THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S SPEECH. 073 



measures were adopted for the suppression of the slave trade, would mainly 

 have to be conducted through his instrumentality. He had tracked the atro- 

 cious traffic in slaves to its fountain-head, and therefore his services mis-lit be 

 said to be not only of great importance to geography, but to philanthropy 

 and civilisation. In making these remarks, he desired it to be understood 

 that the Council of the Society paid all possible honour to the old pioneers of 

 African discovery; in fact, Lieutenant Cameron was to be regarded, not as the 

 rival of Livingstone and other explorers, but as having enlarged and followed 

 up their discoveries." In conclusion, Sir Henry stated that, at the meeting of 

 the Council on the previous day — having weighed the claims of the most 

 eminent geographers of the time — they had decided unanimously that Lieuten- 

 ant Cameron was entitled to the first place, and accordingly they had pre- 

 sented him with the principal gold medal for the year. 



Dr. Badger remarked that, when he had an interview with Lieutenant 

 Cameron in 1872, before he started on his Expedition, it struck him that he 

 had not the necessary physique for his journey, and that he was too quiet 

 and gentle in his disposition to have to do with the roughs and savages he 

 was likely to meet with in Central Africa. He was delighted to find, how- 

 ever, that in those respects and in all others Lieutenant Cameron had proved 

 himself equal to the task he had undertaken. He had acted throughout in 

 the spirit of a philanthropist as well as a traveller, and he was sure that his 

 work would be appreciated. 



Sir Alexander Milne remarked that Lieutenant Cameron had done credit 

 to the service to which he belonged. 



The Duke of Edinburgh — " When I first entered the room I asked the 

 Secretary to give me an agenda of the proceedings for this evening, and I have 

 had placed before me a very long list of those gentlemen whom it was thought 

 desirable should address you upon the subject of this interesting paper, but 

 the evening is far advanced, and I find that the questions which gentlemen 

 are set down to speak upon are liable to be changed. For instance, I may 

 mention that Dr. Badger's speech is described in the agenda as 'Remarks on 

 the Herbs of Central Africa,' whereas he has entertained us for some time 

 with remarks upon the personal temper of Lieutenant Cameron. I think, 

 under those circumstances, it would be dangerous for me to go through the 

 full and extended list I have before me. I must, however, thoroughly endorse 

 eveiy word which has been said by Sir Alexander Milne, and I believe the 

 resolution I now wish to propose to you will be unanimously accepted. Once 

 more congratulating the naval service on the additional lustre he has cast on 

 the profession, I beg to move that a cordial vote of thanks be given to Lieu- 

 tenant Cameron for the very interesting paper of which he is the author in 

 deed as well as in name." 



The vote of thanks was carried by acclamation, and a similar compliment 

 l 3 



