DEPARTURE OF PRINCE ALFRED.

Southland Times, Issue 937, 20 April 1868, Page 2

DEPARTURE OF PRINCE ALFRED.

(From the " Sydney Morning Herald," April 7.) Monday, the 6th of April, will be memorable in the annals of New South Wales, as tbe day on which the gallant sailor Prince — with whose visit is associated some of our most jubilant and and some of our most mournful remihiscencies — left the colony for the mother country. At eight o'clock all the war vessels in port dressed ship. At half-past twelve o'clock, a considerable number of gentlemen, who had been specially invited to meet His Royal Highness, assembled at Government-house, and at a few minutes to one o'clock the Prince entered the reception-room, and Baluted -the invited guests as each passed before him. Shortly after the Countess of Belmore, accompanied by Miss Gladstone, Mrs Beresford, and Mrs Lambert, entered, and a move was at once made towards the luncheon-room, His Royal Highness, escorting the Countess of Belmore, leading the way. At the termination of the luncheon, His Excellency the Governor said :—" Gentlemen, I beg to give you the health of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen. The toast was received with the warmest manifestations of loyalty, and was followed by three hearty cheers. His Excellency then said :— I am sure that the toast -which I have now the honor to propose — the health of the Royal guest of New South "Wales — (loud cheers) — would, under any circumstances, be received by this company with the utmost loyalty and enthusiaeni, but more especially "will it be so now, when ws have to rejoice at the escape of His Royal, Highness from an attempt upon his life at once both treacherous and deliberate ; whilst we have humbly to render up our thanksgivings to the great Disposer of Events, that He has been graciously, pleased to give visible effect to those prayers which, week after week, ascend up "to His throne from the faithful subjects of the Queen, for the welfare and prosperity of Her Majesty and every member of her family. I give you the health of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. The toast was received with the utmost enthusiasm. His Royal Highness, who was so much affected as to be unable . to speak for several seconds, said (as soon as the cheering had subsided)— " Gentlemen, I have no doubt you will allow me to read the few words that L desire to say to you, as I do not feel equal to the task of speaking extempore. (Encouraging cheers.) In returning you my best . thanks for drinking my health, I must express my regret at having to bid you farewell, and I take this opportunity of thanking you for the enthusiastic and hospitable manner in whicii I have been received i and entertained in this, as well as all ! the Australian Colonies. The universal, manifestations of loyalty to the _Que.en, ; and attachment to her person and throne, have, ere this, been made known to her Majesty, and cannot fail to have given her the liveliest pleasure. (Applause.) I must now, however, allude to the unfortunate occurrence connected with myself, which marred your festivities and cast a temporary gloom over the community. I sincerely regret, on your part, that there should have occurred any .one incident during my soj ?urn amongst you which should have detracted from the general satisfaction which I believe my visit to Anstralia has given. (Loud and prolonged cheering.) The event, however, cannot in any degree shake my ' conviction of the loyalty of the colonists at large ■ (applause), nor Her Majesty's confidence in her Australian subjects. Indeed, the meetings and expressions of sentiment which have been called forth by the recent attempt on my life will show their fellow-subjects at home, and the world at large, that they not only have loyalty, but affection for their Queen and her family. (Cheers) If there is any disaffection tending to disloyalty amongst any community in any section of this portion of Her Majesty's dominions, it will be the duty of the Government to put it down, and I am certain that here it will receive every support from all classes. (Prolonged cheering.) Through the merciful interposition of Providence the injury I received' was but slight, and I believe no further evil consequences are to be anticipated from the wound. (Loud cheers.) It has however, been considered that I shall be unequal to any great exertion for some time, and, therefore, it has been decided that it would be most advisable for me to return home direct. It is a great disappointment for me not to be able to visit New Zealaad, and: l am afraid it will also very much disappoint the people there. In thanking you' once : more for your kindness to me during my

visit, I mtist tell you how much I have enjoyed it, and regret that it comes to an end* to-day. Before I conclude I will ask you to join me in a toast. I propose — ' Prosperity to the colony of New South Wales,' and as this is the last opportunity I shall have of addressing an assemblage of Australians, I beg to couple with it the toast — * Prosperity to all the Australian colonies.' " The address of His Eoyal Highness was received with the most enthusiastic cheering. The toast was warmly received and immediately afterwards the company retired from the room. Soon after two o'clock the guns at Dawes's Point Battery announced the fact that His Eoyal Hignness was about to embark on his homeward voyage. As he took his seat in his barge, accompanied by Lord Hewry, Lieutenant Haig, the Hon. Eliot Yorke, and Mr Brierly, the loyalty of the crowds assembled in the vicinity broke forth in tumultuous cheering, and a cloud of white handkerchiefs fluttering in the breeze showed that the fair sex were not amongst the least demonstrative of Her Majesty's subjects. While, the reports of the first guns' from the battery were yet reverberating, orders were given on board the men-of-war to man yards. The Challenger then joined in the Eoyal salute, and was followed by the Galatea and Charybdis ; - the reports of the heavy armament of the Prince's frigute being easily recognised above all others. The G-alatea's barge was escorted by a gig from each of the other ships of the sqnadron, and on arriving off the bows of the Galatea, the crew lay on their oars until the firing ceased. His Eoyal Highness and party then went on : board and were received by the officers in full uniform. At the invitation of His Eoyal Highness, a number of the gentlemen whom he had met at luncheon went aboard, and were shown over the ship. The Countess oi Belmore, Miss Gladstone, Mrs Beresfori and party, who were amongst the visitors, were, escorted round the ship, and the various arrangements for the voyage pointed out by His Eoyal Highness, About three o'clock, the crew, mustered on the upper deck, and Mr . Montgomery was presented with a very massive sapphire ring and an address. His Excellency the Earl of Belmon and Commodore Lambert visited the shij shortly before four o'clock, and after i short stay, the Vice-regal party pai< the farewell respects to their late gues and several of the officers, and returnei ashore. A few friends of the officer remained on board until the ship was un moored — a rather tedious process, whicl was only completed about six o'clock Just prior to that Hour, thirteen yachti belonging to the Eoyal Sydney Yach Squadron, headed by the splendid nei cutter Mistral, bearing Commodore Dan gar's flag, ran up from Double Bay, jibe< off Port Macquarie, and in passing thi war vessels, saluted the Challenger ant Galatea. At this time there coul< not have been less than a couple o hundred boats about the ship, filled witl people. Mrs Macquarie's Point, thi space around Fort Macquarie, and alonj towards the Botanic-gardens, were densel] massed with persons anxious to witnesi the Prince's departure. The steame: Morpeth — generously placed at the dis posal of the public by the direction of thi company— the Phantom, Vesta, Herald Bredalbane, and Fairy, filled with passen gers, waited off Eort Denison to escori the departing voyagers to the Heads. Ir the evening a royal salute was fired bj the Yernon. The rays of a glorious Australian moon had already lit up the scen< ere the notes of " Home, Sweet Home,' by the band of the Challenger, cara< stealing over the waters ; the ensign o the Galatea then gave place to two light) at the gaff end, side lights were adjusted adieus were exchanged between friends it boats and those on board the frigate, tin engines resumed their duties, and tin Galatea's voyage commenced. As sooi as it was perceived that she was moving out of Farm Covej cheer after cheer was given by the ships about Fort Denison the occupants of the boats which studdec the harbor, and. the assembled multitudes ! ashore. On every rock and rising ground from which a view of the harbor could be obtained, crowds of people stood and tool a long last look at the noble vessel as she sped through the water on her way bach to the dear old country, which so many oi us call "home." The steam flotilla followed in the Galatea's wake down to the Heads, which were reached about eight o'clock, the tide being then full, and giving plenty of water over the bar. Off South Head the Bfeadalbane burned blue lights and dispharged a shower of rockets. Farewell cheers were given for the Prince, and earnest wishes expressed that prosperous gales might vouchsafe a safe and speedy voyage to the mother-country. Some of the steamers lingered at the Heads until the receding outlines of the noble frigate faded away to the eastward, and a cloud of smoke was all that remained to ndicate the course she was pursuing. The homeward passage will be made via Cape Horn, and efforts' will be used to to arrive in England as soon as possible after the receipt of the mail which lett here on the 27th ultimo. , The Galatea has about 800 tons of coal inher bunkers, and if a fiiither supply is needed to expediate her voyage, she will call at Ascention.