to the Royal University, where another interesting ceremony was
performed. The hall of the University was crowded with a brilliant
concourse of graduates and spectators. Their Royal Highnesses and the
Lord Lieutenant and Countess Spencer were met by the Chancellor, the
Duke of Abercorn, and the Vice-Chancellor, Lord Emly. After their Royal
Highnesses had robed they were conducted to the hall. After all had
taken their seats in the hall, a formal announcement was made by Dr.
Meredith that the Senate had resolved to confer the degree of Doctor of
Laws _honoris causâ_ upon His Royal Highness Albert Edward Prince of
Wales, and also the degree of Doctor of Music _honoris causâ_ upon Her
Royal Highness Alexandra Princess of Wales, and that their Royal
Highnesses had been graciously pleased to intimate that they would
accept those degrees. The announcement was received with loud applause
by the assembly. The Chancellor then read and presented an address to
the Prince, offering a respectful welcome and homage to His Royal
Highness and his august consort. It also referred to the success of the
University.
The degrees having been conferred, the Prince rose and said:--
"My Lord Duke, my Lords, and Gentlemen of the Senate of the
Royal University,--I am very grateful to you for the manner in
which you have received us in this hall, and on behalf of the
Princess of Wales and myself I thank you for the kind welcome
with which you have greeted us. The higher education of the
people is a subject in which I learnt from my lamented father to
take a great interest. It is a question to the solution of which
your labours, I am happy to think, have contributed much. Though
no considerable time has elapsed since the foundation of the
Royal University, it has already had a marked effect among those
people of this country who are especially open to the influence
of a University career. I shall value the degree which you have
conferred upon me, and I am proud to rank myself among the
graduates of a University, the advantages of which I am happy to
hear from you that all classes of the community avail themselves
of.
"By the admission of women to your degrees you have supported
the view that the gentler sex are capable, not only of severe
competition in science, but of enjoying the benefits and using
the power which a well-considered scientific education bestows.
It gratified me to learn that you were willing to confer upon
the Princess of Wales the degree of Doctor of Music, which, Her
Royal Highness wishes me to state on her behalf, she has
received with pleasure not only because she felt that it was an
honour to herself, but because she wished to show her approval
of her action of the ladies of Ireland in accepting the
facilities and advantages which you have offered to them. In Her
Royal Highness's name and in my own, I thank you for the honour
you have done me, and for the kindness with which you have
received us to-day."
The Prince's speech was received with great cheering. The proceedings
concluded with the National Anthem. The Royal and Viceregal parties
returned to Dublin Castle amid renewed greetings from the citizens who
still waited in the streets to see them.
Some of the incidents of the Royal visit must be passed over with simple
mention, the Levée held by the Prince, the Drawing-room held by the
Princess, and the State Ball given by the Lord Lieutenant, of which it
was said at the time that "no scene so animated and attractive has been
witnessed in Dublin Castle since the former visit of their Royal
Highnesses to Ireland." The opening of the new dock at the extremity of
the North Wall attested the progress that has been made in the Port of
Dublin, accommodation being now provided for shipping of the largest
class. The Prince congratulated the "Port and Docks Board" on the
completion of this work, and the Princess performed the ceremony of
opening and christening the new basin, which is called the Alexandra
Basin in commemoration of the event.
This took place on Saturday, the 11th of April. On the same day the
Royal visitors inspected the Artane Industrial School, with its
workshops and farms, and its probationary institution for the very
young, a truly beneficent work carried on by the Christian Brothers. The
Artane institution is one of the best of its class. The Government
contribute 5_s._ a week for each boy trained there, the rest of the cost
being provided by charitable donations, and the profits of the
workshops.
Having described the visit to the Royal University, that to Trinity
College must not be omitted. The reception was one of most enthusiastic
loyalty. In the hall a vast assembly awaited the entrance of their Royal
Highnesses, consisting of the members of the Senate, Fellows,
Professors, and invited visitors. An address was read by the
Vice-Chancellor, in which reference was made to the former visit of the
Prince, when his name was enrolled among those of adopted sons of the
_alma mater_. The Prince made appropriate reply for himself and for the
Princess, and at the close of his speech asked the Provost, Dr. Jellett,
to grant the undergraduates a term. "I cannot," added the Prince, "ask
for the degree examination, but perhaps you will grant the college
examination." To the request so graciously made, the Provost said that
the Board of Trinity College acceded. The cheers from the undergraduates
as the Royal visitors passed into the hall had been enthusiastic, and
were if possible more fervent as they left the College.
The last function performed by the Prince before leaving Dublin was
presenting new colours to the Cornwall Regiment, then in garrison at
Dublin. The ceremony took place in the Castle Gardens. The corps
mustered 800 strong, under Colonel Stabb, the commanding officer. The
Prince wore his Field Marshal's uniform, and his son that of the Norfolk
Artillery Volunteers. The usual routine on such occasions was followed,
after which the Prince addressed the regiment which had formed up close
around the group of officers among whom he stood.
"Colonel Stabb, Officers, Non-commissioned Officers, and Men of
the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry,--I consider it a high
honour to be permitted to present new colours to such a
distinguished regiment as that under your command--one which
ever since it was raised in 1704 has had as brilliant a record
of services in the field as any regiment in Her Majesty's
service. You first served with the great Duke of Marlborough in
Flanders, and then in America. Dettingen is the first name
inscribed on your colours. In the great Peninsular War you
especially distinguished yourselves, and suffered heavy losses
at Corunna and Salamanca. At Quatre Bras and Waterloo you lost
more than any other corps engaged, and the gallant Sir Thomas
Picton was killed at the head of your regiment. Your next
service was in India, where you took part in the Punjab
campaign. Later, in 1857, you gallantly distinguished yourselves
in the suppression of the Indian Mutiny, and gallantly held the
Residency of Lucknow during its defence from June till November.
You were on that occasion commanded by Brigadier-General Inglis,
who for those services was created a Major-General and a Knight
Commander of the Bath, while you received the honour of being
made Light Infantry. You, Colonel Stabb, are, I believe, the
only officer of the regiment present who served during the
Mutiny. When some years ago I visited the remains of the
Residency of Lucknow, my attention was especially called to the
services of this regiment. On your return the Queen and my
father inspected the regiment and personally thanked the
officers, non-commissioned officers and men for their gallant
conduct at Lucknow, and I feel doubly proud as their son to
have the honour of presenting these new colours to you to-day.
The latest records on your colours are Egypt and Tel-el-Kebir. A
second battalion, at this moment serving in the Soudan, has
recently been added to you, which, with the Royal Cornwall
Rangers Militia, of which I am the honorary Colonel, and the two
Volunteer battalions, make up the Duke of Cornwall's Light
Infantry. From the title I bear I am simply proud to be thus
connected with this fine regiment. In confiding these colours to
your care I feel that the honour of your Sovereign and your
country will ever be before you as on former occasions, and that
in the future, as in the past, the roll of honourable
distinction of your colours will ever increase."
Colonel Stabb, in the name of all the officers and men of the regiment,
thanked His Royal Highness for the great honour he had done them in
presenting the colours, and said he could not do better than express a
fervent hope, which he did with a great deal of confidence, that the
regiment would as faithfully defend the new colours as they did their
colours at Waterloo and Lucknow. He was sure the honour would be
appreciated by the battalions of the regiment, and he tendered to His
Royal Highness their grateful thanks.
On the afternoon of the 13th the Prince and Princess started from the
Kingsbridge Station for Cork. At Mallow there were signs that the visit
to the South might not be without unpleasant incidents. A loyal address
was presented at the station, but Mr. O'Brien and other Home Rule
leaders had brought a number of Nationalists with bands, to disturb the
unanimity of welcome. The rioters had to be ejected by the Constabulary.
At Cork there were similar attempts at hostile demonstration, but it was
shown only by the lowest rabble, and at the instigation of the political
agitators. The patriots of the present time are of immeasurably lower
type than Daniel O'Connell, even when he was most zealous for Repeal of
the Union. He was always loyal as well as patriotic, and however bitter
in words, he was always a gentleman in his actions. Whatever may be the
views as to politics, the men who could incite their followers to insult
the Prince and Princess of Wales, whose hearts are full of sympathy and
love for Ireland, are unworthy the name of Irishmen. At Cork, several of
the Home Rule members urged the people to resent the visit of the Royal
party as a degradation to their city. At Dundalk on the same day, Mr.
Redmond, M.P., addressing a meeting of the National League, "expressed
his joy at the difficulty of England with the Soudan and Afghanistan. He
hoped that the Russian bear would soon stick his claw into the British
lion. He was sorry that this Prince of Wales was not there to see what
the real feeling of the Irish people was, instead of scampering about
the country attended by military and police and bloody Earl Spencer."
In spite of a few jarring notes of this kind, the reception of the
Prince and Princess in Ireland was worthy of the warm and hospitable
character of the Irish Nation. Another proof was given that the
disaffection is only temporary and partial, and due to the malignant
influence of those who delude the ignorant with false representations.
No one understands this better than the Prince of Wales, than whom the
people of Ireland have no truer friend.
THE DARWIN MEMORIAL.
_June 9th, 1885._
As one of the Trustees of the British Museum, the Prince of Wales was
requested to represent them on the occasion of the unveiling of the
statue of Charles Darwin, in the entrance-hall of the Museum of Natural
History, now at South Kensington. The ceremony of unveiling was
performed by Professor Huxley, whose address, after brief reference to
the high claims of the author of 'The Origin of Species,' and other
works of enduring fame, gave a statement as to the history of the
memorial statue. Then addressing the Prince as representing the
Trustees, he was requested to accept the statue from the Darwin Memorial
Committee.
The Prince, in reply, said:--
"I consider it to be a high privilege to have been deputed by
the unanimous wish of my colleagues, the Trustees of the British
Museum, to accept, in their names, the gift which you have
offered us on behalf of the Committee of the Darwin Memorial.
The Committee and subscribers may rest assured that we have most
willingly assigned this honourable place to the statue of the
great Englishman who has exerted so vast an influence upon the
progress of those branches of natural knowledge, the advancement
of which is the object of the vast collection gathered here. It
has given me much pleasure to learn that the memorial has
received so much support in foreign countries, and it may be
regarded as cosmopolitan rather than merely national; while the
fact that persons of every condition of life have contributed to
it affords remarkable evidence of the popular interest in the
discussion of scientific problems. A memorial to which all
nations and all classes of society have contributed cannot be
more fitly lodged than in our Museum, which though national is
open to all the world, and the resources of which are at the
disposal of every student of Nature, whatever his condition or
his country, who enters our doors."
THE BIRKBECK INSTITUTION.
_July 4th, 1885._
This institution was founded in 1825, by Dr. Birkbeck, a zealous
educationist of that time, for promoting learning, chiefly among the
middle and working classes, by opening evening classes, and establishing
lectures and other means of instruction. The old building having become
insufficient in its accommodation, a new edifice was erected near
Chancery Lane, of which the foundation stone was laid, in 1883, by the
late Duke of Albany. To open this new building the Prince and Princess
of Wales came, on the 4th of July, 1885.
A loyal address having been presented by Mr. Birkbeck, M.P., one of the
trustees, the Prince thus replied:--
"I thank you for the loyal address which you have presented to
me, and would express the heartfelt satisfaction which I
experience in visiting an institution with which my lamented
brother's name will ever be associated. You have referred to his
touching words when laying the foundation stone of this
building, and I am reminded that on that memorable occasion he
stated that he had lent his aid to an enterprise on the
accomplishment of which he would be able to look back with
feelings of satisfaction and pride! It was not permitted to him
to see this noble structure in its finished state, but I rejoice
to know that prior to the great calamity which befell us he had
received an intimation that the building was approaching
completion.
"I observe with pleasure the names of the distinguished
contributors to the building fund, and I rejoice that the Queen
has shown her interest in an institution which met with the warm
support of my revered father. Sixty years ago the Duke of Sussex
performed the inaugural ceremony of your old building; and it
speaks much for the vitality of your institution that after so
lengthened a period a member of my family should be again
invited to declare a building open so extensive as this one, the
erection of which has been absolutely demanded by the expansion
of your work. An institution in which provision is made for 6000
students, and to which both sexes are invited, must exert a very
beneficial influence on the young men and women of the
Metropolis, for whose mental advancement it has been erected.
Many of the students in the old building have worthily
distinguished themselves, and it behoves those who partake of
the greater advantages of the new institution to emulate the
noble examples which have been set by their predecessors.
"The movement initiated by Dr. George Birkbeck was a very
remarkable one, and the foundation of the old institution was an
event of historic importance. We are informed that this movement
has spread not only throughout the Kingdom, but that its
ramifications have extended to different parts of the world, and
the presence to-day of representatives of our Colonies is to me
one of the most interesting features of the proceedings. The
success of Dr. Birkbeck's work is to be traced in the fact that,
in the words of Professor Tyndall, 'it responded at the proper
time to a national need, and to a need of human nature.'
"This institution has anticipated some of the beneficent
movements of the age, and by its technical instruction, and the
admission of both sexes to its advantages, has exerted a very
powerful influence for good. With a vitality so potent we may
look forward to the time when even this extensive building will
be insufficient for your needs. It is a subject for
congratulation that the institutions which by the establishment
of the Birkbeck Institution have been called into existence are
being so wisely adapted to the requirements of the age, and are
exerting by their development such a beneficent influence among
the people at large. I desire to thank you most heartily for the
kind welcome you have given us here this afternoon, and I
earnestly hope that this great institution will continue to
flourish, and that we may hear from time to time of its
increasing prosperity.
"This building, which will be regarded as a memorial of my dear
brother's devotion to the great cause of education, I have now
the gratification to declare open, and, in his words, 'to
dedicate it to those noble uses which it is intended to serve.'"
The thanks of the audience to the Prince were proposed by the Lord
Mayor, and seconded by Sir Charles Tupper, High Commissioner for Canada.
RAILWAY GUARDS' FRIENDLY SOCIETY.
_July 5th, 1884._
At the ninth triennial festival of the Railway Guards' Universal
Friendly Society, held at Willis's Rooms, July 5th, 1884, the Prince of
Wales presided. A large number of directors and leading men connected
with the railway companies were among the company. In giving or
responding to the usual loyal toasts, His Royal Highness, in a very
grateful and gracious way, took the opportunity of expressing his warm
sense of the uniform attention shown to the Queen, and also to himself
and the Princess of Wales, during their very frequent journeys, by the
directors and all the officials and servants of the various railway
companies. Everything was done for their safety and comfort, and he
wished thus publicly to acknowledge his appreciation of what was done.
In giving the toast of the evening, "Prosperity to the Railway Guards'
Universal Friendly Society," the Prince said:--
"We are to-day celebrating the ninth triennial festival of this
Society, in aid of the 'Permanent Sick and Injured, and Widows
and Orphans' Fund,' and I think all will agree with me that
there is no charity which better deserves the attention and
support of the public than this one. That it has already
received such support is apparent to us from the length of time
it has existed, but like all other great institutions of the
kind in our country, the money which is required is, also,
greatly in excess of that which is at their disposal to meet the
actual necessities which arise.
"No public servants, I think, more deserve our sincere sympathy
and support than the guards of our railway trains. It is obvious
to all of us who have to travel constantly on railways how much
our safety depends on their industry, their vigilance, their
sobriety, and their discipline; and it is very gratifying to
know that we may confidently rely on finding these qualities in
them. Knowing what they have to go through, their exposure to
all weathers and to risks of all kinds; remembering how much
they have to be away from their homes and their families, it
seems to me that we have hardly the right to expect to obtain
from them their valuable services unless we in some measure
mitigate their sufferings in sickness and from accident, and
unless in case of death we do something for the maintenance of
their widows and orphans. The Society was founded in June, 1849,
and is one of the oldest societies in existence designed for the
benefit of railway _employés_, and may be said to represent
every line in the United Kingdom. It consists of forty-eight
districts at the present time, situated at the principal railway
stations throughout the country, from London to Inverness. In
addition to the usual advantages offered by friendly
societies--the ordinary sick and death benefits--this society
possesses two special features adapted to the requirements of
railway guards, who are exposed to very great risks from
accidents. These objects are: 1st, a liberal provision for life
for all those members who may become permanently disabled,
either from injuries or constitutional causes; 2nd, annuities
for the widows and orphans of deceased members. Other
institutions, if they attempt to provide these exceptional
benefits, only do so to a limited extent, and the members to
whom they are granted are elected as vacancies occur; but the
policy of this society has always been to provide these great
blessings for all who are so unfortunate as to require them;
and, notwithstanding that statistics show that guards run
greater risks than other classes of railway servants, the
contributions of the members themselves have been so largely
supplemented by the generous support accorded by the public
generally, that the society up to the present time has been able
to carry out this fundamental principle."
The greater portion of the speech of His Royal Highness consisted of
statistics of a most interesting kind, both as to the vast extent of
railway travelling, the number of trains, of passengers, of railway
_employés_, at that time numbering 357,650. All these statistics, as
obtained from the returns of the Board of Trade, and also the number of
persons killed or injured, especially those employed on the lines, were
presented with admirable clearness to the audience, and were heard with
great interest; but the statistics are not the same now, and are
therefore not here given. The Prince concluded with an earnest appeal
for help to the institution for which he pleaded. The appeal was
liberally responded to, the subscriptions amounting to £3383, including
a hundred guineas from the Royal Chairman, which has been his generous
custom at the close of most of the charitable meetings for objects which
have had the advantage of his support and advocacy.
It ought to be added that the Prince had already presided at a festival
of the "Railway Benevolent Association," where he spoke with equal
warmth and sympathy for all classes of railway servants. There are now
other institutions with similar objects, partly provident and partly
benevolent, and it is an excellent kind of charity. The directors of
companies do their part, and, where there is any just cause, can be made
to do more, under the Employers' Liability Act. For unavoidable
accidents the men themselves contribute their money, on the principle of
mutual insurance, but there is need also for more of the benevolent
gifts of those who travel by rail.
CONVALESCENT HOME AT SWANLEY.
_July 13th, 1885._
On the 8th of July, 1872, the Prince of Wales, as President of St.
Bartholomew's Hospital, formally opened a new Convalescent Home, in
connection with that Hospital. This was an institution much needed at
the time, and its advantages had long been urged on the Governors by Mr.
Foster White, the Treasurer. At several existing Homes, such as at
Walton-on-Thames, and Bognor, patients from St. Bartholomew's had been
received, but it was desirable to have an establishment of its own, and
conducted by its own officers. The carrying out of this scheme would
require large expenditure, and a suitable building could not be provided
for a considerable time. A temporary home was obtained at Highgate,
through the generous munificence of Sir Sydney Waterlow, one of the
Governors of the Hospital. He presented as a free gift the lease, for
several years, of Lauderdale House, a mansion with many historical
associations, somewhat old, but with every convenience for use as a
temporary home for convalescent patients, and so it continued for
thirteen years. On the 13th of July, 1885, the Prince, accompanied by
the Princess of Wales, and the Princesses Louise, Victoria, and Maude,
visited Swanley, in Kent, to open the permanent Home, erected through
the generosity of Mr. Charles T. Kettlewell, one of the Governors of the
Hospital. It is a spacious building, with accommodation for forty-five
male and twenty-five female patients, standing in the middle of
beautiful grounds, comprising an area of fifteen acres.