THE INDO-COLONIAL EXHIBITION.

Evening Star, Issue 6895, 6 May 1886, Page 4

THE INDO-COLONIAL EXHIBITION.

[By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.] [‘ Argus ’ Special to Press Association,]

LONDON, May 4, (Received May 6, 1880, at 7.45 p m.)

Several royalties have privately visited the Exhibition. At the opening ceremony Her Majesty the Queen was very quietly dressed in black, and thirteen of her children and grand-children were present. Her Majesty was immensely pleased at the reception accorded, and termed the Exhibition a magnificent one. In the opening ode a passage occurred eulogising the federal idea. Her Majesty specially no i;ed the groups of Hindoos and aboriginals in their several courts. Lord Augustus Loftus was not present, being confined to his house through indisposition. The market and wine bars for the sale of colonial produce and wines are a great attraction, and Adelaide fruit, which is being sold there, has realised good prices. Portraits of the Soudan Contingent and views of Sydney are greatly admired. Sir P. C. Owen, on behalf of the Prince of Wales, specially thanked Messrs Bosisto and Thompson, Sir Samuel Devonport, Mr Scott, Sir F. D, Bell, Dr Von Haast, Sir Alexander Stuart, and Messrs Bunny and Garrick as ardent workers. (Received May 6, 1860, at 0.50 a.m.)

The ‘ Times ’ remarks on the absence of Mr Gladstone at the opening ceremony of the Exhibition.

THE ADDRESSES,

The following information has been kindly supplied by the Government at ‘Wellington -

His Excellency has this day received the following telegram from His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales :

“In forwarding the proceedings of the opening ceremony of the Colonial and Indian Exhibition by Her Majesty this clay, I should be glad if you would publish them in a special issue of the ‘ Gazette.’ “ Address by His Royal Highness the Executive President to Her Majesty the Queen, on the occasion of the

opening of the Exhibition. “May it please your Majesty,—As Executive President of the Royal Commission appointed by your Majesty’s royal warrant of the Bth November, 1884, for the promotion of an exhibition of the British Colonial and Indian Empire, subsequently incorporated by your Majesty’s royal charter of the 10th September, 1885, I humbly bog leave to lay before you a brief statement of our proceedings up to the present time. The general interest manifested in the display made by your Majesty’s Colonial and Indian Empire at the Paris Exhibition of 1878 led me, as president of the British Commission, to express a hope that an opportunity might soon occur by which your Majesty’s subjects in England would be enabled to witness the marvellous development which, under your beneficent rule, their brethren and fellow subjects have attained throughout so many portions of the globe. It was therefore with the highest gratification that I accepted your Majesty’s gracious invitation to assume the executive presidency of this Commission, the appointment of which by your Majesty has been the means of making this hope a reality. The invitations which we were empowered by your Majesty to issue to the Colonial Governments and to the Government of India were forwarded towards the close of the year 1884, ami from the answers received it at

once became apparent that this undertaking had obtained warm and hearty sympathy throughout your Majesty’s Dominion of Canada, throughout your Australasian, African, West Indian, and Eastern cole* nies, In your Mediterranean possessions, and elsewhere. Grants were voted, commissions formed, and an executive appointed. That the work of preparation was undertaken with enthusiasm and attended with success is evident from the complete and varied collections which at present fill the building through which your Majesty has just passed. The response received from the Government of India was also of the most cordial character. His Excellency the Viceroy caused through the Revenue and Agricultural departments instructions to be issued to every district of your Majesty’s Indian Empire for the collection of objects illustrative of the art, manufactures, and resources of that great realm. Those collections, which now adorn a large section of the Exhibition, have been supplemented by generous contributions from their Highnesses the Princes of India, by collections the formation of which we ourselves have authorised, and by the contributions of private Native exhibitors. W care desirous of bringing underyourMajesty’snoticeourdeep appreciation of the hearty interest manifested by the respective Colonial Governments in the Exhibition, and of taking this opportunity of stating how greatly we are Indebted to the Commissioners by Governments, and to the Executive Commissioners, on whom the superintendence of the entire work of installation has_ devolved. We further desire to recognise the valuable assistance which we have received from your Majesty’s Viceroy, from the supreme Governments of India, and from the various officials who have so ably and thoroughly carried out their instructions. Our grateful thanks are also due to the Colonial Governments, to the Government of India, to the Corporation of the City of London, to many city companies, and to the firms and individuals who have contributed to the guarantee funds. The fact that the Hat of subscribers not only includes those whose interests are likely to be specially affected by the Exhibition, but also comprehend every class of the community, supplies gratifying proof of the universal sympathy and interest which this undertaking has aroused, “We venture to avail ourselves of this opportunity to convey to your Majesty our dutiful and loyal acknowledgment of the interest which your Majesty has been pleased to take in our labors, proved as it is by your Majesty’s presence here to-day. Nor can I resist reference to a similar ceremonial presided over by your Majesty a few paces from this about thirty-five years ago. On that memorable occasion—the first of its kind—the Prince Consort, my beloved and revered father, filled the position which I, following in his footsteps at however great a distance —now have the honor and gratification of occupying. Your Majesty alone can fully realise with what deep interest my beloved father would, had he been spared, have watched, as their originator, the development of exhibitions both in this country and abroad. In the great exhibition of 1851 your Majesty’s colonial and Indian possessions were indeed represented, but their importance was then but little realised, and their present greatness was at that time unforeseen. During the years that have elapsed since 1851, few greater changes have been wrought than the marvellous developement of the outlying portions of your Majesty’s Empire. It is our heartfelt prayer that an undertaking intended to illustrate and record this development may give stimulus to the commercial interests and intercourse of all parts of your Majesty’s dominions; that it may be the means of augmenting that warm affection and brotherly sympathy which are reciprocated by all your Majesty’s subjects; and that it may still further deepen that steadfast loyalty which wc who dwell in the Mother Country share with your kindred who have elsewhere so nobly done honor to their name.”

THE QUEEN’S SPEECH. “ I receive with the greatest satisfaction the address which you have presented to me on the opening of this Exhibition. I have observed with a warm and increasing interest the progress of your proceedings in the execution of the duties entrusted to you by the Royal Commission, and it affords me sincere gratification to witness the successful result of your judicious and unremitting exertions in the magnificent exhibition which has been gathered together here to-day. I am deeply moved by your reference to the circumstances in which the ceremony of 1851 took place, and I heartily concur in the belief you have expressed that the Prince Consort, my beloved husband, had he been spared, would have witnessed with intense interest the development of his idea, and would, I may add, have seen with pleasure his son taking the lead in the movement of which he was the originator ; and I cordially concur with you in the prayer that this undertaking may be the means of imparting a stimulus to the commercial interest and intercourse of all parts of my dominions, by encouraging the arts of peace and industry and by strengthening the bonds of union which now exist in every portion of my Empire.”

ODE, On the Opcninj of the Colonial and Indian Exhibition. By Lord Tennyson, Poet Laureate. Welcome! Welcome ! with One Voice. In your welfare we rejoice, Sons and brothers that have sent Prom Isle and Cape and Continent Produce of your field and flood, Mount and mine and primal WoodWorks of subtle brain and hand, Splendors of the Morning Land, Gifts from every British zone— Britons, hold your own! May we find, as ages run, The Mother featured in the Sou; And may yours for ever be That old strength and constancy Which have made your Mother great In our ancient island State ; And where’er her flag may fly, Glorying ’tween sea and sky, Make the might of Britain known— Britons, hold your own ! Britain fought her sons of yore ; Britain failed; and never more, Careless of our growing kin, Shall we sin our fathers’ sin. Men that in a narrower day— Unprophctic rulers they— Drove from out the mother’s nest That young Eagle of the West, To forage for herself alone — Britons, hold your own ! Sharers of our glorious past, Brothers, must we part at last ? Shall not we, through cold and ill, Cleave to one another still? Britain’s myriad voices call, Sons, be welded, each and all, Into one Imperial whole - One with Britain, heart and soul; One Life, one Flag, one Fleet, one Throne— Britons hold your own, And God guard all! We may mention that the above ode was sung by Madame Albani.

HIS EXCELLENCY’S REPLY. His Excellency has replied as follows : “ His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, London.—The Governor and Government of New Zealand, on behalf of the Colony, acknowledge with respectful thanks receipt of telegram. They heartily congratulate your Royal Highness on the opening of the Exhibition, the success of which is so greatly due to your gracious exertions. A special Gazette will he issued forthwith.” His Excellency has forwarded to Her Majesty the Queen the following telegram : —“ Her Majesty the Queen.—The Governor ami Government of New Zealand, on behalf of the Colony, most humbly tender to your Majesty their respectful thanks for the great honor conferred on the colonics by your Majesty opening the Exhibition.”