The Sun.
London, England, 1850-11-11 00:00:00

THE BANQUET,

Which usually forms the appropriate termination of
the pageant and festivities that according to time-
honoured custom grace the inauguration of the new
Lord Mayor, took place in the Guildhall, on Satur-
day night, and the whole of the details were carried
out in a style of splendour and profuse liberality
that has seldom been equalled, and never exceeded' in
the voluminous records of civic festivity or muni
cipal hospitality. The hall was as usual decorated
with a number of flags and banners, and brilliantly
illuminated by several immense chandeliers, aided by
lines and festoons of gas jets, and an enormous star in
gas at the west end of the hall, facirq the Lord
Mayor's table, which poured a dazzling flood of light
upon the brilliant scene. The guests began to arrive
shortly after five o'clock, many of the most dis-
tinguished being received with loud cheers. The an-
nouncement of the name of Lord John Russell was
hailed with a burst of enthusiastic cheering, which
continued for some minutes, and Lord Palmerston,
who skipped up the steps to the council-chamber
with all the lightness and agility of a young man
of five-and•twenty, appeared, from the plaudits
with which he was greeted, to have also a large
number of admirers in the hall. Nearly all the
guests, from the Lord Mayor, in his plumed hat and
state robes, to Mr. Harker, the City toastmaster,
with his elaborate sash of green and gold satin, wore
in full dress. At half-past six the procession moved
from the council chamber to the Guildhall, betKied by
the Lord Mayor and the civic functionaries, and pro-
ceeded round the hall to the upper table.
Amongst the company ranged around the principal
tables we noticed the Right Hon. the late Lord Mayor,
the Lord High Chancellor Baron Truro, the Marquis
of Lansdowne, the Marquis of Clanricarde, the Earl
of Carlisle, Lord John Russell, Viscount Palmerston,
Sir Georye Grey, Bart., the Right Hon. Fox Maule,
the American Minister, several of the Foreign Mi-
nisters, Lord Campbell, Sir John Jervis, the Chief
Justice of the Common Pleas, the Lord Chief Baron
and several of the members of the judicial bench,
Lord Dudley Coutts Stuart, M.P., Lord Wharncliffe,
Lord Milford, the Dean of St. Paul's, the Attorney
and Solicitor. General, and a considerable number of
members of the bar, with the Chairman of the East
India Company, John Masterman, Esq., M.P., and
many other influential noblemen and gentlemen.
Behind the Lord Mayor's chair was a very hand-
some display of flags and banners, surmounted by an
enormous Prince of Wales's plume ; the City sword
and mace were crossed in the centre, and beneath
were the words, in letters of gold, " God save the
Queen." The tables were decorated'with a profusion
of gold and silver plate, and interspersed with these
were a variety of beautiful embellishments in patent
glass silvering ware, such as were displayed at the
York banquet. Among these were the ruby glass
silvered salver, which contained the great Chatsworth
pine placed before his Royal Highness Prince Albert
at York ; the late Lord Mayor's emerald cup, with
the private and City armorial bearings emblazoned on
it. The present Lord Mayor was provided with a com-
panion cup, in this new-art manufacture, and the Lord
Mayor and Le'dy Mayoress had each a finger-glass, the
external surface of which was silvered, and the in-
ternal gilt, the novelty of which attracted much at-
tenon.d Besides minor globes, there were several
vases of noble dimensions, silvered in various colours,
and filled with rare exotics. The dinner, wines, and
dessert were provided by Mr. Burrell, of the Bridge
House Hotel, London-bridge ; and as this is the first
occasion on which he has catered for a civic banquet,
we may state that it was got up in a style extremely
creditable to his establishment. Although the Guild-
hall entertainments are usually upon a profuse and
liberal scale, there are frequently great practical diffi-
culties found in attending to the wants of nearly
1,000 hungry guests; and it is on record that occa-
sionally some have actually starved in the midst of
plenty. In this respect there was a striking improve-
ment on Saturday night. The attendants were nume-
rous, and skilful in their vocation ; and we believe
none were " sent empty away."
There was a military band stationed in the gallery,
which played a variety of airs during the arrival of
the guests, and while the Lord Mayor and the com-
pany were taking their seats at the upper table.
After the cloth had been removed, and grace sung
by the vocalists present, the loving cup was duly an-
nounced by Mr. Harker, and went round among the
principal guests. The several toasts were heralded
by a flourish of trumpets by Mr. Harper and Mr.
Rawlings, the trumpet major of her Majesty's Second
Life Guards.
The LOUD MAYOR rose and said,—Nly Lords and
Gentlemen,—l beg to give you as the first toast,
" The Health of our Illustrious Sovereign," and
I am sure you will all join with me in testifying your
allegiance, and your loyalty and attachment to the
Crown and person of our gracious lady the Queen.
The toast was drunk with the greatest enthusiasm.
When the National Anthem was sung, the company
took advantage of the political reference in the second
verse, and marked their approval of the sentiment by
loud and hearty cheering.
The next toast given by the Lord Mayor was "The
Prince Albert, Prince of Wales, and the other
branches of the Royal Family."
This toast was also drunk with much enthusiasm.
The LORD MAYOR then rose and said—My Lords
and Gentlemen,—lt becomes my pleasing duty now
to bring under your notice the two great services of
the country. lam sure you are not all unmindful of
their great achievements and services in the time of
war, and although we are now at peace, and desire
to remain at peace, yet I think you will concur with
me that we ought not to be unmindful of past ser-
vices, and that we ought to express our gratitude to
those who have distinguished themselves in both ser-
vices. I give you "The Army and Navy," and I
shall join with it the names of Captain Stuart and Sir
John Burgoyne.—(Great cheering.)
Captain STUART returned thanks on behalf of the
service to which he belonged, and he thought it for-
tunate that in a company of
Englishmen
paration nor eloquence was necessary
for the
p
perform-
anceere
of the duty he was now called on to discharge,
however incapable he might be of doing honour to it.
—(Hear, hear.) " The Navy of England" had long
been a popular toast, and ever would be among Eng-
lishmen. They were a nation of islanders, colonists,