New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-11-29
THE BANQUET AT GUILDHALL'


go 20 celebrate his own Inauguration
r ~" epromier,s speech was moderate I'D tohe'
NJ aoant;on of the guests, and other ihcl-
iants If the banquet are invested WIN III
terest
.NUoTTR OF TRIUMPH FOR THE PREMIER
1Is SPEECH AWAITED WITH GREAT iNlEh l.s,-
BRILLIANT AssEMBLAGE-LoRD bhAOoNo 3" i,,r
w,RN1Y wELCoMED-HIs DIAMOND STAR AM
GENERAL APPEARANCE-A PoLlTlC AfiEN-Di
MFR SPEECH. .,
- mr., nro,r, Ar CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE'1
IoNpoN Nov. 9.-Once year, on the 9th OF eacu
November Her Majestys Ministers dine with the
now Lord MAYOR and some eight hundred others AT
the Gnildhall Of late years, the occasion has hau
n nolitical meaning. The Prime Minister makes a
,oltical speech. and the time OF years. such thats
waited for with eagerness often with sohcituue.
,rb,s veor expectation is keener than ever. Lord
Beacons6ed's public appearances are rare the STU
marion is strained the public mind more uncertain
than ever what day bring forth. In mere
narade. one Lord Mayors day Is very like another
Int Lord Beaconsfeld always has asnrprse in store
even if il be- as has been clevery observed, only the
absence of a surprise. So there was keener COM
petition than usual for places.
There is certain air of state and splendor IN the
approaches to the Gudhall as they are arranged on
great occasions. Cheapside and King-st. are Kept
clear by the police. aud whether you go In car
riage and pair, or in the humble but speedy han
son. you must show your white ticket before you
are permitted to pass. The Guildhan itself IS SO
hemmed in by meaner buildings that Whatever
architectural merits it may have-and they are not
very great-are but imperfectly visible at
the best of times. Tonight you can hardly
get view of anything through the
dull atmosphere. Thankful for small mer-
ces, you rejoice that the rain has held up while
the guests are assembling, and you are content with
the soft illumination of lamps reflected from gayly-
cOlored awnings at the entrance. A policeman or
ders out of the way lettering carriage which has
already set down its aristOcratic burden, and
nlieht frommy hanson with the reflection have
often made before, that the London pollceman,s
much malgned though he be, is generally civil and
oblIging The broad hall inside is lined with
flowers and guarded by company of cadet volun-
teers whO on OCCASION present arms. You will hear
the clash following the buglenOte from time to time
after YOU are once in. Placards show you where
Won are to CO. and you have no difficulty in finding
the yestlary where you deposit your coat. After
that you may choose your own route. You may go
straight to the dining-hal you may pass into the
library where the Lord Mayor and Lady MayOress
are waiting to receive their guests. followed
company of smart people into the library 1t lse
large hall, with broad avenue up the centre,
raised platform at the top, on which numerous Dig
nitaries are assembled, and numerous company
seated on both sides whom / take to be the
wives and friends of the aldermen and cOuncimen,
mustered to gaze upon the pageant. string of
persons are passing pretty steadily along the ave-
nue. and names are shouted out they reach the top
am not quite sure whether ought TO join this pro-
cessOn. But you know that sense OF duty is
always struggling with journalists natural shy
ness and generally gets the better as it did in my
case l was there to see what could be seen,
SO on ! went, and presently made my bow
with the rest. 1t was still early. Few
of the great persOnages who were to grace
the banquet with their presence had yet arrived
The platform was the best place from which to
watch their coming, but it was plain that 1T could
not hold tenth part of the steadily advancing
throng. While hesltated whether to follow my
predecessors who turned and passed out to the left
caught sight of the tall figure and handsome head
of the United States Minister. 1t was probably
quite wrong TO do so, but | took refuge with hun,
having found by experience that the safest haven Ill
any ceremony is under the diplomatic wing. Pres
emily there came upa Young man in sober costume,
with long rod. who proposed to us to move on said
to him. This is the Minister of the United States"
and he fed in disnay, with confused apologies; nor
were we again mOested. Mr.. Wesh's good nature
Is so inexhaustble that / am sure he will forgive
me for relating how much am indebted to his shell
terng presence. He was in his right place, and ne
was in no way responsible for my trespass.
Then for half an hour was privileged to witness
the approach of illustriOus guests. People
whose rank did not entltle them to be late
already there, and the arriving celebrities came
singy or in patches of twos and threes. Among
the first was Count Beust, AustrO- Hung arian
Ambassador, who was to speak by-and-by for the
diplomatic corps. A short with q vast fore
bicbv MI oil fell
to one side, with wrinkled face beneath; three
stars glitterng on his coat. Then Count Minister,
Ambassador of the German Empire, well over six
feet in height broad shOuldered and stately, in mil
itary uniform half covered with orders, his face,
perhaps, more remarkable for dignity than for the
stamp of cultures plainly a great noble, whose
ease of manner was the more conspicuous from his
unusual stature. As he mingled with the company
on the dais there came q blast of bugles. Ush-.
ers with wands hurried to the entrance
at the bottom, and in a moment you saw
the great gold borne forward, and behind it, in
gold-embroldered robe of velvet and huge wig, the
Lord High Chancellor OF England. He was greatly
cheered. An English friend remarked to me later
that whenever Lord was announced the crowd
appauded, but that men of distinction who bore
lesser title got but seant welcome. will not I'M
dertake to say that this was always The better
known Ministers certainly heartily greeted.
Mr.. Cross is only plain Mr.. Cross (pus his Right
Honorableshipl, but his hard shrewd face is recOg-
nized cheerily. Sir Stafford Northcoe gets his full
quota of applause aud do Lord Cranbrook and his
wife, spite of the odd Confusion of mind which leads
the herald at one end of the hall to Lord
CranbrOok and Mrs. Claiborne Hardy"
THE PREMIER ENTERS.
But all this was only the prelude. What we all
wanted and waited to see the entrance Of the
Prime Minister. 1t was twenty minutes to when he