y never occurred to Mr. Bright that in
case of war, a few swift armed cruisers would make these ships fly, like
doves before hawks, and the seas be cleared of our now countless
merchant steamers. The _Alabama_ and a few swift rovers speedily swept
all the commerce of the United States from the sea; and the same would
be the fate of the vaster commerce of Great Britain, if there are not
armed vessels, swift, powerful, and numerous, to protect our mercantile
navy in every region of the globe. There is no political question in
this, but the common prudential principle of insurance against possible
peril and disaster. Our coasts may be adequately defended, but there is
need of a naval volunteer service as well as of volunteer riflemen and
gunners on land. It may be one of the future national services rendered
by the Prince of Wales to get the yachting men of the day to form
themselves into naval volunteers, in case of the protection of swift
armed cruisers being needed for protecting the fleets of merchantmen on
which the people of England depend for supplies.

After Mr. Bright's speech, the toast of "The Honorary Brethren" was
responded to by Mr. Disraeli, who was followed by Sir Stafford
Northcote, Sir R. Phillimore, and Sir John Burgoyne. Seldom has the
banqueting hall of the Trinity House been honoured by the presence of so
many illustrious and eloquent guests.

_June 24th, 1871._

In 1871, the Duke of Edinburgh, Master of the Trinity House, had
returned to England, and on the 24th of June took his place as President
at the annual banquet. The Prince of Wales was present, and a
distinguished company.

In proposing the health of the Prince of Wales, the Master thanked him
for having performed the duties of the Mastership during his absence.
Three years before he had jocularly called the Prince his younger
Brother. He had since become an Elder Brother, but, in respect of the
Trinity House, he, as Master, was still the eldest brother. The Prince,
in reply, said:--

"It is a great pleasure to me to have my health proposed by my
brother in the kind manner in which he has proposed it. He has
been pleased to allude to what I call the small duties which I
have had to perform at the Trinity House in his absence. I think
all the Brethren are well aware that it gave me great
satisfaction to be able to do anything during my brother's
absence; and I only regret that I had not more to do; but the