Part 35

"I am glad, gentlemen, to have this opportunity of expressing to you collectively and individually my deep feelings of gratitude, in seeing you all here to-day at a time of year when travelling is neither easy nor pleasant, considering the distances which you have had to come; and also for the kind response which you have made to my appeal. It augurs well for the future, and I feel convinced you will do all in your power to assist me in making this Imperial Institute worthy of the name of our Queen and of her Empire. The promotion of this scheme is with me a labour of love, and it must, I am sure, strike you all that, apart from wishing to do honour to the name of my beloved mother, nobody is more desirous than I am that a monument, if I may use the term, may be erected worthy of her Empire."

A public meeting was held the same day at the Mansion House, attended by a large number of the most influential men in the City. The Lord Mayor (Sir Reginald Hanson), Earl Granville, Mr. Plunket, M.P., Mr. Mundella, M.P., Mr. Goschen, M.P., and Lord Rothschild, were among the speakers, and resolutions were passed with an enthusiasm which gave good augury for the success of the Imperial Institute.

THE LONDON ORPHAN ASYLUM.

_March 12th, 1887._

The London Orphan Asylum, for the maintenance, clothing, and education of Fatherless Children, is one of the oldest and best charities of its class. The Prince of Wales presided at the Jubilee Festival, at the Hôtel Métropole, on the 12th of March, 1887. Among the numerous friends of the charity present were the Duke of Abercorn, the Earl of Clarendon, Sir Donald Stewart, Sir Dighton Probyn, and many distinguished men. The Prince, in giving the toast of "The Queen," said it was the first public dinner at which he had presided in the Jubilee year of the Queen, and this was also the jubilee of her connection with the London Orphan Asylum, of which she had been for fifty years its patron. The toast was received with more than usual enthusiasm.

Alderman Sir R. N. Fowler, M.P., in giving the next loyal toast said that the charity had been already deeply indebted to the Prince of Wales, who had, along with the Princess of Wales, laid the foundation stone of this Asylum at Watford.

Other loyal and patriotic toasts having been given, the Prince rose to propose the toast of the evening. He said:--

"My Lords and Gentlemen,--The London Orphan Asylum is an old institution; it was founded in 1813, two years before the battle of Waterloo; and it owed its origin to a distinguished philanthropist of the time, Dr. Andrew Reed. Of course it began on a very small scale, for the old proverb applied in this as in so many other cases that you must cut your coat according to your cloth. It commenced in the first year of its organization with only three children; but in 1822 there were as many as 126 children in the school. Twenty years later there were as many as 326; twenty years later still there were 414; and now it affords me the greatest pleasure to announce to you that we have upwards of 500 children.

"The first subscription list contained the names of 255 subscribers, and among them was my grandfather. He was the first patron and headed the list with 50 guineas; and in 1823 my grand-uncle, the late Duke of York, laid the foundation stone of the institution at Clapton; while two years later the late Duke of Cambridge, who was always foremost in all great charitable undertakings in this country, presided at its annual festival. The institution continued to grow and more children had to be admitted, until at last there was not sufficient room in the old home. A new one was, therefore, instituted at Watford, and in 1869 the Princess and myself were asked to lay the foundation stone of your present home. Having taken part in that ceremony, it gives me much gratification to learn in what a flourishing condition the institution now is, which is exemplified by the presence of upwards of 500 in the home. And when I look at the young ladies and the boys before us I think you will come to the conclusion that the management of the institution is thoroughly good. During the 74 years of the existence of the asylum something over 5000 orphan children have been maintained, clothed, and educated.

"The great Duke of Wellington took very great interest in the institution, and I believe I am not wrong in stating that he presided at its festivals on five different occasions. A remarkable and very important fact in connection with the institution is that those who have received education and aid from the society are those who do all they can to give it support at the present time, and part of the institution at Watford was built by subscriptions of the old scholars, and I am told that there are as many as ten old pupils of the institution in one commercial house in the City, while many are present here to-night who are prepared to give liberal donations. The education they receive is a thoroughly sound and practical one, and when they leave every effort is made to find them situations, and they are sent out with proper clothing. As a proof that it is managed on economical principles I need only say that the cost per head in the past year amounted to little over £30. The amount disbursed in the 74 years since its foundation has reached the large sum of £700,000--all of this large sum, with the exception of £1000 a year which you can rely upon, having been derived from voluntary contributions.

"This year being the Jubilee of Her Majesty's reign the managers are most anxious to mark the epoch in some manner which will benefit the institution, and they have resolved to add 100 scholars, of whom 50 were admitted in January and 50 more will be admitted in June. The cost of this will, undoubtedly, be very great, the ultimate amount being between £18,000 and £20,000. I am here, therefore, as your chairman, to ask you to contribute as liberally as you can for the maintenance of this ancient and most creditable institution. I am well aware that now and for some years past there has been both agricultural and commercial depression, but I feel convinced that in the cause of charity--and what greater charity can there be than providing for orphan children?--I shall not appeal in vain to my countrymen to do all in their power as philanthropists to support an institution which has been carried out on the best and most economical principles."

The toast was drunk with much enthusiasm, and acknowledged by Mr. Capell (the treasurer). The total amount of the subscriptions announced during the evening was £5000, including an annual subscription of 20 guineas from the Queen and 100 guineas from the Prince of Wales.

When the foundation-stone was laid by the Prince and Princess of Wales, in 1869, 250 purses were laid on it, containing in all about £8000. For the chapel £5000 was given by one whose early days were spent in the Asylum. The Grocers' Company contributed £3000 to build one house; the Countess of Verulam and the Countess of Essex raised another sum of £3000, as a kind of welcome to the county. The income in 1887 was £15,000, but the invested funds give little more than £1000, so that there is constant need of new "voluntary contributions," to maintain the 550 orphans now in the houses.

THE COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS.

_March 30th, 1887._

The associated teachers who, under the name of the College of Preceptors, have for above forty years laboured to raise the standard of middle-class education, deserve praise and honour for what they have accomplished. Without Government aid or grant, and unpatronized by dignitaries of Church or State, these learned and patriotic men have succeeded, by training teachers, establishing examinations, and granting certificates, in acquiring a reputation and influence now very generally recognized. Their work is truly of national importance, and this His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales declared when he readily assented to formally open the new building of the College, in Bloomsbury Square, on the 30th of March, 1887. This College is self-supporting, and the cost of the erection and equipment of the new building was defrayed out of savings that had accumulated in the hands of the treasurer during the previous seven years.

A very large number of persons interested in education assembled in the lecture-hall to witness the ceremony, among whom were Sir Lyon Playfair, Sir Richard Temple, Mr. Lyulph Stanley, the Dowager Lady Stanley of Alderley, the Presidents of several societies, and the Head Masters of Harrow, Charterhouse, and Merchant Taylors' Schools, of Marlborough and Dulwich Colleges, and of Christ's Hospital.

On the arrival of the Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Princess of Wales, and their daughters Princesses Victoria and Maud, an address was presented by the Rev. Dr. T. W. Jex-Blake, President of the Council. The Prince, in replying, said:--

"Dr. Jex-Blake, Ladies, and Gentlemen,--It gives the Princess of Wales and myself great satisfaction to have been able to accede to the request of the council, and to open the new building of the College of Preceptors. I am reminded, by your reference to the circumstances that this building is opened during the year of the Queen's jubilee, of the many and important improvements that have taken place in Her Majesty's dominions during the last fifty years, and especially in the advancement of education among all classes of the people, a share of which progress is due to the excellent work undertaken by this self-supported institution.

"For over forty years the College of Preceptors has exercised a marked and growing influence for good upon the education given in some of our endowed schools, and more particularly in the numerous private schools for boys and girls which are an important feature in the educational system of this country. The value of your work is sufficiently shown by the high reputation of your examinations and by the constantly increasing number of your candidates, and I sincerely congratulate you on the results you have achieved. In the further development of the work of training teachers you have before you a future of great usefulness, for there can be no doubt that the provision of properly-trained teachers for middle and higher schools is almost, if not quite, as necessary as for our public elementary schools.

"The key of the building which you have presented to me I shall retain as a memento of this ceremony, and in declaring this building open I fervently hope that the influence and teaching which will go forth from it may tend to improve and to raise to a yet higher standard the education given in the private and secondary schools of our country. I declare this building now open."

The Royal party were afterwards conducted through the building, the arrangements of which are justly admired. The entrance corridor is wide and lofty. On one side of it there is a club-room for members, and on the other the secretary's and clerks' offices. The council-room is large and handsome, and the lecture-room occupies the whole of the second story, and is surrounded by book-cases capable of holding 10,000 volumes.

THE MANCHESTER EXHIBITION.

_May 3rd, 1887._

The great Exhibition at Manchester during the Queen's Jubilee year is too recent an event to need any remark prefatory to the statement that it was opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales on the 3rd of May, 1887. Their Royal Highnesses, who were guests at Tatton Hall, drove with Lord Egerton through the park to Knutsford, where they stopped to witness the crowning of the May Queen, and other old English May Day customs which have been revived in that quaint little town. The Prince gave the permission asked by the Committee to add the title of Royal to the Knutsford May Day Sports. They then travelled in a saloon carriage to Manchester, accompanied by Lady Sefton and Lord Egerton.

On arriving at the Town Hall an address was presented, to which the Prince read the following reply:--

"It gives me sincere pleasure to be permitted on behalf of the Queen, my dear mother, to visit the city of Manchester for the purpose of opening the extensive and interesting Exhibition which the inhabitants of Manchester have organized with such admirable zeal and energy, particularly as it is associated with your congratulations on Her Majesty's attaining the fiftieth year of her reign. In her name I thank you for your loyal and dutiful address. It has been a source of much gratification to the Queen to receive assurance of unfaltering attachment to her throne and person from all parts of the Empire on the occasion. The Princess of Wales and I desire to express our admiration of the noble building which you have provided for the conduct of your municipal affairs, and we think it worthy of the vast wealth and importance of the city of Manchester. It gives us great satisfaction to be able to promote and encourage all charitable works and institutions designed for the social and educational improvement of the community. We thank you for your good wishes for the welfare of ourselves and our children, and we hope that prosperity and happiness may ever attend on the labours of the loyal and industrious inhabitants of this great city."

The route of the procession from the Town Hall to the Exhibition was a very long one, being chosen by the Prince in preference to a shorter one submitted to him, on the ground that he would rather afford pleasure to a larger number of people than see the finer edifices on the shorter route. In the Palm House of the gardens luncheon was served, and then the opening ceremony took place in the nave of the building, in the position known as the Music Room. Mr. Hallé's orchestra was in front of the organ, and the National Anthem was performed with fine effect, the vocal rendering being also given by Madame Albani and the full chorus. The Bishop of Manchester offered prayer, and the choir sang the Old Hundredth Psalm. To the address read by Sir Joseph Lee, the Prince replied:--

"I receive with great satisfaction your address on the opening of this large and instructive Exhibition. On behalf of Her Majesty I declare it open from this day. The illustrations which you have collected on engineering and chemical industry, and the products of manufacture and useful toil, afford ample testimony to the skill and ingenuity and steady perseverance of the inhabitants of this district, and prove how justly they hold a high and an honourable place in the industrial ranks of the Empire. The collection of natural products and manufactures of Ireland, and the gratifying display of English works of art, add much to the interest and value of this Exhibition, in which I recognise a worthy mark of your desire to do honour to an occasion so auspicious as the celebration of the fiftieth year of Her Majesty's reign. The Princess and I desire to thank you heartily for your good wishes on our behalf, and for the cordial welcome which you have given us."

The Prince, in the name of the Queen, declared the Exhibition open. A fanfare of trumpets was then given and a _feu de joie_ fired. The proceedings closed with a procession through the different departments, while the "Lobgesang" or "Hymn of Praise" was rendered by the full orchestra and chorus. At the Exhibition station a special train was waiting to take the Royal party back to Tatton Hall.

THE LONDON HOSPITAL NEW BUILDINGS.

_May 22nd, 1887._

The London Hospital has many and special claims on public sympathy and support. Its position, in Whitechapel, surrounded by poor and crowded parts of East London; its small endowments compared with some of the other great hospitals; the vast number of patients annually relieved, both in the house and as out-patients; and its being virtually a "free" hospital, nearly three-fourths of the in-patients being received without letter or recommendation; all these circumstances appeal to liberal charity. In 1887 there were 8863 in-patients admitted, of which 6019 were freely received, without letters of subscribers. There are children's wards where, during the same time, 1717 were admitted; and Hebrew wards, where 623 received treatment. The total number of out-patients, treated either at the Hospital or at their homes, was nearly 100,000, including relief given in less serious and protracted illness. The income from endowments is little more than £15,000 a year, while the annual cost of maintenance is £50,000. The Medical School is supported by the fees of pupils, but for the general maintenance of the Hospital appeal must be made to the public for voluntary subscriptions and contributions.

A Nursing Home, to accommodate 100 nurses, a new Library, and other buildings having been recently added, the Prince and Princess of Wales were invited by the Governors, of whom the Duke of Cambridge is President, to inaugurate these additions to the institution. This was done, with suitable ceremony, on Saturday, the 21st of May, 1887. The Princesses Louise and Victoria of Wales, and the Crown Prince of Denmark were also present. The Governors and officers of the Hospital, with many distinguished persons, were in attendance, and great interest was shown by the crowds of people who thronged the streets on the occasion. The Royal party visited several of the wards, where the Princess of Wales showed kindly sympathy with many of the poor patients, especially in the children's wards. On arriving at the dining-hall of the nurses and sisters, who wear a plain and tasteful uniform, a hymn was sung, and a prayer offered by the Bishop of Bedford, after which, at the request of the Duke of Cambridge, the Princess of Wales formally declared the Nursing Home to be open.

The Medical College was then visited, and in the new library an address was presented by the President. The Prince of Wales, in acknowledging the address, said:--

"Your Royal Highness and Gentlemen,--The Princess and myself thank you for your address, and can assure you that we have much pleasure in coming here to-day to open the nursing home and college buildings of this important institution. The Hospital, which is the largest civil one in the United Kingdom, which contains 800 beds and which supplied medical and surgical assistance to 80,000 out-patients last year, may be regarded almost in the light of a national institution, as every description of case, excepting those of an infectious or incurable nature, is admitted. Such a Hospital cannot fail to be of inestimable value to the population of over a million persons residing in its vicinity, and especially to the labouring class, who are so extensively employed in connection with the railways and docks. But it has other and additional claims upon public sympathy and assistance. First, although its annual expenditure amounts to nearly £50,000, it is mainly supported by voluntary contributions; secondly, it has undertaken the difficult task of improving the system of nursing and of providing a higher class of nurses, with better discipline and superior training and instruction. To effect this object house accommodation was essential, and instead of closely-packed dormitories the new home provides separate rooms, a cheerful dining hall, and other advantages, all tending to brighten the lives of the inmates, while reserving for them the necessary quiet and rest.

"The new library and buildings which I am now about to declare open belong to a college over 100 years old. It was the first in the Metropolis in which a complete curriculum was established, and being attached to the largest Hospital in the country, and situated in the midst of the most populous artisan neighbourhood in London, it offers greater facilities for the acquirement of medical and surgical knowledge than perhaps any other college of a scientific character. I understand that among the important duties which the students perform are those of dressers, clinical clerks, maternity pupils, and other assistants, and from their number the resident officers are selected after having become qualified practitioners. The Princess and I most earnestly pray that every blessing may attend the labours and efforts of all those who are working among the sufferers in the Hospital, and you may rest assured that we shall always take the warmest interest in the welfare and prosperity of your noble institution."

Dr. Langdon Down, the senior physician, in thanking His Royal Highness on behalf of his colleagues and the students, explained that the new buildings did not diminish the funds of the Hospital, as a rent was paid for them by the teaching staff of the medical school. The Prince then declared the new buildings and the library to be open. The Duke of Cambridge then called for three cheers for the Prince and Princess, which were given with great heartiness, followed by "one cheer more for the Duke," who has always been a zealous and generous friend of the London Hospital.

DEACONESSES' INSTITUTION AND HOSPITAL AT TOTTENHAM.

_May 28th, 1887._

The object of the Deaconesses' Institution at Tottenham is "the training of Christian women to serve as deaconesses"--that is to say, as sisters trained for working, teaching, and nursing, without being subject to any obligation or vow of celibacy, as is usual in the sisterhoods of Roman Catholic communities. The training of nurses is one of the chief purposes sought, following in this the example of the celebrated institution of Kaiserwerth, where, under Pastor Fliedner, Florence Nightingale and other English as well as German nurses were trained. In fact the full title of the establishment at the Green, Tottenham, is the "Evangelical Protestant Deaconesses' Institution and Training Hospital." The Hospital contains 100 beds for the sick poor, and there are also a few private rooms for paying patients. Thousands of the poor are also attended every year in the neighbourhood.

From the commencement of the work, in 1867, the late Samuel Morley, M.P., took warm interest in it, and at his death two of his sons, Howard and Charles Morley, erected a new wing to the building, as a memorial of their father. It was to open the "Samuel Morley" memorial wing that the Princess of Wales, accompanied by the Prince and their three daughters, visited Tottenham on the 29th of May, 1887. A large number of persons were assembled, including deputations from foreign countries, Pastor Fliedner from Kaiserwerth, Pastor Nehmitz from Berlin, and other Pastors, Lady Superintendents, and Deaconesses from German and Danish institutions.

When the Royal party had been conducted to the marquee where the ceremony was to take place an address was read to the Princess of Wales by Dr. Laseron, the medical director. The Prince, in replying on behalf of the Princess, said:--