Speeches and Addresses of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales: 1863-1888 Part 34

Of the progress of the movement, and of the home for the Inst.i.tute at South Kensington, it is not necessary here to speak, but the following speech of the Prince of Wales, at St. James's Palace, on the 12th of January, 1887, gives the best summary of all that is designed and expected in regard to the Imperial Inst.i.tute.

Letters had been sent out inviting many influential persons to meet His Royal Highness as chairman, and the members of the organizing committee of the Inst.i.tute. The banqueting room at the old Palace was filled with an audience such as has rarely been brought together on any occasion in recent years. Many of the most distinguished men in all departments of public life, the Lord Mayors of London and York, with nearly 200 Mayors, Provosts, and Chief Magistrates of English and Scottish boroughs, Masters and Wardens of City Companies, and Directors of great corporate bodies and societies were present. The Prince of Wales, on entering the room, accompanied by Prince Albert Victor, was warmly received; and thus he addressed the meeting:--

"My Lords and Gentlemen,--You are doubtless aware of the general feeling on the part of the public that some signal proof of the love and loyalty of Her Majesty's subjects throughout her widely extended Empire should be given to the Queen when she celebrates the fiftieth year of her happy reign. In order to afford to the Queen the fullest satisfaction, the proposed memorial should not be merely personal in its character, but should tend to serve the interests of the entire Empire and to promote a feeling of unity among the whole of Her Majesty's subjects. The desire to find fitting means of drawing our colonies and India into closer bonds with the mother country, a desire which of late has been clearly expressed, meets, I am sure, with the Queen's warmest sympathy. It occurred to me that the recent Colonial and Indian Exhibition, which presented a most successful display of the material resources of the colonies and India, might suggest the basis for an inst.i.tute which should afford a permanent representation of the products and manufactures of the whole of the Queen's dominions. I therefore appointed a committee of eminent men to consider and report to me upon the best means of carrying out this idea.

"Upon the report of the committee being submitted to me, and after giving every clause my full consideration, it so entirely met with my approval that I accepted all its suggestions, and I therefore directed that a copy of that report should be sent to each of you. As I trust you have mastered the suggestions of that report, I do not purpose re-stating them to you in detail, but I would remind you that I propose that the memorial should bear the name of the Imperial Inst.i.tute of the United Kingdom, the Colonies, and India, and that it must find its home within buildings of a character worthy to commemorate the Jubilee year of the Queen's reign.

"My proposals also are that the Imperial Inst.i.tute should be an emblem of the unity of the Empire, and should ill.u.s.trate the resources and capabilities of every section of her Majesty's dominions. By these means every one may become acquainted with the marvellous growth of the Queen's colonial and Indian possessions during her reign, and will be enabled to mark by the opportunities afforded for contrast how steadily these possessions have advanced in manufacturing skill and enterprise step by step with the mother country. A representative inst.i.tute of this kind must necessarily be situated in London, but its organization will, I trust, be such that benefits will be equally conferred upon our provincial communities as well as upon the colonial and Indian subjects of the Crown. It is my hope that the inst.i.tute will form a practical means of communication between our colonial settlers and those persons at home who may benefit by emigration. Much information and even instruction may beneficially be imparted to those who need guidance in respect to emigration.

"You are aware that the compet.i.tion of industry all over the world has become keen, while commerce and manufactures have been profoundly affected by the recent rapid progress of science and the increased facilities of inter-communication offered by steam and the electric telegraph. In consequence of these changes all nations are using strenuous efforts to produce a trained intelligence among their people. The working cla.s.ses of this country have not been slow to show their desire for improvement in this direction. They wish to place themselves in a position of intellectual power by using all opportunities offered to them to secure an understanding of the principles as well as of the practice of the work in which they are engaged. No less than 16,000,000 persons from all parts of the kingdom have attended the four exhibitions over which I presided, representing fisheries, public health, inventions, and the colonies and India, and I a.s.sure you I would not have undertaken the labour attending their administration had I not felt a deep conviction that such exhibitions added to the knowledge of the people and stimulated the industries of the country.

"I have on more than one occasion expressed my own views, founded upon those so often enunciated by my lamented father, that it is of the greatest importance to do everything within our power to advance the knowledge as well as the practical skill of the productive cla.s.ses of the Empire. I therefore commend to you as the leading idea I entertain that the inst.i.tute should be regarded as a centre for extending knowledge in relation to the industrial resources and commerce of the Queen's dominions. With this view it should be in constant touch, not only with the chief manufacturing districts of this country, but also with all the colonies and India. Such objects are large in their scope, and must necessarily be so, if this inst.i.tute is worthily to represent the unity of the Empire.

"To some minds the scheme may not be sufficiently comprehensive, because it does not provide for systematic courses of technical instruction in connection with the collections and libraries of the proposed inst.i.tute. I would be the last person to undervalue this suggestion. I am well aware that the advantages we have enjoyed in the compet.i.tion of the world by the possession of fuel, combined with large mineral resources and by the maritime habits of our people, are now becoming of less importance, as trained intellect has in other countries been more and more applied to productive industry. But I know that this truth has already penetrated our centres of manufacturing activity, for many of the large towns have founded colleges and schools of science and art to increase the intellectual factor of production. London, also, has taken important steps in the same direction. The Imperial Inst.i.tute should be a supplement to, and not a compet.i.tor with, other inst.i.tutions for technical education in science and art both at home and in the colonies.

At the same time, I trust that the inst.i.tute will be able to stimulate and aid local efforts by directing scholars.h.i.+ps for the working-cla.s.ses into suitable channels, and by other similar means.

"Though the inst.i.tute does not engage in the direct object of systematic technical education, it may well be the means of promoting it, as its purpose is to extend an exact knowledge of the industrial resources of the Empire. It will be a place of study and resort for producers and consumers from the colonies and India when they visit this country for business or pleasure, and they, as well as the merchants and manufacturers of the United Kingdom, will find in its collections, libraries, conference and intelligence rooms, the means of extending the commerce and of improving the manufacturing industries of the Empire. I trust, too, that colonial and Indian subjects visiting this country will find some sort of social welcome within the proposed building. This inst.i.tute will thus be an emblem, as well as a practical exponent, of the community of interests and the unity of feeling throughout the extended dominions of the Queen.

"From the close relation in which I stand to the Queen, there can be no impropriety in my stating that if her subjects desire, on the occasion of the celebration of her fiftieth year as Sovereign of this great Empire, to offer her a memorial of their love and loyalty, she would specially value one which would promote the industrial and commercial resources of her dominions in various parts of the world, and which would be expressive of that unity and co-operation which Her Majesty desires should prevail among all cla.s.ses and races of her extended Empire.

"My lords and gentlemen, I have invited you to meet on this occasion in order that I may appeal to you to give me your a.s.sistance in establis.h.i.+ng and maintaining the Imperial Inst.i.tute. If you approve of the views I have expressed, I am certain I may rely upon your strenuous co-operation to carry them into effect. I admit that it has not been without anxiety that I resolved to make the propositions I submitted to you, but confidence and support have come to me in the knowledge that I can appeal to you, and through you to the whole country, to give your aid to a work which I believe will be of lasting benefit to this and future generations."

Resolutions were proposed and speeches made by Earl Spencer, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Viscount Hampden, the Lord Mayor of London, the Mayor of Newcastle, and the Marquis of Lorne, approving the scheme, and promising hearty support. The Lord Mayor proposed a vote of thanks to the Prince, who tendered his thanks for the attendance at the meeting, and the approval given to the proposal.

"I am glad, gentlemen, to have this opportunity of expressing to you collectively and individually my deep feelings of grat.i.tude, in seeing you all here to-day at a time of year when travelling is neither easy nor pleasant, considering the distances which you have had to come; and also for the kind response which you have made to my appeal. It augurs well for the future, and I feel convinced you will do all in your power to a.s.sist me in making this Imperial Inst.i.tute worthy of the name of our Queen and of her Empire. The promotion of this scheme is with me a labour of love, and it must, I am sure, strike you all that, apart from wis.h.i.+ng to do honour to the name of my beloved mother, n.o.body is more desirous than I am that a monument, if I may use the term, may be erected worthy of her Empire."

A public meeting was held the same day at the Mansion House, attended by a large number of the most influential men in the City. The Lord Mayor (Sir Reginald Hanson), Earl Granville, Mr. Plunket, M.P., Mr. Mundella, M.P., Mr. Goschen, M.P., and Lord Rothschild, were among the speakers, and resolutions were pa.s.sed with an enthusiasm which gave good augury for the success of the Imperial Inst.i.tute.

THE LONDON ORPHAN ASYLUM.

_March 12th, 1887._

The London Orphan Asylum, for the maintenance, clothing, and education of Fatherless Children, is one of the oldest and best charities of its cla.s.s. The Prince of Wales presided at the Jubilee Festival, at the Hotel Metropole, on the 12th of March, 1887. Among the numerous friends of the charity present were the Duke of Abercorn, the Earl of Clarendon, Sir Donald Stewart, Sir Dighton Probyn, and many distinguished men. The Prince, in giving the toast of "The Queen," said it was the first public dinner at which he had presided in the Jubilee year of the Queen, and this was also the jubilee of her connection with the London Orphan Asylum, of which she had been for fifty years its patron. The toast was received with more than usual enthusiasm.

Alderman Sir R. N. Fowler, M.P., in giving the next loyal toast said that the charity had been already deeply indebted to the Prince of Wales, who had, along with the Princess of Wales, laid the foundation stone of this Asylum at Watford.

Other loyal and patriotic toasts having been given, the Prince rose to propose the toast of the evening. He said:--

"My Lords and Gentlemen,--The London Orphan Asylum is an old inst.i.tution; it was founded in 1813, two years before the battle of Waterloo; and it owed its origin to a distinguished philanthropist of the time, Dr. Andrew Reed. Of course it began on a very small scale, for the old proverb applied in this as in so many other cases that you must cut your coat according to your cloth. It commenced in the first year of its organization with only three children; but in 1822 there were as many as 126 children in the school. Twenty years later there were as many as 326; twenty years later still there were 414; and now it affords me the greatest pleasure to announce to you that we have upwards of 500 children.

"The first subscription list contained the names of 255 subscribers, and among them was my grandfather. He was the first patron and headed the list with 50 guineas; and in 1823 my grand-uncle, the late Duke of York, laid the foundation stone of the inst.i.tution at Clapton; while two years later the late Duke of Cambridge, who was always foremost in all great charitable undertakings in this country, presided at its annual festival.

The inst.i.tution continued to grow and more children had to be admitted, until at last there was not sufficient room in the old home. A new one was, therefore, inst.i.tuted at Watford, and in 1869 the Princess and myself were asked to lay the foundation stone of your present home. Having taken part in that ceremony, it gives me much gratification to learn in what a flouris.h.i.+ng condition the inst.i.tution now is, which is exemplified by the presence of upwards of 500 in the home. And when I look at the young ladies and the boys before us I think you will come to the conclusion that the management of the inst.i.tution is thoroughly good. During the 74 years of the existence of the asylum something over 5000 orphan children have been maintained, clothed, and educated.

"The great Duke of Wellington took very great interest in the inst.i.tution, and I believe I am not wrong in stating that he presided at its festivals on five different occasions. A remarkable and very important fact in connection with the inst.i.tution is that those who have received education and aid from the society are those who do all they can to give it support at the present time, and part of the inst.i.tution at Watford was built by subscriptions of the old scholars, and I am told that there are as many as ten old pupils of the inst.i.tution in one commercial house in the City, while many are present here to-night who are prepared to give liberal donations. The education they receive is a thoroughly sound and practical one, and when they leave every effort is made to find them situations, and they are sent out with proper clothing. As a proof that it is managed on economical principles I need only say that the cost per head in the past year amounted to little over 30. The amount disbursed in the 74 years since its foundation has reached the large sum of 700,000--all of this large sum, with the exception of 1000 a year which you can rely upon, having been derived from voluntary contributions.

"This year being the Jubilee of Her Majesty's reign the managers are most anxious to mark the epoch in some manner which will benefit the inst.i.tution, and they have resolved to add 100 scholars, of whom 50 were admitted in January and 50 more will be admitted in June. The cost of this will, undoubtedly, be very great, the ultimate amount being between 18,000 and 20,000. I am here, therefore, as your chairman, to ask you to contribute as liberally as you can for the maintenance of this ancient and most creditable inst.i.tution. I am well aware that now and for some years past there has been both agricultural and commercial depression, but I feel convinced that in the cause of charity--and what greater charity can there be than providing for orphan children?--I shall not appeal in vain to my countrymen to do all in their power as philanthropists to support an inst.i.tution which has been carried out on the best and most economical principles."

The toast was drunk with much enthusiasm, and acknowledged by Mr. Capell (the treasurer). The total amount of the subscriptions announced during the evening was 5000, including an annual subscription of 20 guineas from the Queen and 100 guineas from the Prince of Wales.

When the foundation-stone was laid by the Prince and Princess of Wales, in 1869, 250 purses were laid on it, containing in all about 8000. For the chapel 5000 was given by one whose early days were spent in the Asylum. The Grocers' Company contributed 3000 to build one house; the Countess of Verulam and the Countess of Ess.e.x raised another sum of 3000, as a kind of welcome to the county. The income in 1887 was 15,000, but the invested funds give little more than 1000, so that there is constant need of new "voluntary contributions," to maintain the 550 orphans now in the houses.

THE COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS.

_March 30th, 1887._

The a.s.sociated teachers who, under the name of the College of Preceptors, have for above forty years laboured to raise the standard of middle-cla.s.s education, deserve praise and honour for what they have accomplished. Without Government aid or grant, and unpatronized by dignitaries of Church or State, these learned and patriotic men have succeeded, by training teachers, establis.h.i.+ng examinations, and granting certificates, in acquiring a reputation and influence now very generally recognized. Their work is truly of national importance, and this His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales declared when he readily a.s.sented to formally open the new building of the College, in Bloomsbury Square, on the 30th of March, 1887. This College is self-supporting, and the cost of the erection and equipment of the new building was defrayed out of savings that had acc.u.mulated in the hands of the treasurer during the previous seven years.

A very large number of persons interested in education a.s.sembled in the lecture-hall to witness the ceremony, among whom were Sir Lyon Playfair, Sir Richard Temple, Mr. Lyulph Stanley, the Dowager Lady Stanley of Alderley, the Presidents of several societies, and the Head Masters of Harrow, Charterhouse, and Merchant Taylors' Schools, of Marlborough and Dulwich Colleges, and of Christ's Hospital.

On the arrival of the Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Princess of Wales, and their daughters Princesses Victoria and Maud, an address was presented by the Rev. Dr. T. W. Jex-Blake, President of the Council. The Prince, in replying, said:--

"Dr. Jex-Blake, Ladies, and Gentlemen,--It gives the Princess of Wales and myself great satisfaction to have been able to accede to the request of the council, and to open the new building of the College of Preceptors. I am reminded, by your reference to the circ.u.mstances that this building is opened during the year of the Queen's jubilee, of the many and important improvements that have taken place in Her Majesty's dominions during the last fifty years, and especially in the advancement of education among all cla.s.ses of the people, a share of which progress is due to the excellent work undertaken by this self-supported inst.i.tution.

"For over forty years the College of Preceptors has exercised a marked and growing influence for good upon the education given in some of our endowed schools, and more particularly in the numerous private schools for boys and girls which are an important feature in the educational system of this country. The value of your work is sufficiently shown by the high reputation of your examinations and by the constantly increasing number of your candidates, and I sincerely congratulate you on the results you have achieved. In the further development of the work of training teachers you have before you a future of great usefulness, for there can be no doubt that the provision of properly-trained teachers for middle and higher schools is almost, if not quite, as necessary as for our public elementary schools.

"The key of the building which you have presented to me I shall retain as a memento of this ceremony, and in declaring this building open I fervently hope that the influence and teaching which will go forth from it may tend to improve and to raise to a yet higher standard the education given in the private and secondary schools of our country. I declare this building now open."

The Royal party were afterwards conducted through the building, the arrangements of which are justly admired. The entrance corridor is wide and lofty. On one side of it there is a club-room for members, and on the other the secretary's and clerks' offices. The council-room is large and handsome, and the lecture-room occupies the whole of the second story, and is surrounded by book-cases capable of holding 10,000 volumes.

THE MANCHESTER EXHIBITION.

_May 3rd, 1887._

The great Exhibition at Manchester during the Queen's Jubilee year is too recent an event to need any remark prefatory to the statement that it was opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales on the 3rd of May, 1887. Their Royal Highnesses, who were guests at Tatton Hall, drove with Lord Egerton through the park to Knutsford, where they stopped to witness the crowning of the May Queen, and other old English May Day customs which have been revived in that quaint little town. The Prince gave the permission asked by the Committee to add the t.i.tle of Royal to the Knutsford May Day Sports. They then travelled in a saloon carriage to Manchester, accompanied by Lady Sefton and Lord Egerton.

On arriving at the Town Hall an address was presented, to which the Prince read the following reply:--

"It gives me sincere pleasure to be permitted on behalf of the Queen, my dear mother, to visit the city of Manchester for the purpose of opening the extensive and interesting Exhibition which the inhabitants of Manchester have organized with such admirable zeal and energy, particularly as it is a.s.sociated with your congratulations on Her Majesty's attaining the fiftieth year of her reign. In her name I thank you for your loyal and dutiful address. It has been a source of much gratification to the Queen to receive a.s.surance of unfaltering attachment to her throne and person from all parts of the Empire on the occasion.

The Princess of Wales and I desire to express our admiration of the n.o.ble building which you have provided for the conduct of your munic.i.p.al affairs, and we think it worthy of the vast wealth and importance of the city of Manchester. It gives us great satisfaction to be able to promote and encourage all charitable works and inst.i.tutions designed for the social and educational improvement of the community. We thank you for your good wishes for the welfare of ourselves and our children, and we hope that prosperity and happiness may ever attend on the labours of the loyal and industrious inhabitants of this great city."

The route of the procession from the Town Hall to the Exhibition was a very long one, being chosen by the Prince in preference to a shorter one submitted to him, on the ground that he would rather afford pleasure to a larger number of people than see the finer edifices on the shorter route. In the Palm House of the gardens luncheon was served, and then the opening ceremony took place in the nave of the building, in the position known as the Music Room. Mr. Halle's orchestra was in front of the organ, and the National Anthem was performed with fine effect, the vocal rendering being also given by Madame Albani and the full chorus.

The Bishop of Manchester offered prayer, and the choir sang the Old Hundredth Psalm. To the address read by Sir Joseph Lee, the Prince replied:--

"I receive with great satisfaction your address on the opening of this large and instructive Exhibition. On behalf of Her Majesty I declare it open from this day. The ill.u.s.trations which you have collected on engineering and chemical industry, and the products of manufacture and useful toil, afford ample testimony to the skill and ingenuity and steady perseverance of the inhabitants of this district, and prove how justly they hold a high and an honourable place in the industrial ranks of the Empire. The collection of natural products and manufactures of Ireland, and the gratifying display of English works of art, add much to the interest and value of this Exhibition, in which I recognise a worthy mark of your desire to do honour to an occasion so auspicious as the celebration of the fiftieth year of Her Majesty's reign. The Princess and I desire to thank you heartily for your good wishes on our behalf, and for the cordial welcome which you have given us."

The Prince, in the name of the Queen, declared the Exhibition open. A fanfare of trumpets was then given and a _feu de joie_ fired. The proceedings closed with a procession through the different departments, while the "Lobgesang" or "Hymn of Praise" was rendered by the full orchestra and chorus. At the Exhibition station a special train was waiting to take the Royal party back to Tatton Hall.