The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-28 00:00:00

and volunteers the cause of Earl ee Grey and Ripon

(Cheers.)

The Dike of SOMERSET, in returning thanks,
said—My Lord Mayor, my lords, ladies, and gen-
tlemen, I rise to thank you on behalf of her Ma.
jesty's navy Tar the tribute of respect which you
have paid the officers and men who compose it, and
dispersed as that navy is through every part of the
world in the performance of serious duties, they

naturally look homewards for the recognition of
their services, and for the approbation of their coun-

trymen. You have spoken, my Lord Mayor, of the
state of transition in which the navy is, and un-
doubtedly, at the present time, we are in a state of
transition both as regards our ships and our arma-
ments ; but, as far as the Admiralty is concerned,
we are:in this peculiar position. You must all per.

ceive that when guns are fired at ships one result
must happen, either the gun must get the best of it

or the ship must have the best of it. That is the

position of affairs. But the public is so eager for
both sides, that when the ship fails they say that

the ship is :not strong enough, and, on the other

hand when the gun fails they say that the gun
was not strong enough. One or the other

must, in every case, fail, so on every oc-
casion there is an opportunity of blaming
the Admiralty. (A laugh.) _ Either gun or ship

is to blame, but whichever fails you are sure to

see in the paper next morning that the Admiralty
are to blame, for that neither the ship nor the gun
has been made strong enough. (Cheers, and a laugh.)

Well, my Lord. Mayor, here there are many naval
officers who can speak far better than I am able to
do of the position of the navy ; but there is one point
on which I think I can speak better than any naval

officer present, and that is as to the popularity of
the navy in this country, because I am constantly
receiving letters from amiable mothers and anxious
fathers bidding me to put their sons into the navy.
They tell me, many of them, that from their very
infancy the child has had a taste for the navy. (A
laugh.) Sometimes they say that when he goes to
school and reads "Robinson Crusoe," or, even more
absurd still, when he is set to learn the Greek gram-

mar, he at once discovers his taste for the navy.
(Laughter.) We have lately seen from the
report of the Commissioners on Education
how important is considered the study of
Greek—that W 3 ought to see that 'our sons, by all
means, are taught Greek grammar written in Latin
—they learning but little Latin and no Greek.
(Laughter.) No wonder that in these circumstances
the pupil soon learns that such is not in his turn of
mind, and wants to come into the navy. (Cheers.)

Depend on it that we shall always have in our navy
the nicest, spirited young fellows that ever were,
and that they will form a powerful navy hereafter,
if you but stick to the system of education which I
believe is so popular in the country. I beg, my
Lord Mayor, again to thank you on behalf of the
Navy. (Cheers.)
Earl DE GREY and RIPON—I beg to thank you
on behalf of the Army and Volunteers for the
honour you have done them in drinking this toast.
Although I feel that I am in many respects ill-fitted
to return thanks for the army, especially in the
presence of many officers of that service, and, above
all, of my gallant friend Sir Richard Airey,
it is the duty of all connected with the army
on all occasions to obey orders, and although I am
not entitled to speak as a member of that noble
profession, connected as I am with the administra-

tion of the army I may perhaps be able to speak
freely of the zeal which animates every member of
that service, and their entire devotion to the service
of their Queen and country. When we allude to the
services of the army on occasions like this we are
apt to have only in our minds those services they
have rendered on so many memorable occasion% in
the great wars of this country which have helped
to make the history of England so glorious ; but I
think we ought not to forget those services which
they are rendering every day when, as your lordship
truly says, they are bcattered over every quarter
of the globe. .The armies of other countries serve
within the limits of their own country in time of
peace, and among their own people; it is on rare
occasions that they are called upon to go forth
into foreign lands.; but by far the largest part
of our army, on the contrary, spend the greatest
part of. their time in the colonies and

distant possessions of the country. It has been the
object of successive Governments to have at home
onc-third of the British infantry, so that exchanges
may be made on the principle of spending 10 years
abroad and five at home, but we have not been able
to accomplish that. time do find, however, that on
all occasions the officers and men are ready to give
the sere ice all that may be demanded of them cheer-
fully and zealously. (Cheers.) With respect to the
volunteers I entirely concur in the remarks you
have made. 'The force has not been made in rivalry
to the army. It has been raised to supplement and
aid the small force we are able to maintain at home.

I am happy to say it has attained a very high de-
gree of efficiency, considering the conditions ❑nder
which it Fier ve9,and if ever the contingency arrives,
which I hope it may not, when its services will be

required, that force will not be unworthy to take
its place by the side of the time honoured army of
England. (Loud chLers.)

The LORD MAYOR—At these meetings we are de-
lighted to welcome any diplomatic representative

of the different countries of Europe. On the pre-
sent occasion I have the gratification of seeing
among us the Swedish and Norwegian Minister. I
beg to propose his health, and to assure him that we
kel it to ba the interest of this country to be on the
best terms with all countries, and I may say espe-
cially with those in the north of Europe. (Cheers.)
His Excallency the Swedish and Norwegian
Minister acknowledged the compliment.

The LORD MAYOR said—l have now the pleasure of pro-
posing to you " The health of her Majesty's Ministers."
(Loud cheers.) It is one of the pleasures connected with
the mayoralty that it affords the chief magistrate of the
city of London an opportunity of inviting the Ministers of
State, who usually honour him with their company at a
banquet at the Egyptian Hall, when the most eminent of
the citizens of London meet to do them honour. (Hear.) It
is not often we have the opportunity of seeing them at the
end of the parliamentary campaign, when their work is
nearly completed, and they are ready to take that rest and
recreation which is so necessary for them. (Cheers.) lam
quite sure we are all delighted to see them here to-day in
such excellent health, after the labours of the session. This
hall is not the place for me to enter into the details of their
policy or the acts of their Government ; but lam quite sure
no body of men were ever in a prouder position than that
which they occupy—chosen by the favour of the Crown and
supported by the votes of the people, and using, as they
have always done, their best abilities and exertions for pro-
moting to the utmost the enterprise and prosperity of the
country. I congratulate them that at the close of the session
this country has the prospect of an abundant harvest, the
country is at peace, and there is every prospect of prosperity
continuing until at least next session of Parliament. It is
not necessary that we should at present look further. The
country always feels great pleasure in seeing the Ministers
of State exerting themselves to extend the enterprise and
commercial prosperity of the country ; and when it comes
within their power to reduce taxation, I think her Majesty's
Ministers may fairly eomo before this assembly and before
the country and say they have done the utmost they could—
I am sure the country will feel they have done all they could
—for the benefit not of one, but of every class and interest in
the community. I have great pleasure in proposing the health
of her Majesty's Ministers on this occasion, and it is parti-
cularly gratifying to see the excellent health of the veteran
chief Lord Palmerston. (Cheers.) I was about to call him
the hero of a hundred fights, but he has fought a thousand
fights—he has been fighting all his life ; but with this
happy result, that he has made friends of foes, and now he
finds no foes anywhere. (Cheers.) I am sure I express not
only the feelings of; this assembly, but even of those who
are not supporters of the Government, when I say that we
all feel delight and pleasure in seeing the excellent health
and spirits of the noble Premier, and I beg to propose
"The Health of Her Majesty's Ministers," coupling with
the toast the name of Viscount Palmerston.
The toast was drunk with much enthusiasm.
Viscount PALMERSTON, who was received with loud
chee rs, said—My lord mayor, ladies, and gentlemen, for
myself and my colleagues I beg to return you our most cor-
dial thanks—to you, my lord Mayor, for the very kind
manner in which you have proposed the toast of our health,
and to this assembled company for the manner in which
they have been pleased to receive it. (Cheers.) We are con-
scious that if we have experienced upon this occasion an
expression of goodwill and approval it must be from the con-
viction which, I trust, is impressed cn the minds of all who
hear me that to the best of our ability we have done our
duty, (Cheers.) No set of men can do more—no set of men
ought to do less. (Cheers.) You have been pleased, my
lord mayor, to remark that, in spite of the fatigues of a
rather long session, we are here at your festive board not
much the worse for the labours we have gone through.
(Cheers and a laugh.) But this, at least, I will say, that