The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-22 00:00:00

v atism. "

A little before the hour appointed for dinner, the Duke
of Wellington arrived at the Albion Hotel, and was saluted
by a discharge of 17 guns from the harbour. Opposite the
hotel were about 200 persons—the majority of them boys,
waiting the coming of his Grace. Two or three cheers
were given, but they had little of heart in them, and made
but a sorry apology for what, no doubt, was intended to be
an enthusiastic reception. His Grace was dressed in the
Windsor uniform, and wore a star ; we never saw him ap-
pear in better health. Over him was suspended the banner
of Kent, with the appropriate motto "Invicta."
The company immediately repaired to the dining-room,
which was most tastefully arranged. The decorations were
simple, yet elegant. Over the President's chair were placed
the royal arms, and a beautiful portrait (by Fowler) of the
Princess Victoria—a frequent visiter, and no slight favour-

ite at this delightful watering-place, whilst round the room
were displayed the banners, crests, and colours *of the
members for the county. Covers were laid for 130 per-
sons, the room not being sufficiently capacious to accom-
modate a greater number. It was stated that there had
been no less than 300 applications for tickets ; but of this
we know nothing positively.
C. B. COTTON, Esq., of the Convent, Kingsgate, took
the Chair in the absence of Sir William Curtis, who was
prevented from attending by the sudden death of a near
relative. On his right sat the illustrious guest ; and, at
the same table, we observed Lord William Montagu (son
of the Duke of Manchester), Lieutenant-General Sir Wm.

Inglis, K.C.8., Major-General Beevor, John Halcomb,
Esq., M.P., the. Rev. W. F. Bayley, Rev. J. F. Salisbury,
the Mayor of Sandwich, Rev. W. A. Armstrong, Lieut.-
Colonel Boyer, Colonel Mair, Rev. Mr. Hodgson, Rev.
H. Harvey, jun., Rev. Dr. Bland, Captain Woolward,
R.N., harbour-master ; Boteler, Esq., K.C., Recorder
of Sandwich ; F. Percival, Esq. ; Dupre, Esq., and
many other respectable individuals. Sir Edward Knatch-
bull was not presont, being compelled to attend to his duties
elsewhere, as Chairman of the East Kent Quarter Sessions.
The cloth having been removed, and Non nobis, Domino,
sung in a very fine style, the CHAIRMAN proposed " The
King, God bless him," which was received with three times
three cheers. The national anthem was beautifully given
by the professional gentlemen present, the entire company
standing, and joining heartily in the chorus.
" The health of the Queen " was next proposed, and re-
ceived with an applause of a much more enthusiastic cha-
racter than that which attended the preceding toast—
warm as it was.

Glee—" Our King and Queen."
" The Princess Victoria and the Royal Family," three
[mes three.

Glee, " Hail, Star of Brunswick."
The CHAIRMAN then rose and said they were that day
honoured by the presence of His Grace the Duke of Wel-
lington,—(Cheers) —who, with that condescension that
ever marked his character, had at once consented to honour

,he town of Ramsgate with his presence.—(Cheers.) If
aistorians of acknowledged powers and highly cultivated

talents had been unable to give a full illustration of his se;
vices—if they had failed in rendering him that full meed
of praise to which his many eminent services had entitled
him, how could he, (the Chairman) with his feeble powers,
do justice to the merits of their illustrious and honoured
guest ?—(Cheers.) Since the end of the last century up
to hat day, his whole life had been devoted to the service
and interests of his country as a General and a Statesman—
(Great cheering) :—during which time there had been but
one succession of victories—each one so glorious in itself,
that it was difficult indeed to say to which the preference was
due—till they came to that crowning victory of all, the glo-
rious battle of Waterloo, which had given peace to all
Europe, which had overthrown the greatest enemy Europe
ever had, whose great object and ambition was to harass,
and, if possible, to subjugate this country.—(Loud cheers.)
But it was not in war alone that his Grace had shone so
conspicuously, or rendered. such eminent services to his
country.—(Tremendous cheers.). Let them look to the
care with which he watched the interests of the ports—let
them look to what he was doing at Dover—to his un-
ceasing efforts to advance the interests of the whole district
—let them, in short, look to the whole tenour of his con-
duct, and they would invariably find it marked by an un-
ceasing desire for- the common weal of his country._
(Cheers.) Therefore he trusted they would all cheerfully
rise, and drink with such honours as to them it might ap-
pear to deserve—" The health of Field-Marshal the Duke
of Wellington, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports."—
(The cheering lasted fora long time, and was of the most
enthusiastic and ardent character.)
The Duke of WELLINGTON rose to return thanks, as
follows :—Gentlemen, I was greatly gratified by the honour
which you did me, in inviting me to your hospitable feast
and, gentlemen, I am grateful for the manner in which
your worthy President has proposed to you to drink my
health, as well as for the reception which you gave to his
proposition. Gentlemen, I consider the honour which you
have done me in inviting me to dine with you this day, as
a symptom of your certainty, that in case it should be
necessary, I would with readiness do (as it is indeed my
duty, as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports) everything in
my power to promote the interests and advantages of your
town.—(Cheers.) But, gentlemen, it gives me the greatest
satisfaction to observe that your town is already in that state
of prosperity ; its buildings are so extensive and so conveni-
ent the public derive already so much advantage from a
resort to it ; and a residence here is already attended by so
many conveniences, that it is scarcely possible for me, with
the best endeavours which I can give, to do anything fur-
ther to promote those advantages.—( Hear, hear.) I have
also great satisfaction in observing that you already possess
a port from which the public have derived the most exten-
sive advantages in maritime and warlike operations, during
the late war, and from which the public, both commercial
and private, still continue to derive every advantage that
can result from the combination of convenience and safety.
--( Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, while adverting to this part
of the subject, I must say that it has given me the most
heart-felt satisfaction to see here this day a gallant officer,
the head of a body of troops in the service of a sovereign, the
ally of this country (Holland), and who has derived not
only convenience, but safety, from the shelter of your port*.
Gentlemen, I cannot mention that sovereign—a sovereign
who, I repeat, is the ally of this country---(Hear, hear)—
without saying that I feel for him and his • family the
greatest affection. and fin. his virtues the highest respect—
(Cheers)—and I can say to you that I have often seen him
in situations in which the assistance he rendered to this
country was of the highest importance.—(Loud cheers.) I
am happy to see that a body of his troops, and a body of
his subjects, have derived safety
from your port, and that
an officer in his service is enjoying your hospitality on this
occasion. I sincerely hope that before long I may see those
circumstances removed which occasion that description of—
of uncomfortable circumstances—for I wont say more,
which exist between this country and that to which I have
alluded.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen ; I say, then, that I don't
regret that it is not in my power—for in fact it is impossible

• A Dutch vessel, having troops on board, was driven in.
here by a severe gale, after having lost every anchor and cable.
Ramsgate harbour saved her from destruction. The com-
manding officer dined with the company at the Albion. We
have heard that the troops _were •convicts, whose sentences
were remitted on condition of serving in Batavia.

The CHAIRMAN said, in proposing the next toast, " The
Archbishop of Canterbury and the Clergy," he would beg
to make a very few observations. When, as they knew,
the Church was so closely connected with the other esta-
blished institutions of the country, it behoved them, in such
times as the present, to have a man at the head of the esta-
blishment, of the purest morals, the highest attainments,
and the most exemplary character. Therefore, he thought
they could not do better than drink the health of such a
man.—(Cheers.) But before he did it, he might just ob-
serve, that with such an Archbishop at the head of such a
clergy as they could boast, they might bid defiance to the
poisoned shafts of either open or concealed enemies of the
Church—(Cheers)—and sincerely did he hope that the
Clergy would ever imitate such an example—follow in his
path, and walk in his footsteps.—(Drank with great
applause.)
The Rev. W. F. BAILEY (late Chaplain of the House
of Commons), as the senior incumbent present, returned
thanks for the kind and enthusiastic manner in which the
toast had been proposed and received. The Rev. Speaker
pronounced a high eulogium upon the character of the
Archbishop, and said that it was a matter for humble gra-
titude to Providence, that in this hour of its danger and
difficulty, there should be placed over the administration of
the Church, a man so well able to meet those difficulties,
and to combat those dangers ; and he would confidently
hope, that under the Divine blessing, his Grace would be
enabled successfully, to protect and defend the rights and
privileges, discipline, and doctrine, of that Church which he
daily honoured by the simplicity of his life—by his various
and deep learning—and, above all, by his Christian virtues.
—( Applause.)
The Duke of WELLINGTON said they were all aware of
the many obligations which Ramsgate owed to the late Sir
William Curtis, and to his son, the present excellent Baro-
net. For his own part, he was fully aware of the obliga-
tions he individually laboured under to him, for having
urged his fellow-townsmen to invite him to their hospitable
board. He felt grateful for it. He should have been most
gratified to have seen that worthy Baronet present ; and no
one regretted more than he did the calamity which occa-
sioned his absence. But still they must not forget what
they owed to the gentlemen who had filled his situation—
an officer of whom he could say much, did he choose to go
into his history (Cheers). As Chairman, however, they
were under great obligations to him, and he begged, there-
fore, to propose his health (Cheers).
The CHAIRMAN briefly acknowledged the compliment.
The CHAIRMAN said their noble guest, in accepting their
invitation, had been mindful of the services rendered by the
Navy ; for he had purposely appointed that day—because
it was the anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar—to meet
the inhabitants of Ramsgate. Proud as they were of that
victory, they could not but revert to it with regret, for they
then lost the greatest naval hero the world ever pro-
duced—(cheers).
" The Army and Navy"—Three times three.
The Duke of WELLINGTON considered ho would be
quite unworthy of the approbation which had that day been
showered upon him, if he did not feel sincere regret for the
heavy loss which had befallen the country in the death of
the gallant Nelson. The worthy chairman had in no degree
over-rated the merits of that great man, or exaggerated the
loss they had all suffered at the gallant action of Trafalgar.
His opinion had ever been, that nothing was more desirable
in the branch of the profession to which he belonged than to
emulate the conduct and the services of the navy—(cheers).
When young, he looked upon that branch of the national
defence, owing to peculiar circumstances, as the one which
had attained the highest perfection. Since then it had
made further advances, and he always felt it to be his duty
as it was his pleasure, to co-operate with it on every occa-
sion. He would* say no more of that profession, but, re-
verting to his own, remark, that if the people of this country
were more thoroughly acquainted with the services it had
rendered, and the exertions it had made, they would make
its members much more happy and comfortable than many
of them were at that moment.—(Loud cheers.) If they
only knew in detail what several of those officers who then
surrounded him had effected, they, would, he was sure, bless
the day each one of them was born.--(Cheers.)
Other toasts were drank, when his Grace retired at a
quarter past ten, and was greeted on his departure with the
loudest cheers. We have only to say in conclusion, that
the dinner was admirably served, and when off with the
Teatest eclat.