e the welfare of the poorer section of society it was the
Prince of Wales. No kinder, no more philanthropic, no more humane man
existed on the face of the earth." At other meetings which were going
on, sympathetic allusions were made to the event, amidst loud cheers, by
Lord Strathcona, Sir William Wedderburn, M.P., the Earl of Hopetoun, and
Sir Wilfrid Lawson. Telegrams poured in at Windsor and Marlborough
House from every point of the compass. Resolutions of congratulation
were passed in every portion of the Empire during the next few days, and
"God bless the Prince of Wales" rang loudly through the United Kingdom
and many a distant country.

King Leopold of Belgium was one of the first to express his deep regret
at the occurrence; the Governments of Victoria, South Australia, Western
Australia, Queensland, New Zealand, Tasmania, Cyprus, Mauritius and
Barbados, the President of France, the Portuguese Parliament, the Town
Councils of Ballarat and Bendigo in Australia and Durban in South
Africa, the Agents-General of all the Colonies in London, the Australian
Federal Delegates in London, the Masonic Grand Lodge of New Zealand, the
Corporation of London, the Government of Servia, the High Commissioner
for South Africa and the Hon. W. P. Schreiner, Premier of Cape Colony,
the Governor-General of Canada, the Governor of Malta, and some eight
hundred other Governments, public bodies, or prominent persons,
telegraphed messages of congratulation or formal Resolutions. The
references of the British and Colonial press were more than sympathetic.
The London _Standard_ thought that "the veneration felt for the Queen as
well as the general regard for the Prince's personal qualities and his
universal popularity might be supposed to give him absolute immunity,
even in these days of frenzied political animosity and unscrupulous
journalistic violence. The Prince is almost as well-known on the
Continent as he is at home, and his invariable courtesy and unaffected
kindness of heart have been appreciated and acknowledged in capitals
where his country is not regarded with affection." The London _Daily
News_ pointed out the utter absence of all excuse for such an attempt.
"The Prince had refrained with admirable tact and discretion from
interference with public affairs. All sorts of charitable and
philanthropic concerns have found in his Royal Highness a sympathetic
friend."

Returning home, on April 20th, the Prince of Wales was given a