PRINCE ALBERT IN THE CHAIR.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 861, 2 November 1853, Page 4

PRINCE ALBERT IN THE CHAIR.

The Press were not admitted to the banquet given at the Trinity House on Saturday, under the presidency of bis Royal Highness, but the Corporation secured a voluminous report, and ' proffered it to our contemporaries. Only one journal appears to hare accepted it in its entirety. Amongst the company present were the Deputy Master, the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Aberdeen, the Dukes of Newcastle and Argyle, the Marquises of Lansdowne and Caraden, the Earl of Derby, Lord John Russell, Viscounts Hardinge, Combermere and Canning, Lords de Ros, Stanley of Alderley, Redesdale, the Lord Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench, Right Honorables the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir James Graham, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sidney Herbert, Sir R. F. Baring, H. Labouchere, E. Cardwell, Sir S. R. Lushington, Sir T. Freemamle, Edward Strutt, W. G. Hayter, &c; Admirals Sir Byam Martin, Sir Charles Adam, Berkeley, and Hyde Parker, the Governor of the Bank of England, the Deputy Chairman of the East India Company, &c, &c, &c. The speeches were mostly brief and formal, but those ct the Royal Chairman are interesting. Proposing the "Queen," he said " My lords and gentlemen, whenever Englishmen meet at a public dinner, they make it their pride to take no proceedings without first having drunk the health of the Queen. (Hear, hear.) The brethren of the Trinity House yield in feelings to none of her Majesty's subjects. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, I give 'the Queen,' with three times three" — his own family. "Gentlemen, the toast I harenow to propose to you is the health of the royal family. It is a blessing attending the monarchical institutions of this country that the domestic relations an J domestic happiness of the Sovereign are inseparable from the relations and happiness of the people at large — (Cheers.) In the progress through life of the members of the royal family is reflected, as it were, the progress of the generation to which they bdong, and out of th« common sympathy which is felt for them arises an additional bond of union amongst the people themselves — (Cheers) — I have often been deeply touched by the m*<»y marks of kindness, I may tay almost parental affection, with which the Prince of Wales and the rest of our young family have been welcomed on their earliest appearance— (Loud cheers.) May God grant that they may some day repay that affection, and make themselves worthy of it, in fulfilling those expectations which the country so fondly cherishes— (cheering.) Gentlemen, ' The Prince of Walss and the rest of the Royal Family." The late Duke of Wellington. — "GenilemeD, I am sure you could not enter this room (his evening without feeling s pang at missing from this chair, which I am now called upon to occupy, that great man whose loss we still find it almost impossible to realise— (Hear, hear.) It would be repugnant to your fe°lings, I am sure, to take another step iv the proceeding of thisevening without having had the opportunity of paying a mournful tribute to his name, I^call upon you to drink, in solemn silence, 'The Memory of the -Great Duke of We'lington,' to whom this great Corporation as well as the whole country, is so deeply indebted."— " The British Army and Navy."— " It v under the protection of those two great services that this country has acquired an extent of wealth, power, and territory without parallel in history. We are rich, prosperous, and contented, and, therefore, peaceful by instinct. We are, I hope, becomng daily more and more convinced that the highest aim to which we can apply the many -advantages which all-bountiful Province has supphed-os with, is to^ntintain and extend the blessings of peace—^Hear, hear). I hope, however, that day wilJ never arrive which will find us enervated by the enjoyment of riches and luxury, or to weak in the decrepitude of age, that from a miserable desire of clinging to our wealth and comforts, we should be deaf to the calif of honour and duty."— (Cheers). Returning thinks after Hi own health had been drunk, he said — " My lords and gentlemen : Allow me most sincerely to thank you for the kindness with which yoa have received the toast which the Deputy-Master has just proposed to you, and I beg to thank him for the very obliging terms in which he has proposed my health. When this important corporation elected me as their master, I was well aware that 'I did not owe it to any personal merit of my own, giving me claim tor such a distinction, that I might well have paused before I undertook to succeed in any task or position that great man, whom few could hope ever to equal in talent, energy, and wisdom. But I felt that I saw in the choice of the brethren an evidence of their desire to mark their respect and attachment to the throne $ and in njfy own acceptance of tbe office, the means for the Queen to testify through me her interest and solicitude for British commerce and navigation, and British seamen. Ever since King Henry the Eighth, one of the high functions of the State h»s been delegated to this corporation — namely, that of lighting the coast, piloting vessels, and tendering aid and assistance to tbe poor merchant seaman, worn out by the toil and .privations of his adventurous life. The world bears testimony to the manner in which these duties have been performed, and I can refer to none that can be more gratifying than that which has only recently been borne by our brethren on the other side of the Atlantic. The ever-changing, renovating, and persevering influences of time, have in their inevitable operation made themselves felt with regard to thit institution ; and the greatest credit is due to tbe wisdom and patriotism with which the elder brethren have recognised the deirands made upon them. (Hear.) Having hitherto enjoyed the almost irresponsible power of taxing the public for the objects of their trust, they cheerfully consented to submit their affairs to the utmost publicity and to the control of Government. Their own power they surrendered without hesitation. The interests of the poor seaman they felt themselves bound to advocate. (Hear.) Whilst repudiating any wish to retain patronage in the distribution of alms, which in fact they had hitherto looked upon as an anxious and responsible duty they exerted themselves to their utmost to bring the claims of that deserving class under the uoticeof her Majesty's Government, and whatever may be the inherent difficulty in framing a roetsure, the purport of which is to relieve a class without impairing its moral strength and self-dependence,

they still hope thatnhe Legislature will not shriDJc from making the attempt. For all tbat the corporatiou of the Trinity House hive done, thanks arc only due to the excellent Deputy-Master and the elder brethren who have sapporied Lim in bis difficult duties."