the Royal Family, for the kind reception their names have met
with from all here to-night, and I beg again to assure you most
cordially and heartily of the great pleasure it has given me to
be present here among so many distinguished colonists and
gentlemen connected with the colonies, and to have had an
opportunity of meeting your distinguished guest, the King of the
Sandwich Islands. If your lordship's visit to his dominions
remains impressed on your mind, I think your lordship's kindly
reception of His Majesty here to-night is not likely soon to be
forgotten by him."

The Duke of Manchester, in responding to the toast of "The House of
Lords," said that he took much less part in the proceedings of that
august body than many of its members. He had, however, lately visited
some of our colonies--and that was, perhaps, the reason why he was
called upon to respond to that toast. Having given some remarkable
statistics of progress in Australia, he said, "It was calculated that
Australians and New Zealanders, per head, man, woman, and child,
consumed L8 10s.-worth of British goods, while France only rated at 7s.
8d. per head, and the United States at 7s. per head. These were facts
showing that, if for no other reason, there were very forcible financial
reasons why we should consolidate, encourage, and promote in every way
the prosperity of the British Colonies."

The Speaker, in returning thanks on behalf of the House of Commons, said
he was one of those who had a great faith in the future of the English
people throughout the world. Wherever Englishmen set their foot they
grew and prospered; they had learnt the habit of self-government, and
were well acquainted with the forms of government, and they carried with
them English customs, English habits, English institutions. Thus we had
a great Colonial Empire firmly compacted together of colonists from the
old country, all loyal subjects of the Crown. He trusted and believed
that that state of things would long continue, and he hoped that the
bonds between those colonies and the mother country would become closer
and closer from generation to generation.

The Lord Mayor then proposed the toast of the evening, "The British
Colonies," to which the Earl of Kimberley replied, concluding with these
words: "This is a representative assembly, and one of the most
remarkable ever gathered together in this Metropolis. I congratulate
you, my Lord May