The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-10 00:00:00

THE LORD MAYOR'S DAY.

THE DINNER.
The Guildhall, the scene of so many civic festivities,
was more gaily decorated than usual. The flags of
England, France, and Turkey were grouped together-
in various parts of the hall, and from the galleries were
suspended a large number of elegant banners. At the
upper end of the hall, and immediately behind the Lord
Mayor and the principal guests, was a gothic screen,
tastefully decorated. Directly above the screen was
placed a large allegorical representation (designed by
Roberts and painted by Fenton and. Absolon) of the
union which now so happily subsists between England
and France, and in which are introduced medallions of
the Queen and Prince Albert, and of the Emperor Na-
poleon and the Empress Eugenie, the arms of the cities
of London and Paris, and distant views of the cathe-
drals of the two cities. Various other devices are dis-
played, and at the base of the allegory are inscribed the
words " Side by side in peace or war." On an outer
screen are depicted four colossal figures, representing
the British sailor and the soldiers of England, France,
and Turkey, surmounted by wreaths of laurel, and the
words " God defend the right. The screen also con-
tains the names and arms of the City companies.
The guests began to arrive shortly after four o'clock,
and were set down in rapid succession until half-past
six. At that time the Earl of Aberdeen and Lord Pal-
merston mrde their appearance, and were loudly wel-
comed. Lord John Russell and the Earl of Clarendon,
who followed almost immediately, were also most cm.
dially received.
A few minutes after seven, the Lord Mayor and the
Sheriffs, preceded by the mace-bearer and other officials,
entered the hall amidst the cheers of the company.
The healths of her Majesty, Prince Albert, Albert
Prince of Wales, and the rest of the royal family, having
been given and loyally responded to,
The LORD MAYOR said the next toast which he had to
propose was one of peculiar interest at the present mo•
ment, and lie was sure every one present would do it
ample justice—it was "The Armies of England, France,
and Turkey," with which he would couple the name of
Lord Hardinge. (Loud cheers.)
Lord HARDINGE, in responding to the toast, said ho
had been called upon on several former occasions to ac-
knowledge the hononr done to the defenders of the
country, and ho had always expressed his opinion that
whenever the country might require the services of our
army and navy they would not be found wanting. He
could now say with the utmost confidence that our
army had not degenerated, since they had recently dis-
played on the field of battle all those qualities for which
they had been so long celebrated. (Cheers.) The
first instance in which their bravery had been displayed
in conjunction with that of their French Allies, under
the direction of Lord Raglan and Marshal St. Arnaud,
was at the battle of Alma, in which they obtained the
most signal and splendid victory. (Cheers.) The second
instance in which they were displaying their cool and
determined courage was in the siege of Sebastopol,
where they were showing a courage and discipline
worthy of their best days. (Cheers.) In the annals of
history there was no instance in which an army had
had greater difficulties to encounter than had been ex-
perienced by the Allied armies during the present cam-
paign in the Crimea. In forcing the passage of the
Alma, and in besieging, Sebastopol, the English and
French troops had displayed the greatest rest valour and
bravery. Lord Raglan possessed all the gquali-
ties of a commander, and had on all occasions shown
himself to be peifeetly worthy of the command en-
trusted to him by her Majesty. (Cheers.) The best
feeling existed between the English and French troops,
and that feeling was likely to continue, founded as it
was on mutual respect and esteem ; and be felt confident
that they would continue to act together, as they had
hitherto done, with perfect unanimity of purpose.
The Lord MAYOR next proposed " Prosperity-to the
Trade and City of London," coupling with the toast the
name of the ex-Lord Mayor.
Mr. Alderman SIDNEY, in responding to the toast

said he was happy to find that amidst the strife of war,
and notwithstanding the high price of food, the pro-
sperity of the city of London was never greater than
at the present moment. (Cheers.)
The Lord MAYOR then proposed "The Health of the
French Minister, and of the other Foreign Minister'
who have honoured the banquet by their presence.
(Loud cheers.)
Count WALEWSKI (the French Minister, who was
greeted with several rounds of cheers), in acknowledging
the toast, said—Jo viens, au nom du corps diploma-
tique, remercier l'honorable assemble() qu'il me soit per-
mis tout d'abord de former un souhait auquel, fen suis
certain, tous mes collegues s'associeront sans reserve—
c'est quo votre administration, my Lord Maire, prenne
fin au milieu de circonstaaces plus paisible que celles qui
signalent seri avenement. Mais ce qui nest pas moins
desirable c'est, que la pain que nous appelons tons
des nos vceux les plus sinceres soit une paix durable,
et pour qu'elle soit durable it faut qu'elle repose sur des
conditions de stabilite en rapport avec le grand fait
qui domino notre opoque, et qui l'illustre, avec le
grand fait qui a change, en pout le dire, la politique
du monde, et qui doit rassurer sur l'avenir les plus timides
comme lee plus incredules. Ce greed fait c'est l'union
des deux peoples qui marchent l le tete de civilisation—
c'est Faience de la France et 'de VAngleterre. (Loud
cheers.) La hataille d'Altna, qui prendra place dans
les fastes de l'histoire, parmi lee faits d'armes les plus
glorieux du sihcle ; la prise de Bonaarsund, les port des
renneuni bloquds dans toutes les mere, ce ne sont lh que
des preludes, mail qui temoignent assez hautement de oe
que cette alliance pent faire et de ce qu'elle fern. (Cheers.)
Esperons qu'au moment on je parle les drapeaux reunis
de rAngleterre et de la France et do la Turquie fiottent
victorieux cur lee murs, on plutot sur lee mines de Sebals-
topol. (Loud cheers.) Nous pouvons sans trop dopr
somption nourrir net espoir ; car tout dolt nous en donne'o__as,
la confiance—la bravoure et le patriotism° de nos_salnq
la supiiriorite de nos connaissances militaireso , /es
doebulx
emulation qui regne entre les deux (Ste; t I
de la cause
marines, et, par dessus tout, la sain e
qu'elles defendent. (Loud and continued cheering.)
The following is a translation oftol
ne
ato e aboveof stpheee
p:
My Lord and Gentlemen,—In th
matie body, I return thanks to this honourable body,
and beg to be permitted at the outset to express a wish,
in which I am certain all myie‘gt
acoll colleagues will
our unreservedly
, y
hat adminitra-
join, and that is, my Lord
iN
tion may close amid circumstances more peaceable
than those which mark its commencement. But yet
there is ono thing not less to be desired, and that
that the peace which we all so ardently dtsire
iisr; the sincerest manner may be a lasting peace, and
that it may be lasting it must, above all, rest on
conditions of stability in harmony with the great fact
which marks our epoch, and which illustrates it, to-
gether with the great fact which, so to say, has damaged
the politics of the world, and which henceforth mu-it re-
assure the most timid as well as the most iecredulaus.
This great fact is the union of the two nations which ad-
vance at the head of civilisation—it is the alliance of
France and England. The battle on the Alma, which
may well take its place among the brightest achieve-
ments that die page of history has recorded, and to pass
from this, the crowning proof of the military prowess
vs
of the age, I come to the siege of Bornarsund rto the
blockaded ports of the ehemy ; and yet these are but
preludes of what such an alliance can do, and will yet
accomplish, (Cheers.) Let us hope that, at the =mit
1