Speeches and Addresses of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales: 1863-1888 Part 32

Sir Frederick Bramwell made an amusing speech, in which he highly magnified the office of the Civil Engineer as contrasted with every other profession. The Duke of Cambridge spoke well, as usual, for the Army, and Lord Charles Beresford gave a supplementary speech, in response to loud calls, after Admiral Le Hunte Ward had responded for the Navy. The improvements in both military and naval armaments due to civil engineers were duly recognized by all the speakers.

AT THE COLONIAL OFFICE.

_April 29th, 1886._

Sir Henry Holland (now Lord Knutsford), as Secretary of State for the Colonies, entertained the representatives at the Colonial Conference, and various gentlemen connected with the Crown Colonies, at a dinner at the Colonial Office, on the 29th of April, 1886. The Prince of Wales, the Duke of Abercorn, the Marquis of Lorne, the Earl of Carnarvon, and the Earl of Rosebery were among those present. The loyal toasts being given, Sir Henry Holland said that to the hard work and warm sympathy of the Prince of Wales the success of the Colonial Exhibition was largely due. The Prince, in acknowledging the toast, said:--

"Sir Henry Holland, my Lords, and Gentlemen,--When Sir Henry Holland was kind enough to invite me here this evening to meet the colonial delegates I was under the impression that it was a private dinner, in so far that I should not be called upon to make a speech. In this respect he has sprung a mine upon me.

But, notwithstanding, I beg to thank him for the very kind way in which he has proposed this toast, and to thank you for the cordial manner in which you have received it. I can only a.s.sure him and you of the very great pleasure it gives me to meet you here this evening.

"In this large gathering there are many gentlemen connected with the colonies whom I have had the pleasure of knowing personally, and it affords me especial pleasure to make the acquaintance of others who have come over in connection with this occasion. I am aware that the proceedings of the conferences which have taken place have been kept secret from the public in a most marvellous way, which is not an easy matter in these days. But from the words which have fallen from Sir Henry Holland I am glad to hear that everything has been so prosperous, and I hope that the important and difficult questions which have been discussed during the last few weeks will bear fruit. n.o.body wishes more sincerely than I do that the good feeling, or, as the French say, the _entente cordiale_, between the mother country and our great colonies may be established on a still firmer basis. Far be it from us, and far distant may the day be, when we shall see the colonies separated from us in any way.

"You have been kind enough to allude to the Colonial Exhibition, which is now a matter of the past. I feel sure that in that Exhibition, during the few months that it lasted, our own countrymen learnt perhaps more of the colonies than they could in any other way except by visiting them. No better means could have been adopted for bringing the colonies more prominently before us. Most sincerely do I hope that that Exhibition may bear fruit. I most sincerely trust that the end of the Conference may also be successful, and that it may realise all that we could wish. It is true, as you have observed, that I have not yet had an opportunity of visiting the distant colonies, especially the Australian colonies and those of the Cape. Much as I may desire to go out to those distant colonies, I fear that my duties at home may prevent my doing so. However, I a.s.sure you that it is my wish to do so, and though I am unable, it is through circ.u.mstances over which I have no control."

Lord Rosebery, in giving the toast of their Colonial guests, said, that whatever questions of home policy divided Englishmen, party feeling never interfered in those greater Imperial questions. It was a happy innovation to invite representatives of the colonies to meet in conference, and he trusted that the result of that meeting would hasten the welding and uniting of the Empire.

INSTALLATION AS GRAND MASTER OF MARK MASONS.

_July 1st, 1886._

A large and most imposing gathering, held in connexion with the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, took place at the Freemasons' Hall on the 1st of July, 1886. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, whose installation as Grand Master of English Freemasons, at the Albert Hall, in April 1875, has been already narrated, was now installed as Grand Mark Master. There were upwards of 1000 Grand, Past, and Provincial Grand Officers present, including many distinguished representatives from India and the Colonies, as well as from all parts of the United Kingdom. The Earl of Kintore, Grand Master, presided at the ceremony.

When the Prince entered the Grand Lodge, which had been opened by Lord Kintore, he was accompanied by a large and representative body of Mark Masons deputed to conduct His Royal Highness to the throne. He then took the customary obligation, having been proclaimed and saluted on the throne, to which he was conducted by Lord Kintore. Addressing the Prince, Lord Kintore expressed the feelings of loyal devotion felt by every Mark Mason in Great Britain, and in the Greater Britain beyond the seas, at the step which the Prince was pleased to take that day. He then gave a few statistics to show the progress of Mark Masonry. In 1876 there were but 5 time-immemorial lodges, and 18 Provincial Grand Lodges.

In 1886 there were 13 time-immemorial lodges, and 375 warranted lodges, divided into 44 Provincial Grand Lodges, including those in New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, India, and other parts of the globe. The consent of the Prince of Wales to be Grand Mark Master was proof of his zealous personal efforts to unite the Colonies and Dependencies of the empire with the mother country. The Prince, in his reply, said that--

He thanked the Past Grand Master most heartily and sincerely for the address he had just delivered. He feared that Lord Kintore had referred to him in terms far too kind and flattering. He a.s.sured the brethren he considered it a high honour and compliment which had been paid him that day, and he accepted the distinguished position of Grand Master of Mark Master Masons with a deep feeling of grat.i.tude, and as a high honour to himself. He a.s.sured the brethren that anything he could do to further the interest and welfare of the Mark Degree would be done with sincere pleasure. He was most thankful and grateful for the kind feeling the brethren had manifested towards him, and he appreciated very highly the compliment which had been paid by the Mark Masons who had attended from distant parts of the kingdom. Lord Kintore had spoken in kind and feeling terms of his beloved mother the Queen. It would afford Her Majesty sincere gratification to know the kind terms in which her name had been mentioned, and the hearty manner in which it was invariably received, especially in a meeting of this description. Personally he thanked them from his heart, and he desired to a.s.sure them that all he could do for the welfare of Mark Masonry would always be done with very great pleasure.

The Grand Master then appointed the Grand Officers for the ensuing year, beginning with Lord Kintore as Pro-Grand Master, Lord Egerton of Tatton Deputy Grand Master, the Duke of Connaught Senior Grand Warden, and numerous others to the usual offices. The Pro-Grand Master presented the Prince with a jewel, which he accepted with pleasure, and said it would be a gratifying memento of the pleasant proceedings of the day.

After the conclusion of the Grand Lodge proceedings, there was a luncheon at the Holborn Restaurant, at which the Prince presided. After the customary loyal toasts had been proposed, the Prince regretted that he had to leave, having to fulfil an engagement at the East-end of London.

FOUNDATION STONE OF THE PEOPLE'S PALACE.

_June 28th, 1886._

There are few who do not know the history, and have not rejoiced in the success of the People's Palace for East London. The magnificent spectacle when the Queen went in state, on the 14th of May, 1887, to open "The Queen's Hall" at the Palace, will long be remembered by the mult.i.tudes who witnessed the ceremony, or who saw the Royal progress through the crowded streets.

The foundation stone had been laid, with almost equal pomp, and amidst as great popular enthusiasm, by the Prince and Princess of Wales on the 28th of June in the previous year. On that occasion nearly 10,000 people were a.s.sembled within the s.p.a.ce set apart for the ceremony, including 1000 delegates from the various trade, friendly, and temperance societies in East London, with 2000 or 3000 school-children.

The Lord Mayor in his robes of office, and attended by the officers and many members of the Corporation, and a vast number of distinguished persons--among whom were the Chief Rabbi, Dr. Adler, the Bishop of Bedford, and many of the Clergy of the neighbouring districts, Cardinal Manning, and Mr. Walter Besant--awaited the arrival of the Royal visitors. This was announced by a salute by the guard of honour of the Tower Hamlets Engineers and the 24th Middles.e.x Volunteers. They were received by Sir Edmund Hay Currie and the Beaumont Trustees, the Master and Wardens of the Drapers' Company, and delegates from various Committees. From the old and well-known "Beaumont Trust," and the munificent donations of the Drapers' Company, supplemented by public contributions, the large funds necessary for the People's Palace had been derived.

The ceremony began by the Archbishop of Canterbury offering a special prayer, followed by the Lord's Prayer, and the singing of the Old Hundredth Psalm. Sir E. H. Currie, Chairman of the Committee, then read and presented an address, to which the Prince replied as follows:--

"Sir Edmund Hay Currie and Gentlemen,--I thank you, on behalf of the Princess of Wales and myself, for your address, and I can a.s.sure you that we heartily rejoice that an opportunity has been afforded us of again visiting this important district of the Metropolis. We thoroughly appreciate the endeavour of the trustees to promote a scheme which, from the comprehensiveness and liberality of its scope, should not fail to prove advantageous to the population of the near neighbourhood in which the Palace is to be erected, and to the inhabitants of the Metropolis at large. We do not doubt that the opportunities for healthy recreation so essential in a population that is comprised mainly of artisans and mechanics and their families will be promptly and properly appreciated by those for whom the People's Palace had been provided. The facilities which will be afforded for continuous education of all kinds will, we are convinced, materially tend to still further develop and perfect the various handicrafts of this neighbourhood, and should therefore prove of the greatest importance, not only to the inhabitants of East London, but to the nation at large, and should enable Englishmen to continue to maintain in the future, as they have in the past, that supremacy in the arts of peace at home which, among civilized nations, must be the invariable and necessary accompaniment of power and prosperity abroad. We congratulate the trustees upon the success which has already attended their efforts in having secured 75,000 of the 100,000 required, and we sincerely trust that the munificent donations of the Drapers' Company, Mr. Dyer Edwardes, Lord Rosebery, and the Duke of Westminster will influence others to follow so excellent an example. The 'Queen's Hall,' of which I am about to lay the first stone, will, I understand from the architect, Mr.

Robson, be capable of accommodating more than 3000 persons, and will be so constructed as to serve the purpose of a winter garden, affording a resort for social intercourse and entertainment at a period of the year when the summer garden will not be available. We humbly join in the prayer of the Archbishop of Canterbury that G.o.d's blessing may rest upon this great work, and that, in the years to come, benefits both material and moral will result to the thousands who, we trust, will not fail to avail themselves of the facilities which the scheme will afford."

The stone was then laid with the usual ceremonies, the Prince's declaration that it was "well and truly" laid being received with general cheers. The proceedings were concluded with the benediction, p.r.o.nounced by the Archbishop.

Long before the time of the People's Palace, visits to the East of London had not unfrequently been made by members of the Royal Family. On the 24th of June, 1880, the Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by their sons, Prince Albert Victor and Prince George, went to open a Recreation Ground in Whitechapel, for the benefit of the people of that parish, and of Bethnal Green, Spitalfields, and other adjacent districts. The ground, above an acre in extent, had formerly been a burial-ground of the Society of Friends, some of the members of which had contributed towards its being laid out as a pleasure-garden. The Rev. J. F. Kitto and the Rev. S. A. Barnett, whose names have long been a.s.sociated with good deeds in East London, hoped that the presence of the Prince and Princess of Wales that day would give new impetus to the movement for obtaining open s.p.a.ces in crowded parts of the Metropolis.

The Prince expressed his gratification at being present, and said he was desired by the Princess to say that she declared the Recreation Ground now open.

SALE OF SHORTHORNS AND SOUTHDOWNS AT SANDRINGHAM.

_July 15th, 1886._

To be "President of the Royal Agricultural Society of England" is an honour which the Prince of Wales gained not merely from his high position, but from his genuine love and practical knowledge of agriculture. Old King George III. was proud to be known as "Farmer George," but his great-grandson, the "Norfolk farmer," knows vastly more about the subject, and turns his knowledge to more profitable account.

This was shown at the great sale of Shorthorn cattle and Southdown sheep which the Prince held at Sandringham, at the time of the Royal Agricultural Show at Norwich, in July 1886.

The idea of holding the sale at that time was a fortunate one, for the Show had brought to Norwich breeders of stock from every part of the kingdom, and some from foreign countries. Many of the leading members of the Royal Agricultural Society were the guests of the Prince at Sandringham during the week of the Show. Special trains were run to Wolferton Station from Norwich, so that there had never been seen such crowds at Sandringham, as on Thursday, the 15th of July, the day of the sale. Ample provision had been made for their reception, a large marquee capable of seating 1500 persons being erected in a field adjacent to the homestead. Among those who sat down to the luncheon were almost all the agricultural celebrities of England, and some of the most noted breeders of cattle and sheep in France. The entrance of the Prince and his family to the tent was received with immense enthusiasm.

After luncheon the Prince proposed the health of the Queen, which was duly honoured, and then the Duke of Richmond and Gordon gave the toast of "The Prince and Princess of Wales." He said that two days before it had fallen to his lot to move a vote of thanks to the Prince in his capacity as President of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, which might be deemed the Royal Academy of farming. Now he had to speak of him in his capacity of a Norfolk farmer. Amid much cheering, the Duke went on to say that it would be well for Norfolk farmers if all of them had such a wife as it was the good fortune of the Prince to possess, and that the high qualities of the Princess had endeared her not less to the people of Norfolk than to the other inhabitants of her future realm. In speaking of the sale itself, the Duke said that the quality of the stock, all of which he had personally examined, was remarkably level and good, and that the Prince was conferring a distinct benefit upon the agricultural community in the eastern counties by giving them an opportunity of obtaining such grand strains of blood as were to be found in the Sandringham Shorthorns and Southdowns. It is needless to add that this toast was received with the most enthusiastic cheering, and the plaudits were so sustained that the Prince had to wait some time before beginning his reply. He said:--

"Your Grace, my Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen,--The kind way in which this toast has been proposed by the Duke of Richmond and Gordon and received by you all cannot but give the greatest possible pleasure both to the Princess and myself. We derive the most genuine satisfaction at seeing so many of the inhabitants of Norfolk here in our country home, for I can a.s.sure you that we take the deepest interest in all that concerns the welfare of this county. This has been a week of great agricultural interest for the county of Norfolk, and we have among us many men eminent as breeders and farmers from other parts of the kingdom, and to them also I extend a cordial welcome. As we have a busy afternoon before us, I will not detain you long, but before sitting down I should like to say a few words with respect to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Inst.i.tution, which has urgent need of support, as, owing to the recent depression in agriculture, the demands upon it have been so heavy that it is unable to do as much as it could a few years ago. In conclusion, let me bid you heartily welcome to Sandringham, and ask you to bid well at the sale."

This genial speech was received with applause, and its closing words with cheerful laughter. The Duke of Manchester next proposed the health of Mr. John Thornton, the auctioneer, who may be regarded as the Tattersall of the Shorthorn world, and who, in responding, said that he was more anxious to hear others than others would be to hear him. The company then broke up, the Prince and Princess of Wales leading the way to the sale-ring, which had been pitched close to the homestead, with three covered stands for the Royal party, the auctioneer and his chief customers, and for the county people, who mustered in great force.

The auctioneer gave much interesting information as to the establishment of the herd of Shorthorns and the flock of Southdowns at Sandringham.

Since the herd of Shorthorns was formed the Prince of Wales has been in the habit of exhibiting at the Royal and other shows held within easy reach of home, and the animals selected for exhibition, but not forced into extreme condition, as is so often done, have been very successful, for they have taken sixteen first prizes, twelve seconds, four thirds, and four special prizes, while it is interesting to note that at the Royal Agricultural Show at York three years ago the Prince obtained what is generally regarded as the highest honour of the showyard--viz., the prize for a family group consisting of mother and several daughters.

The Prince has been not less conspicuously successful with his Southdown sheep, as this flock, first formed in 1886 by the selection of sheep from the flocks of the Duke of Richmond at Goodwood, Lord Walsingham at Merton, Mr. Webb at Babraham, and Mr. Gorringe at Kingston, has won sixty-eight first and sixty-two second prizes, to say nothing of minor distinctions, bringing the total of prizes up to 183, while at the Smithfield Show last winter three Southdowns from Sandringham won the 50 champion cup and the gold medal as the best pen of sheep in the hall. These facts being well known to all those who attended the sale, while they had the further a.s.surance that all the lots offered would be sold without any of those reservations which mar so many auctions, the bidding was very brisk; but in spite of this the number of lots was so great that the sale, commencing at two o'clock, lasted until nearly six.

The detail of the sale only concern those who have to do with buying or breeding: and the records of the pedigree stock, and the prices obtained, and other particulars, will be found in the reports of the meeting. To the general reader of this book the whole proceedings are full of interest, as being a scene of genuine English country life, and the Prince of Wales was thoroughly in his element as the centre of the grand agricultural a.s.semblage. How Was.h.i.+ngton Irving would have rejoiced to be there, and what a description he would have given of the scene!

SION COLLEGE.

_December 15th, 1886._