The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-31 00:00:00

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side of ; and the Learnet, ttentatr-- Then p).o
ceeded to r( zd the following Oargatt.::Z.l lye Prinee
Wales seemed struck, and alego4 itlat*,ll; the eirle,
phatic reading of the LearnectlooM7 and searetlY
took his eyes ofi the learned ftkrAto#.34
part of the proceedings : erk,4eie "TO 1118 ROYAL UIGHNES3 PRWCiAIitAT.
" May it please your Royal Highness,—We, Her
Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the Lord Mayor,
Aldermen, and Commons of the city of London, in Com-
mon Council assembled, hail your Royal Highness's pre-
sence within these walls with the liveliest sentiments of
gratitude and esteem, whilst we sincerely lament the
temporary indhposition of her Majesty, which has this
thy deprived the citizens of London of her Majesty's
Royal presence.
"TLe favour her Majesty has conferred upon her devoted
subjects the citizens of London in deputing your Royal
Highness to represent her Majesty on this interesting
occasion is greatly enhanced by the indulgence accorded
to their wishes by the presence of their Royal Ilighnesses
the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal; in whom
wo joyfully behold the pledges and promise of a line of
illustrious descendants, to preserve to the united houses
of her Majesty and your Royal Highness through Wane
generations the hereditary throne of these realms.
"To meet the demands of .a rapid extension in the
great elements of British commerce—the coasting trade,
the nursery of seamen and of our commercial marine,
this capacious building, the Coal-Exchange, chiefly con-
structed of iron, at once light and durable, has been
erected.
" When with the purposes of this Exchange are asso-
ciated the creation and increase of commerce and manu-
factures and the naval superiority of this kingdom —when
the essential article of coal ministers by appliances innu-
merable to the wants and prosperity of millions, illumi-
nates our houses, streets, and manufactories—when every
metal at the forge is obedient to the fire it feeds, whilst
it commands as its agent and its instrument the mighty
power of steam, it became the wisdom, and accorded with
the enlightened beneficence of her Majesty the Queen,
to regard th's edifice with the favour and consideration
ever graciously extended by her Majesty to objects of
national importance.
" From the days of the heroic :achievements of Nelson
to the present, the tonnage of the shipping, and the
number of seamen employed in this important branch
of trade, in the commodity of coal, are more than
doubled.
" When in a protracted naval warfare, happily remote
from our times, this nursery of British seamen was not
found unequal to the necessities of the country, with
what security may we not venture to repose on the force
of the navy now called into existence by the expansion
of our commerce and the inexhaustible resources of
British enterprise.
" We congratulate her Majesty on these great and
beneficial results, which the records of Parliament abun-
dantly testify.
"May her Majesty long live to enjoy, with your
Royal Highness, the blessing of health ; to exhibit to
her beloved offspring and to an admiring nation the
bright pattern of domestic duties and of public virtues;
to reap the fruits of that ardent and unceasing solicitude
ever evinced by her Majesty for their welfare; and to be
enshrined in the hearts and the affections of a free, loyal,
and religions people.
" Signed by order of the Court,
"IL A. MEREWETHEIt."
The Lord Mayor having delivered the address to
Prince Albert, the latter handed it to Sir G. Grey,
the Home Secretary, who placed in the Prince's
hands the following answer, which was very distinctly
read by his Royal Highness :
"I have received with satisfaction your assurances of
attachment to her Majesty, and I thank you for the
expressions of concern with which you have noticed the
temporary indisposition of the Queen.
"I rejoice to hear that a great increase of tonnage
and of the number of seamen employed has taken plan
in that branch of the coasting trade which has requited
the erection of the magnificent building which I now
behold.
" Her Majesty ever relies on the fidelity of her free,
loyal, and religious people. It is our earnest hope that
the Prince of Wales may be regarded with those feelings
of affection which have been at all times the best security
of the throne."