THE SILVER JUBILEE.

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 100, 22 January 1936, Page 13

THE SILVER JUBILEE.

Homage to Beloved Sovereign

EMPIRE REJOICES

Last May a loyal Empire celebrated with solemn thanksgiving and general rejoicing the Silver Jubilee of the King’s accession to the Throne. The dominating event of the Jubilee celebrations was the service of thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral for "the protection afforded to the King’s Majesty during the 25 years of his auspicious reign.” This was attended by the King and Queen, the Prince of Wales, and all the members of the Royal Family, together with ambassadors, ministers and statesmen, and a gathering representative of the official, political and social life of the country. Their Majesties’ journey to St. Paul’s was a triumphal progress along gailydecorated streets lined with scores of thousands of spectators, whose enthusiasm found expression in vociferous cheers. The ovation was repeated on their.return to the Palace, where the Royal Family appeared on the balcony in response to a clamorous request. The country made holiday in honour of the Jubilee, and the celebrations were widespread throughout the Empire. The festivities culminated in the lighting of a great chain of bonfires at Home and abroad. His Majesty broad-

cast to his peoples a message of grail Hide in which he said: —

“At the close of this memorable day I must speak to my people everywhere. Yet how can I express what is in my heart? As I passed this morning through cheering multitudes to aud- from St. Paul’s Cathedral, as I thought there of all that these 25 years have brought to me and to my country and to my Empire, how could I fail to be most deeply moved? Words cannot express my thoughts and feelings. “I can only say to you, my very dear people, that the Queen and I thank you from the depth of our hearts for all the loyalty :tnd —may I say?—the love with which this day and always you have surrounded us. I dedicate myself anew to your service for the years that may still be given to me.

“I look back on the piist with thankfulness to God. My people and I have come through great trials and difficulties together. They are not over. In the midst, of this day’s rejoicing I grieve to think of the numbers of my people who are still Without work. We owe to them, and not least to those who are suffering from any form of disablement, all the sympathy and help that we can give. 1 hope that during this Jubilee Year all who can will do their utmost to find them work and bring them hope . . . I have been greatly touched by all the greetings which have come to me today from my Dominions and Colonies, from India, and from this Home country. My heart goes out to all who may be listening to me now wherever you may be —here at home in town or village, or in some far-off corner of the Empire, or it may be on the high seas. “Let me end my words to you with those which Qtieeu Victoria used after her Diamond Jubilee 38 years ago. No words could moi’e truly or simply express my own deep feelings now: ‘From my heart I thank my beloved people. May God bless them.’ ”

While the central ceremony of Hie Jubilee, the service of thanksgiving at: St. Paul’s, was in progress, the thronged pavements were, by comparison with the times before and after, silent, the people outside taking part in it.

LATE SOVEREIGN’S SEAMANSHIP The old three-decker 11.M.5. Britannia was the King’s first introduction to naval life, while the H.M.S. Crescent was the final ship of his naval career. He made his last sea voyage in H.M.S. Indomitable. In ISB9 when he was serving in H.M.S. Northumberland, the flagship of the Channel squadron, he was given command of torpedo-boat No. 79. the finest craft of its kind afloat. “Perhaps it would interest you to hear of a specific act of good seamanship which his Majesty performed while in command of his torpedo-boat, where he shared his small cabin and his box of sardines with his sole messmate, the gunner,” wrote a senior officer to a London paper. “During the manoeuvres of 1889, a small squadron was sent to defend Lough Swilly with ground mines and otherwise, and as an attack by the ‘enemy’ was hourly expected, the three attached tor-pedo-boats were sent to sea one night to reconnoitre, directly after dark, with orders to return to harbour at daylight. It was a rough night and. while returning toward the harbour, just after daylight, one of tho three broke down, and had to anchor close to a dead 100 shore with a nasty sea on. ‘‘No. 79 immediately went to tlie rescue of her comrade and the third boat returned to harbour to report the situation, as the disabled bout was round the corner mid not in sight from the senior officer's ship. Shortly afterwards No. 79 returned and reported that she had carried away her only hawser mid failed tn tow tlie disabled boat out of danger. “Tlie situation was critical, and immediate preparations were made for rescuing tho disabled boat; but the commander of No. 79 was so keen to ‘have another try,’ notwithstanding that he had been up all night, that it was decided to give the young lieutenant a chance of winning his spurs; so he was provided with a brand new hemp hawser mid sent out again to rescue his friend, which lie did. and towed him safely into harbour. “It was a smart bit of seamanship which would have done credit to an officer who- had had fur wider experience in Illis sori of work Ihmi I'rinw George had I hen en joyed."