Speeches and Addresses of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales: 1863-1888 Part 17

The number of inst.i.tutions 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 cla.s.s. The orphan children here admitted are the sons and daughters of persons once in prosperous circ.u.mstances, 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 d.u.c.h.ess 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 a.s.sembly prepared to do honour to the occasion, and to a.s.sist 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 inst.i.tution, 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 cla.s.ses 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 pa.s.s 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 inst.i.tution was founded, and it is different from all others in this respect, that children of parents who were once in prosperous circ.u.mstances 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 grat.i.tude 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 inst.i.tution 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 inst.i.tution it is, and I am sure you will drink with me 'Prosperity to the Inst.i.tution,' 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 inst.i.tution."

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 a.s.sembled 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 a.s.sure 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 enc.u.mbered by the presence with me of a Civil Governor, or of an Amba.s.sador authorised to give me orders, I do not think I should ever have reached Cooma.s.sie.

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 cla.s.ses; 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 n.o.ble 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 inst.i.tution. The education is of the highest cla.s.s, 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 a.s.sist aged medical men and the widows of qualified pract.i.tioners, and, in the next place, to educate the children of such persons. In 1853 the first stone was laid at Epsom; in 1855 the inst.i.tution 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 inst.i.tution, 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 inst.i.tution, 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 inst.i.tution. 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 dest.i.tute, 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 a.s.sembled here, but you may be a.s.sured 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 inst.i.tution, 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 inst.i.tutions, has uniformly shown courtesy and respect to the medical profession, members of which he has from early life honoured with his personal friends.h.i.+p.

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 ill.u.s.trious 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 a.s.sure 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 a.s.sure 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 a.s.sure 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 princ.i.p.al portion of the company then adjourned to the drawing-room, where not only was coffee served, but--strange novelty in such an a.s.semblage--cigars were introduced--an innovation which did not seem unwelcome.

NEW GUILDHALL AND LAW COURTS, PLYMOUTH.

_August 13th, 1874._

The new Guildhall, Munic.i.p.al 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 a.s.sure 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 t.i.tle, 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 a.s.sure 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.