New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-23
BY APPOINTMENT
THE ROYAL TRADESMEN, THEIR BANQUET,
THE PRINCE OF WALES AND COLONEL
HOWARD VINCENT.

HOWAhD NiNNANi'
London, November IL.
II is a good thing, or good from some po'hu' VI
view. to be warrant-hOlder. Possibly you w
not know what warrant-holder Is great
part of the British public, till yesterday dio hoV
know. They know now 1t is the name gwen
to themselves by certain class OF tradesmeh
commonly called royal tradesmen. Inc worn
roval is.here applied to anything the connection
of which with royalty can be affirmed or sus-
aested no matter how remote. Thus you may
read of royal train, or a royal carriage OF
royal footman or, as we saw above, royal trades
man. The term royal warrant-holders seems TO
spring from the fact that the right 10 use the
magic words "by appointment" is conferred by
royal warrant Every American who has loungeu
through Bond-st or Regent-st or PiccadilT'
must have noticed many shops over which naunts
q signboard with such ON inscription as This: 10
His Royal Highness the Prince OF WaieS' DS
APPOINTMENT" And o triple INIT OF Iea'ners
serves commonly crown and crest 10 TINS moC"'
II il be the Americans first visit to London ne
very probably cOnceives the notion that shop
thus emblazoned must be honored with the pr
sonal patronage of the Prince. IL Is meant He
should conceive this notion. Under the influence
Of such a belief be may enter the shop; expecting,
nerbans or bopng to meet the Heir to the Throne
in the act of replenishing bis wardrobe. lie may
have heard the story-currcnt long since, whether
true or not-of the IL o'clock sherry ana DUCTS
which the Prince was said to have been wont ~
accept from the late Mr.. Poole, OF Savile ROW
lie is pretty certain, in any case, to suppose tV
the tradespeople thus distinguished DO really mn
lister to the personal wants of the Queens eioeso
son. or furnish the domestic supplies OF Mari-
borough House. Some of them do; the greac
majority do not and imagine it might ne n TASK
Of much difficulty to discriminate between those
who do and those who do not What really hap
pens is this that any tradesman who thinks IL
worth his while applies to the Controller OF the
Household of the Prince of Wales for license to
exhibit the legend above quoted; or, more strictly
for an appointment as royal tradeSman. Those
who do actually and regularly send in their goods
IN him or his establishment calls themselves also
"Purveyors to His Royal lIighness the Prince OF
Wales And dare say there are other dlstlnc-
tions too subtle to be appreciated by the mere OUT
slider.
Well il is the custom among these worthy per-
sons thus appointed by warrant to this honorable
| distinction, to meet once year and dine 10
gether; or, as they prefer to say, to hold pan
ouet The festival occurs on the Princes BIRTH
| day and is established in his honor. There have
been no less than thirty-two such banquets. so
that they must have begun when the Prince was
| very young. The number of tradespeople
privileged to participate in them now amounts 10
| no less than $50; suppose $50 different hrms'
| Extravagant as we all know all monarchies ana
persons of royal birth to be- we shall hardly be
able to suppose that the Prince does in fact deal
regularly with oil this large number. Warrants
are issued without reference to the necessities of
| the Princes household. 1t is understood that
any firm Of high standing may upon payment OF
| a fee have a warrant. They seem to have formed
among themselves some kind Of an association
| or-if one dare use the word with reference ia
| shoplleepers of this exalted kind-hadee-nni
They have a secretary; officer whom, when he
| receives no pay for his services, 1t is here the
fashion to call an honorary secretary. ms
honorary and honorable post is held by MI D l.
Harding. In the midst Of the feasting it fell to
his lot to receive and to read a telegram sent, We
are told in hushed tones, from Sandringham ny
command Of the Prince Of Wales, to the following
effect
"Once again il is my privilege to convey INC
Prince of Wales's good wishes to those assemble
at his birthday banquet. His Royal HlShhes
congratulates the company on having secured suci
an excellent chairman as Colonel Howard Vincent
am TO add that the Prince. who is very pleased
with all the Arrangements submitted, hopes thu
greater than those of previous years
This message is signed by Sir Dighton Probyn
n soldier of distinction, who discharges the i'm
nortant functions of Controller Of the Prince
Household. Ii is not precisely State paper bu
il will bear looking at for moment. The reade
across the Atlantic will perhaps be struck by TIN
lyrical note at the beginning" once again il i
nv privilege etc. AS if Sir Dighton Probyn ha'
during the last twelvemOnth been waiting i'm
natientIy for the hour wncn these loyal subject
should again assemble in his and their master
honor The Arstarchus who presdes over tn
interesting discussions in your columns upon point
| of grammar and the use OF the English languag
in general may take note of an expression opel
!, | TO criticism. The Prince is very pleased Thi
| usc Of the intensive adverb with the participa
| adjective is. l think, confined TO England II
, America we say. correctly, Very much pleased
, A Controller Of the Household Of the Prince o
Wales and soldier of distinction may well enoug
be. like Sigisnnind, above grammar. The laws o
syntax curtsey TO great kings and princes and {
, the heads of prncey households: and very ofte
10 the British nation in general. If they do no
curtsey of their own good will, they are made I
| bend 10 the convenience of public whIch-Classe
4 as well as Masses-bec0mes yearly more con
temptnous OF Lindley Murray, and Of forms an
! rules once thought 10 be well settled and in
\ viOablc by those who had care for the nobl
e language which we in America are SO often, an
2 sometimes so justly. accused of corrupting
But this depression deans YOU too long frou
the licensed tradesmen's answer to Sir Dighto
Probyn. which ! will give you. and then retur
G for a moment 10 the royal message itself for on
< particular object. In the report Of these pro
! ccedngs which is before me, tile historical style, il
: its most dignihed form, Is preserved throughout
r We are told: The following response sen
o by telegraph"
d "Your telegram conveying the good wishes Q