The Life of King Edward VII
wives and daughters--much oftener the latter--of gentlemen connected
with the staff or with the Government of the Province." The same
writer[5] states that when the Prince adjourned to supper he begged that
the ball might not proceed in his absence "as he would not be long away
and his programme was full." The third day in Halifax included a Levee
at Government House; the reception of the addresses from the Church of
England, King's College, Windsor, the Masons, the Methodist Conference,
the Free Church of Scotland, the Kirk of Scotland, the Roman Catholic
Church, the Presbyterian Church, and Acadia College. A visit followed to
the one-time residence and grounds of H. R. H. the Duke of Kent and a
Regatta was witnessed. A state dinner and reception at Government House,
a torch-light procession of Firemen and a display of fireworks in the
evening closed the events of the visit. Early in the morning of August
2nd, His Royal Highness left for St. John--stopping on the way at
Windsor, which was beautifully decorated, to receive an address and
partake of a banquet. An address was also accepted at Hautsport.
On the following morning the Prince was welcomed at St. John by Mr.
Manners-Sutton, the Lieutenant-Governor, the members of the Government,
the Judges, etc. At one point during the procession to his temporary
residence 5000 school children sang patriotic airs and threw flowers at
their Royal guest. The usual addresses and evening illuminations
followed--the latter eclipsing those of Halifax, or St. John's,
Newfoundland. August 4th and the Sunday which followed were spent at
Fredericton. The Anglican Cathedral was attended there and a sermon from
Bishop Medley listened to. On the following day the Executive Council
presented an address in which it stated that "if the necessity should
ever arise all the available resources of New Brunswick will be freely
offered for the defence of Imperial interests and the maintenance of
national honour." The address from the City referred to "the universal
heart-throb of our Empire of perpetual sunlight" and another address was
presented from the Anglican clergy. The Prince replied appropriately to
each and afterwards held a Levee at Government House and attended a
grand ball held in his honour. On Tuesday, August 7th, he started from
Prince Edward Island, being enthusiastically welcomed on the way at
Indiantown and Carleton in New Brunswick, and at Truro and Picton in
Nova Scotia.
The Prince of Wales arrived at Charlottetown on the morning of August
9th and, despite pouring rain, was received by crowds in a tastefully
decorated city. He was formally welcomed by Lieutenant-Governor George
Dundas, Chief Justice Hodgson, Premier, the Hon. Charles Palmer, and all
the dignitaries and officials of the Island. As the procession passed to
Government House 2000 children sang the National Anthem and the crowds
cheered enthusiastically. A Levee was held on the following day, a
review of the volunteers proceeded with, and addresses received from the
Provincial and Civic authorities. A ball at the Provincial Building
concluded the festivities and the Prince danced until three in the
morning. The Royal visitor then departed for the Upper Provinces and
arrived in Gaspe Bay, on August 12th, after seeing much that was
beautiful in the way of scenery. Here the Prince was formally welcomed
to the Canada of that day by His Excellency Sir Edmund W. Head,
Governor-General of all British America, and by the Canadian Ministry,
which included the Hon. John A. Macdonald, George E. Cartier, A. T.
Galt, John Ross, N. F. Belleau, J. C. Morrison, L. S. Morin and others
of historic name. A visit to the gloomy and splendid scenes along the
Saguenay followed and on August 17th, after passing further up the St.
Lawrence, Quebec was reached by the Royal fleet. The succeeding day was
marked by His Royal Highness' first public entry into Canada.
THE ROYAL WELCOME AT QUEBEC
No more splendid natural setting for a national event can be found in
the world than that afforded by the crowning heights, the broad sweep of
river, the ancient and towering fortress of Quebec. Upon this occasion
the old-fashioned French city, nestling upon the sides of the cliff, was
vivid with flags and the narrow streets filled with arches, while crowds
of interested people thronged every part of the place. The Heir to the
Throne was formally received at the wharf by the Governor-General, who
was accompanied by the Canadian Ministry in their uniforms of blue and
gold; Lord Lyons, the British Minister at Washington; Lieutenant-General
Sir W. Fenwick Williams, Commander of the Forces; Sir A. N. McNab, Sir
E. P. Tache, Major H. L. Langevin and others prominent in the public
life of the Provinces. In a special Pavilion which had been erected, the
Prince was presented by Major Langevin--better known to a subsequent
generation as Sir Hector Langevin, M.P.--with an address describing the
loyalty of the French population to British institutions and connection.
In his reply the Royal guest spoke of the differences of origin,
language and religion as being "lost in one universal spirit of
patriotism which had knit all classes to the Mother-land in common ties
of equal liberty and free institutions." During the procession through
the city which followed there was much cheering, and in the evening,
despite the rain which had poured all day, the illuminations were
exceedingly good.
On the following day the Anglican Cathedral was attended by His Royal
Highness with the Governor-General and their suites. The succeeding day
was again stormy but a visit was paid to the Chaudiere Falls and on
Tuesday a Levee was held at the old Parliament Buildings attended by the
Roman Catholic Hierarchy of the Province of Quebec in a body, clad in
purple robes, and followed in order by the Judges and members of the
Legislative Council and Assembly of the United Provinces of Upper and
Lower Canada--as Ontario and Quebec were then generally called. An
address was presented on behalf of the Council by its Speaker, the Hon.
N. F. Belleau and replied to by the Prince, after which he conferred the
honour of knighthood upon Mr. Belleau. An address was then presented on
behalf of the Assembly by its Speaker, the Hon. Henry Smith, who also
received the distinction of being personally knighted by the Royal
visitor. Other addresses were presented and later in the day a visit was
paid to the beautiful Falls of Montmorenci--the route to which was
ornamented with arches, flags and evergreens. In the evening a grand
ball was given and the Prince danced through almost the entire
programme. On the following day a visit was paid to Laval University and
an address received from the Roman Catholic Hierarchy at the hands of
Bishop Horan of Kingston, as well as one from the University. The former
document stated that the Church was always careful to teach that Kings
reign by God's will and that, therefore, "entire submission is due to
the authority they have received from on high." They believed
"traditional respect for the high moral principle of legitimate
authority" to be the real strength of Canadian society. The Prince
responded in fitting terms to both addresses. The Ursuline Convent was
also visited and an address received. In the evening a display of
fireworks was given and on the morning of August 23rd His Royal Highness
departed for Three Rivers.
THE PRINCE AT MONTREAL
The trip up the River was a pleasant one and, after a brief stay at
Three Rivers where the Mayor--Mr. J. E. Turcotte M.P.P.--presented an
address, the journey was resumed to Montreal. Accompanying the steamer
_Kingston_ (which had been specially fitted up for this occasion) from
Three Rivers was another containing the members of the Legislature. All
along the shores of the St. Lawrence were little crowds of _habitants_
striving for a glimpse of the Royal visitor and, when nearing Montreal,
he was received by a fleet of vessels crowded with cheering people. The
reception in the city commenced on the morning of August 25th and was
marked by the gathering of numerous crowds and intense interest. An
address was presented by Mr. Charles S. Rodier, the Mayor of Montreal,
in a handsome Pavilion specially erected for the purpose, and surrounded
by the entire military and volunteer force of the district and city. The
Mayor in his scarlet robes, the Ministers in their new Windsor uniforms,
the officers in their varied military dress and Bishop Fulford and the
Anglican clergy in their gowns, made quite a brilliant spectacle on the
dais. After the Prince had replied to the address the Royal procession
passed through the city to the Crystal Palace, the streets being gay
with flags, banners, evergreens, transparencies and eight, more or less,
handsome arches.
At the new building, or Crystal Palace, an Exhibition was duly opened by
the Prince, who then proceeded to the Victoria Bridge station where he
was met by the Hon. John Ross, President of the Grand Trunk Railway, and
other officials. An address was presented descriptive of the great
structure across the St. Lawrence and, after his reply, the Prince was
taken from the station to the Bridge in a carriage lined with crimson
velvet and there proceeded to formally open it for public use. An
elaborate luncheon, attended by 600 persons and presided over by Sir
Edmund Head, followed. After receiving an address from the workmen
employed in the undertaking His Royal Highness returned to the city and
in the evening witnessed illuminations which made Montreal a blaze of
light. On Sunday, the 26th, the Prince attended Christ Church Cathedral
and heard a sermon from Bishop Fulford. During the succeeding day he
witnessed a lacrosse game by Indians, watched a procession of Temperance
organizations, and held a Levee at the Court House where addresses were
presented from the Church of England, McGill College, the inhabitants of
Red River Colony--now the City of Winnipeg--and others.
In the evening one of the finest balls ever given on the Continent of
America was attended by the Prince. The decorations were gorgeous and
yet tasteful and the Royal guest is stated to have danced incessantly
until half-past four in the morning. On Tuesday he visited Dickenson's
Landing in a special car built by the Grand Trunk Railway and from
thence went down the Rapids of the St. Lawrence in the steamer
_Kingston_. The evening saw a Grand Musical Festival in his honour and
on the following day a Royal review of 1600 troops took place. A visit
followed to Sir George Simpson's residence at Isle Dorval, accompanied
by a canoe excursion down the St. Lawrence under the auspices of the
Hudson's Bay Company, of which Sir G. Simpson had so long been head. The
evening witnessed a torch-light procession of Montreal Firemen. On
August 30th the Royal visitor, the Governor-General and their suites,
took a special train for St. Hyacinthe where the Prince was
enthusiastically received and several addresses presented at the Roman
Catholic College. At Sherbrooke, in the afternoon, flags were flying
everywhere and arches had been erected on all the principal streets. An
address was read by the Mayor, Mr. J. G. Robertson--afterwards for many
years Treasurer of the Province. A visit was then paid to the residence
of the Hon. A. T. Galt, Minister of Finance, and on the way thither His
Royal Highness was almost smothered in bouquets of flowers thrown at him
by young women along the route. A Levee was held here and hundreds of
people presented. At Montreal in the evening, a great display of
fireworks took place and on the following morning the Prince left the
city finally.