The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-05-25
BANQUET OF NATIONS
Tribute Of British Sailors to Our
Naval Officers.
SPEECH OF AMBASSADOR BAYARD.

Our Representative at the Court of st.
James Pays Glowing Tribute to Eng
lands Queen, While Lord George Ham,
iiton Lauds President Cleveland.
LONDON, May 25-The banquet ten
dcred to Admiral Erben, Captain Mahan
and the officers of the United States
cruiser Chicago by officers of the English
navy and army and distinguished citizens
OF Great Britain was held last night in st.
James hall and was brilliant success.
The American officers were received by a
committee consisting among others OF
Lord George Hamilton. Admiral Il. II.
Seymour, Lord Brassey, r scount Galway,
the lord mayor of Lo. o n the Duke OF
Leeds, and Lords Methuen. Hood and
Napier.
The guests were first conducted into the
smaller st. James hall. which had been
converted into reception room. Here in
Productions took place and all engaged in
an animated conversation for an hour, AT
o. clock the guests entered the banquet.
ting hall Entwined Union Jacks and
Stars and Stripes were placed in many
parts of the hall. A banner inscribed
Blood Is Thicker Than Water" was sus
pended from the gallery opposite the or
gan loft.
As the guests entered United States
Ambassador BayGrd and Admiral Erben
were together. They were followed by
Captain Mahan and the other officers OF
the Chicago. The string band of the Royal
Marines Light infantry played Hail
Columbia" as the company took theiI
places. At Mr.. Bayard's left sat Lord
George Hamilton, the chairman. Next
sat Admiral Erben, Lord Roberts the
Earl of Darnley, Niscount Sidmouth and
Lords Leconfield, Hood, Brassey and AL
cester formerly Admiral SEYMOUR. On
the right sat the Earl of Carlisle, Captain
Mahan, Admiral IIornby, the Earl OF
Galloway the Earl OF Mimic and Viscount
Falmouth. Four tables extending the
whole length Of the hall at right angles
to the principal table, accommodated the
other guests, numbering 800
Lord George Hamilton offered toast tC
the queen and President Cleveland. He
said that Queen Victoria and President
Cleveland were the heads of the two great
English speaking nationalities Of the
world. President Cleveland was a mar
of pre- eminent abilities and character
and his fellow citizens recognized the fact
by comforting upon him the rare distinc
ton of twice electing him to the highest
post to which n citizen of the United
States could aspire
In responding to the toast, 1.-THE United
States" Ambassador Bayard said he was
sincerely grateful for the manner in which
in old England the toast to the health OF
the United States WAS received. He felt
deeply the honor of having been made ht
envoy of this country and this nation. The
gracious reception that he had been giver
OH numerous occasions in this great city
and elsewhere in Great Britain mnde him
feel the sincerity and reality of the wei
come so expressed In the name of his
country and his countrymen he sincerely
thanked them for tonight's banquet. II
was happy omen that it came upon the
rthday OF that benign and gracious
lady whose devotion to public duty was
clear and beautiful. Her private life en-
deared her not merely to those whose good
fortune it was to live under her benign
sway, but to all right minded and right
thinking men and women in America, a.
fully as in England.
Well might the British subject congrat
ulate himself as he contemplated with af
fectiOuate admiration the home life of tbs
true mother OF her country, whose domes
tic ties SO illustrated her long and happy
reign Turning his eyca ncross the At
lautic, well might the Amo rican of what
ever party or race COM ratulate himsel
that the virtues OF graceful and refined
womanhoud, of innocent and guilelesi
childhood, of life, integrity and manhood
were clustered round the hearthstone o