ose energies and
the assistance which he has given it. I hope the words and
expressions which the noble marquis has lately made use of will
not be lost by this company, and that all those who wish to
further the work so worthily begun by Mr. Mechi will continue
it, so that it may never decrease in funds for the excellent
object for which it is designed. I beg to propose the toast of
'The Ladies,' coupled with the name of Mr. Mechi."

Mr. Mechi, in the course of his reply, said that the help of His Royal
Highness would be of the greatest importance to the institution.

The way in which the Prince introduced the toast of the founder of the
Institution was in his happiest vein. Mr. Mechi's death was a great loss
to the agricultural community, for no one more efficiently brought their
claims before the public. It may be added, that the tenant-farmers of
the kingdom have no truer friend than the Prince of Wales.

THE INDIAN EMBASSY.

_November 1875-May 1876._

The visit of the Prince of Wales to India, apart from what it brought of
personal information or amusement, must be regarded as one of the most
important services he has yet rendered to the Empire. This is why we
call it an embassy rather than a tour or a journey. It appears that as
far back as the year 1858, the idea of a tour in the Eastern
possessions of the Crown was suggested by Lord Canning to the Prince
Consort, as part of the education of the Heir Apparent. But he was then
only seventeen, and the proposal was made merely as an incident of
foreign travel. A succession of events, both at home and in the East,
caused the scheme to be postponed, nor was it seriously renewed till the
Prince had attained an age, and acquired an experience in affairs, which
would secure for the expedition high consideration for political and
imperial, as well as personal, purposes.

In the beginning of the year 1875 it was rumoured that the project was
seriously entertained, and on the 16th of March the Marquis of Salisbury
made an official announcement to the Indian Council of the intended
visit. Many arrangements, however, had to be made, and many difficulties
surmounted, before actual preparations for the journey commenced. All
these are recounted in detail by Dr. W. H. Russell, in the introduction
to his book on the 'Prince of Wales's Tour,' a reprint in expanded and
permanent form of his letters as the special correspondent of the
_Times