Thames Naval Brigade Ball.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2617, 29 May 1877, Page 2

Thames Naval Brigade Ball.

The annual ball of the Thames Naval Brigade was held in the Brigade's drill hall last night. The hall was , very prettily decorated with flags and evergreens—disposed in graceful festoons at either end, along the walls, and from the rafters of the building, and the variegated colors in the gaslight had a pretty effect, which was in a measure reflected on the floor when the bright dresses.of the ladies and the more sombre attire of the gentlemen were seen commingled in the "mazy dance." At one end of the hall a New Zealand Flag of large dimensions was displayed, flanked by the ensign of the,mercantile raarin& and the Royal Navy ensign. At the opposite end was a large " Jack" supported by the pretty colors of the Naval Brigade. In other parts of the room various flags were seen gracefully drooping or carefully disposed,and the hall presented a very gay appearance. The attendance at the ball was not such as was expected in point of numbers, but there were about thirty-five couples present, and as the compauy arrived early dancing commenced early. The following programme was gone .through, besides some'extra dances played by ladies during the time the " band" partook of refreshment ;— Quadrille, Galop, Va'.se, Lancers, Polka Maaurka, Valse, D'Albert's, Galop, Schottische, Lancers, Polka Mazurka, Valse (March); part 2: Caledonians, Galop, Polka Mazurka, Quadrille, Highland Schottische, Valse, Lancers, " Arg ~.0 Galop, Valse, Quadrille, Polka Mazu?r:r,, Galop. Soon after 12 o'clock, the £L..;fc portion of the programme being_ c :=

plefced, an adjournment was made to ':;.■>. supper table; which was laid in the g>; i room adjoining the hall. Here an aLryie repast had been prepared by Mr "Drew, consisting of -every Tariety of dish that ordinary mortals • could wish for, and in supply. The company did ample justice to the spread; and without any unnecessary, delay the toasts were proceeded with.: These were three in number, and were given in brief terms and as briefly replied to. Captain Best occupied the "chair, and Messrs JYE. Macdonald and L.vEhrenfriedtbe vice ehr'ys. Captain Best, in introducing the

toasts said they would be few. The first would be " Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the rest of the .Royal Family." This was received in the usual loyal manner. Mr Ehreofried said he had great pleasure in proposing the next toast, which was " The Army, Navy and Volunteers." "England had a' navy that was not only strong enough to conquer, but-to command peace. He had no doubt but that the naval resources would bo used, if occasion required, to stay oppression, and that then it would be found that England possessed the same gallant men as before. They were there that night at the. invitation of Captain Best and his officers, and if an enemy should come here he (Mr Ehrenfried) had no doubt the gallant captain would be found in his place aided by Lieutt naut. Bennett. (Cheers.) Seriously speaking, the Naval Company tended to keep the young men together, and to preserve that feeling so necessary in a corps like the jSfaval Brigade. He would propose the tdjist he had named. This toast was duly honored. Major Cooper returned thanks. He said he would take his cue ; from the Chairman, and make his remarks very brief, as he had no doubt the ladies and some of the gentlemen were anxious to return to the ball-room. Mr Macdonald proposed the next toast. He said it was the last —" !he Ladies." The single ladies, he was sure, would not care much.what: he had:;to ; say, and the married ladies would say he had said enough. He would therefore propose the toast, coupled with the name of Mr Hargreaves. The toast was drank with the usual eclat accorded to the ladies, and Mr Hargreaves,,in reply, said it oould not have fallen into worse hands. The ladies would, receive great injustice from him (laughter) ''." He had no doubt that what the other speakers ha'd'said was correct, that they were all anxious to get back to the ball-room. He would therefore return thanks for the ladies./ This concluded the list of toasts, and an immediate adjournment was made to, the' ball-room, when the second portion \ of the programme was gone on with, and dancing was kept up till three o'clock. It maybe mentioned thaiftliere was an ab- : sence of representatives from other volunteer companies, which waslibticeable, as it had been thought that many more would have! been present. For a naval b*U uniforms were conspicuous by their absence. The band was not as good as we have heard at previous gatherings on the Thames. . : .^