your time any longer, but before sitting
down it affords me great pleasure to propose a toast which I
feel sure you will all receive with enthusiasm. It is 'The
Health of the Mayor of Reading.' I am glad to have the
opportunity of thanking him, as the representative of this
ancient and loyal borough, for the kind and hearty reception it
has given to us on this occasion."

After the departure of the Prince, the Mayor announced that His Royal Highness had generously handed him a cheque for a hundred guineas towards the building fund. At night the town was illuminated, and the people of Reading had good reason to be pleased with the proceedings of the day.

ALBERT GOLD MEDAL TO M. DE LESSEPS.

_July 7th, 1870._

At a meeting of the Council of the Society of Arts, on the 7th of July, 1870, the Prince of Wales, as President of the Society, presented the Albert Gold Medal to M. de Lesseps. This medal is awarded for services rendered to arts, manufactures, and commerce; and no services, to commerce at least, could have been better rendered than by the realization of the Suez Canal.

The Prince addressed M. de Lesseps in a French speech, of which the following is a translation:--

"It is with sincere gratification that, as President of the
Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and
Commerce, I have the honour of presenting to you to-day the gold
medal which was founded after the death of my beloved father,
and which bears his name. This medal is presented every year to
the person who has distinguished himself most remarkably in
advancing the interests of the objects for which the Society was
founded, and I am fully convinced that no recipient has ever
been more worthy than yourself of this honourable distinction.
In presenting it, I need scarcely say that the award was
unanimous, and I may perhaps be permitted to add that I
stipulated for the pleasure of placing the medal myself in your
hands. England will never forget that it was to you the success
of that great enterprise which is so much calculated to develope
the commercial interests subsisting between herself and her
Eastern Empire was due; and I trust that since your sojourn
among us the English people have evinced to you their
appreciation of the benefits which your great work has conferred
upon this country. Allow me once more to congratulate you upon
your grand achievement, and to express my sincere hope, as it is
my belief, that it will fully realise the brilliant
anticipations which you have from the first entertained
respecting it. In conclusion, I must assure you of the pleasure
I feel in presenting this medal to you, not only as President of
this Society, but as a personal friend, who has, moreover,
enjoyed the inestimable advantage of an inspection of the Canal
under your guidance."

M. de Lesseps replied as follows:--

"Monséigneur,--I am happy in receiving from the hands of your Royal Highness the medal which has been awarded to me by the Society of Arts and Manufactures. This medal, recalling the respected memory of your august father, has a double value in my eyes, for His Royal Highness Prince Albert, from the commencement of the enterprise of the Suez Canal, received me with that kindly feeling which was to him habitual, and which led him always to encourage everything which might be useful to social progress, to the discoveries of science, and to the development of commerce. He received me for the first time in 1858, in his private study, where he invited me to explain to him all the details relating to the construction of the Canal, and he followed with close attention upon the map and on the working plan the course of the projected scheme as worked out by the engineers. Since that time he continued on several occasions to testify the interest which he felt in the enterprise for which the period of commencing the works had arrived. I thank your Royal Highness and the Society of Arts for having added this important manifestation to all the evidences which I have had the good fortune to receive from the Government of the Queen and from the people of Great Britain. The words of your Royal Highness will remain engraven in my heart. I have already had the good fortune of finding myself with you, Monséigneur, when travelling in the desert, and there, where a man, however highly he may be placed, shows himself as he is, I have been able to appreciate the noble character, the lofty mind, and the elevated sentiments of your Royal Highness, and I am happy to bear this testimony in the presence of the distinguished men who surround us. I shall ever be, as they are, the devoted partisan of your Royal Highness. I pray you to present to Her Majesty the homage of my respect and of my gratitude, and to assure her that the Company which I have the honour to direct will be able to maintain the Suez Canal in a condition which will satisfy all the requirements of the great commerce and of the navigation of Great Britain."

It is always a pleasure to the Prince of Wales to give the Albert Medal with his own hands, sometimes at Marlborough House, as to Sir Henry Bessemer, and to M. Chevalier, the distinguished French Economist. When the award was made to Mr. Doulton, the Prince went to Lambeth to make the presentation, and said that he would have been glad to have received Mr. Doulton at Marlborough House, but thought it would be more gratifying to him to have the medal presented in his own place and among his own workpeople--an act of gracious considerateness which was well appreciated by the vast assembly who witnessed the event.

OPENING OF THE THAMES EMBANKMENT.

_July 13th, 1870._

This great work, which, for solidity of construction, durability of material, and beauty of design, is worthy of the Metropolis of the Empire, was commenced early in 1852, but was not completed till the summer of 1870. Viewed in connection with the benefits to public health and convenience, by the improvement of the course of the Thames, and the removal of the mud banks formerly disfiguring the shores, the Embankment may be truly said to be the greatest public work undertaken in London in modern times. Portions of the footway had been previously open for passengers, and improvements have been since made in the approaches and in laying out ornamental grounds, but the completion of the roadway, from Westminster to Blackfriars, sufficiently justified the grand State ceremony with which the Embankment was opened, on the 13th of July, 1870, by the Prince of Wales.

On that day, the Prince, accompanied by the Princess Louise, and attended by the Great Officers of the Household, opened the Embankment on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen. Five Royal carriages, with an escort of the Royal Horse Guards, proceeded from Marlborough House, by the Mall, Whitehall, and Parliament Street to Westminster Bridge, where they entered the embankment. Here the procession was joined by the carriages containing the Chairman and members of the Metropolitan Board of Works. At Hungerford Bridge an address was presented by the Chairman, Sir John Thwaites. The Royal procession went as far as Blackfriars Bridge, and then returned to Westminster Bridge, when the Prince, amidst the cheers of the multitude, and the salutes of artillery, declared the Embankment to be open.

The reply to the address read by the Prince, was as follows:--

"Gentlemen,--It is a source of great regret to me, as I am sure
it cannot fail to be to you, that the Queen is unable to be
present, according to her original intention, at this
interesting ceremony. In her name I thank you for your loyal
address, and express to you the satisfaction with which she
regards the completion of this great work. We must all rejoice
that while the Embankment and the noble roadway, which I am
happy this day to open in the name of Her Majesty, add largely
to the beauty and convenience of the Metropolis, the works
connected with them may be expected materially to diminish the
sources of disease and suffering to the inhabitants of this bank
of the Thames. In no public work of this vast capital has the
liberal and enterprising spirit of its citizens and the genius
and resources of our civil engineers been more signally
displayed. I am commanded by the Queen to congratulate you
cordially on the issue of your labours in undertakings which
promise to be so enduring and so beneficent."

Five years before this, on the 4th of April, 1865, the Prince had visited the great works erected at Barking, in Essex, and thence to the Erith Marshes to perform the ceremony of starting the great engines which lift the waters of the Southern Outfall Sewer. In a brief speech on that occasion the Prince congratulated Mr. Thwaites, then chairman of the Metropolitan Board of Works, and Mr. Bazalgette, the engineer, on the completion of an important portion of the great scheme for disposing of the sewage of London, and purifying the water of the Thames.

WORKMEN'S INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

_July 16th, 1870._

In the summer of 1870, while the news of impending war on the continent stirred public feeling, preparations were being quietly made in many a home and workshop for an international exhibition of art and industry. The special feature of the display was to be the encouragement of individual intelligence and skill, every object exhibited having attached to it the name of the workman, as well as the firm in whose employment he was, if not exercising his art on his own account at home.

The Prince of Wales kindly consented to open the exhibition, in the name of the Queen. This was done on the 16th of July, 1870. Having received an address, giving an account of the purpose of the collection, the Prince thus replied:--

"Gentlemen,--I thank you for your address, and assure you that
it is with very great pleasure I undertake the duty imposed upon
me by the Queen in opening this Exhibition. The objects proposed
in it are such as cannot fail to meet with the cordial
approbation of all who are interested in the growth of our arts
and manufactures, and who wish to connect that growth with a
corresponding increase of sympathy and friendly relations
between employers and their workmen. In imparting to this
Exhibition an international character, you have sought to extend
the range of good which may result from it, and by inviting
competition between our workmen and those of foreign nations,
not only to afford a wholesome stimulus to both in the exercise
of their various callings, but to contribute, as far as you can,
to that kindly intercourse between countries which must in the
end prove the principal security for the peace of the world. The
allusion which you have made to my beloved father, who would
doubtless have regarded this Exhibition with the liveliest
interest, as the natural supplement of that first one with which
his name is especially connected, will be as affecting as it
must be gratifying to the Queen. It will be my agreeable duty to
report to her the proceedings of to-day, and I have only now, in
her name, to wish success to the undertaking."

A catalogue of the collection, and a newspaper printed in the building, were then presented to the Prince. The catalogue showed that contributions had been sent from all the chief industrial centres in England,--Sheffield, Birmingham, Coventry, Worcester,--and from Ireland, in bog-oak carvings, and articles of the linen and flax industry. The foreign contributions were from France, Austria, Italy, Holland, and other parts of the continent. A musical piece composed for the occasion was given, and the Old Hundredth psalm sung by the choir, after which the Prince declared the Exhibition open.

THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL.

_March 29th, 1871._

The "Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences" was opened by Her Majesty the Queen with imposing ceremony on the 29th of March, 1871. The procession from Buckingham Palace consisted of nine State carriages, in the last of which were the Queen, the Princess of Wales, and the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. In the other carriages were the Royal Family, with the great officers of State and the Household in waiting. The Hall was filled with nearly 8000 spectators, and the orchestra consisted of nearly 1200 musicians and singers, Sir Michael Costa being leader.

When the Queen had taken her place on the daïs, the Prince of Wales, who wore the uniform of Colonel of the 10th Hussars, advanced to Her Majesty, and, as President of the Provisional Committee, read the following address:--

"May it please your Majesty,--As President of the Provisional
Committee of the Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences, it is
my high privilege and gratification to report to your Majesty
the successful completion of this Hall, an important feature of
a long-cherished design of my beloved father, for the general
culture of your people, in whose improvement he was always
deeply interested. Encouraged by your Majesty's sympathies, and
liberally supported by your subjects, we have been enabled to
carry out the work without any aid from funds derived from
public taxation. I am warranted in expressing our confidence
that this building will justify the conviction we expressed in
the report submitted on the occasion of your Majesty's laying
its first stone, that by its erection we should be meeting a
great public want. Your Majesty's Commissioners for the
Exhibition of 1851 in further prosecution of my father's design
for the encouragement of the Arts and Sciences, an object which
he always had warmly at heart, are about to commence a series of
Annual International Exhibitions, to the success of which this
Hall will greatly contribute by the facilities which it will
afford for the display of objects and for the meeting of bodies
interested in the industries which will form the subjects of
successive Exhibitions. The interest shown in the Hall by the
most eminent musicians and composers of Europe strengthens our
belief that it will largely conduce to the revival among all
classes of the nation of a taste for the cultivation of music.
Your Majesty will hear with satisfaction that results have
justified the original estimate of the cost of the building, and
that, aided by the liberal assistance of your Exhibition
Commissioners, the corporation will commence its management
unfettered by pecuniary liabilities, and under conditions
eminently calculated to insure success. It is my grateful duty
to return to your Majesty our humble thanks for the additional
mark of your Royal favour which is conferred upon us by your
auspicious presence on the present occasion when our labours as
a Provisional Committee are drawing to a close. We venture to
hope that when we shall have resigned our functions into the
hands of the governing body, which will be elected under the
provisions of the Royal Charter granted to us, your Majesty will
continue to the Corporation that measure of support which has
been always graciously given to us."

The Queen, who had listened to the address with the utmost interest and attention, said, in a voice clearly heard in every part of the vast building: "In handing you this answer, I wish to express my great admiration of this beautiful Hall, and my earnest wishes for its complete success."

The written answer to the address was not read, but it is here given to complete the record of the day's ceremony:--

"I thank you for the loyal address which, as President of the
Provisional Committee of the Hall of Arts and Sciences, you have
presented to me. In opening this spacious and noble Hall, it
gives me pleasure to acknowledge the generous spirit which has
been manifested in the completion, by voluntary effort, of a
work promising so much public usefulness. I cordially concur in
the hope you have expressed, that this Hall, forming as it does
part of a plan in which I must ever take a deep and personal
interest, may largely and permanently contribute to the
promotion among my people of the love of art, as well as to the
success of the annual exhibitions, which will bring successively
into instructive competition the choicest products of the
industries of all nations. These objects could not fail to
commend themselves at all times and all places to my sympathy
and interest, fraught as they are with recollections of him to
whose memory this Hall is dedicated, and whose dearest aim was
to inspire my people with a love of all that is good and noble,
and, by closer knowledge and juster appreciation of each other,
to cultivate a spirit of goodwill and concord among the
inhabitants of all regions. I gladly give the assurance of my
support to the corporation to which the Hall is about to be
entrusted, and I earnestly hope that their efforts to promote
the objects for which it has been constructed may be rewarded by
a career of abiding success."

The Bishop of London, representing the Archbishop of Canterbury, offered a dedication prayer.

The Prince of Wales, after a minute's conference with Her Majesty, then said, "THE QUEEN DECLARES THIS HALL TO BE NOW OPENED."

The announcement was followed by immense cheering and the sound of trumpets; and while the choir sang the National Anthem, the Park guns boomed forth a loud accompaniment.

The opening ceremony being thus accomplished, the Queen and the Royal visitors proceeded to the Royal box, where they remained during the performance of a selection of music. The programme included a cantata, written for the occasion by Sir Michael Costa, and the Prince Consort's _Invocazione all'Armonia_, which was first performed when Her Majesty, in 1867, laid the foundation-stone of the Hall this day opened.

THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF 1871.

_May 1st, 1871._

During the twenty years that had passed since the ever-memorable Exhibition of 1851, there had been many Exhibitions, one of which, that of 1862, might aspire to the title of Great, and proved fairly successful. But so numerous were the imitations of the first great example, to which, at home or abroad, none approached in romantic interest and universal popularity, that at length the idea which in 1851 charmed all the world, had come to be somewhat tiresome to the public. Inventors and manufacturers found it troublesome and expensive to exhibit, not without doubt whether there were not more disadvantages than advantages in such international displays. Some of the later Exhibitions were little better than huge bazaars or trade shows.

Having regard to these conditions, the Royal Commissioners of 1851, with the Prince of Wales as President, allowed matters to rest awhile, although still feeling under obligation to carry out the grand purposes which gave rise to the first and grandest display in Hyde Park.

It was resolved to open at South Kensington, in 1871, an "International Exhibition of the Fine Arts and of Industry;" to be the first of a series, each with some definite aim, and mainly confined to certain arts or industries, instead of forming a miscellaneous museum of all sorts of objects. As the Queen approved of this proposal, the opening of the Exhibition of 1871 was undertaken by the Prince of Wales on Her Majesty's behalf, and was made the occasion of an imposing State pageant. In the Court Circular of May 2nd, and in the journals of the same date, a full account is given of the ceremonies of the preceding day, with lists of the illustrious and notable persons present, and other details. The Prince made formal proclamation of the opening.

In all his labours in connection with various exhibitions, at home or abroad, the Prince has had most able lieutenants, such as Sir Philip Cunliffe Owen, K.C.B., but every detail of plan and of administration has been brought before his attention, and has received the sanction of his judgment and experience. It is no exaggeration to say that to his presidency was mainly due the success of the British Department of the great Paris Exhibition of 1878. This was testified in the address presented to the Prince by Earl Granville, signed by a thousand Englishmen who had witnessed the events of that memorable season in the Place de Trocadero.

ARTISTS' ORPHAN FUND.

_May 7th, 1871._

For the relief of distressed artists, their widows and orphans, provision is made, as far as funds allow, by the Artists' Benevolent Institution, which was established in 1814. In course of time it was found that the amount available for the support and education of the orphans of artists was very insufficient, and a separate fund was established in 1866, under the auspices of the Council of the Artists' Benevolent Institution. From time to time donations were received, and in 1871 it was resolved to make a more public appeal. The Prince of Wales cheerfully agreed to preside at a dinner in aid of the fund, which took place on the 7th of May, 1871, in the Freemasons' Hall.

The Prince was supported by a large number of artists, and of patrons and lovers of art. The usual loyal toasts were given, and the presence of members of the well-known "artist corps" led the Prince to make special reference to the Volunteers.

In giving "The Army, Navy, Militia, and Volunteers," His Royal Highness said:--

"This is a toast which is never left out at all great public
dinners. By some it has been called a formal toast, but in my
opinion it should never be so styled. It is a toast which we
ought to drink warmly and heartily. Of that which we owe to our
army and navy I shall not speak to you at length, for this is
not a fitting occasion; but I may say that we are bound to those
services by a deep debt of gratitude, and let us hope that we
shall always have reason to be as proud of them as we are at the
present moment. We must, at the same time, never forget that
there is something wanting. Our army is small; smaller than
those of other countries; it ought, therefore to be better in
comparison. As to the navy, though a great many changes have
been made in our ships, though they have been converted from
wooden walls into iron batteries, I think we may confidently
anticipate that the fame which attaches to our old wooden walls
will be transferred to our iron fleet whenever it is called upon
to meet an enemy. The Militia, too, ought never to be omitted
from this toast, for I look upon it as our great army of
reserve, and desire to see it honoured; while as to the
Volunteers, I would remark that I think we may congratulate
ourselves on the circumstance that the movement, which has now
existed for eleven or twelve years, shows no sign that it is
slackening. I have the more confidence in asking you to respond
to this portion of the toast, because I see around me many
members of the Artists' Corps, which has always maintained a
high position in the Volunteer force."

The Prince, in proposing the next toast, "The Artists' Orphan Fund," said:--

"I have no doubt you will drink this toast in bumpers,
particularly as this is the first dinner which has been given in
aid of the Fund. I can assure you it has given me much pleasure
to come here and explain to you some of the chief points
connected with this excellent charity. Being a charity in aid of
orphans it is, you will agree with me, worthy of peculiar
sympathy. It recommends itself still more to our notice when we
reflect that it proposes to help the children of those who have
done so much to elevate and refine art among us, and whose
beautiful pictures have so often delighted us. Many persons may
imagine that it is not difficult to be a painter, but the
distinguished artists whom I see around me will, I am sure,
agree with me that that it is a great mistake. To be a good
painter genius is by no means all that is required. Industry and
perseverance must also be exercised just as much as in the case
of eminent clergymen, lawyers, scientific men, philosophers, or
the members of any other branch of human exertion which we can
name. Again, we must remember that, although a man may have been
a successful painter, although his genius may have been
recognized in other countries besides his own, and although he
may have accumulated money in the course of long, laborious
years, yet, being laid on a bed of sickness, that money may have
dwindled away, and his children may be left entirely destitute.
This fund, then, is destined for the support of the orphans of
such artists and for their education. No one particular school
is to be set apart for education. The guardians of the children
will be allowed to select the schools to which they shall go and
no restrictions of any kind will be imposed upon them with
respect to religion. I may add that the first idea of this fund
came from a gentleman who offered to place a certain number of
candidates in two schools which he himself established, and that
he has since given to the charity the munificent donation of
£900. My only regret is that, while we must all applaud the
munificence of this gentleman, I am forbidden to mention his
name. There is, however, another name with respect to which I
need not be reticent, and which is well known to you all--I mean
that of Sir W. Tite, who has given the large sum of £1000 to the
fund. Now, I feel sure you will follow this good example, that
you will support to the best of your ability this excellent
charity, and that I need not urge upon you to sign freely the
papers which have been placed before you. I may add that I am
authorized by the Council to mention that a sum of £7000 has
already been collected out of the £10,000 which are required, a
result for which they beg to return their grateful thanks. But
though the sum I have just named will enable them to carry out
the immediate object of the fund, neither they nor any one else
will have any objection to your adding considerably to that
amount. I will not detain you longer, but while thanking you for
your attention will again ask you to drink 'Prosperity and
success to this most worthy charity.'"

The Prince of Wales then gave "Prosperity to the Royal Academy,"
stating that "the community at large took the greatest interest
in that body of gentlemen, for to them we owe the elevated and
cultivated taste with regard to painting and sculpture which now
so widely prevailed in this country. The interests of the Royal
Academy and of Art would, he felt sure, not suffer as long as
they were confided to the care of Sir F. Grant, the
distinguished President of that institution."

Sir F. Grant, in returning thanks, said the members of the Royal Academy were very glad to have it in their power to aid so excellent a charity, and that, in addition to the £500 which they had given last year to the orphanage in connection with it, they were ready to give on the present occasion a further donation of £1000. He begged, in conclusion, to propose "Prosperity to the other Art Societies." The toast was responded to by Mr. Clint, President of the Society of British Artists.

The Treasurer read a long list of subscriptions, amounting in all to £12,308, including a hundred guineas from the Royal Chairman.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS.

_May 8th, 1871._

The annual festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls was held at Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen Street, on the 8th of May, 1871, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales presiding. The whole assembly in the hall was Masonic, the ladies being limited to the gallery of the Temple. The Prince wore, besides his Royal and military Orders, the insignia of a Past Grand Master of the English craft, and around him, in full Masonic "clothing," according to their rank in the craft, were many distinguished members.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in proposing "The Queen," said:--

"The first toast which I have to give is the health of the
patroness of our craft--Her Majesty the Queen, who has always
identified herself so far with our Freemasonry as to extend her
hand to all charities."

Sir Patrick Colquhoun, with the Grand Master's gavel, proposed the toast of "The Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family." He referred in feeling and touching terms to the loss lately sustained by the Prince and Princess, the death of an infant son on Good Friday, April 7, and he expressed the deep thankfulness of the brotherhood that the Princess was recovering her health.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in responding for the
toast, which had been received with loud applause, thanked the
brethren, and said "it gave him the greatest pleasure to be
there, surrounded by the brethren of the craft to which he was
proud to belong. He assured them that it was a proud day indeed
to him when he became a Mason, and he should always do his
utmost to be a worthy brother among them. He expressed, too, on
the part of the Princess, his personal thanks to Sir Patrick for
his touching remarks, and his thanks to the brethren for their
sympathy. He was glad to announce that the Princess was restored
to her accustomed health, and in a short time would be among
them. It might be fitting then to announce that the Princess had
consented to be the patroness of the institution."

The toast of "Earl de Grey, the Grand Master," was then proposed by the Royal President, and Lord Clonmell proposed "The Past Grand Master, the Earl of Zetland." "The Deputy-Grand Master's Health" was proposed by Mr. C. Sykes, M.P., who dwelt upon the great zeal and ability the Earl of Carnarvon had shown in following Masonry.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in proposing the toast
of the evening, said, "in general he felt diffidence in asking
for subscriptions for charities over which he sometimes
presided, but he had not such a feeling on that occasion, when
he looked round and saw on all sides the brethren of the craft,
for he knew that one of the main principles inculcated in the
minds of Freemasons was charity. He knew that the brethren
composing the vast assemblage before him had come with one
object, to support this excellent institution. A very full and
able report had been drawn up, and therefore it was not
necessary for him to address them at any length. He might say,
however, that the institution was founded for the clothing,
maintenance, and education of the daughters of decayed
Freemasons, and it provided that the daughters of trustworthy
Freemasons should not be left to the pangs of misery and
ignorance. One important point was that it was supported
entirely by voluntary contributions, and since its foundation in
1788 it had educated, clothed, and maintained nearly 1000 girls.

"It was specially interesting for him to be connected with that
institution, as his grand-uncle, George IV., when Prince of
Wales, was an earnest supporter of it, and was present at its
foundation.

"It had been the great object of the committee to give the girls
a good, sound, simple, and useful education--not what it had
become the fashion to consider education, but an education
without any 'padding.' In these days education was more thought
of than it was fifty years ago, and, indeed, it was the great
topic of the day. But before this time the Freemasons were among
the first to set a good example, and having set this good
example early, it was their duty to keep it up. The committee,
in order to test the standard of education given in those
schools, entered some of the names of pupils for the Cambridge
Local Examinations, and, with very few exceptions, these girls
so entered had passed the examinations with credit to themselves
and to the institution. The institution was flourishing in every
respect. During the past year 100 girls had been received into
the institution, and as many had gone forth ready to take their
place in the every-day life of men and women, well instructed in
all the duties of the positions they would be called upon to
fill. He urged that it had become necessary to build afresh, and
as he had himself found that building could not be carried out
for nothing, the subscriptions of the brethren were looked for
to assist the committee."

The secretary read the list of subscriptions, which included 100 guineas from His Royal Highness the Prince, and 25 guineas from the Princess, and though forty lists were not given in the subscriptions already received amounted to £5000. On a later page will be found the record of another anniversary, when the Prince presided, and when the subscriptions were about £50,000.

The year 1888 is the centenary of the Institution, which flourishes, at St. John's Hill, Battersea Rise. The girls are admitted at eight years of age, and maintained until sixteen. There are nearly 250 in the school. The annual revenue, from all sources, is about £15,500.

EARLSWOOD ASYLUM FESTIVAL.

_May 17th, 1871._

In the summer of 1870 the foundation-stone of a new wing to the splendid edifice of the Earlswood Asylum for Idiots, had been laid by the Prince and Princess of Wales. The Prince further showed his interest in the institution by presiding at the anniversary festival, held at the London Tavern on the 17th of May, 1871. The Asylum, originally established at Highgate in 1847, was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1862. Her Majesty is patroness of the charity.

On the removal of the cloth the Prince gave the toast of "Her Majesty the Queen, as the Patroness of the Institution," which was received with every mark of respect, as was also that of "The Prince and Princess of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family," proposed by the Duke of Wellington.

His Royal Highness, in proposing the toast of "The Army, Navy,
Militia, and Volunteers," expressed a hope that "the great name
which the Army and Navy bore in English history would always
remain unsullied in days to come. We were now at peace, thank
God, but we might never know from one day to another what might
occur, and, therefore, we ought always to be prepared."

Later in the evening, His Royal Highness, in proposing the toast
of the evening: "Prosperity to the Earlswood Idiot Asylum,"
said, "he felt convinced there was no charity which had a
greater demand on the public sympathy and support than it,
appealing as it did on behalf of the idiot classes, afflicted by
the will of Providence, and unable for the most part to help
themselves. The institution was happily in a highly flourishing
condition, to the great praise of those who had all along
interested themselves in its prosperity. In 1853 his lamented
father, who was always ready to assist the afflicted and needy,
laid the foundation-stone of the present institution; in 1866
the Princess of Wales and himself interested themselves in a
bazaar for raising funds for the erection of a new wing to the
building, and in 1869 Her Royal Highness and himself inaugurated
that new wing.