The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-10 00:00:00

Exchange Company, Mr. John Rawson reading
_

THE DINNER.

t :-

To le Right Hon. Viscount Palmerston, K.G.,
M.P., First Lord of Her Majesty's Treasury.
May it please your Lordship,—Having requested your
lordship to honour this town with your presence on this
memorable day, we, the directors of the Bradford Exchange
Company, would tender to you our warmest thanks for the
gracious manner in which your lordship has consented to
take part in the important commercial ceremony for which
we are assembled, Before we ask your lordship to lay the
first stone of the structure which is to rise on this site, we
would for a moment call your lordship's attention to the
circumstances which have required its erection. The build-
ing now used as an Exchange was opened in the year 1828,
Three years after, the population of the borough was
43,527—in 1861 it was upwards of 106,000. In the year
182 S there were not more than two or three firms trading
as stuff. merchants in the borough—in 1861 :the number
thus engaged was 157. In the year 1841 the annual rental
of the property in the borough assessed to the poor rate
amounted to £l37,77B—this year the same amounted to
£315,740. In 1831 the number of houses was 8,193—n0w it
is about 24,800. In 1836 the number of registered Parlia-
mentary voters was 1,347—n0w it is 4,504. The tables of
mills and machinery, imports as to wool, and exports as to
worsted fabrics, would show siAnilar increase. It will not,
therefore, snrprise your lordship that the building which
was considered sufficient and capacious for the wants of
1828 should be found quite inadequate to the requirements
of the present time. Sensible that our commercial empire
is most emphatically peace, we congratulate your lordship
on that enlightened policy which has so recently secured
one of its blessings in the increased connections between
this country and France, and of which wo trust that the
French treaty, so eminently beneficial to both countries, is
but the first fruits, and that your visit to this town in a
time of peace and the proposed building is but one of its
many victories. The trade of this borough was never more
remunerative than at present to the skilful hands of toil,
and the vast capital that is employed connects it with the
prosperity of the farmers at home and in the distant colo-
nies, with every sheepfold, however remote, and every shep-
herd in every clime. Its ambition is to hang its trophies in
every household, to wrap them round the inmates of its
houses. In asking you to lay the foundation stone of this
monument of the prosperity of this district, we congratu-
late your lordship that you have lived to see so many insig-
nificant villages in your country :ise to the importance of
large and influential towns ; so many limited occupations
expand into gigantic manufactures ; so many feeble tribu-
taries to the national wealth become mighty streams, swell-
ing its resources. .Nor are we less glad to see you amongst
us, after so many honoured years of public service, not an
old man broken with the storms of State, but still a man of
sovereign parts, whose age has charms in it. We shall be
delighted to associate your lordship's name with the com-
mencement of the important edifice which is to adorn and
benefit this town, as we have long had to make your lord-
ship's motto, " Flecti non Frangi," the foundation of the
delicate manipulation of the materials of our manufacture,
desiring for this building no higher honour than that it
may witness as steady a growth in the success of this town
as 3 our lordship has seen in the prosperity of your coun-
try ; and that passing years may mark its walls with as
gentle a hand as they have laid upon your lordship, and
gather around it as many gratifying marks of reverential
regard as your lordship enjoys.
Given under the seal of the Bradford Exchange Corn
pang, the 9th day of August, 1864.

At six o'clock a grand banquet took place in the
saloon of the St. George's Hall, at which only a
select few were admitted, the committee having
wisely determined, in consequence of the pressure
for seats, to restrict the numbers at the dinner and
adjourn afterwards for the speeches to the great
hall, in which several thousand persons could be
easily accommodated. Mr Ripley presided, having
on his right Lord Palmerston, Sir F. Crossley, Bart,
M.P., Mr Edward Baines, M.P., and Mr W. E.
Forster, M.P.; on his left the High Sheriff of
Yorkshire, Colonel Gascoigne, Dr Burnett, the
Vicar of Bradford, and W. H. Wickham. M.P.
Amongst the general audience were Titus Salt, Esq.,
the Lord Mayor of York, the Mayors of Leeds,
Halifax, Dewsbury, Bradford, and Wakefield; the
Chief Constable of Huddersfield, Mr. Ashley, Mr
T. P. Crosland, the Judge of the Court, Mr John
Rand, Mr L. Wickham, Mr John Forster,
Lieut. Col. Hurst, Mr W. Peel, Mr Jacob Behrens,
Aid. Scholefield, Ald. Law, Mr W. Thompson, Mr
Ambler, and Mr Rayner.
After the usual loyal and constitutional toasts,
the Chairman briefly proposed "The health of Lord
Palmerston," and in doing so expressed his gratifi-
cation that the proceedings of the day had passed
off so satisfactorily, without any of the disturbances
which at one time had been apprehended.

Lord PALMERSTON briefly responded, reiterating
his thanks for the cordial and hearty welcome with
which he had been received.

The company then adjourned to the general hall,
on entering which Lord Palmerston was greeted
with repeated cheers from the dense ctowd which
occupied all parts of the spacious Chamber.

PRESENTATION OF THE ADDRESSES.
Long before the hour fixed for the presenting the
addresses, the hall, which is capable of containing
upwards of 4,000 persons, was densely crowded.
At the time appointed the chair was taken by the
Worshipful the Mayor, who we.s accompanied by
the noble guest and a large number of the moat in-
fluential gentlemen connected with the town and
surrounding districts, The festival choir having
sung " God bless the Prince of Wales," the Mayor
presented the following address :
To the Eight Hon. the Lord Viecount Palmerston, K.G.,
G. C. 8., M, P„ First Lord of the Treasury.
May it p:e tse your Lordship,—We, the mayor, alder-
men and burgesses of the borough ot Bradford, in the
county of York, gladly avail ourselves of the opportunity
afbrded us by your lordship's visit to this town to express
to your lordship our high appreciation of the invaluable
services you have rendered to our Sovereign and country
during your long and distinguished career. In common
with the rest of our countrymen wo cannot but feel proud
of a statesman who has on all occasions, and frequently
under circumstances of great difficulty, upheld ene honour
and dignity of England; and as a comnaeeetal community
we feel especially grateful for the influouce which has been
exercised by your lordship as First, Minister of the Crown,
in promoting liberty and progress, and the adoption of free-
trade principles amongst continental nations. We there-
fore rejoice in giving to your lordship a most hearty wel-
come to Bradford, cut the occasion of your laying the first
stone of the Ezonange, and we fully trust that your lord-
ship may long be spared to take part in the councils of the
nation, and that we, along with the rest of her Majesty's
subjects, may continue to experience the benefits of those
devoted and patriotic services which your lordship has dur-
ing so long a period rendered to the State.
Given under the corporate seal of the borough of Brad-
ford, this 9th day of August, 2.864.
Jostru FARRAR, Mayor.
The address having been read by the Town Clerk,
a part
after
‘‘ quit the leafy arbour," waf
sung,
iLet u
eh ltlsr H. IV. Ripley presented the
bong,
following address from the Chamber of Commerce,
which was read by Mr Darlington ;
To Henry John Viscount Palmerston, K.G., G.C.B,
M.P., &c.

The stone was laid with the usual observances,
amidst hearty cheers. The peculiarly serious and
artistic manner in which the Premier diecharged
the duty of spreading the mortar, and afterwards
seeing that the stone was properly adjusted, excited
general admiration.

Lord PALMERSTON then said-3entlemen, I mast
in the first pltice beg the people of this town to ac-
cept my most hearty thanks for the kind and cor•
dial reception which I have met with this day.
(Cheers,) I can assure you that the recollection of
it will never depart from my memory. It has
afforded me great pleasure to be instrumental in what
is technically called laying the foundation of your
New Exchange ; bat that foundation has been hid
long since by the people of Bradford themselves.
(Cheers.) For it is in the industry and in the
prosperity, in the successful exertions of the people
of Bradford, that has been laid the foundation, not

only of this building, but of the future prosperity
of which this building will only be the emblem and
representative. You have, indeed, in the eddress
which I have just had the honour of receiving, made
mention of the wonderful growth of this town in an
inconceivable short space of time; but I trust that
it is still destined to equal some of the larger seats
of industry, and that when I may have again the
pleasure of re-visiting this town I may see that this
prosperity has been continued still more rapidly
than during the period to which your remarks have
referred. (Cheers.) Indeed, when I look around
on your prosperity to-day, I should have thought
that the population of Bradford had been much
larger than I am told it now is. I know that I am

May it please your lordship,—We, the Council of the
Bradford Chamber of Commerce, gladly avail ourselves of the
opportunity which your lordship's visit to the capital of the
worsted district affords to us of expressing our gratificationat
seeing amongst us a statesman who has bE en actively and
faithfully performing the arduous duties of high offices and
trust under four successive sovereigns of this great empire,
and of having the honour of now receiving your lordship
whilst occupying the prominent position of Prime Minister
of England. Precluded by the rules of the Chamber from
entertaining any matter having any bearing on politics, we
cannot enter into the many great national questions which
have occupied the attention of the Legislature during your
lordship's public career, But we can assure your lordship that
the council of this chamber highly appreciate the invalu-
able aid which you, as the adviser of the Crown, have
from time to timo afforded in carrying to a successful issue
the many fiscal improvements, and other alterations in
connexion with our commercial policy, which have tended

welcome here—(cheers)—and I know how warm

the hearts of Yorkshiremen are—how kind they are
to those whom they have invited, and how disposed
they are to show the warmth of their feelings by
the strong outward demonstration of their voices.
(Cheers.) It is not the first time that I have been
in this county, but I must say that the kind recep-
tion which I have this day received exceeds any-
thing which I have been entitled to expect even
from warm-hearted Yorkshiremen. (Cheers.) I
consider that what we have done to-day is that we
have laid the foundation of a temple of peace.
(Cheers.) Because your industry not only is pro-
ductive of peace, but is essentially prosperous in
peace. It is, therefore, the cause and the effect of
peace ; and I look upon it that the Exchange which
is to be raised upon this site may be properly
designated as a temple of peace, You have men.
tioned tho great development which the commerce
of this county and the manufactures of Bradford have
received from the commercial treaty with France,
Well, that treaty has had another effect. It has not
only given a stimulus to industry, and compensated
in a great degree for those calamities which have
befallen in other quarter; but it is every year
cementing the good feeling between too neighbour-
ing nation; both of which, having no cause for reci-

to open out and promote the commerceof the countryl—NVe
allude with much satisfaction to the French and other
treaties of commerce lately concluded and carried into ope-
ration, by which we, as well as all nations concerned, have
received and are continuing to receive great advantage, and
which were negotiated during your lordship's administra-
tion. We therefore heartily thank your lordship for thus
coming among the traders of Bradford to evince your kindly
feeling by taking part in the foundation of a building de-
signed to serve the purposes and promote the objects of the
trade and commerce of this district. We sincerely hope that
your lordship may long enjoy that measure of health, both
of body and intellect, which in the fulness of years, after a
laborious life, yet remain to your lordship unimpaired in
their manly vigour.
Signed on behalf of the Council,
HENRY W. RIPLEY, President.
JOUN DARLINGTON, Secretary.
Tho part song, " Oh hills, oh vales of pleasure,"
was then sung by the Festival Choral Society.
Mr RAND then proposed a vote of thanks to
Lord Palmerston, He said he had never seen in
that hall eo large and so influential an assembly,
which he was not aqonished at considering the
importance of the occasion, so intimately connected
with the present and future of Bradford. He con-

gratulatcd them on the success which had attended

he whole of the day's proceeding n, and trusted that

procal jealonsy, would have no ground for mutual
hostility, which has too often marked our relations
in times gone by. But we have every reason to find,
. .

- - . .
the New Exchange, winch was required by the
rapidly.increasing trade and commerce of the town,
would form an epoch in its annals. If anything
could add to the it, terest and itnportatice of the occa-
sion it was the presence of a great public character, a
thorough Englishman, and one in whose bands the
honour of England was safe, her prosperity and
best interests secure. Ile had received a true
Yorkshire welcome ; for he was glad to say that
on such. an occasion they would rise superior to
party difference" of opinion, and he trusted that if

in interests i❑ common and in sympathetic feeling,
mutual relations of friendship; and I trust the
people of Bradford may properly be said to be most
important negotiators in that respect. (Cheers.)
Gentlemen, I will not detain you longer. If I were
to say all I feel I should keep you berg till sunset.
It would be an onfAir return for the courtesy you

by the chief constable to escort the noble Premier have shown me. I shall therefore again thank you
into Bradford, It consisted of the Bradford and for the :kind reception which I have experienced,
Bowling Artillery Volunteers, headed by their and say that lam proud of having been applied to
band ; the Chamber of Commerce, th' overseers to preside at this ceremony, which I trust is only
and guardians of the poor, the Fire 1;i igade, the the harbinger of future greatness and increasing
Corporation, including the execut committee, prosperity for this industrious and increasing town.
the magistrates, the mayor, Lord Palmerston, and (Cheers.)
the Bradford Rifle Volunteers, with their band. A blessing on the New Exchange having been
The route was through 0 tleproad, East-parade, asked by the vicar of Bradford, the National Anthem
Leeds-road, Bridge street, Market-street, Lower was played, and this stage of the day's proceedings,
Cheatside, a part of Market-street, Charles-street, which were conducted throughout most successfully,
Bank-street, and the Old Market. Along the was brought to a close.
whole of the line of route the spectators The architects of the building are Messrs. Lock-
were numerous, but at no point inconveniently wood, Mawson, add Mawson, of Bradford, who de-
crowded until the neighbourhood of the Old signed the St. George's Hall, the splendid Alpaca
Market was reached. Here a dense crowd had Mills of Titus Salt, Esq., at Saltaire, one of the local
collected, and windows and house-tops were eovered infirmaries, and also several places of worship in the
with spectators in such a way as to show only West Riding. The plan has been accepted provi-
their outlines by a living mass of humanity. The sionally,but there is no doubt that it will be adopted.
reception which his lordship met with, though The style is Venetian-Gothic. There will be a
cordial, certainly lacked some of that heartiness handsome but rather ecclesiastical spire and tower
which the ce.operation of the masses alone can at one end, and the design is framed with a view
ensure. To the credit of the working men of Brad- to numerous necessary and important improve-
ford be it said, though they maintained the silence merits to be made in the approaches by the corpo.
they advised, they very fairly also maintained the ration. There will be three entrances, the chief
dignity of the masses that they represented. being under the tower, and communicating with an
Whatever lack was made up for at the site, where arcade for change purposes. A vestibule leads from
the cheering was ;mid and continuous, even after this to the exchange hall, a magnificent space of
the noble lord had taken his place on the platform. 625 superficial yards. The parallelogram of the
Nearly the whole of the site of the proposed hall will be 20 feet by 70 feet, with an apex at the
building was surrounded by flags, banners, and north side 42 feet in diameter. Banded shafts of
mats de cockayne, and raised seats, which were polished granite, with capitals and bars of Caen
occupied by spectators provided with tickets. On stone, will surround the Exchange, and from the
the arrival of the cortege, the bands played " See capitals will spring arches to form windows. Filled
the conquering hero comes." His lordship, the in with tracings of elegant mediaeval designs at each
mayor, and the corporation, and the other dignita- gable ends will be a large splended window under
ries having alighted and taken up their position the colonnade. The hall will be 25 feet high under
round the suspended stone, a flue block of free- the spring of the roof, 37,-3- feet. There will be a
stone, the Mayor briefly welcomed Lord Palmer. telegraphic office, large news room, and other con•
ston to Bradford. A handsome silver trowel was veniences on the ground floor, and on the basement
then presented to his lordship, who proceeded, story are to be kitchen, larder, scullery, and wine-
secundum artem, to spread the mortar and lay the cellars, for the use of the Bradford Club. On the
atone with the usual formalities. A bottle, con- first floor will be a large coffee-room, reading, writ-
taining newspapers and photographs of Lord Pal- ing, and dining-rooms, and detached, but on the
merston, the mayor, and three directors was de- same floor, smoking, billiard, card, and six bed-
posited in the cavity of the lower stone. The fol- rooms. Another portion of the building is to be set
lowing address was then presented to his lordship apart for the use of the Chamber of Commerce.
by Alderman Wright, one of the directors of the