GREATEST ROYAL TRAVELLER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9086, 11 May 1908, Page 7

GREATEST ROYAL TRAVELLER.

The Prince of Wales'forthcoming 4 visit to Canada will add considerably ." to the .wondarful mileage record which makes his Royal Highness the \ greatest traveller of all the Royal Families. His Bacchante cruise represented no fewer than miles. During his colonial tour, six years ago, he and the Princess travelled •over 45,000 miles, of which 33,0(J0 were by sea, and in all those journeying 3, with the exception of Port Said, he never set foot on any land i—■where the Union Jack did not fly. Again, on his famous trip to India the Prince travelled 8807 miles by alone. He sp?nt twentyheight nights in the train, and delivered fifty speeches and performed a multitude of ceremonies. Loyal Canada is better acquainted with the personality of the Prince of Wales that with that of King Edward, who has only once visited the Dominion. Hia Majesty, when he was only eighteen, enjoyed a triumphal tour through the colony. From St. John's. Newfoundland, he proceeded Jthrough the whole of British North America, being received at every point with the greatest enthusiasm. He laid the first stone of Parliament House, Ottawa, and opened the Victoria Bridge over the St. Lawrence River at Montreal. A medal was afterwards struck to commemorate the vis't. Before leaving America the Queen allowed the Prince to visit the United States, where he was received with the greatest respect. Some curious incidents occurred during His Majesty's American tour. In Montreal numbers of mothers whose babes were afflicted with "Icing's evil" desired to bear them before the Prince that he might, lay his hands upon them, and so effect a cure, "but some of the aged ones said it would be of no use, as he was not yet a king, that only the King or tile Queen had 'the' virtue iri the "hand.'" At a picturesque place en the Ottawa River called the Chats an addrebS was presented to the Prince by 20,000 lumberers ar.d raftsmen. It concluded with tlio <"ords "Long may you ivmain Prince of Wales." It was no slip of the pen. "When we put in the address 'Long may you remain Fr nee of Wales,'" said the chief lumberman afterwards, "we meant it. We weie perfectly satisfied with,the Queer, and wanted her to remain on the Throne as lor.g as she could, howtver much we liked and respect the Prince." Many years afterwards, at the time of the Diamond Jubilee, the chief lumberman, still alive and hearty, wrote to the Prince reminding him of the occurrence. He re ceived the following reply: "His Royal Highness perfectly remembers • the incident to wh'ch you refer. Hia Royal Highness greatly appreciates -and tharks you for your kind and .loyal sentiments, and he will not fail 'to make them known to the Queen."