SPEECHES BY KING EDWARD.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11551, 6 April 1903, Page 5

SPEECHES BY KING EDWARD.

REPLIES TO ADDRESSES OF WEL COME.

THE ANCIENT ALLIANCE WITH PORTUGAL.

(Received April sth, 5.13 p.m.) LISBON, April 4. King Edward, (responding to the address of the Chambers, said: "I am much touched at this unprecedented mark of attention on your part to me on my visit. I regard it as a national demonstration. It is with the greatest pleasure thai I have made my first visit since my accession to 'the court of my dear cousin, your illustrious Sovereign. I assure you that your •presence and address are regarded by me as a renewed affirmation of tlio political alliance which has existed for centuries. I shall not easily forget tho heartiness of the welcome accorded to me by all classes of Portuguese statesmen. I re-echo the statement made by Mr Chamberlain, who, in responding to the toast of his health, proposed by tho Governor of Funchal, said that the Madeira Convention: was tho oldest convention in tho British archives. It was tftie first treaty of offensive and defensive alliance made by Portugal, and wos recently confirmed." Mr Chamberlain is credited with purposely breaking his journey from South Africa an order to make a speech preparatory to King Edward's visit to Portugal. King 'Edward was taken on a holiday excursion to Cintra, a summer resort thirteen miles from Lisbon. At luncheon at Pena Palace afterwards he received Lisbon diplomatists and deputations from the Cortes. Resrwnding to the ipears' address, he recalled tho memories associated wcth Torre? Vedras, where, in 1810, under the Duke of Wellington, the British-Portuguese armies fought against the French. He added that happily both countries now enjoyed the most friendly relations with their former foe. The alliance, dating back for many centuries, had been renewed, and confirmed, and could only tend to the peaceful development of the respective countries and tiheir colonies.