nt, were
being driven around the city. On reaching Buckingham Palace they
expressed a wish to sing an intercessory hymn for the King. With their
bare heads, legs and feet, their long and frizzy hair, their white
cotton skirts and quaint tunics, they made a most unique appearance as
they turned toward the Palace and chanted words of which the following
is a rough translation:

"The King is great, and noble, and good.
May he find favour in the sight of the Ruler of Kings;
May he wax strong and stay the tears of us all, for his people are sad.
Mighty is the King and his people shall be glad."

Other parties of West African and Indian troops were driven up and
cheered the bare walls of the Palace with fervour. The Duke of
Connaught, and afterwards the Duke of Cambridge, visited the Indian
troops at Hampton Court. On July 9th, Colonel Lord Binning and the
officers and men of the Royal Horse Guards provided an entertainment for
the Colonial contingents at the Albany Barracks. Entertainments for the
Colonial Premiers were almost continuous. The Duke and Duchess of
Westminster gave an afternoon party in their honour at Grosvenor House;
Lady Lucy Hicks-Beach gave a garden party at the official residence of
the Chancellor of the Exchequer; parties of the King's Indian guests
were taken at different times by Lord Esher and Lord Churchill to see
Windsor Castle; Sir Gilbert Parker gave a dinner in honour of the
Premiers of Australia and Canada; Lady Wimborne gave a dinner and
reception for the Colonial Premiers; the Constitutional Club on July 7th
entertained the guests from the Colonies at a banquet presided over by
the Duke of Marlborough. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, in the course of his
speech, made a notable declaration: "The bond of the British Empire, let
me tell you this my fellow-countrymen, and accept it from a man not of
your own race, the bond of union of the British Empire is allegiance to
the King without distinction of race or colour." The Primrose League in
London entertained the visiting Premiers at a banquet; and the
Fishmonger's Company did the same. An interesting incident was the visit
of Mr. R. J. Seddon, Premier of New Zealand, and his wife and daughters
to Windsor Castle whence, on July 3rd, they were driven to Frogmore
Mausoleum and placed a wreath of lilies and rosebuds on the tomb of the
Queen and on behalf of the people of New Zealand.

The Empire Coronation banquet was the great event of these