The Duke Of Edinburgh At Devonport.

Whilst this ceremony was being proceeded with the children with the choir sang " God Bless Our Sailor Prince . "

Of Nelson , Hood , and Collingwood Our grandsires used to sing , Our fathers had a toast as good , They gave " The Sailor King !"

A Sailor Prince is now our toast , One worthy of his name , A second Alfred we can boast ,

On England ' s scroll of fame . God bless our Sailor Prince , Long may his name Be dear to fame .

God bless onr Sailor Prince . And when this portion of the ceremony was over they sang the following hymn , written for the occasion and adapted to the air of the Russian National Anthem by Mr . W . H . Wright : —

God bless Victoria's son . Long life be his , and joy and happiness in bounteous store ; Oh ! give him greeting true , Ring out your shouts anew ,

God bless our Prince ! Our Sailor Prinec ! May he , of honoured name , Live in old England ' s fame , The nation's pride , Brave Sailor Prince .

God bless his Royal Bride ! Who now hath found in British hearts a welcome real and true ; Far from her native land , Oh I may she here command ,

A priceless dower , A nation's love . Long live the Royal pair , Proud oak and lily fair , In love entwined , Heaven ' s gifts to share .

God bless this happy day ! And may His presence dwell with us in this our work of love ; Soothing the widow's fears , Drying the orphan's tears , Oh ! may this day ,

AVith joy be crowned , May He on rich and poor , Alike his goodness pour ; E ' en as we call , God bless us all .

This was a fitting introduction to another very interesting portion of the ceremony . Ladies who had been for some weeks collecting for the asylum now came to the platform and deposited their offerings , contained in blue and red purses ,

upon a silver salver before his Royal Highness . The two first ladies were the Misses Metham , grand-daughters of the founder of the institution , and daughters of its present hon . sec . •and the ladies were for the most part daughters of

friends of the asylum . Some of them were very little ladies indeed , one little lady being just able to toddle before the Duke , and in the majority of cases their elegant toilettes were specially made for the occasion . In several

costumes , red and blue , symbolical of the asylum ' s connection with our defensive forces , were happily blended , and in others the designs were suggested by a sailor's attire . As the ladies trooped up with their purses , containing in all

about £ i" ] o , the scene was very animated . The Masonic presentation was next made . Sir Frederick Martin AVilliams , advancing to the table , said * . May it please your Royal Highness , in the unavoidable absence of the

Grand Afaster of Cornish Masons , the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , with whom , in his late sad bereavement , all must deeply sympathise —( hear , hear)—I , as Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Cornwall , on behalf of the Freemasons of that

province , beg now to present to your Royal Highness a list of various lodges who have subscribed towards the new wings of this building . -

I can assure you that they have all contributed with very great pleasure , and I have only now to add , on their behalf , their sincere congratulations to your Royal Highness , together with

The Duke Of Edinburgh At Devonport.

their very best wishes for the success and prosperity of this noble institution . ( Loud cheers . ) The amount of the subscription from the Cornish province is £ 140 . ( Cheers . ) Mr . L . P . Metham : May it please your Royal Highness , with great pride as Deputy Provincial

Grand Master of this Province , in the absence of our Provincial Grand Master , the Rev . J . Huyshe , on account of ill-health , which we all deplore , I present to you the collection made by the Masons of Devon , amounting to - £ 912 13 s . Sd . —( loud cheers)—which , together with the

sum just announced hy Sir Frederick Martin AVilliams , makes up a total sum of one thousand guineas contributed by nearly 1 , 200 brethren of the Masonic craft in Devon and Cornwall . ( Renewed cheers . ) And I feel quite sure your Royal Highness will not think

me intruding on your tune if I take this opportunity of thanking my brother Masons , and of telling them how proud and grateful I am to them for the admirable efforts they have made to support me in this great and arduous labour . ( Cheers . ) It is something for them to reflect

upon with pride that they have contributed more than one-fourth to the cost of the new buildings . ( Cheers . ) And they have done more than that . They have vindicated those principles of charity which animate the Order , and which nothing on earth can shake so long

as they continue to practise brotherly love , relief , and truth . ( Loud and continued cheering- ) The Bishop closed the ceremony by offering the following prayer : —Almighty Saviour ,

Judge of Heaven and earth , Redeemer of the world , who- has taught us what is done in loving kindness to the least of Thy brothers is done unto Thee , accept this our offering of tender care for the little children whom Thou art always ready to bless .

Sanctify this school with Thy perpetual presence . Banish from it everything unloving and unkind , everything impure or unholy , everything false and mean . Bless the teachers and guardians of the children with wisdom from on high , with skill to instruct ,

with gentle tenderness to guide and discipline , with patience to train and educate . Bless the children with grace to learn Thy holy fear , and hearts to feel Thy love , with understanding to know Thy ways . For many years may the little ones who have lost their natural guardians be

here sheltered from pain and unhappiness , shielded from temptation , trained in Christian duty , taught to know Thy Cross . And when Thou comest back again , may we be glad to meet them in Thy presence , and know that they are Thine . Grant this , Lord Jesus Christ , out of

lliy abundant love , for the sake of Thine own offering on the Cross . Amen . The peace of God . The principal actors in the ceremony then posed themselves whilst Mr . L . Duprez took a photograph of the platform scene from the stand

opposite . AVhen this was accomplished , the distinguished company separated , the children and choir singing " Rule Britannia . " The platform occupied by His Royal Highness was soon besieged by ladies and gentlemen anxious to see the memorial stone , with its offerings of corn ,

and oil , and wine , the trowel , ike , used by the Duke , and the masonic plate ( from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Devon ) used in the consecration . Leaving the platform , his Royal Highness proceeded to a room in the Asylum fitted up for his reception by Messrs . Pinsent and Co ., Devonport .

THE LUNCHEON . At two o'clock a luncheon was provided in thc asylum , and was partaken of by between sixty and seventy noblemen and gentlemen . The room was very elaborately decorated , and the table was laid out with great taste , the whole of the arrangements being very much admired .

For the ornamentation of the table , valuable plate was lent by Dr . Domville , R . N . •Mr . Joseph May , the Rev . G . E . Carwithen , M . A ., R . N . ; Captain Adolphus Edye , R . N ., Mr . J . II . Jefferd , Captain Somerville , R . N . ; Mr . J . Beer , and other gentlemen . The luncheon was pro-

The Duke Of Edinburgh At Devonport.

vided by Mr . Loving , of the Royal Hotel , Devonport , who did it in a manner entitling him to the highest credit . The fruits were chiefly contributed by generous friends of the institution . Admiral Sir Henry Keppel , G . C . B ., presided ,

and on his right was his Royal Highness the Dnke of Edinburgh , and his left the Bishop of Exeter . The general company included Lord Eliot , Lord Blachford , Sir H . M . AVilliams , Bart ., M . P ., Sir Massey Lopes , Bart ., Mr . Carpenter Gamier , M . P ., Admiral Lowe , Major-General

Pickard , Colonel Sir Henry Freehng , C . B ., Colonel Elliott , Colonel Fowler Burton , Assistant-Adjutant General , Colonel Hicks , C . B . ; Capt . Smyth , A . D . C . ; the Mayor of Plymouth ( Mr . A . Rooker ); the Mayor of Devonport ( Mr . A . Norman ); Colonel De Courcey , Mr . W . H .

Pole Carew , Mr . J . A ^ enning ( town clerk of Devonport ); the Rev . G . E . Carwithen , M . A ., R . N . ; Mr . Isaac Latimer , Dr . J . Rolston , Mr . J . AA'eary , Captain Adolphus Edye , R . N . ; Mr . j . H . Jefferd , Mr . L . P . Metham , Captain Somerville , R . N . ; Mr . G . Churcher , Captain

Heneage , R . N ., H . M . S . Royal Adelaide ; Captain Napier , R . N . * Air . R . B . Oram , Dr . Minter , Inspector General of Hospitals and Fleets Captain AA'ilson , R . N ., H . AI . S . Impregnable * Mr . Chappell Hodge , Rev . J . Lugge , R . N . ; Rev . J . Conev , Chaplain to the Forces •Colonel

Penrose , R . M . L . I . ; Captain Thrupp , R . N ., H . AI . S . Topaze ; Air . J . Beer , Dr . Cutclifte ; Air . C . Leigh , Air . R . Routh , Deputy Commissary General * Rev . H . J . R . Rathbone , Dr . J . Alay , Air . Jenkins , Air . U . Churcher , RW . A ictualling Yard ; Mr . B . AA . Risk , Secretary to the Admiral :

Air . G . Rolston , Dr . Bulteel , Dr . Domville , Deputy Inspector of Hospitals and Fleets ; Air . Edmonds , Mr . J . Bourne , the Hon . Capt . Freemantle , R . N ., C . B . ; the Rev . AV . J . St . Aubyn , Rector of Stoke Damerel , Air . P . J . Alargary , Capt . the Hon . AY . Ward , R . N ., the Rev . AV .

D . Williams , the Rev . E . Roberts , Temerton ; Dr . AA . H . Pearce , Air . G . L . Basset , Tehidy ; Lieutenant AA ' yndham , Captain Thomas , Devonport Artillery A olunteers ; Lieutenant Curteis , 12 th D . A . V ., Air . J . Greenwood , Air . J . D . Collins ,

The first toast was that of " Her Alajesty the Queen , " which was drunk with the usual honours , after which The Chairman said : I have the honour to propose " His Royal Highness the Prince of AA ales . " His Royal Highness has recently

appeared amongst us to open the New Guildhall Buildings at Plymouth , and he has won golden opinions from every one in these Three Towns—( applause ) . The more we saw of him the more pleased we were with him . The toast was received with three chreers .

The Chairman : The next toast I have the honour to propose to you is that of " His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh— " ( loud cheers . ) It is rather difficult to express how greatly we feel indebted to His Royal Highness for the trouble he has taken in coming such a

long distance to be present on this interesting occasion —( hear , hear . ) It was only last week that His Royal Highness was doing the same kind and noble act—laying the foundation stone of an Asylum for seamen at Liverpool—( applause ) , —and he had scarcely returned to

town when he came down here , acceing the invitation of Air . Aletham to lay the memorial stone of the new wings , to this new building . I regret exceedingly that he is obliged to return to London again this evening , and this in itself proves the inconvenience that it must have been

to His Royal Highness to come here to day . But whenever a kind act has to be done His Highness is always ready to do it , and but that I had the honour of belonging to the same profession . I could tell you many anecdotes regarding him that would both amuse and delight you . I will not , however , intrude any

further upon your time but will ask you to drink his Highness' health with full honours —( loud cheers . ) The Duke of EDIXIIURGIJ : Sir Henry Keppel , my lords and gentlemen : I thank you for the very hearty reception you have given to the toast of my health , and I thank you for the very