The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-04 00:00:00

presence to the encouragement of those societies
whose object is to promote the best interests of the
country. (Cheers.) Among those societies none
are more important or deserve more o r our grati-
tude than the Corporation of the Trinity House, for
we cannot but recognise how muc safety and
welfare of our sailors and ships are owing to their
exertions. I need hardly, lam sure, recal to your
recollection the deep interest my beloved father
took in your Corporation and its success,
nd how proud he felt in being your Master.
It is therefore doubly gratifying to me to be your
guest on this occasion. I once more heartily
thank you for your kind reception of this toast.
(Loud cheers.)
A glee, diversifying the entertainment, was then
sung to the words of Richard Brinsley Sheridan;—
" Marked you her eye of heavenly blue 2
Mark'd you her cheek of roseate hue ?
!That eye, in liquid circles moving;
That cheek, abashed at man's approving ;
The one, love's arrows darting round,
The other blushing at the wound ?"

Viscount PALMERSTON next rose and said, the
toast I have now to propose is one which concerns
the whole of the United Kingdom, and I may say,
through the United Kingdom, concerns the interests
of the world, because I hold that the prosperity, the
independence, and the civilisation of the United
Kingdom are matters of great moral and political
importance to all other nations. (liar, hear.) I
propose "The Army, the Navy, and the Volunteers,"
and I beg that you will drink in connexion with
that toast the healths of his Royal Highness the
Duke of Cambridge—(cheers)—his grace the Duke
of Somerset, and Lord de Grey and Ripon. To
dilate upon the merits and achievements of the
army and navy of Ureat Britain would only be to
recount some of the moat interesting pages of the
history of the world. All that one can say is that
they are now upon that moderate footing which
befits the peace establishment of a free country and
an insular country, though we do not imitate those
gigantic establtehments which we see on the con-
tinent of Europe, which would draw large num-
bers of the community from the pursuits of industry,
which would impoverish the nation in which they
were maintained, which only tend to menace
neighbouring countries—(hear, hear)—and which
are maintained ostensibly for purposes of defence,
but really for purposes of aggression. (Cheers.)
Although, I say, we do not imitate that bad ex-
ample, we have an army and navy perftet in them-
selves so far as their extent and magnitude go,
capable of great and rapid development in case
necessity should require it; and, I believe, more
efficient in officers and men, and in respect to the
material of war, than at any period of our history.
We have also a new force, which not less commends
itself to the respect and good wishes and to the
support of the community than the army and navy,
I mean the Volunteers, an institution peculiarly
adapted to our country, because, I will venture to
say, there is no country governed by despotic au-
thority that would not feel alarmed at having
150,000 or 160,000 armed men, citizens, coming
forward at their own free will, subject only to the
laws of the country, and well aware of the moral
support which that obedience gives to its institu-
tions. It is a proud thing that the civil population
of the country should have turned out with such
zeal, should have made euch rapid progress in the
science of arms and should show to any foreign
country that should think it prudent to dispute
with us that they would have to contend not only
with an army and navy, but with a people skilled
in the use of arms and the evolutions of war.
(Cheers.)

The Duke of CAMBRIDGE, in responding to the
toast on behalf of the army, said he need not re-
mind the company that the army was scattered
over every part of the world, that its duties even in
times of peace were very onerous, and that it was
exposed to the vicissitudes of climate, which were
sometimes hardly less deadly than actual service in
the field. The same amount of courage and force
was required to resist these vicissitudes and the
knowledge that the services of the army were always
appreciated by their countrymen at home was grati-
fying to the heart of every British soldier. Their
noble chairman had rightly stated that the army was
at this moment on a footing of peace. We were
essentially a commercial country, and as such it
became us not to be aggressive. At the same time
the present condition of the army, thanks to the
liberality of Parliament, to the manner in which it
had been supported by successive Governments,and
to the enlightened views of successive Secretaries of
State was such that if at any time its service should
be required in the defence of the country it would
not be found wanting. We lived in times of pro-
gress in the arts of peace as well as in the art of
war, and with respect to the twin services, it was
difficult to decide what improvements to adopt and
what to reject. It had been often their lot to be
blamed for not going ahead fast enough. That was
a natural grcund for complaint, but one against
which they were able to defend themselves. Al-
though they ought not to stand still, they might go
ahead a little too fast. He hoped that, acting in
conjunction with the present Secretary of State, and
his predecessors, they had gone just the right pace
—(a laugh)—and that the efficiency of the service
was now such as to satisfy the country. His royal
highness concluded his observations by thanking
that ancient Corporation for affording him the op.
portunity of being present on so interesting an oc-
casion, and resumed his seat amid cheers.
The Duke of SOMERSET thanked the company for
the honour they had conferred on her Majesty's
navy, an honour, he said, they were accustomed to
receive, but which they had never received in a more
distinguished society. It was quite unnecessary,
speaking in that hall, to say anything as to the ser-
vices of the navy, so intimately connected was it with
the Trinity House. He might say, indeed, that the
Admiralty and the Trinity House were cousins,
united together in many ways, and now more closely
connected than ever by means of the Royal Naval
Reserve. (Hear.) He might also speak of the dif-
ficulties with which the Admiralty had to contend
in reference to suggestions made from time to time
for the improvement of the navy. Some time ago
they were warned that the Monitor which the
Americans built would show them the way. She
did, indeed, show them the way, but it was to the
bottom of the sea (a laugh)—an example which they
wisely avoided, but by which they were admonished
at the same time not to advance too fast in the
career of progress. (Hear, hear.)
Earl DE GREY and RIPON, in responding for the
Volunteers, argued that the position of that force
after an interval of five years was such as to negative
the assertion made by some at the commencement
of the movement that it was the result of temporary
effervescence and excitement, and would never be
permanently established. Its numbers, he said, were
now as high as at say period of its progress; Vie
liberality of Parliament had placed it on a suitable
footing, and, as far as he could judge, it had entered
on a career of permanent utility. (Hear, hear.)
The Prince of WALES,—Your Royal Highness,
my Lords, and gentlemen, a duty now devolves upon
me which is happily a very easy one to perform.
It is to propose a toast which cannot fail to give
pleasure to every one present. Let us drink " The
Health of the Master of the Trinity-house, Viscount
Palmerston." (Enthusiastic cheers.) It would be
superfluous in me to recount the long and valuable
services which your lordship has rendered to your
Sovereign and country. (Renewed cheers.) Among
those services, though, perhaps, less prominent than
some others, those connected with the Trinity-house
are by no means to be accounted less important.
The work performed by this corporation speaks for
itself, but additional lustre has been conferred upon
it by the eminent men who from time to time have
filled the office of its Master. That in Lord Pal-
merston the di„ pity of this ancient corporation is
worthily represented every one of whatever shade
of politics will, I am sure, acknowledge. (Cheers.)
Lord PALMERSTON said he begged to return his
Royal Highness his most cordial thanks for the kind
and flattering manner in which he had been pleAed to
propose the toast, and his thanks, also, to the gen-
tlemen present for the way in which they had
received it. He felt great pride and much gratifica-
tion in filling an office in virtue of which he had
had the honour of having his health proposed by
his Royal Highness. The institution of the Trinity
House was one of the greatest interest, and when