in a golden
casket of Indian design, was presented. During the remainder of the year
the Prince took a much-needed rest and interested himself largely in
matters local to his own county of Norfolk. He took in hand the
necessity existing at Norwich for a new Hospital and a large sum of
money was soon subscribed for this purpose. Later in the year he visited
Glasgow and laid the foundation of a new Post Office in that city. In
the spring of 1877 what may be termed the moral courage of the Prince
was put to a test in his invitation to preside at the annual banquet of
the Licensed Victuallers' Asylum. There were many protests made and at
least two hundred petitions presented urging His Royal Highness not to
patronize or help the liquor interest. He decided, however, that the
charity was a useful one and the widows and orphans of licensed
victuallers as deserving of succour as those of other classes in the
community, and that he could quite well afford to patronize an
institution in succession to his own father, the late Prince Consort.
Earl Granville was present, three Bishops and many members of the Houses
of Lords and Commons and the proceeds of the occasion were over L5000.
In one of his speeches the Royal chairman referred to the petitions
received from Temperance Societies and remarked: "I think this time they
rather overstep the mark because the object of the meeting to-night is
not to encourage the love of drink but to support a good and excellent
charity."

Early in 1878 the Prince unveiled at Cambridge (on January 22nd) a
statue of his late father, who for years had been Chancellor of the
University. On June 28th, together with the Princess of Wales, he
visited the Infant Orphan Asylum at Wanstead and presided at the
luncheon which followed and at which were Her Royal Highness, the Duke
and Duchess of Manchester, the Bishop of St. Albans and Mrs. Claughton,
and a large gathering. In his speech the Royal chairman reviewed the
history of the institution and afterwards gave one hundred guineas to
its funds. As a result of his interest in naval matters the Prince had
already placed his sons on the training ship _Britannia_ and, on July
24th of this year, he and the Princess consented to distribute the
annual prizes and medals. An address was presented from the City of
Dartmouth, on board the Royal yacht _Osborne_, which had been
accompanied into the estuary of the River Dart by a large number of
war-ships, yachts, st