The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-11-07 00:00:00

THE ROYAL MERSEY YACHT CLUB.

DINNER ON CLOSING THE SEASON, AND PRESENTATION
OF PLATE TO THE COMMODORE.
Yesterday evening, a number of the members of our
Royal Mersey Yacht Club, assembled at the Cash-rooms,
Duke-street, to partake of a dinner as a conclusion to
the season of this year, ald, more especially, to present
to their esteemed Commodore a testimonial of their
respect for his gallant and humane conduct in saving, by
the admirable working of his yacht "The Ocean Queen,"
the lives of many of the unfortunate parties on board of
the Ocean Monarch, recently destroyed by fire on the
coast of Wales.
The large Club-room was splendidly decorated with
appropriate national and other flags, and nautical em-
blems, and enriched by a variety of beautiful models as
well as of ships, paintings, yachts, and craft of every
degree. The apartment, (which is spacious and elegant,)
was splendidly lighted with gas from the central dome,
. and the appearance of the whole was most lively and
unique. There was present an excellent company of
Glee. Singers, who sang appropriate songs on each toast
being given, and contributed largely to the enjoyment of
the evening. On the right side of the room were fixed on
the wall Marryatt's flags, designated " In honour of the
Commodore.' Over the fire-place was placed Mr.
Melling's original painting of the Queen of the Ocean
sailing to the rescue of the burning Ocean Monarch.
Surmounted by the British Jack, and over the Royal
Arms in carving, were the Union Jack and the Cross of
St. George. On one side of these was the Blue Ensign of
the R.M.Y.C., with its device. At the bottom of the room
was a huge flag, "The Royal Arms of England." The
tables consisted of two long lengths, with a cross table at
t the top. They were handsomely decorated with fancy
) confectionery—ornamented with nautical and national
flags ; and a number of valuable pieces of plate, which had
been prizes of the club, were also displayed.
Between sixty and seventy gentlemen sat down at the
festive board, including many of the most respectable
gentlemen of the mercantile, shipping, trading, and
agricultural interests of this port and its neighbour-
hood. The dinner and wines were provided by
Mr. Lynn, of the Waterloo Hotel, a veritable king
of caterers, who on this occasion outdid all his for-
mer exertions to gratify even the most fastidious
palates. The viands were, in fine, varied and delicious,
the dessert superb, and the wines, &c., of the finest pos-
sible uotencv and flavour.
The Earl of Sefton was unanimously called to the chair,
and performed the duties of the somewhat onerous office
with the greatest felicity and effect. He was supported
on his right by T. Littledale, Esq., the Commodore, Edw.
Cardwell, Esq., M.P., Admiral Grenfell, Captain Fames,
Captain Lisboa, J. Brumley-Moore, E=q., &c. On his
left, by Wm. Brown, Esq., M.P., Sir Thos. Birch, M.P.,
Captain Ward, Edward Watson Lloyd, Esq., Commodore
of the Royal Dee Yacht Club, and others. The Vice-
chairs were occupied by Fletcher, Esq., Capt. Beaver. ,
of the Club, and 11. Melling, Esq., the lion. Secretary. 1
Amongst those present were Messrs. Councillers Par-
ker, Acpinall, Tobin, Alderman Molyneux, H. Littledale,
W. W. Perry, W. Nevitt, Edward Littledale, N. D. Bold,
R. A. Mould, S. P. Hope, Benjamin H. Jones, Thomas
Birchall, James Holme, John Woodhouse, H. Bridston,
George Folliott, (of Chester,) Frederick Peel, R. M'Lean,
Samuel Bright, Esqrs., &e., &c.
The present for the Commodore consisted of a beautiful
and massive gold snuff-box. 41 inches in length by 31
inches in width, and upwards of 1 inch in depth. In the
centre of the lid, engraved on the gold, is a representation,
copied from the much-admired oil painting, by H. Mel-
ling, Esq., of the burning of the Ocean Monarch, at the
time of her greatest danger, with the gallant little yacht
making up to her succour under a heavy press of canvas,
and bounding over the then stormy sea. This scene is
enclosed, or surrounded, by deeply-embossed scrollwork,
raised in alto-relievo, and in foliated devices. Within an
embayment, or recess, at the top of the picture, is en-
graved the crest of the Royal Mersey Yacht Club—time
Crown and Anchor, surmounted by the Liver. On the
bottom, and in the centre, is engraved a striking likeness
of a " prow," or ancient sailing ship, also surrounded by
scroll-work, and protected by a raised rim or edge of gold,
upon which the box rests when placed upon or moved
along a table. The sides of the box are sectionally of an
ogee form, and are enriched with engraving and scroll-
work. In the centre of the front there is beautifully en-
graved the coat of arms of T. Littledale, Esq. The inside
of the lid hears the following inscription, beautifully en-
graved in Roman capitals.
" PRESENTED BY THE MEMBERS OF
THE ROYAL MERSEY YACHT CLUB
TO THEIR COMMODORE,
THOMAS LiT 1 LEDALE, ESQ.,
AS A MEMORIAL OF THEIR ADMIRATION
OF THE GALLANTRY AND HUMANITY HE DISPLAYED
ON BOARD HIS YACHT 'QUEEN OF THE OCEAN,'
IN SAVING, UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES OF GREAT DIFFICULTY,
THE LIVES OF THIRTY-TWO OF THE CREW AND
PASSENGERS
OF THE EMIGRANT SHIP ' OCEAN MONARCH,' OF BOSTON,
DESTROYED BY FIRE IN ABEROELE BAY,
ON THURSDAY, THE XXIV. OF AUGUST, MDCCCXLVIII."
On the cloth being removed, tile toasts proceeded as
follows :
The CHAIRMAN rose and said,—l call upon all
loyal men to drink the health of " Her most gracious
Majesty the Queen. Duchess of Lancaster, our Royal
Patroness." (Drunk with all loyal honours.)
Air—" The National Anthem."
The CHAIRMAN again rose and said,—Gentlemen, 1"
will make another appeal to your loyalty on behalf of a
lady who is illustrious, as much for her birth as for her
charity, generosity, and benevolence to all who belong to
this world. Gentlemen, I give you—" Our Queen Dow-
ager, and may God bless her." (Cheers.)
Air—" Sleep, gentle 1444 y."
When silence was restored, the CHAIRMAN rose and
gave—" Prince Albert, Albert Prince of Wales, and the
rest of the Royal Family." (Applause.)
Glee—" What shall he have that killed the deer ?"
The CHAIRMAN then rose and said—Gentlemen, the
next toast is the "Army and Navy." (Cheers.) Without
the army and navy I don't know what we should do, even
with the Royal Mersey Yacht Club. (Cheers.) But whilst
we have an army and navy in which we may feel an honest
and justly-placed pride, still I feel that we are as much
honoured in ranking amongst our members, and amongst
our guests to night, men who have done the " state some
service," and who have been an honour to that same army
and navy—gentlemen, I allude to Captain Warre and
Lieutenant Lord, R.N.—(Loud cheers.)—Air, " Rule
Britannia."
Capt. WARRE then rose to return thanks for the
honour conferred upon him and his brother of the navy.
He did not fear of the army aid navy doing its duty—as
long as they hal such ems, p'.es ;before them, and that of
their worthy Commodore, who in a small vessel saved the
lives of so many of his fellow beings. (Loud cheer i.) '
Lieutenant LORD also returned thanks, for the honour
which had been conferred upon him. He could only re-
echo the sentiments which had been uttered by Captain
Warre with regard to their Commodore. It was one of
the most humane and most heroic acts which he had ever
known to he performed by a seaman possessed of so small
a craft. (Loud cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN again rose and said he would propose
the health of " The Members of the Southern Division of
of the County." He looked upon the Royal Mersey
Yacht Club as one of the institutions of the country,
and the institutions of this country derived their pros-
perity from the laws by which it was governed. Con-
nected with the laws were their representatives whom
they trusted in the assemblage of the country. There-
fore it was that he proposed for their consideration the
health of the Legislature of England, and more par-
ticularly that of the members for this county—(cheers)—
one of whom, who was present, was a townsman of Li-
verpool, and whom he (the Chairman) trusted would
always long remain amongst them as their representative
in the Imperial Parliament. (Loud cheers.)
Air—" As the moments roll."
Mr. W. BROWN, M.P., then rose to respond, and said,
that as a member for this large and influential county,
he felt proud in being called upon to respond to such
a toast as that which had been proposed by their honored
and noble chairman. He also felt proud in having his
name connected with such a sentiment as that which had
been given from the chair, connected as it was with all
that was good and great, rich and intellectual in this great
and influential county—(cheers)—many of whom he had
the honour of addressing that evening. It must he acknow-
ledged that the voice of the people should be heard in
the great council of the nation, and in accordance with
that voice, be had the honour of being elected to the high
office which he then held. He, however, was more than
gratified—he was delighted—in being able to Join their
noble chairman in presenting this tribute of respect to
their gallant Commodore—a tribute of respect and ad-
miration which he assuredly deserved. (Hear, hear,
and applause.) He (Mr. Brown) was not a nautical
man, but he understood from all with whom he had
conversed, that it was mainly owing to the formation,
discipline, and order of such a club as the its,.. .! :..fessey
Yacht Club, that tha gallant crew o. the " Quura of the
Ocean," under their more than gallant commodore, were
so well able to do their duty, and thereby save the unfor-
tunate sufferers which they did. (Cheers.) Again thank-
ing them for the honour conferred upon him and his
colleague, he begged to retire.
The CHAIRMAN again rose and said that after the very
flattering manner in which the health of the County
Members was received, he was induced to propose to their
notice another toast of the same nature, which was the
health of the Members of the Borough. (Cheers.) They
(the electors) were fortunate enough in having ooth their
worthy members selected, he might say, trom amongst
themselves—they were both natives of the town ; and,
affairstherefore,
o fthe
would,w on
than
idaonuilfs tt,htake w
were
o greater
strangers.interest
(Cheers.)in the
He would, without further preface, give them the health
of " Our Borough Members." (Drunk with applause.)
to
Song—" Our ship's in port, our anchor's cast."
, Sire Tnos. BIRCH then rose and said that in acknow-
ledging the compliment he felt the necessity of not tres-
passing upon their time one moment longer than would
suffice to return his sincere thanks for the honour which
had been conferred upon himself and colleague. He
could assure them that on no occasion could that com-
pliment have been more acceptable to him than on the
present. When they called to their remembrance the
event which this evening was intended to commemorate,
they could not but feel that great exertions had been
made to save the lives of a number of human beings who
must otherwise have perished. and such being the case,
they must feel with him that this indeed was one of the
noblest moments of a Christian's life. (Loud cheers.)
He did feel a peculiar pleasure in the position which he had
time honour to hold amongst amongst them ; and he hoped
that the close connexion which he then held with them
would never be dissevered. He should cease now were it
riot that he was happy to have the opportunity of congra-
tulating their gallant Commodore on the events which had
called the present happy meeting together. He did not,
however, mean to congratulate him on the melancholy
loss of the Ocean Monarch ; but he did congratulate both
him and the members of the Mersey Yacht Club on the
fact, that although the commodore was merely out for '