Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-05-25
whitehall and Ministerial, Dinners,

On the Greenwich side there are many
famous taverns-The Ship, The Crown and
nceptre. and The Trafalgar-au famous for
whitehall Into the long controversy con
corning the true nature of whitehall il would
hardly become me to enter. have listened at
The trafalgar, and exc at Skindle'S by Maiden
concerning the right of the Clupea Alba to
rank as species. I have heard SkepsicS de
clare that 1t IS merely the fry of various fish.
individuality retofted that no behring's come
within miles of the whitehall fisheries of the
Thames. 1t was not, thought, my province
10 settle inns stern question. was content TO
that the great Harry-the eighth of that
name-lOved Greenwich as residence. mainly
on account of the whitebait caught hard by.
and that the WOrShipful Company OF Sta
TONERS had found out the virtues of Whitehall,
as early as 1912. At the great funeral feast
given i'll that year in honor of the founder of
the CharterhOuse, the bill of fare included
six dishes of whitehall" 1t would seem.
however. that at a later date the tiny fishes
came down in the world, for Pennan., writing
during the season there was a vast resort to
Greenwich and Blackwell tarverns of the
lower order of epicureS." From this tempo
rary abasement whitehall was raised by the
Ministerial dinner which, suspended under
MIR. GladStOne'S government, was restored by
Lord BeacOnSiield, and was only omitted this
month on account of the death of Mr.. Ward
Hunt. The origin Of the annual Cabinet feS-
hviIy is said to have been in the hospitality of
merchant named Preston, a Nova Scotia
BaT0net and sometime member of Parliament
Tor Dover. This gentleman had "iShing
cottage" on the banks of Dagenham reach,
and in the Spring time often went thither with
a hiend or TWO, TO enjoy rest from Parlia
mentary and other business. His most fre
quent guest was George Rose, the Sc ;retary of
the Treasury, and an elder brother of trinity
House. One day, as Mr.; Rose aud Sir Robert
Preston were slipping their wine, or rather
the Secretary OF the Treasury intimated to his
host that MIR. Pitt might perhaps be prevailed
upon to come to Dagenham, and would be GER
tain to enjoy himself immensely. day was
named, the Premier was invited, and So de-
lighted was he with the place and the company
uhey were all three bottle men) that on
taking leave he accepted an invitation for the
sent Minister and Mr.. Rose continued to
visit Dagenham, but in those days the
and the distance was inconvenient. Sir
r bert Preston proposed that they should dine
at Greenwich, as being nearer London, and
being permitted to bring Lord Camden. Then
came MIR. Charles L0ng-afterward Lord Farm
borough-and one by one other notable Tories
were invited, till, at last, Lord Camden con.
slderately remarked that as they were all
dining al tavern, it was but fair that Sir
Robert Preston should be relieved of the ex-
penSe. After warm protest, it was arranged
Sir Robert Preston-that is to say, at his nvf-
tatiOn-and he insisted on still contributing
buck and the champagne. The rest of the
charges were betrayed by the guests, and on
this plan the meeting continued to take place
annually. till the death of Mr.. Pitt. TIE next
year Sir Robert was requested to summon the
guests to the Greenwich banquet-the list in
GUIDED by this time most of the Cabinet Minis
tiers: The feast, which generally took place
on Trinity Monday, assumed political or
semi political character before the death of
Sir Robert Preston. When that hospitable
Baronet, full OF years and port wine, departed
this life, Lord Marlborough SUNNI oned the
guests. Up to that time the invitations had
been sent privately, but they We're thencefor-
ward dispatched in Cabinet boxes, and the
dinner became strictly Ministerial celebra-
tlOn.-[A AL the Year Round