9 
King  Edward  VI  1. 
on  their  own  behalf  and  on  that  of  the  members  they 
represent,  to  our  new  King,  George  V.,  and  assurances  of 
respectful  sympathy  and  regret  were  also  sent  to  Queen 
Alexandra  and  all  other  members  of  the  Royal  Family.  Those 
of  the  Council  who  make  themselves  responsible  to  the  other 
members  of  the  Society  for  the  conduct  of  the  Journal,  felt, 
however,  that  this  number  should  not  appear  without  contain- 
ing a further  loyal  tribute  to  the  departed  monarch. 
The  high  office  to  which  the  late  King  succeeded  by  right 
of  birth  entails  many  and  onerous  duties,  and  it  is  well  known 
that  his  ardent  devotion  to  such  duties  did  much  to  shorten 
his  life.  Even  more  valuable  to  his  subjects  than  his 
capacity  for  work  was  his  love  of  peace.  With  his  large- 
mindedness, his  knowledge  of  men,  and  his  warmth  of  heart, 
he  was  untiring  in  his  efforts  to  foster  the  friendliness  of 
nations.  His  success  when  so  acting,  both  in  cases  affecting 
his  own  people  and  in  others  where  neighbouring  countries 
were  alone  concerned,  led  to  his  being  acclaimed  as  “ Edward 
the  Peace  Maker.” 
King  Edward  knew  full  well  how  the  encouragement  of 
the  arts  of  peace  was  an  insurance  against  the  risk  of  war,  and 
no  peaceful  art  appealed  more  to  His  late  Majesty  than  did 
Agriculture.  On  more  than  one  occasion  in  the  course  of  his 
life  he  most  graciously  said  that  he  knew  of  no  better  way  of 
helping  English  Agriculture  than  by  assisting  the  Royal 
Agricultural  Society  of  England. 
It  is  as  a grateful  and  respectful  tribute  to  his  memory, 
and  as  a record  of  his  work  often  carried  on  at  considerable 
personal  inconvenience,  and  always  in  addition  to  the  many 
other  important  duties  of  state,  that  it  has  been  decided  to 
publish  the  following  account  of  the  late  King’s  valued  and 
gracious  connection  with,  and  patronage  of  the  Society. 
His  Late  Majesty’s  Connection  with  the  “Royal.” 
The  connection  of  His  late  Majesty  with  the  Royal  Agricul- 
tural Society  began  at  a very  early  period  of  his  life,  he  having 
been  taken  at  the  age  of  ten  to  the  Society’s  Show  at  Windsor 
in  1851.  He  was  thus  early  put  in  the  way  of  following  his 
Royal  parents’  example  as  ardent  devotees  of  Agriculture. 
He  next  visited  the  Society’s  Show  at  Battersea  in  1862,  but 
his  active  participation  in  the  business  of  the  Royal  did  not, 
however,  begin  until,  on  February  3.  1864,  having  graciously 
signified  his  assent,  he  was  elected  a Life  Governor  by 
acclamation.  He  then  soon  made  it  clear  that  he  had  no 
intention  of  simply  allowing  his  name  to  be  used  without 
showing  any  active  interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  Society,  for 
we  find  that  he  was  present  at  the  Show  at  Plymouth  in  1865, 
