XXIV 
Special  Council , May  12,  1910. 
Tour  Majesty  on  the  occasion  of  the  grievous  lo«s  which  the  Royal  Family  have 
sustained  by  the  deat  h of  our  beloved  Sovereign.  His  late  Majesty  King  Edward,  and 
ot  our  profound  sorrow  at  the  sad  event  which  has  plunged  the  whole  of  the  British 
Empire  into  mourning. 
We  desire  to  pay  a humble  tribute  of  loyalty  and  respect  to  the  memory  of 
a Sovereign  who.  throughout  his  life  and  reian,  devoted  himself  unremittingly  to 
the  calls  of  duty  in  his  exalted  station. and  who  endeared  himself  to  all  his  subjects 
by  his  constant  sympathy  with  both  their  joys  and  sorrows. 
The  Royal  Agricultural  Society  recalls  with  feelings  of  pride  and  satisfaction 
that  His  late  Majesty  had  been  Patron  of  the  Society  during  the  whole  of  his 
reign.  When  Prince  of  Wales,  be  filled  the  office  of  President  on  no  less  than 
four  occasions,  and  was  a Trustee  of  the  Society  His  late  Majesty  had  also 
graciously  consented  t9  become  President  of  the  Society  for  the  year,  1911,  on 
the  occa  ion  of  the  Society’s  visit  to  Norwich,  the  capital  of  the  county  in  which 
His  Majesty  had  for  so  many  years  made  his  country  home. 
We  l eg  to  assure  Tour  Majesty  that  the  agriculturists  of  England  are 
devotedly  attached  to  your  Throne  and  Person,  and  on  their  behalf  we  desire 
respectfully  to  express  our  grateful  thanks  for  the  gracious  interest  ever  taken 
by  His  late  Majesty  in  the  welfare  of  the  agriculture  of  the  country. 
The  Royal  Agricultural  Society  has  received  so  many  marks  of  Royal  favour 
that  we  venture  to  express  the  hope  that  it  may  still  continue  to  merit  Tour 
Majesty’s  gracious  patronage. 
We  earnestly  pray  that  the  Almighty  may  vouchsafe  to  Tour  Majesty  health 
and  strength  for  manv  year™  to  come  to  guide  the  destinies  of  the  Empire  oyer 
which  Tour  Majesty  has  been  called  to  reign. 
Given  under  the  Common  Seal  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England 
this  twelfth  day  of  May,  1910. 
f Gilbert  Greenall,  President. 
Signed  DEVONSHIRE.  Trustee. 
(.THUS.  MCROW,  Secretary. 
The  Duke  of  Devonshire  said  they  met  there  that  day,  feeling,  as 
he  was  sure  they  all  did  most  sincerely,  the  great  loss  which  the  country 
had  sustained.  For  the  members  of  that  Society  the  loss  came  with  special 
severity.  They  all  knew  the  very  great  interest  that  His  late  Majesty  took, 
not  only  in  the  affairs  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society,  but  in  the  affairs 
of  agriculture  as  a whole,  and  in  him  they  had  lost  one  who  devoted  himself 
heart  and  soul  to  the  encouragement  of  the  improvement  of  agriculture  in 
every  form.  His  Majesty  was  not  only  Patron  of  the  Society  in  name, 
but  also  in  deed. 
His  Grace  recalled  the  last  occasion  on  which  he  had  had  the  honour 
of  meeting  King  Edward,  when  His  Majesty  had  asked  him  a great  number 
of  questions  as  to  the  prospects  of  the  Show  to  be  held  at  Liverpool  next 
month,  which  showed  that  in  spite  of  his  heavy  work,  the  affairs  of  the 
Society  not  only  had  a place  in  his  mind,  but  that  its  welfare  was  close 
to  his  heart.  As  they  all  knew,  His  Majesty  had  only  recently  graciously 
consented  to  act  as  President  of  their  Show  to  be  held  at  Norwich  next 
year,  and  that  showed  the  deep  personal  interest  which  he  took  in  the  Society. 
They  had  to  offer  their  sincere  condolences  with  His  Majesty  King 
George.  They  all  knew  how  devoted  he  was  to  his  late  father,  and  they 
would  all  sympathise  with  him  very  sincerely  in  the  blow  which  had  fallen 
upon  him.  In  him  they  had  a real  friend  of  agriculture.  They  all  knew 
the  deep  interest  he  had  taken  in  the  Society,  and  His  Grace  thought  they 
might  rest  assured  that  His  Majesty  would  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  his  father. 
Their  sincere  sympathy — in  common  with  that  of  everyone  throughout 
the  length  and  breadth  of  the  British  Empire — would  also  be  extended  to 
Queen  Alexandra  in  her  deep  and  great  sorrow.  The  letter  published  in  the 
newspapers  yesterday  morning  from  the  Queen  was  one  that  would  strike 
a deep  and  responsive  note  in  every  heart.  His  Grace  then  moved  the 
following  address  of  condolence  with  Her  Majesty  Queen  Alexandra  : — 
• ROTAL  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETT  OF  ENGLAND. 
TO  HER  MOST  GRACIOUS  MAJESTY  QUEEN  ALEXANDRA. 
May  it  please  Tour  Majesty : 
We,  the  President  and  Council  representing  the  general  body  of  Governors 
and  Members  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England,  beg  leave  humbly 
to  approach  Tour  Majesty  with  the  assurance  of  our  loyal  and  devoted  attachment 
