King  Edward  VII. 
7 
been  presented  to  the  King  on  behalf  of  the  Society,  Sir 
Dighton  Probyn,  Keeper  of  His  Majesty’s  Privy  Purse,  had 
written  to  convey  the  King’s  acceptance  of  the  position  of 
Patron  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society.  Anticipating  the 
Society’s  wishes,  the  Px-esident  had  already  written  to  the  Keeper 
of  the  Privy  Purse  requesting  him  to  “ submit  to  the  King 
the  dutiful  and  gx-ateful  thanks  of  the  Council  and  members  of 
the  Society  for  this  further  mark  of  His  Majesty’s  favour  to  it.” 
On  June  6 Sir  Dighton  Probyn  again  wrote  at  His 
Majesty’s  command  to  say  that  the  King  had  taken  the 
greatest  interest  in  the  negotiations  for  the  proposed  acquisi- 
tion of  a permanent  showyard  by  the  Society,  and  promising 
a subscription  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  guineas.  His  letter 
mentions  that  “although  His  Majesty  is  no  longer  able  to 
continue  to  take  the  active  part  in  the  management  of  the 
Society  which  he  has  hitherto  done,  having  four  times  been 
President,  and  for  twenty-two  years  a Trustee,  still  His 
Majesty  will  never  cease  to  take  the  greatest  interest  in  its 
welfare,  and  it  will  be  a source  of  great  pleasure  to  him  to 
learn  that  the  £30,000  required  for  the  purchase  of  the  site 
may  soon  be  forthcoming.” 
On  July  8,  1902,  at  the  General  Meeting  in  the  Showyard 
at  Carlisle,  the  Pi’esident,  Prince  Christian  of  Schleswig- 
Holstein,  was  able  to  announce  that  a bulletin  had  been 
received  from  the  physicians  to  the  King,  who  had  been 
so  seriously  ill,  saying  that  His  Majesty’s  progress  was 
all  that  could  be  desired.  He  pi-oposed,  and  it  was  carried 
by  acclamation,  that  a telegx-am  be  sent  to  the  King  conveying 
the  loyal  and  sincere  sympathy  of  the  Society  with  him  in  his 
recent  illness,  and  with  the  Queen  and  Royal  Family  in  their 
deep  anxiety.  The  message  ended  with  an  expression  of 
gratitude  for  his  l-ecovery,  and  a px-ayer  for  his  complete 
restoi’ation  to  health.  This  jvas  immediately  done,  and,  iix 
reply,  a message  of  thanks  was  l’eceived  from  the  Queen. 
In  1903  the  King,  accompanied  by  the  Queen,  visited 
the  Society’s  Show  at  Park  Royal,  on  which  occasion  he 
planted  a commemorative  oak  tree  in  front  of  the  Royal 
Pavilion,  and  subsequently  a letter  was  sent  by  the  King’s 
command  conveying  his  thanks  “ to  all  concerned  for  the 
excellent  arrangements  which  were  made  for  the  x-eception 
of  their  Majesties  at  Park  Royal.”  On  this  occasion  our 
present  King,  then  Prince  of  Wales,  was  President  of  the 
Society,  and  was  in  the  chair  at  the  meeting  when  this 
gracious  message  was  x-eceived. 
On  April  1,  1905,  His  Majesty  in  Council  was  graciously 
pleased  to  grant  a ixew  charter  to  the  Society  under  which 
new  bye-laws  for  the  election  of  Members  of  Council  and  for  the 
