CRUISE OF THE GALATEA.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 453, 16 January 1869, Page 3

CRUISE OF THE GALATEA.

The book descriptive bf Prince Alfred's first voyage was received by last mail. The Melbourne Argus criticises it in away which is not very flattering. The only extract we see applying to the colonies is the following:— " Some of the officers of the Galatea wished to run over to Ballarat, and have a good look round the gold-fields before the Prince's arrival there. A letter was written to the mayor, requesting him to be kind enough, to obtain permission for them to see the various mines, and have an intelligent guide to meet them when they arrived at the railway station. The mayor was sixty miles from home when the letter reached him, but telegraphed to say that he would himself meet them on their arrival the following day. Six of the officers accordingly went up, and found the mayors of both boroughs waiting to receive them and show them every attention. It was determined to visit some of the mines whilst the

• dinner was preparing; and as some i slight return for their great kindness, i and attention, the worthy mayors were invited to dine with them. After some little consultation together, as to whether some official duties connected with the Prince's reception could be postponed to another day, they consented to accept the invitation. The best dinner that the hotel could provide was thereupon ordered, with abundance of iced champagne, and the very best wines that could be had, in honor of the two guests. The dinner came off in due course, the first Lieutenant taking the head of the table, with one mayor on his right hand and the other on his left. "Mine host" had obeyed his instructions to the letter, and supplied a most sumptuous repast. Late at night our guests ordered the new Albert-hall to be lit up with gas, and drove the party down to inspect it; after which another mine was visited, and all went down the shaft to explore the interior workings. It was nearly one o'clock in the morning before they returned to the hotel. Two of the officers had to leave by the six o'clock train the next morning, and left with the others all the money they could spare, in anticipation of a heavy reckoning for the previous night's entertainment. After breakfast the officers were again driven to different places by the mayors, and back again to the hotel in time to settle the 'little account'before the train started for Melbourne. The landlord, when asked to furnish his biii, observed that there was nothing to pay, that the mayors had left strict injunctions that no charge was to be made for anything ; so that it turned out that the officers were all the while the guests of the kind-hearted mayors, instead of being their entertainers."