Speeches and Addresses of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales: 1863-1888. King of Great Britain Edward VII
He had himself devoted his life to letters, but at the same time he fully recognized the claims of the modern continental tongues and the natural sciences, by which the civilization and progress of the world were unquestionably advanced. Professor Huxley then proposed the "Health of the Committee of Management," coupling with it the name of the chairman. The Chairman having briefly replied, the meeting broke up, and the visitors dispersed throughout the grounds for promenade.
THE VICEROY OF EGYPT, ISMAIL PASHA, AT THE MANSION HOUSE.
July 11th, 1867.
Among the many illustrious rulers of foreign nations who have been entertained by the Lord Mayor of London, have been three Viceroys of Egypt. On the 11th of July, 1867, at a banquet at the Mansion House, a distinguished company assembled to meet his Highness the Viceroy, Ismail Pasha. Twenty-one years previously, the father, and on a subsequent occasion the brother of the Viceroy had been similarly honoured in the capital of the British Empire. The Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, Prince Teck, Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, many of the ambassadors of foreign powers, and the most eminent men of all shades of political opinion were among the company.
The reply of the Viceroy, to the toast, given by the Lord Mayor, was responded to in his native tongue, and interpreted by Nubar Pasha in French: "If Egypt had rendered services to England, chiefly in facilitating communication with India, his country was only acknowledging the debt due to this country for the benefits received in promoting the material and the moral progress of his people."
The next toast was the health of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the other members of the Royal Family, to which the Prince thus responded:—
"My Lord Mayor, your Royal Highnesses, my Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen, I beg to thank you most warmly and sincerely for the kind manner in which you, my Lord Mayor, have proposed my health and that of the Princess of Wales, and the other members of the Royal Family; and to thank the company here present for the way in which it has been received. I need not assure you, my Lord Mayor, that to have been invited here this evening has been a source of great pleasure to me. Under any circumstances I always feel it a great compliment to be invited to the hospitable board of the Lord Mayor and the Corporation of the city of London.
"But this evening we have been invited here to do honour to a guest, and that guest the Viceroy of Egypt. As the Lord Mayor has very truly remarked, England and Egypt, though far distant from one another, though very different from one another in religion and in habits, are countries which have been, and will continue to be, closely allied to one another. We have every reason to be grateful to the Viceroy and to his Government for the means he has afforded us of visiting that country, and for the great hospitality that he has shown to us on all occasions. I myself received distinguished marks of kindness under the rule of his brother, the late Viceroy, in 1862. Nothing could exceed the kindness and courtesy with which I was treated, and the facilities with which I was enabled to visit that most interesting country. We are also indebted to the Viceroy and the Egyptian Government for the great facilities he has afforded our troops in their transit to India.
"Egypt, as has been remarked, is a country that is fast improving in every way. Manufactures are rising on all sides—especially the manufacture of cotton. I myself visited a very important sugar manufactory, and it was interesting to find that there were English, French, and German workmen employed in that manufactory.
"I do not wish, my Lord Mayor, to take up more of your time this evening, knowing that there are other toasts to be proposed. I will, therefore, conclude by again thanking you once more for the honour you have done me in drinking my health, and for the very kind expressions you have used towards the Princess of Wales. I know I only express her feelings when I say that she has been deeply touched by that universal good feeling and sympathy which has been shown to her during her long and painful illness. Thank God she has now nearly recovered, and I trust that in a month's time she will be able to leave London and enjoy the benefits of fresh air."
FESTIVAL OF ST. PATRICK.
March 17th, 1868.
On various occasions, the Prince of Wales has shown on Irish soil, his sympathy with the people of the Sister Isle, and has been always welcomed with warm and loyal feeling by the mass of the population. He has given practical proof of his good feeling for the Irish nation by being a patron and supporter of the Benevolent Society of St. Patrick, in the schools of which the children of poor Irish parents residing in the Metropolis receive education and other benefits.
The annual festival has long been well attended and supported, but never before was there so great and brilliant a gathering as when the Prince of Wales, on the 17th of March, 1868, presided at the dinner, at Willis's Rooms. Among the company were the Archbishop of Armagh, the Bishop of Derry, and many members of the House of Lords, and of the House of Commons, connected with Ireland, with other distinguished persons of all classes interested in the charity. The London Irish Volunteers formed a guard of honour in front of the building, and the Prince on entering, and taking his place as president, was greeted with enthusiastic cheers.
The usual loyal toasts having been given, and responded to by the Prince, with warm appreciation of the good-will, especially directed towards the Princess of Wales, on her health being proposed by the Archbishop of Armagh, the Prince proposed "The Army and Navy, the Militia and the Volunteers," saying some suitable words as to each branch of the united services.
The Earl of Longford briefly replied for the Army. Mr. Corry, in responding for the Navy, said he believed that St. Patrick had never been so far south as that fine harbour which was "statio bene fida carinis." Complaints had been made from time to time that the Government had not availed themselves of the facilities which Cork harbour afforded for dockyard accommodation, but after the works at Haulbowline were completed, he hoped that the people of Cork would see that the Admiralty had no desire to do any injustice to Ireland in respect of the navy. He was glad to announce to the company that on the occasion of the forthcoming visit of the Prince of Wales to Dublin a division of the armour-clad vessels of the Channel fleet would be sent to the Bay of Dublin, where, weather permitting, the ships of the division would anchor and remain during the time His Royal Highness was to stay in Ireland.
Captain M. J. O'Connell, in returning thanks for the Volunteers, remarked that in the London Irish there never had been any political or polemical disputes.
At this stage of the proceedings there occurred a scene thoroughly "racy of the soil" of which most of the noblemen and gentlemen present were natives. The children of the schools were brought into the room, and "St. Patrick's Day" having been struck up by the band, the boys and girls proceeded to make the circuit of the tables. The national air of Ireland told alike on the benefactors and the recipients of the charity. The children looked with glistening eyes on the company, and the latter, as the young ones passed by, loaded them with fruit and cakes to such an extent that before the juvenile procession had made its exit from the apartment the tables had been cleared of the entire dessert, which was a very liberal one. The boys and girls raised a loud cheer as they left the room, and the entire company, including the illustrious President, appeared all the happier for having made the festival the means of so unusual a treat for the little sons and daughters of poor Irish parents struggling for their living in London.
After the performance of a selection of Irish airs, the Prince of Wales again rose and said:—
"My Lords and Gentlemen.—The next toast which I shall have the honour of proposing to you is the toast of the evening. We are here to-night for a very excellent and charitable purpose. The objects of the Benevolent Society of St. Patrick have been so often stated—so many able speeches have been made at so many successive anniversaries of this festival, that there is very little left for me to say; but having accepted, which I did with pleasure, the post of chairman this evening, I