BENEVOLENT FUND DINNER. 
523 
time to come, and it was no small pleasure to hear the “ Surplus of the Che¬ 
mists’ Ball Fund ” enumerated among the contributions when the Secretary 
announced them after the dinner. 
At the conclusion of dinner, “ Benin Laudate ” having been sung by the vocalists pre¬ 
sent, 
The President said, the honour of occupying the chair on that occasion was to be 
attributed to the office he had held for some years past, that of President of the Phar¬ 
maceutical Society. He could dispense with the honour, but he was afraid that in so 
doing it might be considered that he would shirk his duty, and he hoped he should 
never be found to do that. He would ask them to perform their duty by drinking the 
health of the Queen. It would be an insult to say anything in commendation of the 
toast, for her Majesty lived in the hearts of her people, and he knew they would feel 
much pleasure in drinking long life and happiness to the Queen. 
The toast was followed by the National Anthem. 
The President said they followed naturally from the Queen to the heir apparent, 
and long might it be before he was anything else. This toast would include her Eoyal 
Highness the Princess of Wales, and the rest of the Eoyal Family ; and when he informed 
them that the Eoyal Family had recently been increased by the birth of a princess, he 
hoped it would be a matter of congratulation. They had been saddened from day to 
day by hearing that the Princess of Wales was suffering from rheumatism, and they were 
gladdened that morning to hear that she had given birth to a princess. He would there¬ 
fore give them the healths of the Prince and Princess of Wales and the rest of the Eoyal 
Family, not forgetting the new arrival. 
Song—“Nina,” by Mr. Wilbye Cooper. 
The President then proposed the Army and Navy, and the Volunteers. They re¬ 
spected these services, and desired to keep them in full efficiency, believing that by so 
doing they were not likely to require them. The Volunteers were a very popular 
body. Their establishment was a great and glorious ebullition of feeling on the part of 
Englishmen, and their true character was shown by the inscription on one of their 
banners—“Defence, not defiance.” That was the true spirit of Volunteers. The three 
services were represented on that occasion ; the army by Dr. Saunders, the navy by 
Dr. Musgrave, and the volunteers he did not know by how many, but he believed Mr. 
Williams would respond. 
Dr. Saunders, in returning thanks for the Army, said he felt it a high honour to harm 
his name associated with that distinguished service. He had had the privilege of 
serving for many years in the army in various portions of the world, and he could assure 
them that officers, when serving abroad, felt great gratification in knowing that on 
every festive occasion when Englishmen met, they would never be forgotten, and that 
the service would be held in the highest estimation. It was some consolation to those 
who left wife, family, and friends, and it compensated somewhat for those privations 
and risks they ran, not only before the enemy, but in the deadly climates they had to 
contend with. They looked also to their fellow-countrymen for something more, viz. 
to that generous forbearance which they were entitled to when they were placed in cir¬ 
cumstances of great exigency and political excitement, and were called upon to act. 
They invariably did the best they could in their judgment, knowing the circumstances 
by which they were surrounded, and the particular exigencies of the time. They might 
sometimes go beyond the spirit of the law in order to save a colony, in which case they 
might well ask those at home to extend to them a generous forbearance. He should 
blush for his countrymen if he felt that they accorded less, and he should tremble for 
his country’s welfare if he thought that those high-minded and highly distinguished 
men—many of them the scions of the noblest families in the land—wanted that for¬ 
bearance and support from the country which was expected, and have to follow the 
pseudo-religious enthusiasm of Exeter Hall and such-like places. If they were to keep 
their colonies,—those colonies which had been the means of making England a great, 
glorious, and free country,—they must give a generous support to those who were 
placed under great difficulties and in trying positions. 
Dr. Musgrave returned thanks for the Navy. He regretted, however, that some one 
more worthy than himself had not been called to discharge that duty. The navy, he 
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