Chapter I: Declare This Dock Now Open, and That Henceforth It Is to Be (4)

After a short address by General Sir Eardley Wilmot, speaking in the name of the Council of the Society of Arts,--

The Prince of Wales rose, and in an excellent impromptu speech
"assured the members of the Council and the boys (addressing the
latter in kindly way as 'you, my young friends'), of the
pleasure it gave the Princess, his two sons, and himself to be
present. Congratulating the schools on their excellent marching,
and on the favourable report just read, His Royal Highness added
that he hoped the boys had been up to the mark in their studies
as well as their drill."

Two boys of each prize school came in succession to the daïs, and received the prize banners from the Prince's hand. The Prince and his sons then joined the Princess in her box, and it was a striking scene when, after some bars of prelude, the words of 'God Bless the Prince of Wales' were taken up by a thousand young and clear voices, the Prince and Princess and the two lads standing in the front of the box while it was sung. The last of the programme was then fulfilled by the bands playing a selection of music.

The sight altogether was most gratifying. Here were 4000 boys, most of them paupers, many of them orphans, receiving an excellent education, a training in physical aptitudes and habits of obedience as well as in mental studies. The Greenwich School is composed of the children of seamen being educated for the sea, but the three thousand and more boys of the other schools must in large part be looked upon as so much material reclaimed to humanity. In fact, these three thousand and more boys may, in the words of a paper put forth by the Society of Arts, "be beheld with confident satisfaction as victims rescued from 'the bad,' and preserved for the good as honest, self-supporting producers, and worthy members of the community."

WEYMOUTH AND THE PORTLAND BREAKWATER.

_August 11th, 1872._

On the 11th of August, 1872, the Prince of Wales went from Osborne in the Royal yacht _Victoria and Albert_, to inaugurate the completed Breakwater and Harbour of Refuge at Portland, and to pay a visit to Weymouth, the favourite resort of the Prince's great-grandfather, George III. A magnificent fleet of ironclads, headed by the _Minotaur_, bearing the flag of Admiral Hornby, and many other vessels, were in attendance for the ceremony, of which fifteen were first-rate ironclad ships of war.

The weather was stormy, and the sea had been too disturbed for the comfort of the Civil Lords of the Admiralty; but the Prince showed no signs of suffering from the rough voyage, and manfully went through the proceedings of the day. The stone being laid, prayers were said by a clergyman, plaster was spread on the surface on which the last of seven million tons of Portland stone was to find a firm resting-place, the usual glass bottle containing newspapers, coins, and a chart of the island and the breakwater was laid in the groove prepared, and, when the Prince himself had spread some mortar, the great block was lowered into its place. His Royal Highness then struck three blows upon it with an ivory mallet, tested it with a silver level, and completed a very short but sufficient ceremony, by saying, "I now declare this stone to be well and truly laid and this great work to be complete." At the concerted signal of a lowered colour, the guns of the fort began to fire a salute, and the spectators raised a cheer. The inscription on the stone read as follows, the concluding quotation having been added, it is stated, by the Prince himself:--

"From this spot, on the 25th of July, 1849, His Royal Highness
Prince Albert, Consort of Queen Victoria, deposited the first
stone of this breakwater. Upon the same spot, on the 10th of
August, 1872, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, laid this last
stone, and declared the work complete."

"'These are imperial works, and worthy Kings.'"

At the end of the ceremony the Royal yacht steamed towards Weymouth, and after a rather uncomfortable passage, through a choppy sea and over the bar, in the Royal barge, the Prince landed at the end of the pier. Here the Mayor and Corporation presented an address, which declared that "His Royal Highness had added one more link to the golden chain of favours already conferred by Royalty on this ancient borough." A luncheon was given by Mr. Hambro, the senior member for Weymouth. The streets were gaily decorated, and the people were loud in their loyal and joyful demonstrations. The Royal yacht returned to Osborne late in the evening.

VISIT TO DERBY.

_December 17th, 1872._

The tidings that the Prince and Princess of Wales were coming to Derby from Chatsworth, where they were on a visit to the Duke of Devonshire, caused great excitement in the district. Trains brought crowds from Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, and Chesterfield, to swell the populace of Derby.

It was on the 17th of December, 1872, not far from the anniversary of the gloomiest time of the illness of the previous year, that the visit to Derby was made. There were several loyal addresses--from civic, municipal, and other bodies, including one from the Freemasons of Derbyshire. The object of the Royal visit was mainly to present the prizes at the Derby Grammar School, one of the most flourishing of provincial middle-class schools. The procession of carriages passed through streets crowded with people, with brilliant escort of troops, and decorations everywhere on the route. On arriving at the school Lord Belper delivered an address referring to the foundation and history of the institution, and the high scholastic standard aimed at. The Head Master, the Rev. W. Clark, having thanked the Prince and the Princess for coming, added that His Royal Highness had kindly said he would write his name in each of the prize-books in remembrance of the occasion:--

His Royal Highness, on rising, said,--"Mr. Clark, Ladies, and
Gentlemen,--I beg you to accept from the Princess, as well as
myself, our cordial thanks for the very kind words that have
been addressed to us. I can assure you that I have come here
with feelings of the greatest pleasure, and we are glad we
accepted the kind invitation of the noble duke to visit
Chatsworth, and that we have had the pleasure and advantage of
visiting the ancient town of Derby. I have had great pleasure in
presiding to-day and distributing the prizes to the successful
competitors of the Derby school. This school, as you know, is
one of the oldest in the kingdom, though I am afraid one of the
poorest endowed. Still it has always borne the highest
reputation, which I feel convinced it will continue to maintain.
To the young men to whom I have had the pleasure of distributing
prizes allow me to offer my most hearty congratulations, and I
trust they may continue to go on as they are doing now. If they
do so they will be successful in whatever profession they enter.
I will not detain you longer, but thank you once more for the
kind reception you have given us this day, and also tender to
the Mayor our cordial thanks for the hearty reception we have
received in our progress through Derby."

It may be added that the invitation to Derby was first suggested by the Trustees of the Grammar School, who in their petition, sent to Chatsworth, represented that this school, reputed to be one of the oldest in the kingdom, was also one of the most poorly endowed. This was an appeal which at once secured the goodwill of the Prince. Nor has he forgotten the school. On the 14th of November, 1888, he went to see "the Prince of Wales's Class Rooms," erected as a memorial of his visit in 1872. In response to a petition presented by the captain of the school, the Prince obtained from the Head Master a promise of making November 14 a perpetual holiday in remembrance of this visit.

RAILWAY BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.

_March 27th, 1873._

On the evening of March 27, 1873, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, who had in the morning visited several artists' studios, and in the afternoon went to the House of Lords, presided at the annual dinner in aid of the Railway Benevolent Institution, at Willis's Rooms. After dinner and grace the Royal Chairman gave the usual first toast, the health of Her Majesty the Queen, Patroness of the Railway Benevolent Institution. The Duke of Buckingham then proposed the health of the Prince and Princess of Wales; and in so doing took occasion to say that it was not the first time His Royal Highness had taken interest in the Institution, and now he had done it the honour to preside at its annual festival. The toast being duly welcomed, the Prince said:--

"My Lords and Gentlemen,--Although it is very unusual on a
public occasion of this kind for the health of the Chairman to
be given so early in the evening, yet mine has been proposed so
kindly by the noble Duke and so well received, and has,
moreover, been so kindly coupled with that of the Princess and
the rest of my family, that I think it my duty to rise at once
and respond to the toast. The noble Duke has been kind enough to
say that my family and myself do what we can for the support of
the great charitable Institutions of the country. I am very much
flattered by those remarks. I can only assure you--and I think I
may speak for the other members of my family--that it is one of
our chief objects to come forward as often as we possibly can in
support of Institutions which are so beneficial and so necessary
to the well-being of the country, and which are always so
munificently supported by all classes of the community. I thank
you once more for the honour you have done me, and assure you
that it is a great pleasure and gratification to me to take the
chair here this evening."

Other toasts being proposed and acknowledged, the Prince rose and said:--

"My Lords and Gentlemen,--The toast I have now the honour to
propose is a bumper toast, and I know it will be received as
such. It is that of 'Prosperity to the Railway Benevolent
Institution and Board of Management.' When I look around me
this evening and see how numerous is the assemblage before me, I
feel convinced that you have come here intending to do honour to
that toast, and to do your utmost in every way to support the
Institution which to-day has reached its fifteenth anniversary.
It is difficult for me, especially before you, who are so well
acquainted with the merits of the Institution, to say anything
new concerning it. Still I think it my duty, as your chairman,
to mention a few facts by way of an appeal to your
consideration.

"The objects of the Railway Benevolent Institution may be
briefly mentioned under six heads. First, it has for its object
the granting of annuities of from £10 to £25 to the distressed
railway officers and servants incapacitated through age,
sickness, or accident; second, to grant small pensions to
distressed widows; third, to educate and maintain orphan
children; fourth, to grant temporary relief until permanent
relief can be afforded; fifth, to induce railway officers and
servants to insure their lives by dividing the payment of the
premium into small periodical sums, and by granting a
reversionary bonus of 10 per cent. out of the funds of the
institution; sixth and lastly, to grant small sums not exceeding
£10 to the families of those who are injured or killed in the
performance of their duties.

"When I look at the list before me I must say it is indeed a sad
one; but at the same time it must be a gratification to us, who
wish well to the Institution, to see that from the 16th of
November, 1871, to the 16th of November last as many as 1067
cases were relieved out of the casualty fund. I may also mention
that the officers of the railway companies subscribe half a
guinea and the servants 8_s._ a year. In fact, I may say that
the railway companies give this Institution in every way their
official support, and they may indeed well do so, because there
is no institution which more heartily deserves our support than
this.

"There is, however, one curious fact which I should like to
mention. I believe I am correct in saying that the number of
officers and servants employed on railways in the United Kingdom
amounts to something like 300,000, but only 35,000 of them are
subscribers; and in Ireland there is not a single subscriber. I
am sorry to have to make this fact known; but all the more
reason is there that we this evening should be liberal with our
purses, as I am sure we shall all be when we consider how often
we travel by railway. Not a day goes by but most of you travel
once--probably twice. In stepping into a railway carriage, do
you not think of the risks you may run? An accident may happen
to anybody, though every possible security and guarantee may be
given that no accident shall occur.

"Well, if we as passengers run risks, how much more so the
officers and servants of the companies; and that not every day,
but every hour and minute of their lives? We may be sure it is
the earnest desire of the managers and directors--many of whom
are here this evening--to do all in their power to guarantee the
safety of the passengers and of those to whom are entrusted the
care and management of the trains. I feel sure I cannot impress
on them too strongly the necessity for their still using every
effort in their power to prevent accidents, which are,
unfortunately, too frequent. It is not for me in the presence of
so many great railway authorities to say what plan may be best
devised to lessen accidents--whether it may be that there are
too many railways, whether the immense network which exists in
this country comes too closely together at different stations,
or the trains follow each other at intervals too short. These
are questions with which I do not feel myself competent to deal;
but at the same time I feel that the question of railways, and
especially the frequency of accidents, are brought more
distinctly under our notice when we consider the claims of the
Institution we are brought together this evening to promote.
This is a theme about which one might talk for a long time; and
I know, on occasions of this kind, it would be out of place on
my part to give you a long oration; yet, though I but feebly
express what others would much better have laid before you, I
hope you will believe that nobody feels more deeply for this
Institution than I do, that nobody advocates its claims more
ardently than I, and nobody will continue to take a greater
interest in everything connected with our great railways.

"To show you that I am not using mere stereotyped phrases, I may
tell you that no week elapses without my travelling once or
twice at least by train. I have therefore the opportunity of
seeing, as well as anybody can see, how admirably our railway
system is worked; not only the managers and directors, but the
officers and servants have my warmest admiration for doing their
utmost in the execution of their duty, and also for their
unvarying courtesy and attention. I will now ask you once more,
in conclusion, to open your purses as freely as you can in
support of the Railway Benevolent Institution."

The Secretary afterwards announced subscriptions to the handsome amount of £5000, which included a second donation by His Royal Highness of 100 guineas.

UNVEILING THE ALBERT STATUE ON HOLBORN VIADUCT.

_January 9th, 1874._

On the 9th of January, 1874, the Prince of Wales visited the City for unveiling the equestrian statue erected at the western entrance of the Holborn Viaduct, in memory of the late Prince Consort. At the site an address was read, containing a description of the memorial, and an account of its origin. The ceremony of unveiling over, the Prince was driven in the state carriage of the Lord Mayor to the Guildhall, where between 700 and 800 guests, including many distinguished persons, were invited to luncheon. After the first loyal toast, "The Queen," had been received with all honours, the Lord Mayor said: "I now raise my glass to the memory of the late Prince Consort. 'He being dead yet speaketh.'" The words were spoken with emotion, and the company rising in a body, drank the toast in silence and with every mark of respect.

The health of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the other members of the Royal Family--including the Duke of Cambridge, who was present--having been given, the Prince responded.

He expressed his grateful sense of the cordiality of his reception, and the satisfaction he had in coming for such a purpose as the inauguration and unveiling of a statue to his lamented father. He also acknowledged the debt of thanks to the donor of the statue, whose name he knew, but who wished it not to be made public. "To the Corporation of London I have to express my thanks for having contributed a part of the statue--namely, the pedestal; and I am sure that the work which we have inaugurated to-day will long be an ornament to the City of London."

THE BRITISH ORPHAN ASYLUM FESTIVAL.

_March 25th, 1874._

The number of institutions for helping fatherless and orphan children is considerable, but the purpose of the British Orphan Asylum, at Slough, is distinct from most charities of the class. The orphan children here admitted are the sons and daughters of persons once in prosperous circumstances, but who have been unable to make provision for their families. Clergymen, naval and military officers, members of the legal and medical profession, are often in this position. Commercial men are also liable to sudden misfortune, and children are afterwards left in poverty, who were once accustomed to ease and prosperity. The frequency of such cases led to the establishment, in 1827, of a special Asylum for the orphans of such persons. The honorary secretary at present is the Rev. Canon James Fleming, whose name is alone sufficient guarantee for the excellent object and good management of the Asylum.

At the anniversary festival, in 1874, held at Willis's Rooms, on March 25th, the Prince of Wales presided. After the toast of "The Queen," proposed by the Chairman, the Marquis of Hertford gave the health of "The Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family," among whom was now included the Duchess of Edinburgh. The Marquis said: "It gives us all the greatest pleasure to see His Royal Highness again among us as one of the Royal Family taking part in the sacred cause of charity. We who belong to the British Orphan Asylum have the greatest reason to be pleased and thankful to His Royal Highness for having come among us this evening."

Other toasts having been disposed of, the Prince rose and said:--

"It is now my duty, as your Chairman, to call upon you to drink
the toast of 'Prosperity to the British Orphan Asylum.' I am
satisfied you will do so most heartily, when I see around me so
numerous an assembly prepared to do honour to the occasion, and
to assist us in our work. I feel some diffidence in proposing
this toast in the presence of so many who know far better than I
do the excellence of this institution, and understand its
working. At the same time it gives me the greatest pleasure to
propose the toast, and to be here this evening advocating so
excellent a cause. It is always a pleasure to advocate the cause
of charity, and there is no other appeal that comes so home to
the hearts of all classes of the community.

"I have a special interest in this Asylum. It is now nearly
eleven years since the Princess and myself visited and
inaugurated the present building near Slough; and when I pass by
Slough, as I frequently have to do in the course of the year, it
always gives me pleasure to look at that building, and to think
how many children are here provided for and educated. It is now
very nearly half a century since this institution was founded,
and it is different from all others in this respect, that
children of parents who were once in prosperous circumstances
are there educated. In it there are children of officers of the
Army, of the legal, medical, and naval professions, and the
proof of its usefulness is that after they have grown up they
frequently write letters to the managers of the Asylum
expressing their gratitude for the excellence of the practical
education they have received, and which has been so profitable
to them in their different avocations.

"To show how prosperous this Asylum is, I may state that in
January last it contained within four of 200 children. You will
perhaps ask, if this institution is in so prosperous a
condition, why have this dinner? Why call so many people
together? And why am I to ask you, in as civil a manner as I
possibly can, to subscribe towards its support? My answer is,
that the net income of the Asylum is £3000 a year, but that the
increase in prices of all the necessaries of life is so
enormous, that to meet the deficiency that exists as much as
£1500 has been sold out of their funds; and I feel that in order
to make that deficiency good, I shall not call upon you this
evening in vain. There are points which I might bring before
your notice, but I think that on this occasion brevity is best,
for you all know what a good institution it is, and I am sure
you will drink with me 'Prosperity to the Institution,' and try
to make it still more prosperous for the future. I beg to couple
with the toast the health of the treasurer, the directors, the
hon. secretaries, and medical officers of the institution."

The subscriptions announced during the evening amounted to upwards of £2400.

BANQUET TO SIR GARNET WOLSELEY.

_March 31st, 1874._

The Lord Mayor of London, as chief magistrate of the City, has always been ready to honour men distinguished for naval and military service rendered to the country. A grand State Banquet was given on the 31st of March, 1874, to Lord Wolseley, then Major-General Sir Garnet Wolseley, on his return to England after the triumphant Ashantee Expedition. The dinner was served in the Egyptian Hall at the Mansion House. Covers were laid for 260 guests, among whom were His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Prince Arthur, and the Duke of Cambridge. All the officers of the Staff, and others who had taken part in the Expedition, with many eminent persons in civic or official life, were present.

The Lord Mayor, having given the usual loyal toasts, the Prince of Wales rose to respond to that of the Royal Family, saying:--

"My Lord Mayor, your Royal Highness, my Lords, Ladies, and
Gentlemen,--I beg to tender you my very warmest thanks for the
kind way in which the Lord Mayor proposed this toast, and for
the cordial manner in which the company now assembled have
received it. This is not the first time I have had the honour of
an invitation to be present at the Mansion House and receive the
hospitality of the Lord Mayor of the City of London. But I can
assure him that however much pleased I may have been to be
present on former occasions, on no occasion did it afford me
greater pleasure to be here than on this evening, when he has
given a banquet to welcome back those gallant officers who have
so lately returned from the Gold Coast to England. The gallant
officers and men of that Expedition had the opportunity
yesterday of seeing the Queen, and the Queen had the opportunity
of seeing them, and of expressing her approval of everything
that has occurred. Yesterday afternoon, also, both Houses of
Parliament unanimously accorded a vote of thanks for the manner
in which that difficult though short campaign was conducted.
This evening, again, the Lord Mayor takes the opportunity of
welcoming those gentlemen who are here as the representatives of
the troops that formed that Expedition, in the hospitable manner
which is so well known in this Hall. On a question of this kind
it would be unbecoming in me and out of place to make any
remarks with regard to that Expedition which has been so
successfully closed. But I cannot sit down without taking the
opportunity of saying how much I rejoice--if I may say so as a
soldier and a comrade of those I see around me--that this
Expedition has ended in so successful a manner. English officers
and English troops have kept up their reputation. They have not
only displayed great courage--that they have done on all
occasions--but they displayed extraordinary endurance, owing to
the fearful climate and country they had to contend with. I am
glad to have the opportunity of welcoming home the gallant
General on my right, and congratulating him on the great success
of his expedition. Once more I thank you for the honour you have
done me in drinking my health, and on the part of the members of
my family, for the kind way in which you have spoken of them."

In responding to the toast of "The Army and Navy," the Duke of Cambridge referred to the review of the troops of the Expedition on the previous day, at Windsor, before the Queen. "The distinguished officer who conducted this war knew the task he undertook, and how to undertake it; and he was well backed by the officers and men placed at his disposal." The speech of Sir Garnet Wolseley was admirable in tone and feeling, and with clear soldier-like statement of the chief events and results of the Expedition. He thus concluded: "The military world has learnt many military lessons in recent years, but the most valuable to us as a nation that has been taught us by the Abyssinian and Ashantee Wars is that when you have to appoint an English General to command any military undertaking it is necessary to trust him; to supply him with all he asks for; and, above all things, to avoid the error of severing the military command from the diplomacy necessarily connected with the operations. I have no hesitation in saying that had my operations been encumbered by the presence with me of a Civil Governor, or of an Ambassador authorised to give me orders, I do not think I should ever have reached Coomassie. Upon my arrival at Cape Coast Castle, at the beginning of last October, I found it in a state of siege. A large Ashantee army threatened both it and Elmina; a panic and demoralisation had seized upon all classes; the people from the surrounding districts had flooded into the towns on the Coast, where they soon suffered from disease, owing to their crowded condition; trade had almost ceased altogether, and a large proportion of the people depended upon the Government for their support. When I left Cape Coast Castle, at the beginning of this month, I left there a prosperous population, enjoying the blessings of peace and the mercantile advantages attendant thereon. I found upon my arrival on the Coast the _prestige_ of England at its lowest ebb, but before I departed, I left our military fame firmly established on a secure base, consequent on the victories so gallantly won by the troops under my command. My Lord Mayor, I have to thank you most sincerely for the manner in which you have alluded to me personally and to my military services, and I have to thank you, in the name of all ranks composing the expeditionary force, for the warm reception and the noble hospitality you have accorded to us this evening."

ROYAL MEDICAL BENEVOLENT COLLEGE.

_April 22nd, 1874._

The Royal Medical Benevolent College, at Epsom, was founded in 1851, for the education of sons of medical men. There are at present about two hundred boys, fifty of whom, on the foundation, are educated, boarded, and entirely maintained at the expense of the institution. The education is of the highest class, and the charge, to those not on the foundation, is fifty guineas, if the pupils are above fourteen, with slight reduction for those under that age. There is accommodation in the College for twenty-four pensioners, who have comfortable quarters, and a pension of twenty guineas a year. There are also twenty-six non-resident pensioners, with the same annuity of twenty guineas.

In support of the funds of the College, the eighteenth festival, at Willis's Rooms, was presided over by the Prince of Wales, supported by the Duke of Teck, Earl Granville, as President of the College, and a large number of the leading men of the profession. The usual loyal and patriotic toasts having been given, the Royal Chairman gave the toast of the evening, saying:--

"My Lords and Gentlemen,--I feel both some difficulty and some
diffidence in proposing the toast of 'Success to the Royal
Medical College,' because, in the first place, I wish the task
had fallen into abler hands than mine, and, in the second place,
many of you must in any event know more upon the subject than I
do. It may not be out of place, however, on this occasion for me
to give you a few statistics connected with the Royal Medical
College. No doubt many of you will be well up in the subject,
but others will be reminded or informed. This College was
founded by Mr. Propert, a medical gentleman of high eminence;
and its object is, in the first place, to assist aged medical
men and the widows of qualified practitioners, and, in the next
place, to educate the children of such persons. In 1853 the
first stone was laid at Epsom; in 1855 the institution was
opened by my lamented father, who took the deepest interest in
its welfare; and I had the opportunity, as a boy, of
accompanying him on that occasion. I have therefore been
acquainted with the institution, which we have come here to do
honour to, for nineteen years. There were then five pensioners'
houses and a school for 150 boys. There are now, including the
three about to be elected, fifty pensioners, each of whom
receives £21 a year, and twenty-four of whom are also resident
in the College. The school contains 200 resident pupils, the
sons of medical men, fifty of whom, being foundation scholars,
are educated, boarded, clothed, and maintained at the expense of
the institution, while the remainder are charged from £48 to £51
a year.

"A gentleman who is present (Sir Erasmus Wilson) has just built
a house to hold forty more boys. I offer him our sincere thanks
for the great benefit he has conferred upon the institution. The
school has always been full, but we are anxious to increase its
funds, and, as each foundationer costs £60 a year, you will see
that we want money.

"It will not be out of place for me to remind you what a
difficult profession is that of medicine--what uphill work it is
to some, unlike those whom I see around. Some who would have
attained high positions may be struck down by illness or by some
great sorrow, and for them provision should be made. There is
also the case of the eminent man making a large income, but cut
off suddenly, before he has made provision for a wife and family
now left destitute, though the husband and father may have led a
life of usefulness in his profession. Our object is not to make
long speeches, nor, I hope, to bore any of those who are
assembled here, but you may be assured that, however imperfectly
I may have spoken, what I have said I mean most heartily, and
when I call upon you this evening to give your support--your
liberal support--to this charity I feel sure I shall not call in
vain. I now propose 'Success to the Royal Medical Benevolent
College.'"

The subscriptions and donations announced by the secretary amounted to £1780, the list being headed by the Prince of Wales with 100 guineas.

Sir James Paget, in proposing the health of the president, officers, and members of the Council of the College, said that they were to be congratulated on the prospects of the institution, and on their having "induced His Royal Highness to leave Sandringham at this season, to add grace and dignity to the celebration of the twenty-first year of the College."

The Prince of Wales, it may be added, besides his kindly interest in all charitable institutions, has uniformly shown courtesy and respect to the medical profession, members of which he has from early life honoured with his personal friendship.

AT THE MIDDLE AND THE INNER TEMPLE.

_June 11th, 1874._

On the opening of the new Library in 1862, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales was made a Bencher of the Middle Temple. On the 11th of June, 1874, the Treasurer and Benchers of the Middle Temple entertained the members of the Inn, and a large number of distinguished guests, at dinner, according to ancient custom, on "the great grand day" of Trinity Term. The Prince of Wales, being a Bencher, was present not as a guest, but as one of the hosts, in the grand old historical Hall. This Hall, the erection of which commenced in 1562, was completed in 1572, and is one of the most famous relics of old London. This was the second time of the Prince of Wales visiting it. On three prior occasions, at least, it has been visited by Royalty--namely, by Queen Henrietta, the consort of Charles I., Peter the Great of Russia, and William III. There is also a tradition of the Inn that Queen Elizabeth was present at a rehearsal there of the _Midsummer Night's Dream_, in which Shakespeare himself took part, and that in the course of the revel Her Majesty danced with her Chancellor, Sir Christopher Hatton. The splendid oak screen and music gallery at the eastern end were erected in 1572. The Hall is graced by one of the three genuine paintings by Vandyck of Charles I.--the other two being at Windsor and Warwick Castles--and by portraits of Charles II., James II., William III., Queen Anne, and George III. A bust of the Prince of Wales is also conspicuous, and a portrait of His Royal Highness, by Mr. Watts R.A., has since been added.

The Treasurer, Mr. Runyon, Q.C., presided at the dinner, when no less than 430 members of the Inn, Benchers, Barristers, or Students were present, and many illustrious guests. On the right of the chair was the Master of the Temple (the Rev. Dr. Vaughan), and next to him the Archbishop of Canterbury; on the left the Prince of Wales, and next to him the Lord Chief Justice. The Prince wore the silk gown of a Queen's Counsel, and the riband of the Garter. On his health being proposed, after that of the Queen, it was to give "respectful and hearty welcome to Master His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales."

The Prince on rising to respond was loudly cheered, and said:--

"Master Treasurer, my Lords, and Gentlemen,--I beg to tender to
you and to my brother Benchers my sincere thanks for the kind,
hearty, and cordial manner in which you have received this
toast. I cannot feel that I am quite a stranger among you,
although it is now nearly thirteen years since I had the honour
of being enrolled as a member of this Inn. My relations with you
are, unfortunately, of an almost entirely honorary character,
but I can assure you that I consider it a very high honour to be
connected with this Inn. It is, I am sure, a good thing for the
profession at large and for the public in general that I have
never been called to the Bar, for I must say that I could never
have been a brilliant ornament of it. I can assure you that I
esteem most highly the honour of dining with you and my brother
Benchers this evening, and with those distinguished men whom I
see around me right and left. I entirely agree with every word
that has fallen from the lips of our Master Treasurer, and I
sincerely hope that this gathering may tend to much good and to
bring forward those important results in legal education which
you, Sir, have advocated so admirably. I thank you for the kind
way in which you have received me, and I can only assure you
that it has afforded me the greatest pleasure and satisfaction
to meet you here this evening in this ancient Hall, where, I am
told, Queen Elizabeth once danced with Chancellor Hatton. I am
afraid that now-a-days the duties of the Chancellor are more
arduous than they were then, and that they do not allow him much
time to acquire the art of dancing. I cannot help thus reminding
you of one of the great historical events which this Hall has
witnessed, and I thank you once more for the great honour you
have done me in proposing my health and for the cordial
reception you have given me."

"The Queen" and "The Prince of Wales" were the only two toasts given at the banquet.

The Treasurer and Benchers of the Inner Temple, on the 18th of May, 1870, had entertained with much splendour His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, His Royal Highness the Prince Christian, the Lord Chancellor, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Lord Chief Justice of England, the Judges in Equity and at Common Law, the Queen's Counsel, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and a very distinguished company, to celebrate the inauguration of the new Hall, which had been formally opened by Her Royal Highness the Princess Louise a few days before.

The two Royal visitors sat at the right and left hand of the Treasurer, Mr. Percival Pickering. Grace was said by the Master of the Temple, Dr. Vaughan. After due justice had been done to the dinner, the Treasurer humorously described some of the strange scenes which had been enacted in the old Hall, which had been removed to make room for the present magnificent structure. He then proposed "The Health of the Queen," which was received with loyal enthusiasm. That of "The Prince of Wales and the other members of the Royal Family" was felicitously acknowledged by the Prince of Wales. The Archbishop of York returned thanks for the Church, Sir William Codrington for the Army, and the Colonel of the "Devil's Own" for the Volunteers. Mr. Gladstone proposed "The Health of the Treasurer," whose speeches throughout the evening had been seasoned with an amount of humour which rescued even those proposing the conventional toasts from the imputation of being commonplace. "The Health of the Architect," Mr. Smirke, concluded the proceedings; and the principal portion of the company then adjourned to the drawing-room, where not only was coffee served, but--strange novelty in such an assemblage--cigars were introduced--an innovation which did not seem unwelcome.

NEW GUILDHALL AND LAW COURTS, PLYMOUTH.

_August 13th, 1874._

The new Guildhall, Municipal Offices, and Law Courts at Plymouth were opened by the Prince of Wales, on the 13th of August, 1874. On landing at the Royal Victualling Yard, the Prince proceeded in a State carriage for Plymouth. At the entrance to the borough he was received by the Mayor and Corporation; the procession proceeding through dense crowds to the Guildhall square, where the Prince was formally received as Lord High Steward of the Borough, and presented with his rod of office. An address having been read by the Recorder, the Prince made the following reply:--

"Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen,--I rejoice at again being able to
renew my acquaintance with your ancient borough, and I return
you my grateful thanks for the expressions of goodwill which you
have paid me. The sentiments of loyalty conveyed in your
address are most gratifying proofs of the feelings which animate
the inhabitants of Plymouth towards Her Majesty the Queen and
the members of the Royal family. I have frequently visited your
borough, but never on so important an occasion as the present,
when a work of no ordinary magnitude has been completed. As High
Steward of the Borough, I cannot but take an especial interest
in all that relates to its welfare or adds to its embellishment,
and it gave me peculiar pleasure to accede to the request that
was made to me that I should open this magnificent building. In
conclusion, let me congratulate most heartily all those who have
been concerned in the undertaking on the success which has
attended their labours, and, connected as I am with your town, I
feel proud to think it has been the result of local genius,
perseverance, and energy."

An elegant silver key was then presented by the Mayor with which the Prince opened the new Guildhall. A banquet followed, at which, in response to the toast of the Prince and Princess of Wales, His Royal Highness spoke as follows:--

"Mr. Mayor, my Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen,--I beg to return
you, Mr. Mayor, my most cordial thanks for the manner in which
you have been kind enough to propose my health, and to you,
ladies and gentlemen, for the kind way in which you have been
pleased to receive it. This is by no means my first visit to
your ancient town. I have on frequent occasions spent some very
agreeable days here; but among all the different visits that I
have paid none will have been more interesting to me than the
present one, nor more vividly impressed on my memory. I assure
the Mayor and citizens of this town that great pleasure and
gratification was afforded me in opening this magnificent hall,
all the more so as my name is connected with your town as your
High Steward. I esteem it a great honour to have that title,
though the duties are certainly very slight; and if those duties
consist only in coming here and being so kindly and cordially
received by you all, I think I have every reason to congratulate
myself. I congratulate those gentlemen who have built this hall,
and who, I think, have every reason to feel satisfaction with
its appearance and its prospects of future success. To you, Mr.
Mayor, who have taken such pains during the last five years, as
Chairman of the Guildhall Committee, it must be very
gratifying; and allow me also to have the pleasure of offering
my sincere congratulations to the Mayor of Devonport, as one of
the architects of this Guildhall. I again beg to thank you for
the kind reception which you have given me to-day, and, in
conclusion, I beg also to thank you, Mr. Mayor, for the kind way
in which you have proposed the Princess of Wales's health, and
to assure you how deeply she regrets that she was unable to
accompany me on the present occasion. She is now on her way to
Scotland to meet her father, the King of Denmark, who is
returning that way from his visit to Iceland."

Afterwards the Prince proposed the health of the Mayor, thanking him for his reception, congratulating him upon the good order maintained in the streets, and requesting him to convey to the citizens his sense of the pleasure and gratification afforded him by the artistic decorations of the town.

VISIT TO BIRMINGHAM IN 1874.

_November 3rd, 1874._

The Prince and Princess of Wales paid their first visit to Birmingham on the 3rd of November, 1874. When the Mayor and Corporation of the midland capital heard of the intended visit, they resolved to give their Royal Highnesses a right loyal and hearty reception. Those who remember, or have read of the early visits of the Queen and of the Prince Consort to the town, will not be surprised at the enthusiasm with which the Prince and Princess of Wales were welcomed on this occasion. Prince Albert came to Birmingham for the first time in 1844. He was a guest of Sir Robert Peel at Tamworth, and expressed a wish, as he was so near, to see the place so famous in various arts and industries. But the town was at that time as famous for its political independence, to use the mildest term. In fact it was regarded as the centre and seat of democratic radicalism, and the turbulence of Chartist times was yet fresh in remembrance. Fears were entertained that Prince Albert might have a cool if not hostile reception. The result proved how groundless were these suspicions. The young Prince was welcomed with the utmost enthusiasm, not only as the husband of the Queen, but on account of his own moral and intellectual excellence. He was there again in 1849, to inspect the exhibition of arts and manufactures held in Bingley Hall; and a third time in 1855 to lay the foundation stone of the Midland Institute. In 1858 the Queen herself came to open the public Park and Hall at Aston. Nor was this the only visit. Few places in her dominions have been more favoured, and nowhere has there been shown more devoted loyalty.

The advanced radicalism of Birmingham was not less marked at the time of the Prince of Wales's visit, and the Mayor of that year, Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, had the reputation of holding not merely democratic but republican views. All this made the more marked the cordial reception of the Royal visitors, both by the authorities of the town, and by the masses of the people. The words of the _Times_ of November 4th, in its record of the visit are worthy of being recalled, especially in what it said of the Mayor: "Whatever Mr. Chamberlain's views may be, his speeches of yesterday appear to us to have been admirably worthy of the occasion, and to have done the highest credit to himself. We have heard and chronicled a great many Mayors' speeches, but we do not know that we ever heard or chronicled speeches made before Royal personages by Mayors, whether they were Tories, or Whigs, or Liberals, or Radicals, which were couched in such a tone at once of courteous homage, manly independence, and gentlemanly feeling, which were so perfectly becoming and so much the right thing in every way as those of Mr. Chamberlain."

To the address of the Corporation, read in the Town Hall, by the Recorder, the Prince made the following reply:--

"Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen,--In the name of the Princess of Wales
and in my own, I thank you for your address and for the kind
terms in which you refer to our visit to your town. It has long
been our wish to come to Birmingham, a city so celebrated not
only in England, but throughout the world, as one of the chief
centres of our manufacturing energy. It will be, I am persuaded,
a source of satisfaction to the Queen to hear that the loyal
inhabitants of this borough still retain so lively a
recollection of the visits which with my lamented father she
paid to Birmingham. Since that time the progress which has been
made in the varied industries of this town has been most
remarkable, and I trust that the condition of its working
population, on whose exertions its prosperity so much depends,
has improved in a still greater degree. In conclusion,
gentlemen, I have only to express our earnest wish that
Birmingham may long continue to enjoy that pre-eminence which it
has so justly earned."

At the luncheon subsequently given, the Mayor proposed the health of the Queen, as "having established claims to the admiration of Her people by the loyal fulfilment of the responsible duties of her high station, and at the same time the nobility of her domestic life has endeared her to the nation. The care and solicitude she has manifested in the happiness of her subjects causes her name to be honoured at all times, and among all classes and ranks of society."

In proposing the health of the Royal guest, the Mayor said, "This town has been long distinguished, not without cause, for the independence of its citizens and the freedom and outspokenness in which all opinions are discussed, and this fact gives value to the welcome which has been offered, and stamps the sincerity of the wishes which are everywhere expressed for the continued health of their Royal Highnesses."

The replies of the Prince were confined to a few brief but appropriate sentences, and after proposing the health of the Mayor, the Royal party proceeded to visit some of the most famous manufactories of the district. The following letter was received next day by the Mayor, from the Secretary of the Prince of Wales, Sir Francis Knollys, K.C.M.G.:--

"Packington Hall, Coventry, November 4, 1874.

"Sir,--I have received the commands of the Prince and Princess of Wales to make known through you to the inhabitants of the borough of Birmingham the satisfaction they derived from their visit to that town yesterday. They can never forget the reception they met with nor the welcome given to them by all classes of the community. Their Royal Highnesses have also to thank not only the authorities who made such excellent arrangements, but likewise the people themselves, without whose cordial co-operation the good order which was preserved throughout the day in so wonderful a manner could hardly have been maintained. The opportunity which was afforded them of visiting some of the manufactures of your great town gave their Royal Highnesses sincere pleasure, and it was matter of regret to them that the time at their disposal did not allow them to make a closer inspection of works of so much interest. I may further congratulate you and the other members of the reception committee on the happy result of your labours. Nothing could have been more successful, and their Royal Highnesses will ever entertain most agreeable recollections of their visit to Birmingham. I am desired, in conclusion, to state that the Prince of Wales, being anxious to contribute £100 in aid of the funds of one of the charitable institutions of your town, requests that you will have the goodness to acquaint him with the name of the institution which you may consider to be the most deserving, and to be at the same time the most in want of support.--I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,

"FRANCIS KNOLLYS.

"To the Mayor of Birmingham."

THE ROYAL CAMBRIDGE ASYLUM.

_March 13th, 1875._

At the seventh triennial festival of this Institution the Prince of Wales presided. The Duke of Cambridge, Prince Christian, Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar, and the Duke of Teck were also present. The company included the Lord Mayor, the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex, and a large number of distinguished officers of nearly all ranks in the Army.

After the toast of "The Queen," proposed by the Royal chairman, the Lord Mayor, in giving the next toast, spoke of "the pride with which the nation at large regarded the Royal Family, not only on account of the admirable way in which they performed the important duties connected with their high position, but also because of their readiness on all occasions to promote and aid the various charitable institutions of the country, and to extend their sympathy to all who were in distress, not simply in this great metropolis, but in all parts of the kingdom."

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

"I am sure I have every reason to be grateful to the Lord Mayor
for the very kind manner in which he has proposed my health and
that of the Princess of Wales and the other members of the Royal
Family, and to the company here assembled for the very kind
manner in which they have received the toast. Nothing is more
disagreeable, I think, than to have at an early stage of the
evening to rise to return thanks for one's own health; but, at
the same time, I should be very ungrateful to you if I were not
to thank you for the cordial manner in which you acceded to the
request of the Lord Mayor. I can assure him--and I believe I can
speak also for the rest of the Royal Family--that it is always
our earnest endeavour to do our duty, and to assist in all good
and charitable objects, which in this country are so numerous
and so necessary. It will be my duty to address you again, so I
will now only thank you once more for the kind manner in which
you have received this toast."

The Prince of Wales, after a brief interval, again rose and said:--