The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-12 00:00:00

THE PRINCE OF WALES.

Presentation of the Freedom of the Fish-
monger's Company to his Royal Highness
the Prince of Wales—(This Day.)

The imposing ceremony of presenting the freedom of the
Fishmonger's Company to his Royal Highness the Prince
of Wales, took place at the Fishmonger's Hall, this day.
Soon after 11 o'clock preparations for the reception of his
Royal Highness were commenced. The grand flight of
steps leading to the principal entrance of the building fr: m
London-bridge, was covered with scarlet cloth, and the
winners of Dogett's Coat and Badge, habited in their well-
known scarlet coat, lined the steps at either side.
In the Grand Hall the band of the Royal Artillery was
stationed, and the grand staircase was decorated in the
most elegant style.

The large hall in which the ceremony took place was
crowded by the members of the company and a large num-
ber of visitors, a chair being placed in the centre for his
Royal Highness, and the numerous royal portraits which
ornamented the noble apartments were surrounded with
the colours of Great Britain.

At two minutes to one his Royal Highness arrived, and
was conducted to the reception-room, where the members
of the company were introduced.
The Freedom also having been read, it was then placed
in a gold box, and Mr. Towse, holding the same, took up
his position near to his Royal Highness.
This ceremony having been completed,
His Royal Highness was conducted to the Great Hall,
where Mr. B. Towse, the Clerk of the Company, read the
minutes of the last court, and afterwards announced that
his Royal Highness attended to take the Freedom of the
Company. The declaration as then read by Mr. Towse,
was as follows :

I solemnly and sincerely declare that I will be true and
faithful to our Sovereign Lady the Queen, and to her heirs
and successors ; in all matters lawful and honest I will be
obedient to the Wardens of the Mistery of Fishmongers
of the City of London for the time being in that office,
and ready to come at their summonses and lawful warn-
ing, except I have a lawful excuse, without feigning or
delay, according to the lawful ordinances of the Mistery
of Fishmongers aforesaid, which ordinances and every of
them to my power I will observe and keep, or else will pay
such penalties and fines as I shall forfeit by reason of my
disobedience. And I make this solemn declaration con-
scientiously intending and being resolved faithfully
and truly to abide by, perform, and fulfil the same, and
by virtue of the provisions of an act made and passed in
the fifth and sixth years of the reign of his Majesty
William the Fourth, cap. 62, intituled, "An act,
to repeal an act of the present session of Parliament," inti-
tuled, "An act for the more effectual abolition of oaths
and affirmations taken and made in various departments of
the state, and to substitute declarations in lieu thereof, and
for the more entire surpression of voluntary and extra
judicial oaths and affidavits, and to make other provisions
for the abolition of unnecessary oaths."
Alderman CUBITT then said—May it please your Roya
Highness, on behalf of the Prime Warden (the state of
whose health has led him to ask my assistance), the War-
den, the Court of Assistants, and the commonalty of this
ancient company, I have the honour to offer to your Royal
Highness the expression of their gratification in the enrol-
ment of your Royal Highness's name in their annals.
Their predecessors from time to time in bygone years have
had the honour of admitting illustrious personages to the
freedom of the company, and in comparatively modern
times we have recorded the admission of his
Royal Highness Frederick, Prince of Wales, your Royal
Highness's royal grandfather, the Duke of Kent, whose
portrait graces the hall, condescended to honour the com-
pany. Your Royal Highness's father on this very spot did
the company the same honour which your Royal Highness
has just conferred, and by his kind influence the company
became possessed of a portrait of our country's beloved
Sovereign, which they joyfully placed in the hall, here to
remain for generations to come, that the Fishmonger's
Company, their friends and visitors, may at all times have
opportunity of contemplating the likeness of the best of
British Queens. The Fishmonger's Company is one of
those ancient guilds which in remote periods were incorpo-
rated and invested with functions by which their
respective crafts were fostered and protected, and the in-
terests of the 'public promoted. In looking through the long
vista of past centuries we find the names of many dis-

tinguished men—that of Walworth, whose brave and

zealous loyalty well entitled his memory to the statue whioh
worthily fills a niche in this hall of the company, where
loyalty and patriotism find an abiding place. In common
with all her Majesty's subjects, the Fishmonger's Company
contemplated with patisfaetion and joy the approaching
happy event which is to unite your Royal
Highness in holy wedlock with the illus-
trious, beautiful, and accomplished Royal lady,

the Princess Alexandra of Denmark. They hops that
Providence may bless your Royal Highness and your
Royal bride, and that the career which awaits your Royal
Highness, in the most exalted position which man can
inherit, may be lightly affected by those cares and anxieties
which accompany great responsibilities, that successful re-
sults may attend all your Royal Highness's undertakings,
and that your Royal Highness may have a long, healthy,

happy, and prosperous reign.
'lhe Prince of WALES acknowledged the compliment as
follows—Mr. Cubitt and Gentlemen,—lt is with the
greatest pleasure that I find myself called on to return my
sincere thanks to you, sir, as Prime Warden, and to the
gentlemen of the court of assistants of the honourable and
ancient Company of Fishmongers, for the complimentary
and kind terms in which you have expressed yourselves
towards me on the occasion of my taking up my freedom,
and on your enrolling my name as a citizen with those
illustrious personages and relatives who stand re-
corded in your annals. It cannot be otherwise than a
source of pride and of a still deeper feeling of affection,
when I look on those walls and sae the forefathers of those
whose son and grandson hopes to form one of your dis-
tinguished body; and to be thought worthy of occupying
the place of my lamented parent—whose loss the whole
country has united in deploring—would be in itself an ob-
ject of my highest ambition. Let me also tender to you
my warmest acknowledgements for the manner in which
you have offered your congratulations to me on my ap-
proaching marriage to the young Princess, and who hopes
so soon to adopt the proud title of an Englishwoman, and
to prove herself a comfort to the Queen in her affliction.
His Royal Highness and suite then left the hall.

The following is a copy of the freedom presented to his
Royal Highness.
" At the General Court of Assistants, holden at the Fish-
mongers Hall, on Thursday 12th of February, in the 26th
year of the reign of her Majesty Victoria, Queen of Great
Britain and Ireland, in the year of our Lord 1863, the most
Noble, most Mighty, and most Illustrious Albert Edward
Prince of Wales, Duke of Saxony, Duke of Cornwall, Duke
of Rothsay, &c., &c., was admitted, and took the declara-
tion of a freeman of this mystery.
(Signed)
JOSEPH UNDERWOOD, Prime Warden.
WILLIAM CUBITT, M.P.
J. SPICER,
W. CHARLES VENING, Wardens.
F. B. RENSHAW,
G. MOORE,

The chaste and massive g.ld casket, containing the free-
dom, illuminated and engrossed on vellum, presented to
H.R.H. by the Company, bore the following inscripticn :
" Presented, on the occasion of his taking up his freedom,
to His Royal Highness Albert Edward, Prince of Wales,
by the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers of the Ciiy of
London, in commemoration of the honour conferred upon
the Company of which his late Royal father and several
members of his illustrious family were also members. Feb.,
1863."

The casket was designed in the renaissance style of orna-
mentation, and bore his royal highness's arms and mono-
gram with the company's arms. It is surmounted by the
Prince's coronet and feathers, and a female figure seated
on a dolphin, emblematical of the company.
An incident occurred to Mr. Cubbitt when addressing
his royal highness, which caused a gener,il titter amongst
the great number of ladies immediately in front of the Prince.
When Mr. Cubitt came to that part of his speech alluding
to his Royal Highness's marriage, he for the moment for-
got the name of the royal bride, but he was instantly re-
minded of the Princess's name, and he then proceeded with
his observations; but the circumstance caused a suppressed
smile on his Royal Highness's countenance, as well as
upon that of all who had the good fortune to be present.

DUTY ON GAME CERTIFICATES.--From a return
to the House of Commons yesterday printed it appears that
there has been an increase in the number of game certi-
ficates. In the year ended March, 1861, the duty was
£129,906, and for the year ended March last £140,984.
THE DUTY ON DOGS.—By a return yesterday
issued it is shown that the duty on dogs for the year ending
March last was £1.96,627.