Part 9 (1/2)
On May 5th, 1879, the Prince of Wales presided at the annual banquet of the Cabdrivers' Benevolent a.s.sociation. On May 23, 1880, he presided at a dinner in aid of the funds of the Princess Helena College and the result of his patronage and the careful speech delivered was a total donation of 2000, to which he contributed his customary one hundred guineas. On June 17th of the same year he visited the new Breakwater and Harbour at Holyhead and, during the visit, there were loyal demonstrations on sea and land and a banquet attended by gentlemen representing most of the leading English and Irish railway companies.
During the same month the King of Greece visited England and the Prince had an opportunity of returning some of the many hospitalities which he had received from His Majesty and of presenting him to the Corporation of London at a great banquet of welcome. As Duke of Cornwall he also laid the first stone of Truro Cathedral in this month. Writing of this and other functions on June 18th the _Times_ declared that the representative duties of British royalty were heavier than the private functions of the hardest-worked Englishman. ”In these scenes and a hundred like them a Prince's function cannot be discharged satisfactorily unless he be at once an impersonation of Royal state and, what is harder still, his own individual self. He must act his public character as if he enjoyed the festival as much as any of the spectators. He must be able to stamp a national impress upon the solemnity yet mark its local and particular significance.”
DISTRIBUTES PRIZES, PRESENTS AND COLOURS
New colours were presented to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers by the Prince as they were embarking from Portsmouth for India, on August 16th. On May 24th, 1881, he presided at the festival dinner of the Royal Hospital for Women and Children in London, contributed one hundred guineas to its funds and was able to announce donations totalling 2000. At King's College, London, on July 2nd, His Royal Highness, accompanied by the Princess, distributed the annual prizes and pointed out the history and merits of the inst.i.tution. On July 18th the Prince, accompanied by the Princess of Wales, laid the foundation of a City and Guilds of London Inst.i.tute, established for the technical training of artisans, and delivered a speech of considerable range and length. He also accepted the Presidency of the Inst.i.tute. The seventh annual meeting of the International Medical Congress was formally opened by the Prince, accompanied by the Crown Prince Frederick of Prussia, on August 3rd. He was received by a Committee composed of distinguished medical men such as Sir W. Jenner, Sir William Gull, Sir James Paget and Sir J. R.
Bennett and, during the ceremony, spoke upon the progress made in late years by medical science.
The death of Dean Stanley on July 18th of this year was felt as a personal and severe loss by both the Prince and Princess. The former had no warmer or wiser friend; the latter no greater admirer in the highest sense of the word. It was fitting, therefore, that His Royal Highness should take the lead in raising a suitable Memorial to the distinguished Churchman and he attended and spoke earnestly at a meeting called in the Chapter-house of Westminster Abbey, for that purpose, on December 13th.
Dean Bradley presided and there were also present Archbishop Tait of Canterbury, the Marquess of Salisbury, Earl Granville, the Duke of Westminster, the Marquess of Lorne, Mr. J. Russell Lowell, the American Minister, Lord Chief Justice Coleridge and others. In his speech the Prince spoke of his intimate friends.h.i.+p with Dean Stanley over a period of twenty-two years, of their a.s.sociation in the East and of the great charm of his companions.h.i.+p. ”As the Churchman, as the scholar, as the man of letters, as the philanthropist and, above all, as the true friend, his name must always go down to posterity as a great and good man and as one who will make his mark on a chapter of his country's history.”
During the next few years the public events of the Prince's career continued along very much the same lines, varied by some rapid trip to the continent, or visit to the country home of some n.o.ble friend, or a shooting excursion to some place where game was plentiful and companions congenial. The central events, aside from his promotion of the Fisheries and other Exhibitions, were the visit to Ireland in 1885, the support given to an Empire policy by his patronage of the Imperial Inst.i.tute and similar concerns, his active connection with the Masonic Order and his conduct of the Jubilee of 1887. The International Fisheries Exhibition grew out of a comparatively small affair at Norwich in which the Prince of Wales had taken an active interest. In July 1881, as a result of his initiative, a meeting was held in London, a committee was formed and the preliminary work done. In February 1882 a second meeting occurred and further organization was effected with the Queen as Patron, His Royal Highness as President and the Duke of Richmond as Chairman of the General Committee. The Exhibition was finally opened on May 13, 1883, by the Prince of Wales, who had around him most of the members of the Royal family, the Foreign Amba.s.sadors, Her Majesty's Ministers and other distinguished persons, His address defined the reasons for the enterprise in a sentence: ”In view of the rapid increase of the population in all civilized countries, and especially in these sea girt kingdoms, a profound interest attaches to every industry which affects the supply of food; and in this respect the harvest of the sea is hardly less important than that of the land.” In results he thought the Exhibition should enable practical fishermen to acquaint themselves with the latest improvements in both their working craft and life-saving systems. It was a great success. The total visitors numbered 2,703,051 and there was a financial surplus of 15,243. Of this, two-thirds was put aside to a.s.sist the families of fishermen who had lost their lives at sea, and 3000 was used to organize a Fisheries Society in order to keep up the interest in the subject and encourage the study of ways and means to help the fishermen.
THE PRINCE ENCOURAGES EXHIBITIONS
In replying to an address from the Executive Committee at the closing of the Exhibition, on October 31st, the Prince had suggested that other Exhibitions might very well be held dealing with the three great subjects of Health, Inventions and the Colonies. The first subject dealt with was that of Health. Owing to the death of his brother, the Duke of Albany, on March 28th, 1884, the Prince could not do much more than initiate the project but it was carried on by the Duke of Buckingham as Chairman of the Committee. Its active progress was marked by the inauguration of the work of the International Juries by the Prince of Wales on June 17th. Like the Fisheries and the ”Colinderies” which followed it in 1886, the ”Healtheries” proved ultimately a great success. Meanwhile, minor incidents were occurring. On March 1st, 1882, as Colonel of the Corps, the Prince presided over the 21st anniversary dinner of the Civil Service Volunteers and spoke at some length upon the importance of the Volunteer force. Others present on the occasion were the Dukes of Manchester and Portland, Viscount Bury, Lord Elcho and Colonel Lloyd-Lindsay. On March 10th, 1883, the Duke of Cambridge, Commander-in-Chief, called a meeting in London to consider what could be done with the neglected British graves in the Crimea and the Prince of Wales, who had felt the matter keenly during his visit of years before, moved a Resolution declaring that immediate steps should be taken in the matter. He spoke with earnestness, contributed 50 toward the project and was supported by General Sir W. Codrington, Admiral Sir H. Keppel, General Sir L. A. Simmons and Lord Wolseley.
The new City School of London, on the Thames Embankment, was opened by His Royal Highness on December 12th, 1882, accompanied by the Princess of Wales. On May 21st 1883 crowded memories of his Indian tour were revived by the opening of the Northbrook Club for the use of Native gentlemen from the East Indies. In his speech the Prince referred with grat.i.tude to his ”magnificent reception” in India and expressed his strong approval of the establishment of a place where natives of that Empire could meet together for purposes of relaxation and intercourse.
The City of London College, intended chiefly for young men who could only attend evening cla.s.ses, was inaugurated on July 8th of this year.
The Princess was also present. In the House of Lords on February 22nd, 1884, the Prince made one of his very few speeches in that Chamber--although a frequent attendant at its sessions. It was in connection with a motion presented by Lord Salisbury for the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the housing of the working cla.s.ses. His Royal Highness declared that a searching inquiry was very necessary, expressed his pleasure at having been named a member of the Commission, referred to his own experiments at Sandringham, and expressed the hope that measures of a drastic and thorough kind would result. Three days later, accompanied by the Princess, their three daughters, and Her Royal Highness the Marchioness of Lorne, the Prince of Wales visited the Guards' Industrial Home at Chelsea Barracks and distributed the annual prizes.
On March 15th, not for the first time, he presided at the annual meeting of the Royal National Lifeboat Inst.i.tution and spoke strongly of its valuable and important work. Other speakers were the Dukes of Argyll and Northumberland, Admiral Keppel and Lord C. Beresford. The Guilds of London Inst.i.tute was opened on June 25th and the speech made by the Prince was more elaborate than usual. He was well supported by Lord Carlingford and Mr. A. J. Mundella, M.P. An important and interesting incident of this year was the action of the Prince of Wales in presiding over a densely-crowded meeting in the Guild Hall, London, called to celebrate the Jubilee of the abolition of slavery in British countries and to consider the past and present work of the Anti-Slavery Society.
On the platform were many distinguished men in every sphere of the national life and the speech of His Royal Highness was probably the longest he had ever delivered. It was a succinct history of the abolition of slavery in various countries and colonies and contained many expressions of warm approval toward those who had worked to that end--the extension of ”the sacred principle of freedom.” Sir Stafford Northcote, Archbishop Benson of Canterbury, Mr. W. E. Forster, M.P., Cardinal Manning and others spoke, and it was afterwards announced by the Lord Mayor that the Prince had consented to become Patron of the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society.
The unveiling of the statue of Charles Darwin in the Museum of Natural History on June 9th, 1885, evoked a brief speech and a reference to ”the great Englishman who had exerted so vast an influence upon the progress of branches of natural knowledge.” On July 4th the Prince and Princess attended the opening of the new building of the Birkbeck Inst.i.tution in London and the former spoke upon its objects and character. On July 5th of the previous year he presided at the annual dinner in aid of the Railway Guards' Friendly Society and referred in his speech to its nature and valuable work. More than 3300 was subscribed, to which the Royal chairman gave his usual contribution. The Convalescent Home at Swanley was opened on July 13th 1885 and the Prince was accompanied by his wife and daughters. A visit was paid two days later to Leeds and the Prince and Princess stayed at Studley, the seat of the Marquess of Ripon. Various addresses were received at the Town Hall and from thence the Royal visitors went to the Yorks.h.i.+re College, which the Prince duly inaugurated amid much state. At the succeeding luncheon he spoke of the great importance of the industrial educational work which this inst.i.tution was carrying on. ”I have for a long time been deeply impressed with the advisability of establis.h.i.+ng in our great centres of population, colleges and schools, not only for promoting the intellectual advancement of the people, but also for increasing their prosperity by furthering the application of scientific knowledge to the industrial arts.”
The sad news of the gallant death of General Gordon affected the Prince of Wales as only the loss of a friend who is greatly and personally admired can do. He took much interest in the Committee which was formed to promote a Memorial and finally summoned a special meeting at Marlborough House, on January 12th, 1886, to promote the collection of a fund looking to the permanent establishment of a Gordon Boys' Home.
Speeches were made by General Higginson, the Duke of Cambridge and Lord Napier of Magdala, and ultimately the enterprise was fairly placed upon its feet. A little later, with Prince Albert Victor and Prince George, His Royal Highness went to stay with the Duke of Westminster at Eaton Hall. From thence, on January 20th, they visited Liverpool and the Mersey Tunnel was formally inaugurated after a drive through the city and the reception of the usual addresses and popular welcome. A banquet was also received and several speeches made by the Prince. The Inst.i.tution of Civil Engineers entertained the Prince of Wales at dinner on March 27th and the Royal guest was accompanied by his eldest son and the Duke of Cambridge. Sir Frederick Bramwell presided. On June 28th, following, he laid the foundation-stone of the Peoples' Palace amidst evidences of unbounded personal popularity in the East End of London; with ten thousand people around him--including one thousand delegates from the various Trade, Friendly and Temperance Societies in East London; and with representative persons in attendance such as Dr. Adler, the Chief Rabbi, Cardinal Manning, Archbishop Benson and Mr. Walter Besant.
As a result of his deep and practical interest in agricultural matters the Prince of Wales held a sale of Shorthorn cattle and Southdown sheep at Norwich on July 15th of this year. The sale was a most interesting and successful event from a technical as well as general standpoint and fully proved the right of the Royal owner of Sandringham to be called a farmer and to act as President of the Royal Agricultural Society of England. A luncheon given to the agricultural celebrities of England followed the sale. On March 12th, 1887, the Prince presided at the Jubilee banquet of the London Orphan Asylum and defined its objects and work while urging more financial a.s.sistance to its projects. Amongst those present were the Duke of Abercorn, the Earl of Clarendon, General Sir Donald Stewart and Sir Dighton Probyn. The subscriptions announced during the evening were 5000, including one hundred guineas from the Prince.
On March 30th he opened the new College of Preceptors in London, accompanied by the Princess of Wales and the Princesses Victoria and Maud. The opening of the Manchester Exhibition followed on May 3rd and the Prince and Princesses came to the city from Tatton Hall, where they had been staying with Lord Egerton. The usual hearty welcome was given along the crowded route. On May 22nd the London Hospital's new buildings were inaugurated, the Prince being accompanied by his wife and two daughters and the Crown Prince of Denmark. Six days later Tottenham was visited and the new portion of the Deaconesses Inst.i.tution and Hospital opened. The Shaftesbury House, or home for shelterless boys, was inaugurated on June 17th and on November 3rd His Royal Highness visited Truro, accompanied by the Princess and his two sons, attended the consecration of the new Cathedral by the Primate of England and spoke afterwards at a luncheon given by the princ.i.p.al residents of the Duchy of Cornwall. On the following day he presented new colours to the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry at Devonport.
On May the 8th, 1888, the Prince and Princess of Wales opened the Glasgow Exhibition and the former spoke interestingly of the industrial development of the time. The statesman whose advice and knowledge had been so greatly appreciated by the Prince during his Indian tour was fittingly commemorated by the statue on the Thames Embankment which His Royal Highness unveiled on June 5th following. Sir Bartle Frere was described in the speech accompanying the act as ”a great and valued public servant of the Crown and a highly esteemed and dear friend of myself.” On July 6th a new Gymnasium for the Young Men's Christian a.s.sociation was opened in London; on May 9th the Prince and Princess visited Blackburn and were enthusiastically received; on May 14th His Royal Highness, accompanied by his wife and daughters, Prince Charles of Denmark and Prince George of Greece, opened the Anglo-Danish Exhibition at South Kensington; on July 17th he inaugurated the new buildings of the Great Northern Hospital at Islington and in the autumn of the year paid a visit to Austria and some of the countries in Southern Europe.
The purely public events of following years may be briefly and partially summarized. In June, 1889, the Prince and Princess of Wales visited the Paris Exhibition in a semi-private capacity, and were present at Athens, on October 27th, at the wedding of the Duke of Sparta and Princess Sophia of Germany. The great Forth Bridge was opened by the Prince in March, 1890, and a short time spent with Lord Rosebery at Dalmeny; a visit was paid to Berlin, accompanied by Prince George, on March 21st; a statue of the Duke of Albany was unveiled at Cannes on April 6th; a new nave in the ancient Church of St. Saviour, Southwark, was inaugurated on July 24th; the new Town Hall at Portsmouth was opened on August 9th; the City of London Electric Railway was inaugurated on November 4th. On November 9th, 1891, the theatrical managers of London presented His Royal Highness with a large gold cigar-box in honour of his fiftieth birthday. In 1892 the Prince visited the Royal Agricultural Society at Warwick with the Duke of York, laid the foundation-stone of the Clarence Memorial addition to St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, and supervised the re-building of Sandringham after the fire which had consumed a portion of it. One of the events of 1894 was a visit to Coburg in April and attendance at the marriage of his niece and nephew, the Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg and the Grand Duke of Hesse.
Another was the opening of the Tower Bridge, London, in June, by the Prince and Princess on behalf of the Queen.
On May 16, 1895, the Prince of Wales reviewed the Warwicks.h.i.+re Yeomanry; on July 8th he laid the foundation-stone of new buildings at the Epsom Medical College; in July he reviewed Italian and British fleets off Portsmouth; on July 22nd he opened the new building of the Royal Free Hospital, Grey's Inn Road, London; in November he presided at a lecture in the Imperial Inst.i.tute. In 1896 he was formally installed as Chancellor of the University of Wales, and stayed at Balmoral in September during the visit of the Emperor and Empress of Russia to the Queen. In January, 1897, the Prince visited the Duke of Sutherland at Trentham Hall; on May 22nd he opened the Blackwell Tunnel; in June he partic.i.p.ated in all the Jubilee functions, was created Grand Master of the Order of the Bath and gave a banquet, in honour of the appointment, to all living Knights Grand Cross of the Order, which was a unique gathering of men distinguished in diplomacy, statesmans.h.i.+p, in the Army and Navy, and in Imperial and civil administration. During the following year he distributed prizes in June at Wellington College and laid the foundation-stone of new buildings at University College Hospital; on December 23rd he attended the opening service of a restored church at Sherbourne. On June 19, 1899, His Royal Highness held a Levee at St.
James's Palace; on July 6th he received the freedom of the City of Edinburgh; and on September 18th he presented new colours to the Gordon Highlanders.
Such was the general character and scope of the Prince's public life.
There would have been little object served in elaborating the description of these ceremonial events. They are of value and necessary to a clear comprehension of the position and manifold duties of the Prince of Wales, and quite enough have been given for this purpose.