Chapter I: Declare This Dock Now Open, and That Henceforth It Is to Be (5)

"The toast I have now to offer to you is also one of those which
are always given, and which are always heartily received at
gatherings like the present. It is that of 'The Army and the
Navy.' I find some difficulty on this occasion in proposing that
toast, because when I look around me and see the
Commander-in-Chief, the greater portion of the Head Quarters'
Staff, and so many distinguished generals and officers, I feel
it would be very presumptuous on my part were I to dilate on the
subject. I think Englishmen have every reason to be proud of
possessing such an Army and Navy as ours. Of course we don't
pretend that they are perfection, but I am sure that every
endeavour is used year after year to make our land and sea
forces as efficient as possible for our defence and for the
maintenance of peace both in this country and in our vast
possessions abroad. In connection with the Army, it gives me the
greatest pleasure to propose the health of my illustrious
relative, the Commander-in-Chief. It would ill become me to make
those remarks in his presence which it would afford me sincere
satisfaction to offer were he absent; but I am sure that you, as
brother officers, know the great interest the Commander-in-Chief
takes in the Army, and I know you will drink his health most
cordially on this occasion. I am not able to couple any name
with the Navy, for the very sufficient reason that there is no
naval officer present to respond to it. I regret that our
gallant sea forces are not represented, but the toast will not
on that account, I am sure, be less cordially received."

The Duke of Cambridge, who was loudly cheered, said: "I personally am much gratified by the kind reception which has been given to my name in conjunction with this toast. His Royal Highness, with a modesty which is delightful in one in his position, has expressed diffidence in proposing it; but there is no ground for such diffidence on his part, for there is no officer in the Army that I know of who takes a more lively interest in the efficiency of the service, even in its every detail, or who, whenever the opportunity offers, shows a greater aptitude than does His Royal Highness. He has proved a most worthy spokesman for the Army on this and on many other occasions, and I am sure officers of the Army are always flattered and gratified when His Royal Highness has the opportunity of speaking of them as he has done this evening. I feel particular interest in being present here, and I beg to express to His Royal Highness, who has many and constant duties to attend to, my thanks and those of my mother, who is, unfortunately, in a very suffering state, for having, on the mere expression of a wish on her part, at once consented to preside on this occasion. I beg also to thank you for the compliment which you have paid me and my family by your attendance, for I cannot forget that this institution was originally founded in memory of my father, who had many opportunities of showing the deep interest he took in the charitable institutions of the country. On that account many of his friends were anxious that some testimonial should be established to his memory, and instead of a statue I am happy to think, as I am sure he would have been glad to know, that it took the form of the useful and necessary institution we have met here to assist. But for its aid the recipients of its benefits would have to drag out a miserable existence either in the workhouse or under even still worse circumstances. We must all feel gratified that these old women are, thanks to the benevolence of yourselves and the public, enabled to pass their last days in the comparative comfort that they find in the Asylum at Kingston. As head of the Army, I may say that a higher compliment could not possibly have been paid to it than to establish an institution such as this, and I am gratified to think that the support it has received leads us to the hope that it is now established on a solid and valuable foundation. I beg again to thank you, in the name of the Army, and to say that the service feels the deepest interest in the prosperity of the Asylum."

The Prince of Wales next rose and said;--

"It is now my pleasing duty to bring before you the toast of the
evening, 'Prosperity to the Royal Cambridge Asylum for Soldiers'
Widows.' When I see how I am surrounded and how large a
gathering is present, I feel sure I shall not call on you in
vain in the interest of those whom we are concerned in
benefiting on this occasion. As my illustrious relative has
mentioned to you, this institution was established as a memorial
to his illustrious father, the late Duke of Cambridge. The
object was to provide a home for the widows of privates and
non-commissioned officers of the Army. No such institution
previously existed, and it is still the only one of its kind in
the country. In it the widows are provided with a furnished room
and an allowance of 6_s._ a week, besides a grant of 2_s._ 6_d._
per month for coals. While the expenditure is great, exceeding
£2000, the funded income, including £50 a year, called the
Princess Mary Fund for Nurses, amounts to little over £500 a
year. It was originally intended to have, if possible, 130
inmates, but at the present moment there are only 57, for there
is no room for more, and our great object is to make the
institution a success by increasing the numbers. On
philanthropic grounds alone it is almost unnecessary to say a
word as to its excellence. But when one thinks of the soldier,
who has not only to expose his life in battle, but to run the
risk of sickness and disease in a variety of different climates,
away from home, often leaving his wife for many years behind
him, it is impossible not to see that it must be a comfort to
him, especially if ill or dying, to think there is an
institution where his wife, if he succumbs, has a chance of
being provided for. Among soldiers there can be but one feeling
on this subject, and I am sure that on this occasion I shall not
appeal to those who are present in vain.

"I regret very much that one who has taken a deep interest in
this institution--its chairman, Sir Edward Cust--is not here on
this occasion, and I fear on account of illness. But it is some
gratification to be able to read to you an extract from a letter
of his, dated the 1st of March, to Colonel Stewart, the
secretary, in which he says--"I think I intimated to you last
year that I should make a disposition by my will of all my
copyright and interest in my military histories for the benefit
of the Asylum. As I am unable to support the Prince of Wales in
the chair, may I beg the favour of His Royal Highness making
this donation in my name as evidence of my sympathy for the
institution?" Those who are present know so thoroughly well all
the merits of the institution that it would be unnecessary for
me to make a lengthened speech. I will therefore wind up by once
more asking you to do all in your power to assist in
accomplishing the great object we have in view of extending the
building so as to accommodate more widows. With the toast which
I have given you, I beg, in the absence of Sir E. Cust, to
couple the name of Colonel Liddell."

Colonel Liddell, who responded, said it was the desire to provide accommodation for one widow from each regiment in the service, which, of course, as there were only fifty-seven inmates, left a great deal still to be done.

The Prince of Wales: "I have now to propose a toast which, I am
sure, of all those I have given none will have been received
with greater cordiality, for it is that of the 'Lady Patron.'
You all, I know, wish as sincerely as I do that her
health--which is not good just at present--may be restored, and
that she may be among us for some years yet to come. One of the
reasons why this institution has prospered so much, and why so
many are here to-night, is the regard which is felt for the kind
and good lady who is its president. It is not surprising that
she should take a deep interest in an asylum intended indirectly
for the benefit of soldiers, seeing that her husband was a
soldier and that her son is a soldier."

The toast having been cordially drunk, was responded to by the Duke of Cambridge, who then proposed "The Health of the Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs," thanking them for the liberality with which they had subscribed to the funds of the Asylum. The total amount of the subscriptions received was announced by the Prince of Wales to be £1635 17_s._ 10_d._

The present number of inmates (1888) is sixty-nine. The receipts of the previous year were £2700; the invested funds nearly £23,000. The festival dinner is triennial, but additional sums have been obtained by military _fêtes_ and other ways. In 1872 the Prince and Princess of Wales were present at a grand military concert in the Royal Albert Hall, when Madame Titiens and other artists volunteered their assistance, and many of the proprietors placed their boxes and stalls at the disposal of the Duke of Edinburgh, who was Chairman of the Committee for carrying out the arrangements. We trust that the Duke of Cambridge may be gratified by witnessing a large increase of the numbers benefited by an institution in which he takes so zealous and kindly interest.

AT MERCHANT TAYLORS' SCHOOL.

_April 6th, 1875._

When the Charterhouse School was removed from its ancient historic site to the more remote and rural site at Godalming, arrangements were made for installing Merchant Taylors' School in the Charterhouse. There was ample accommodation for the 400 or 500 boys. Portions of the old structure remain, and these with the new buildings give room for the numerous classes, with large halls, library, lecture rooms, and a magnificent assembly room, for morning and evening prayers, and on grand days for speeches and prize festivals. The poor Brethren, pensioners on the foundation, remain in their old quarters, and their chapel, with its services, continues as before.

The installation of the Merchant Taylors' School in the Charterhouse was an event of sufficient importance to justify the request for the ceremony being honoured by the presence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, who came on 6th of April, 1875, accompanied by the Princess Mary and Duke of Teck, and other illustrious visitors. Service having been performed in the old Carthusian chapel; and an address having been read by the clerk, and presented by the Master of the Company; the Prince declared the Merchant Taylors' School open. An ode in Latin Alcaics was then declaimed by the head monitor of the School, the Archbishop of Canterbury offered a prayer for the Divine blessing, and the service closed with the Lord's Prayer and the Benediction.

Luncheon was afterwards served in the assembly hall. The Master of the Company gave a brief account of the origin and history of the School, introducing references to former Princes of Wales, who had been benefactors of the Company, from the time of Edward I., the first Prince of Wales, to that of King James I., who with his son, the Prince of Wales, dined in this hall. It was for that occasion, in 1607, that Dr. John Bull composed the music of "God Save the Queen." The Queen of James I. was Anne of Denmark. "History repeats itself," continued the Master, "for you, Sire, have entwined the flower of Denmark in the wreath of England."

The Prince, responding to the toast then given, said:--

"For the excessively kind and flattering manner in which this
toast has been proposed from the chair, and received by you all,
I beg to return my warmest and most sincere thanks. I need
hardly assure the Master and all those assembled here to-day
what pleasure it has given to the Princess and myself to be
present on this occasion. The numerous guilds of the City of
London are well known for their hospitality, and especially
distinguished is the Merchant Taylors' Company. At the same
time, although they kindly and cordially receive their guests,
they do all they can to make themselves useful in this great
city. I will not recapitulate what we have heard in another
room, and also from the lips of the Master, of the prosperity of
this School. I hope it will continue to flourish; and that the
sun which is now shining will bring prosperity to a School which
has so long flourished and which is now moved to other
buildings. I must say we cannot but congratulate the Master and
the Guild on the beautiful building in which we are assembled at
the present moment. In conclusion let me propose a toast I am
sure you will all drink with enthusiasm--'Success to the
Merchant Taylors' School.' It affords me great pleasure to
couple with it the name of the head master, the Rev. Dr.
Baker."

After the luncheon the Royal visitors inspected the buildings, and walked through the playground, which is of considerable size for a city school. The cheers of the boys on the departure of the Prince and Princess were the more vehement, as they had asked and obtained from the Master an extra week's holiday.

THE GERMAN HOSPITAL.

_April 16th, 1875._

The German Hospital, at Dalston, is one of the most useful and well-managed charities in the Metropolis. It is for the reception of natives of Germany, and others speaking the German language; also for English in case of accident. There are now 125 beds for in-patients, with a sanatarium for the benefit of those who can pay a moderate sum weekly for their maintenance during illness. There is also a Convalescent Home, with about twenty beds. During the past year there were 1663 in-patients, 23,210 out-patients, and 1163 dental cases. The Hamburg Church is connected with the Hospital by a corridor. The yearly receipts average now about £10,000, and there is funded property amounting to £55,000.

The Prince of Wales presided at the thirtieth anniversary festival, at Willis's Rooms, on the 16th of April, 1875. About three hundred were present, including some Ambassadors and Consuls of Continental States, and other distinguished foreigners.

The Prince, in proposing the health of "The Queen," said that Her Majesty took the greatest interest in the welfare of the Hospital, of which she was a protector, and a donor to its funds.

Count Beust, the Austro-Hungarian Ambassador, gave the toast of "The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Royal Family." He said that he spoke the sentiments of the representatives of all German-speaking countries, when he said that the "Royal Chairman had always shown for the German Hospital a feeling German heart and an open English hand. When he brought under the notice of his Sovereign, the Emperor of Austria, that the Prince was to preside at the festival, he was immediately instructed by His Majesty to announce the donation from him of £100 to the funds. Let us, one and all, drink to our illustrious Chairman, whom the people of England know not only as a gracious and popular Prince, but also as a high-minded, generous gentleman, who takes a deep and active interest in all that contributes to the greatness and the welfare of the country, and to the relief of the sufferers among the less fortunate of the community, in the fulfilment of which noble task he is well supported by his gracious Princess."

The Prince, in reply, said:--

"I can hardly find words adequate enough to express my deep
thanks to his Excellency the Austro-Hungarian Ambassador for the
exceedingly kind and flattering manner in which he has proposed
this toast, and to you all for the hearty way in which it was
received. I can assure you that it affords me the greatest
pleasure and gratification to be your chairman on the present
occasion. The members of my family have now for some years taken
a deep interest in this charity, and I take the same interest.
This is not at all to be wondered at, considering that we have
German blood running in our veins. We have the greatest sympathy
with the foreigners who live in our country, and we gladly join
in an attempt like this to alleviate their sufferings in every
possible way. The President of the German Hospital, the Duke of
Cambridge, as did his father before him, takes a warm interest
in this institution, and I sincerely hope that our family will
always remain connected with so excellent and admirable a
charity. I thank you once more for the hearty reception you have
accorded to the toast."

The Prince, again rising, proposed in cordial terms: "The
Foreign Sovereigns and Princes, Protectors and Patrons of the
Institution, and their Representatives who had honoured them
with their presence." He stated that "the Emperor of Germany
gave an annual donation of £200 to the charity, and that the
Emperors of Russia and Austria, and the Kings of Würtemberg,
Bavaria, Saxony, and the Netherlands, had also evinced a
practical interest in the institution."

Count Münster, the German Ambassador, whose name was coupled with the toast, said he agreed with his friend and colleague, Count Beust, that it was one of the most pleasant duties of diplomatists to be present on occasions of that kind, and he felt it, indeed, a great honour to return thanks for the kind and gracious manner in which His Royal Highness had proposed the health of the foreign Sovereigns and their representatives. He was quite sure that the interest which their Majesties had taken in that fine, benevolent institution would be much strengthened when they became aware that the first gentleman in England--the heir to the British Throne--had shown his practical sympathy with it by presiding that evening. Benevolence and hospitality had always been the characteristics of the English people, but how could it be otherwise when the Royal Family invariably set them, on every possible occasion, the noblest and best example? In the name of his fellow-countrymen he tendered to His Royal Highness their most hearty thanks for the gracious part he was taking at that gathering.

The Prince of Wales next gave "The Army, Navy, and Reserve
Forces," saying, in doing so, that every Englishman was proud of
the land and sea forces of his country, and he always hoped they
were in a highly efficient state. At the same time the Prince
sincerely trusted that the occasion might never arise in which
the Army and Navy might be called forth to battle with those
countries so many of whose representatives were present that
evening.

General Sir William Knollys made a brief reply. The Prince of Wales then gave as the toast of the evening: "Prosperity to the German Hospital." He said:--

"I can only regret that a toast of so much importance as this is
has not fallen into better hands than mine, but, whatever my
shortcomings, I am sure you will take the will for the deed.
This toast has been given for a great many successive years, and
the few remarks that I have to make to you will not be new to
the great portion of the vast assembly who are gathered here
this evening. At the same time, as I am your chairman, I think
it my duty to make a few observations in connexion with the
German Hospital.

"As most of you are doubtless aware, it has 103 beds generally
full, and last year the total in-and out-patients amounted to
about 18,000. Of these there were 1300 in-patients, of whom 240
were English. Besides the hospital there is a sanitarium, to
which 42 persons were admitted. The rooms there are
unfortunately limited in number, but the occupants are rather of
a well-to-do class, such as professors, governesses, clerks, and
others, who, in return for the services rendered to them, give a
small sum of money towards defraying the necessary costs. Last
year the expenses of the hospital were very heavy, amounting to
£6500, exclusive of £600 for improvements. This, I hear, is
likely to be increased considerably in the next accounts, owing
to the continuous rise of prices. Fortunately, I am able to
announce to you that the receipts nearly covered the
expenditure. The fixed income, however, can only be put down at
£1200 or £1300 a year, and the authorities of the hospital, to
carry it on successfully and to keep it out of debt, have to
collect annually between £4000 and £5000.

"I think every Englishman and every foreigner will agree as to
the necessity for a hospital founded as this is. We who are
Englishmen must all feel what a terrible position we should be
in if we found ourselves weary and sick in a country where it
was impossible to make ourselves understood. When, therefore, we
are told that in this London of ours all who speak German are
instantly admitted to this institution, we can readily imagine
the enormous benefits which foreigners and Germans especially
derive from it. There are, I am told, as many as 50,000 Germans
living in London, many of whom have to work in unhealthy trades,
such as sugar-baking. They are mostly confined indoors all day
long, and, but for this hospital, they would not know where to
go to find comfort and succour.

"A great merit, in my mind, of this institution is that it is a
free one. It is not at all necessary to obtain a letter of
recommendation before admission. Sick people have only to
present themselves there and speak German to insure that the
doors will be immediately thrown open to them, and that they
will be tended and cared for in the most admirable manner. The
nurses there are all trained in Elizabethan-stift at Darmstadt,
and they do their work admirably under the care of the excellent
chaplain (Dr. Walbaum), who has taken so deep an interest in the
welfare of the hospital. They are thus found most important to
the working of the hospital.

"As so many Englishmen derive benefit from the institution, I am
sure I can appeal to my fellow-countrymen to do all in their
power, and I ask the company generally to see if they cannot
collect a sum larger than on any previous occasion. At the last
annual dinner, at which the Duke of Cambridge presided, a sum of
£500 in excess of any former collection was obtained, and I hope
to-night we may even exceed the sum subscribed then. I may tell
you that a distinguished guest among us to-night, Baron von
Diergadt, of Bonn, sent us a few years ago the magnificent
donation of £10,000. I do not ask you, gentlemen, to give quite
so large a sum as the Baron, but I am sure that all that is in
your power to give you will. I desire to tender our thanks to
the Emperor of Austria for his munificent donation, announced
by his Ambassador this evening, and I will now ask you all most
cordially to assist me in supporting this excellent charity. I
give you as the toast of the evening: 'Prosperity to the German
Hospital.'"

The Secretary (Mr. Feldmann) afterwards announced the receipt of donations (including £105 from the Prince of Wales, £200 from the Emperor of Germany, and £100 from the Emperor of Austria) to the amount of over £5000, being £1200 in excess of any previous collection. Other toasts, including "The health of Baron von Diergadt, of Bonn," followed. During dinner, Mr. Marriott's band played a selection of operatic music, and afterward, at intervals, a choir, under the direction of Sir Julius Benedict and Herr Ganz (all of whom gave their services gratuitously), sang some German songs by Schubert, Schumann, Seidl, and other composers.

INSTALLATION AS GRAND MASTER OF ENGLISH FREEMASONS.

_April 28th, 1875._

In the history of Freemasonry there has never occurred an event more memorable, or a scene more imposing than the Installation of the Prince of Wales as Grand Master of English Freemasons, at the Royal Albert Hall, on the 28th of April, 1875. The vast Hall was filled with nearly ten thousand members of the craft, of all ranks and degrees, and in costume proper to their masonic conditions. An open space, in front of the organ, had been reserved for the Grand Officers, and for distinguished visitors, including deputations from various foreign lodges.

The Earl of Carnarvon, the Pro-Grand Master, having taken his seat on the throne, performed the ceremonies necessary for to convert the assemblage into a meeting of the Grand Lodge, and the Minute of the Prince's election as Grand Master having been read and confirmed, Garter King-at-Arms formed and headed a procession to meet His Royal Highness. The Duke of Connaught had already seated himself near the Pro-Grand Master, and had been warmly received; but when the Prince entered the Hall, the vast assemblage rose as one man, and, regardless for the moment alike of Masonic order and of the ceremonies of the craft, greeted him with such applause as even his experience at public assemblages could seldom have heard equalled. The Prince was conducted up the arena to a chair on the left of the Pro-Grand Master, and before seating himself he bowed repeatedly in response to the plaudits of the brethren. He then went through the forms prescribed by the Masonic ritual, and was duly inducted into his throne, the enthusiasm of the assembled Freemasons once again outstripping the proper order of the ceremonial, and finding vent in cheers with which the building rang again.

Garter King-at-Arms, who holds also the high Masonic office of Grand Director of Ceremonies, then proclaimed His Royal Highness in due form, and called upon the brethren to salute him in Masonic fashion. This being done, the Earl of Carnarvon rose from the seat to which he had retired, and, according to ancient custom, addressed the new Grand Master on the duties of his office. He thus concluded his address:--

"Your Royal Highness is not the first by many of your illustrious family who have sat in that chair. It is, no doubt, by the lustre of your great name and position you will reflect honour on the craft to-day; but it is also something to be at the head of such a body as is represented here. I may truly say that never in the whole history of Freemasonry has such a Grand Lodge been convened as that on which my eye rests at this moment, and there is further an inner view to be taken, that so far as my eyes can carry me over these serried ranks of white and blue, the gold and purple, I recognise in them men who have solemnly taken obligations of worth and morality--men who have undertaken the duties of citizens and the loyalty of subjects. I am expressing but very feebly the feelings and aspirations of this great assemblage when I say that I trust the connexion of your Royal Highness with the craft may be lasting, and that you may never have occasion for one moment's regret or anxiety when you look back upon the events of to-day."

The Prince, who was again greeted with loud and prolonged cheering, replied in the following terms:--

"Brethren, I am deeply grateful to the Most Worshipful the
Pro-Grand Master for the excessively kind words he has just
spoken to you, and for the cordial reception which you have
given me. It has been your unanimous wish that I should occupy
this chair as your Grand Master, and you have this day installed
me. It is difficult for me to find words adequate to express my
deep thanks for the honour which has already been bestowed upon
me--an honour which has, as history bears testimony, been
bestowed upon several members of my family, my predecessors;
and, brethren, it will always be my most ardent and sincere wish
to walk in the footsteps of good men who have preceded me, and,
with God's help, to fulfil the duties which I have been called
upon to occupy to-day.

"The Pro-Grand Master has told you, brethren, and I feel
convinced, that such an assemblage as this has never been
known; and when I look round me on this vast and spacious Hall,
and see those who have come from the north and south, from the
east and the west, it is, I trust, an omen which will prove on
this auspicious occasion an omen of good. The various duties
which I have to perform will frequently, I am afraid, not permit
me to attend so much to the duties of the craft as I should
desire; but you may be assured that when I have the time I shall
do the utmost to maintain this high position, and do my duty by
the craft, and by you on every possible occasion. Brethren, it
would be useless for me to recapitulate everything which has
been told you by the Pro-Grand Master relative to Freemasonry.
Every Englishman knows that the two great watchwords of the
craft are Loyalty and Charity. These are their watchwords, and
as long as Freemasons do not, as Freemasons, mix themselves up
in politics so long I am sure this high and noble order will
flourish, and will maintain the integrity of our great Empire.

"I thank you once more, brethren, for your cordial reception of
me to-day, and I thank you for having come such immense
distances to welcome me on this occasion. I assure you I shall
never forget to-day--never!"

The Prince resumed his seat amid loud cheers, which were long continued. His Royal Highness spoke with a perfect elocution which rendered every syllable audible to the whole of the vast assemblage; but when (adds the reporter of the scene) in conclusion, he uttered a manifest impromptu in saying that the reception which had been accorded to him, and the spectacle which he witnessed, were things which to the last day of his life he "should never forget--never!" there was just so much tremor of his voice as seemed to show that even the trained self-possession of Royalty was somewhat shaken, as indeed it well might be, by the magnitude and the splendour of the spectacle.

At the conclusion of the Prince's address the march from "Eli" was performed upon the organ, and then, a telegraphic address of congratulation from the Grand Lodge at Genoa having previously been read, deputations from the Grand Lodges of Scotland, Ireland, Sweden, and Denmark were successively introduced. The Grand Master next appointed the Earl of Carnarvon to be Pro-Grand Master, Lord Skelmersdale to be Deputy Grand Master, and the Marquis of Hamilton and the Lord Mayor to fill two chief offices in Grand Lodge. The nomination of the Lord Mayor appeared to give especial pleasure to the brethren, and his Lordship, as he took his official seat, was greeted by loud and prolonged applause. The other grand officers were then appointed, and at five o'clock the Lodge was formally closed. The Prince was conducted to his retiring-room by a procession of the principal brethren, and the assembly dispersed.

* * * * *

In the evening there was a banquet in the Freemasons' Hall, in Great Queen Street, which was thronged as it was never thronged before. The Prince of Wales, Most Worshipful Grand Master, presided; on his right being the Duke of Connaught, and on his left Lord Skelmersdale, the Deputy Grand Master. Distinguished officers and members of lodges from all parts of the United Kingdom were present.

The Grand Master proposed the health of "The Queen," in these words:--

"Brethren, the first toast I shall have the honour to propose to
you this evening is one which I know will require as few words
as possible, as it is always drunk with enthusiasm at all great
meetings of Englishmen, more especially at meetings of the
craft. I propose 'The Health of Her Majesty the Queen, the
Patroness of our Order.'"

The Duke of Manchester, in proposing the health of "The Princess of Wales and the rest of the Royal Family," said: "We have for the first time among us as Most Worshipful Grand Master, the eldest son of Her Majesty, and his brother, the Duke of Connaught, whom we all highly esteem and love as the sons of a father whose memory we all so fondly cherish, and whom we so much regret."

His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught responded, and proposed "The health of the Most Worshipful the Grand Master."

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales replied:--

"Brethren, I beg to return my most sincere and my most grateful
thanks to the Junior Master Mason of England for the kind way in
which he has proposed my health, and to you, brethren, for the
cordial manner in which you have received it. This is the first
time, brethren, that I have had the honour of presiding at the
grand festival. I can assure you I am very grateful for your
kind reception of me this evening, and I sincerely hope that we
may have the pleasure of meeting together on these festive
occasions many, many long years to come. I shall never forget,
brethren, the ceremony of to-day and the reception which you
gave me. I only hope that you may never regret the choice you
have made of your Grand Master. Brethren, I assure you on all
occasions I shall do my utmost to do my duty in the position in
which you have so kindly placed me.

"Before sitting down, brethren, I have a toast to propose, which
I feel sure you will all drink with cordiality, and which to me
is a specially gratifying toast--that is, the health of our
illustrious brother the King of Sweden and Norway. It affords me
especial pleasure to propose this toast, as seven years ago I
became a member of this craft, initiated by the late King, the
brother of the present one. Thereby I consider I have a more
special interest in Sweden; and I hope that the Grand Lodges of
Sweden and of England may always be bound together in goodwill
and fraternal feeling. Our illustrious brother the King has been
especially pleased to send over five distinguished brethren to
take part in my installation. Therefore it affords me special
gratification to drink to the health of one who I know is such a
keen Freemason at heart, and so keen an Englishman, that he has
frequently visited our shores. Most cordially and heartily do I
call upon you, brethren, to drink to 'The health of our
illustrious brother the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Sweden,
His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway.'"

Count Salcza responded, and, speaking in French, he passed a high eulogium on Freemasonry, and expressed his great gratification at the magnificent ceremony that had been witnessed in the afternoon, laying especial stress upon the Masonic good feeling between Sweden and Great Britain. He spoke of himself as feeling that he stood among friends and brothers, and he thanked them for their cordial reception.

His Royal Highness the Grand Master then said:--

"Brethren, we are honoured here this evening by the
representatives of the Grand Lodges of Scotland, of Ireland, and
of Sweden, and I feel convinced that you will all drink with me
most cordially and most heartily to their health. The Grand
Lodge of England is always most desirous of being on the best
possible terms with the Grand Lodges of Scotland and Ireland.
Although separate through having other Grand Masters, still
those three Grand Lodges may consider one another more or less
as one. I have great pleasure in proposing the health of my
noble friend and brother, Lord Rosslyn, as representative of the
Grand Lodge of Scotland, and I cannot forget the kind reception
I met with at Edinburgh some years ago when he was Deputy Grand
Master, and I received the rank of Patron of Scotch Freemasons
at the hands of the late Earl Dalhousie. It also gives me great
pleasure to propose the health of the representative of the
Grand Lodge of Ireland, coupled with the name of Brother
Shekleton, Deputy Grand Master. I have also the great privilege
of being Patron of the Irish Grand Lodge, which honour I also
remember, a few years ago, receiving from the late Duke of
Leinster, who was the popular Grand Master of Ireland at that
time, and the reception I met with I shall not easily forget. As
the representative of the Grand Lodge of Sweden it affords the
great pleasure to couple with this toast the name of the Admiral
on my left. As my earliest associations in Freemasonry have been
with the Grand Lodge of Sweden, I know when I address those
gentlemen I see before me they will appreciate the pleasure it
affords me in proposing this toast. Brethren, I give you the
toast of 'The Grand Lodges of Scotland, Ireland, and Sweden,
coupled with the names of Lord Rosslyn, Brother Shekleton, and
Admiral Oscar Dickson.' I also include in this toast all the
other Grand Lodges."

The toast having been drunk, Lord Rosslyn said:--

"Most Worshipful Grand Master and brethren, the honour that your Royal Highness has done the deputation of the Grand Lodge of Scotland is warmly appreciated by them. I am glad, indeed, to have the opportunity after so many years' connexion with the Grand Lodge of Scotland--no less than twenty-five years--of congratulating the craft of England and your Royal Highness also, upon the most magnificent scene I have ever witnessed in my life.

"I am glad also to think that the splendour, and, I must add, admirable management of the display to-day, does not quite efface from your Royal Highness's recollection, the scene upon a similar scale which we endeavoured to offer you when we had the honour of having your name as Patron of the Scottish craft. Your Royal Highness has been good enough to say that you have not forgotten the occasion. I can assure your Royal Highness no Scotchman will ever forget it, and I can speak on behalf of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, with which I have been so long connected, having served every office in it, from Junior Deacon up to Grand Master, having been not quite a holiday Freemason, but worked my way from the ranks up to the position I have the honour to hold now.

"His Royal Highness has this day told us what the duties of Freemasonry are, and there is no doubt he has summed them up in two words--loyalty and charity--which includes mercy, a quality that has been described by the greatest of poets as becoming 'the throned Monarch better than his crown.' There can be no doubt that under the auspices of the Most Worshipful Grand Master the Grand Lodge of England will flourish, and will continue to be a standard for Masonry all over the world."

Brother R. W. Shekleton, Deputy Grand Master of Ireland, spoke of the loyalty of Irish Masons, who are, he said, "remarkable for fear of God, fealty to the Sovereign, love to the brotherhood, and friendship to all classes and creeds."

Brother Admiral Oscar Dickson returned thanks in the name of the Swedish Grand Lodge for the honour conferred upon them.

The Most Worshipful Grand Master then proposed the toast of various Grand Officers and Brethren, according to custom. Sir Erasmus Wilson replied for the Stewards, whose special duty it was, with the aid of their good Brother Francatelli (the Master Cook), to see to the humble but necessary ceremonies consequent on our sublunary existence; or, in the beautiful words of our Ritual: "to lead them to unite in the grand design of being happy and communicating happiness."

As long before as the 1st of December, 1869, the Prince of Wales had been received, at Freemasons' Hall, as a Past Grand Master, at a meeting of the United Grand Lodge of England; and in a brief speech replied to the address delivered by Lord Zetland, who was at that time Grand Master.

One of the first appointments made by the Prince of Wales as Grand Master was that of Colonel Shadwell Clerke, to the Secretaryship of the Grand Lodge of England, an office the duties of which he performs with great efficiency and courtesy.

ROYAL AGRICULTURAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.

_June 5th, 1875._

The object of this Institution is to provide pensions for Farmers, their wives, widows, and unmarried orphan daughters. The Queen is patron, the Duke of Richmond is President, and the Earl of Northbrook, Chairman of the Executive Council. At the present time (1888), 647 persons are maintained at an annual cost of nearly £14,000. The Prince of Wales has always been a generous friend and supporter of the charity. At the Royal Agricultural Show at Sandringham, in July, 1886, he called special attention to it, and pleaded for increased support, as is necessary from the continued and increasing depression of agriculture. At the present moment above 400 persons, who have cultivated holdings varying from 2000 to 100 acres, are candidates for pensions, having been ruined through the various causes of agricultural failure. During the past twenty-eight years, about 1300 persons have been granted annuities, at a total expenditure of £165,821.

At the fifteenth anniversary festival of the Institution, at Willis's Rooms, on the 5th of June, 1875, the Prince of Wales presided. After "The Queen," the patron of the charity, "The health of the Prince with that of the Princess of Wales and the Royal Family," was proposed by the Earl of Hardwicke, who said that the Prince of Wales had done them great honour in presiding that evening. "It was only another testimony of that interest which he takes in the welfare of every portion of the community. The position of the Prince of Wales was not one of the easiest. He has no definite duties, but the duty he has laid down for himself is of a very definite nature. It is to benefit to the best of his power all his fellow-creatures. He himself was not going to pass any eulogiums on the Prince of Wales, although he had intimate knowledge of his character and the privilege of his friendship. He would only say that the Prince does credit to the very high position in which he is placed, and that so long as he lays himself out to associate with English people of all classes, and to faithfully discharge duties which, if not in themselves very agreeable, are beneficial to the English race, he will be a popular and able Prince. A duty more wrapt up with sympathy than that which the Prince that evening undertook could not be conceived. He tells the whole agricultural class of this country that he places himself at their disposal to further their interests and to help them in their distress. So long as the Royal Family cling to the soil of this country, and mix with its life and its sports and amusements, they will never fail to receive the support of their countrymen in all times of trial."

The toast was received with cheers, and the Prince of Wales said:--

"It is difficult for me, gentlemen, to find words to express my
gratitude for the excessively kind manner in which my noble
friend has proposed this toast, and the cordial way in which you
have been kind enough to receive it. I need hardly tell you that
it affords me the greatest pleasure and satisfaction to occupy
the chair this evening. When I know those gentlemen who have
preceded me as your Chairmen, such as Mr. Disraeli, Lord Lytton,
the present Lord Derby, or the Duke of Richmond, I feel some
diffidence in addressing you this evening. At the same time I
think the proceedings of this evening will, as I hope, be short,
yet I trust they may be satisfactory to all here present.

"I sincerely say that I do take a great interest in all that is
connected with agriculture. I may call myself a colleague of
many of you present as a farmer on a small scale, and I only
hope that I may never have occasion to be a pensioner of this
institution. It is impossible, I think, for any British
gentleman to live at his country place without taking an
interest in agriculture, and in all those things which concern
the farmers of this great country. I thank you also for the very
kind way in which you have mentioned the health of the Princess
of Wales and the rest of the Royal Family.

"Before I sit down I beg to propose a toast--one which is never
left out at great gatherings of Englishmen, and which here ought
to be brought most prominently before your notice--'The Army,
Navy, Militia, and Reserve Forces.' The very backbone of the
country, the best recruits of the Army and Navy, come from the
agricultural districts. Since we know, also, that our commercial
and agricultural interests depend upon the valour and efficiency
of our land and sea forces, you will, I think, agree with me
that it is a toast especially for this meeting, one most
suitable for this agricultural feast. It is a toast which I feel
sure you all, gentlemen, will drink most heartily. With the Army
it gives me great pleasure to couple the name of General Sir W.
Knollys, and with the Navy that of Sir J. Heron Maxwell."

Sir W. Knollys, in responding for the profession to which he belongs, including the Militia, the Volunteers, and the Reserve Forces, dwelt upon the habits, the physical well-being, and powers of endurance which fit the agricultural population of this country for the profession of arms. They bring with them also that contentment and discipline which till recent events particularly distinguished the agricultural labourer, and are always ready to fight for country and Queen.

Sir J. Heron Maxwell having replied for the Navy, the toast-master, Mr. Goodchild, announced a bumper toast, and the Prince of Wales said:--

"The toast which I now have the honour of proposing to you is
that of 'Success to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent
Institution.' Gentlemen, this excellent and charitable
institution has been only in existence for the space of fifteen
years, and its object is the relief of farmers who have been
reduced by failure of crops, loss of stock, bad seasons, and
other reasons. It has been founded, as I say, for that purpose,
but there is one thing which is absolutely necessary to entitle
to relief, and that is that the recipient of the pension must
have, as his exclusive means of support, cultivated at least
fifty acres, or rented land at £100 a year at least for twenty
years. And those farmers who receive pensions must prove to the
society that they do not possess an income from other sources of
more than £20 a year. Among those, also, who are benefited by
the society are the widows and children or orphans of farmers
and their unmarried daughters.

"One main object of the managers of the institution is to
maintain in their own districts those who have not the means of
providing for themselves, so that, instead of their going to the
workhouse, or having to remove to distant parts of the kingdom,
they may be kept as much as possible in the counties where they
were born and bred. Pensions varying from £20 to £40 a year are
granted, and since the foundation of this society as many as 432
pensioners have been elected, and 53 children have been educated
and maintained at a cost of not far from £40,000. At present
there are 302 pensioners and 41 children on the books of the
charity, and these numbers will, I understand, be augmented
during the present month by the election of 51 pensioners. The
total cost of the year will be nearly £8500, and I am sorry to
say the donations and annual sums received amount to little over
£6800. Therefore, you see that although this institution is in a
highly prosperous state, at the same time the funds are not as
great as we could wish. It is for that reason that we assemble
here--to augment those funds.

"When I look around and see so large a number of gentlemen, who
have come great distances to support me on this occasion, I feel
I shall not ask them in vain to extend their support to so
excellent an institution. You were kind enough just now to drink
in a cordial manner my health, but I think if I had put myself
before you as a surgeon whose health you were going to drink you
might not have received me so cordially. On this occasion I hope
you will look upon me as a surgeon. The few words I have to say
to you are my lancet, with which I have to bleed you--and you
will all feel much the better for it.

"Many may think, 'Why should we give money to those who possibly
by their own fault may have got into distress?' But that is not
the object mentioned. All will agree that the cleverest
agriculturists who thoroughly understand their business may,
through bad seasons, failures of crops, and a variety of other
causes which you know, gentlemen, far better than I do, have
found themselves suddenly in the most abject want. It is a great
pity that the farmers' clubs and agricultural societies do not
do so much as they ought in support of so excellent an
institution.

"I see by your applause it is only too true, and I must call
upon you this evening to show that you have supported this
charity in the most material manner. I thank you once more for
the kind and attentive manner in which you have listened to the
few words which I have uttered. I only regret that it has not
fallen to the lot of another than myself to bring the subject
before you, and I am sure that you will take the will for the
deed. 'Prosperity to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent
Institution!'"

The toast was drunk with all the honours, and the Secretary, Mr. C. Bousfield Shaw, read a list of subscriptions headed by the Queen with £25. The Prince of Wales gave, in addition to his annual subscription of ten guineas, a donation of 100 guineas. The largest list of collections was Mr. Naish's, of £465. The total amount was no less than £8000.

Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., then proposed the toast of "The Executive Council, the Secretary, and the Honorary Local Secretaries." In the course of his speech, he remarked that it had been well said by His Royal Highness that agriculture is exposed to more vicissitudes and difficulties than almost any other industry, and it was surprising that it should have existed so long without any benevolent institution. They must not forget in that room that they owed the fact that such an institution now exists to the kind and generous heart of their old friend, Mr. Mechi, the founder of this society; and the tenant-farmers of England would never forget the day when the Heir Apparent to the Throne of England condescended to preside at their annual banquet.

The Marquis of Huntly responded, and said as an example of the good done by active local energy, that in Cheshire they only had last year a donation of ten guineas, and subscribers of thirty-one, while from Norfolk, the Prince's county, with a smaller agricultural population, they had donations of £826.

The Prince of Wales then said:--