eed
scarcely tell you with what pleasure I rise to respond to this toast,
nor how proud I feel to hear my name associated with the Royal navy.
Within the last few years the navy has become more connected with the
civil engineers than ever it was before. Many improvements we owe--in
fact, I may say all the later improvements we owe--to the civil
engineers. There is only one thing they have not succeeded in doing, and
that is making us look more beautiful than we did before. Indeed, I am
afraid they have rather caused us to deteriorate in appearance. I need
not add that I take, and shall continue to take, the greatest interest
in this body; the more so from the fact of my father having been an
honorary member of the institution, and from my brother having now for
the first time taken his place in the same character."

THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

_June 11th, 1866._

The foundation-stone of the stately edifice in Queen Victoria Street,
the head-quarters of the British and Foreign Bible Society, was laid by
the Prince of Wales, on the 11th of June, 1866. On the ground near St.
Andrew's Hill, Doctors' Commons, a spacious awning stretched over an
area with ranges of seats for above 2000 persons. On the platform were
many good and eminent men, most of whom--Lord Shaftesbury, Lord
Teignmouth, the Archbishop of York, the Bishops of Winchester and
Carlisle, the Dean of Westminster, Dr. Binney--are with us no more.

The proceedings commenced with prayer, praise, and reading some portions
of Scripture appropriate to the occasion. An address was then read by
the Rev. S. B. Bergne, one of the Secretaries, giving a summary of the
history of the Society, and stating its objects and operations.

The Earl of Shaftesbury then formally requested His Royal Highness "to
undertake the solemn duty of laying the foundation stone of an edifice
which shall be raised for the glory of God, and for the promotion of the
best interests of the human race." The Prince duly and formally laid the
stone, and then replied to the address that had been read:--

"My Lord Archbishop, my Lords and Gentlemen,--I have to thank
you for the very interesting address in which you so ably set
forth the objects of this noble Institution.

"It is now sixty-three years ago since Mr. Wilberforce, the
father of the eminent prelate who now occupies so prominent a
place in the Church of England, met, with a few friends, by