nsmitted to me by telegrams and letters and
amply confirmed in my conversations to-day, have touched me deeply and I
trust that the practical result will be to draw closer the strong ties
of mutual affection which bind together the old Motherland with her
numerous and thriving offspring". The special train was then taken to
London and from Victoria station to Marlborough House the Royal couple
drove through numerous crowds of cheering people and gaily decorated
streets, with little Prince Edward beside them--for the first time
making a public appearance and accepting the acclamations of the public
with becoming gravity. It was a triumphal ending to a triumphant
progress. A sort of climax to this termination was afforded, however, in
the great banquet given by the Lord Mayor of London at the Guild Hall on
December 5th, to him who had been created Prince of Wales on the 9th of
November preceding by his father the King. There were only four
toasts--the King, proposed by Sir Joseph Dimsdale, the Lord Mayor and
chairman; Queen Alexandra and the Royal family, responded to by the new
Prince of Wales; the Colonies, proposed by the Earl of Rosebery and
responded to by Mr. Chamberlain; the Lord Mayor and Corporation proposed
by the Marquess of Salisbury.

Besides the speakers and the members of the Royal suite during this
famous tour there were present the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, Mrs.
Chamberlain, Lord James of Hereford, Mr. John Morley, Lord Knutsford,
Lord and Lady Tweedmouth, Lord and Lady Lamington, Lord Brassey, Lord
Avebury, Sir Frederick Young and many other interesting or important
personages. The speech delivered by the Prince of Wales was one which
startled England from its directness of statement and its eloquence of
style and delivery. It was not merely a clear, or good description of
the tour; it was the utterance of one who was both statesman and
orator. His Royal Highness referred to the historic title which he now
bore, to the voyage, unique in character and rich in experience, to the
loyalty, affection and enthusiasm of the greetings everywhere, to the
special characteristics of the visit in each country. He analysed
Colonial loyalty as being accompanied by "unmistakable evidences of the
consciousness of strength; of a true and living membership in the
Empire; and of power and readiness to share the burden and
responsibility of that membership". He spoke of the influence of Queen
Victoria's life and memor