The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-10
GOD SAVE The KING!
SAVANNAH BRITONS CELEBRATED
THE CORONATION OF EDWARD VII.
T0ASTS DRUNK STANDING
WHILE THE LOYAL BRITISHERS
SANG PATRIOTIC SONGS.

SANG PATRIOTIC SONGS.
Members of Victoria Society Gath
cred at Metropolitan HaIl-TOasts
to King Edward and Queen Alex
andra and to President Roosevelt
Drunk With Equal Enthusiasm.
Mr.. Percy Sugden's Humorous and
Eloquent Response to the Toast,
"Fhe I<ing"-PatriOtic and Senti-
mental Songs, Something to Eat
and Something to Drink Made Up
the Programme.
The loyal Englishmen of Savannah,
represented in the ranks of the Vic
toria Society, celebrated in appropriate
style last night the coronation of his
imperial majesty, Edward VII, and his
queenly consort, Alexandra.
The celebration of the event was
held at Metropolitan Hall, where the
Britishers gathered. President Percy
Sugden, of the Victoria eSociety, pre-
sided and there were present perhaps
forty or fifty of the society's mem
bers
The gathering was entirely infor-
NAL. but for that reason perhaps all
the more pleasant and enthusiastic.
The toasts to the King and Queen
were drunk standing and with fervent
loyalty, while the concluding toast to
the President of the United States was
not less well received.
With Songs and Speeches.
Patriotic British songs and recita-
lions, accompanied by something good
to eat and something good to drink,
made up the menu for the earlier part
of the evening. The songs were old,
not new, but those who listened to
them last night had heard them first
in the old country and they had the
power to warm the cookies of the 10y
al British heart as nothing of recent
vintage could have done. "'Twas in
Trafiager Bay" THE Midshipmite,"
1.-THE Charge of the Six Hundred = 1.-THE
Union Jack of Old England" and God
Save the King" followed each other in
rapid succession.
These We're rendered by Mr.. C. T.
Booth, Mr.. Percy Sugden Mr.. Charles
A. Temple and others. Besides there
We're songs less patriotic and more
sentimental, but that still possessed
national and patriotic interest-that
brought back again the sight and
smell of the shaded lanes and green
hedges of Old England. Some of the
best were sung by the Brothers He's
ling.
The Toast to the King.
The toast to the King was proposed
by Mr.. Sugden. Mr. Sugden began
somewhat jocularly, referring to the
fraiities and side-steps from the path
of absolute good behavior with which
Pharisaical public report had credited
the King.
Whatever lapses he has made" said
Mr.. Sugden, 81 believe would have been
made by SO per cent. of those present
tonight"
"A hundred per cent" shouted one
enthusiastic Briton.
'Ah,' said the speaker, IT was ex-
cepting myself"
Continuing in a more serious strain,
Mr.. Sugden said:
1--WE are met together this evening to
celebrate double event-the corona
ton of his imperial majesty, King Ed
ward VII, and his restoration to health
after his serious illness. Six weeks
ago, when the news was flashed around
the world of the Kings serious condi-
ton, on the eve of his Unexplained
coronation, and when all the arrange
ments for the same were perfection,
feeling of intense sympathy pervaded
the hearts of all, no matter what their
sect or creed, and prayers for a speedy
recovery arose from millions of people
in every portion of the globe.
Those prayers have been answered,
and we meet now to express our graf
itude to the Ruler of the universe for
inc !,
to rule over us.
Lose the Man, Hail the King.
"a generation for age Is one of the
strongest traits of English character
fully eXemplified in their affections for
their late lamented sovereign and the
present King was not one whit behind
the loyal citizen in the expression of
his feelings. When King Edward as
sumes his royal office we lose sight of
the man and hail him as the King.
Whatever may have ben his frailities
in the past we cast about him the
mantle of charity-forgetting his fol-
lies, remembering his goodness. 1t is
opportunity makes the thief and that
his follies were so few when relieved
of any responsibility, we can trust
him now, approaching, as he does, the
responsible position he now holds as
ruler and exemplar over the greatest
empire the world has ever seen.
May He Reign GIoriousIy.
81 ask you to join me in a toast to
his imperial highness, King Edward
VII. May his government be just and
noble, and by his open, honest, upright
actions may he endear himself to the
people of his land. May the angels
of peace and prosperity spread their
sheltering wings over his empire and
under their benign influence may it
still continue to ascend the upward
path. May he be spared in health and
strength for many days to come, and
when his time arrives to abdicate and
join the ranks as subject to the King
of All, may he leave behind a clean
clear record, and a tender spot in the
hearts of all. his subjects throughout
his worldwide empire"
A Toast to the Queen
The toast to the Queen was proposed
by Mr. w. H. Murdoch, vice president
of the society, and like that to the
King was drunk standing. 1.-THE
Queen! God bless her." was the cry
Mr.. Murdoch said:
1T is with slightly mixed feelings 1
rise to respond to the toast 1 see so
many around me who are more elo-
quently gifted than I am and there
fore would do greater justice to it.
Yet, on the other hand, 1 yield the
palm to none in my love and admira-
ton for such a splendid character as