The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-08 00:00:00

Majority of the Marquis of Lorne.

On Monday the Marquis of Lorne, eldest son of
his Grace the Duke of Argyll, attained his majority,
and the occasion was celebrated with joyous demon-
strations in all the towns and villages lying within
the princely domains of the family. Inverary, being
the county town and the chief place of residence of
the duke, was the centre of the congratulatory
manifestations, and made a show worthy of the
high esteem in which the Marquis of Lorne is held
by the townspeople. At Inverary Castle, situated
amid the finest scenery of the west of Scotland,
there was a large company of visitors. There had
been a great influx of visitors to the town, and all
the hotel and lodging accommodation was fully oc-
cupied. Her Majesty's ship Lion, 60 guns, coast
volunteer training ship, at present on a cruise along
the west coast, paid a well-timed visit to Loch Fyne'
and lay at anchor within a short distance of Inve-
rary pier. The appearance of such a large war ship
in the far inland and peaceful waters of the Loch
was quite a novelty, no vessel of so great tonnage
having ever ventured up so far before, and excited
much interest among the townspeople and their
country visitors, who did not grudge to pause in their
other pleasures to pay a visit to the war ship, on
board which all were made welcome. In the vici-
nity of the Lion quite a fleet of yachts, the owners
of which came to do honour to the occasion, lay at
anchor, and all the vessels were dressed in bunt-
ing. On shore the outward signs of rejoicing
were numerous and striking. During the night
rain fell almost incessantly, and at the hour
for commencing the proceedings a drenching shower
fell, and the prospects would have been dreary
enough were it not that the wind was sufficiently
strong to display the flags on the shipping and in
the town.

The proceedings of the day were commenced by
the members of Inverary St. John's Masonic Lodge,
No. 50, who assembled at the George Hotel at ten
o'clock, and proceeded in procession to Inverary
Castle, where they presented the following address
to the Marquis of Lorne :

"To THE MOST NOBLE JOHN DOUGLAS SUTHERLAND

AND CAMPBELL AND MARQUIS OF LORNE.

"May it please your lordship, on this, the 21st anniver-
sary of your lordship's birth, we, the brethren of Inverary
St. John's Lodge, No. 50, would add our congratulations
to those of the thousands who regard with joy this happy
event. From the records in our possession of the proceed-
ings of our most ancient order, we find that very much was
done by your lordship's noble ancestors, many of whom
were members of this lodge, in consolidating and extend-
ing its power and influence by the introduction of various
distinguished personages. Tho brethren, therefore, most
humbly thank the great Preserver of mankind, who has
hitherto watched over your lordship, and brought you to
the age of manhood, and we earnestly trust that the same
all-seeing and loving care may be over you during all your
future career. Descended from a long line of ancestors,
illustrious in council and great in war, and from a father
whose name is not only famous in the senate of his
country and councils of his sovereign, but is cherished
by all who regard progress in science, literature, and
religion, your lordship is blessed with many and
brilliant examples to guido you in the bright career we
anticipate for you. May your lordship adorn the proud
name bequeathed you, whether it be in the legis-
lation of the empire or on the field of battle ; whether it be
in the arena of science or literature and research, or
whether it be in promoting progress and happiness in the
walks of sociai life. In each and all may your lordship bo
eminent ; and that your days may be long and happy, and
that the blessing that maketh rich and addeth no sorrow
may be yours, is the prayer of your lordship's wellwishers,
the brethren of Inverary St. John's Lodge, No. 50."
The members of the Lodge were ushered into the
drawing-room, where they were received by the
Marquis, the Duchess and the younger members of
the family being present.
The W.M. of the Lodge called upon the secretary
to read the address, which having been done,

The MARQUIs, in reply, said—Gentlemen, be-
lieve me I accept with great pleasure the address
you have been so kind as to present to me, and in
which you speak so kindly of my parents, and
in terms which assure me of such good wishes for
my own welfare. Although not myself a Free-
mason, I assure you it is a great gratification to me
to receive from the St. John's Lodge such congratu-
lations. Although we outsiders who are not Free-
masons can judge but little of the aims and objects
of your institution, and of the mystic emblems you
bear, yet one fact is open and patent to all, that
your order has found favour in all lands, and that
it embraces within its limits such numbers of all
classes and all nations of men as no similar society
has ever at any time been able to include. Gen-
tlemen, I thank you for your address, which I shall
ever remember with gratitude.
Towards noon the provost, magistrates, and town
council met, and agreed to a minute conferring on
the Marquis the freedom of the royal burgh.
Shortly afterwards the Marquis drove from the
castle to the County Buildings, where he was re-
ceived by the provost and magistrates, and, in pre-
sence of a large number of townspeople and others,
presented with the burgess ticket.
Provost M"rAGGART, in presenting the ticket,
said—My Lord Marquis,—ln name of the magi-
strates, town council, and community of Inverary,
I congratulate your lordship on attaining this, the
21st anniversary of your birth, and request the ac-
ceptance of the freedom of the burgh. Your family
have been long and intimately connected with Inve-
rary. The first of your ancestors who could have
been a freeman of the royal burgh was the Marquis
of Argyll, and I have here the original minute of
the town council dated in the year 1660, admitting
the Lord Marquis of Argyll a freeman burgess and
guild brother. (Cheers.) I thought it might be in-
teresting to ascertain whether the first Marquis
of Lorne had been a burgess, and on looking over
our records, though I do not find him admitted
under that name, I find a minute of the town
council, dated in the year 1720, admitting
his grace John Duke of Argyll and Green-
wich a freeman burgess and guild brother.
(Cheers.) I will only allude to one other entry in the
records of the corporation, which is an intimation
made to the town council by the Marquis of Lorne
on the 6th of Aug., 1845, followed by the expres-
sion of the wishes and the hopes of the burgh on
the occasion ; and the present town council, ani-
mated by feelings similar to those of their prede-
cessors, have taken this the earliest possible oppor-
tunity of requesting your lordship to become a
burgess. With your permission I will now call
upon the town-clerk to read an extract of this
morning's meeting of the town council. (Great
cheering.)

The Clerk having read the minute,
The PROVOST continued—l have only to add
that the council regret that the highest honour in
their gift is no more than the freedom of the
burgh. (Loud applause.)
The minute, which was engrossed on vellum, was
then placed in a silver-mounted casket and handed
to his lordship. The casket was made of oak
obtained from a timber of one of the ships of the
Spanish Armada, which was wrecked among the
Western Islands. The casket bore, on a circular
plate, the arms of the town of Inverary, and was
otherwise decorated with fleurs de lys and the
marquis's monograph. Inside was an inscription
mentioning the occasion of the presentation.
The Marquis of LORNE in accepting the freedom
of the burgh briefly replied, thanking the provost,
magistrates, and town council for the honour they
had done him.

This concluded the proceedings in the Town-hall,
and the Lord Provost, magistrates, and members
of the town council then proceeded to the town
cross, where a large number of people had congre-
gated.

The PROVOST (who was received with cheers)
from a position in front of the cross addressed
the assemblage in the following terms :—Gentle-
men—Many of you must recollect our last general
meeting at the cross, which was for the purpose
of wishing happiness to the Marquis of Lorne
on his marriage with a lady whom, though we had
not then seen her, we have since learned to love and
respect. On the present occasion we come to tender
our good wishes to their eldest son on his attaining
his majority. He has hitherto followed the example
of his parents, and a brighter or better example we
could not wish him to follow. Ile has mixed in the
sports of those of his own years ; and the old, like
myself, have seen his growth and heard of his pro-
gress, and it is difficult tct pay viliether he Li must

liked and admired by the old or the young. One thing
is certain —he has gained the hearts of all. So much
for the past. For the future, if there is any faith to
be placed in the old prophecies regarding the second
" lan Ruadh," so long looked for, he has a great and
glorious career before him, and however great and
glorious it may be, it cannot be more so than we
wish. Let us, then, join in drinking " Long life,
health, happiness, and prosperity to the Marquis of
Lorne." (Great cheering.)
For the purpose of duly honouring the toast the
magistrates had provided two barrels of beer, the
contents of which were distributed amongst those
present, and drunk amid the heartiest rounds of
applause, mingled with a general expression of good
wishes for the Marquis of Lorne, and the noble
family of which he is so promising a member. The
assemblage broke up into groups, who set about
enjoying themselves in various ways.
At two o'clock a salute of 20 guns was fired, in
alternate rounds, from two cannon placed on the
summit of Duniquaich, and from a third, which
was recovered from the wreck of one of the ships of
the Spanish Armada, wrecked near Tobermory.
At four o'clock the townspeople and the tenantry
were to dine together in a large pavilion erected
near the castle. In the evening there is to be a
grand display of fireworks from Duniquaich, with
bonfires on several of the neighbouring hills. The
Duke and Duchess of Argyll are to give a ball at
the Castle.

Ou Tuesday and Wednesday there will be games;
regattas, balls, &c.

The rejoicings will be general throughout the vast
estates belonging to the Duke of Argyll ; and alto-
gether the coming age of the Marquis of Lorne is
likely to be an event that will live long in the recol-
lection of all who take part in its celebration.

The tenants on the estate of Roseneath were
entertained to a sumptuous dinner in the inn at
Roseneath Ferry, on Monday afternoon. The
health of the young nobleman, and of the other
members of the ducal house of Argyll, was
drunk amidst enthusiastic applause. The servants
and retainers were at the same time entertained at
dinner in the mansion-house. The feuars of Kil-
creggan and Cove assembled in the volunteer drill-
hall at Cove, and partook of a sumptuous enter-
tainment, and cordially pledged long life and hap-
piness to the young marquis ; and the Roseneath
Artillery Volunteer Company, commanded by Cap-
tain Lang, mustered at their battery at Kilcreggan,
and fired a salute. At nine o'clock a large bonfire
on the top of a hill west of the mansion-house was
lighted, and had a fide effect.---bcotsman.