Isle, and has been always
welcomed with warm and loyal feeling by the mass of the population. He
has given practical proof of his good feeling for the Irish nation by
being a patron and supporter of the Benevolent Society of St. Patrick,
in the schools of which the children of poor Irish parents residing in
the Metropolis receive education and other benefits.

The annual festival has long been well attended and supported, but never
before was there so great and brilliant a gathering as when the Prince
of Wales, on the 17th of March, 1868, presided at the dinner, at
Willis's Rooms. Among the company were the Archbishop of Armagh, the
Bishop of Derry, and many members of the House of Lords, and of the
House of Commons, connected with Ireland, with other distinguished
persons of all classes interested in the charity. The London Irish
Volunteers formed a guard of honour in front of the building, and the
Prince on entering, and taking his place as president, was greeted with
enthusiastic cheers.

The usual loyal toasts having been given, and responded to by the
Prince, with warm appreciation of the good-will, especially directed
towards the Princess of Wales, on her health being proposed by the
Archbishop of Armagh, the Prince proposed "The Army and Navy, the
Militia and the Volunteers," saying some suitable words as to each
branch of the united services.

The Earl of Longford briefly replied for the Army. Mr. Corry, in
responding for the Navy, said he believed that St. Patrick had never
been so far south as that fine harbour which was "_statio bene fida
carinis_." Complaints had been made from time to time that the
Government had not availed themselves of the facilities which Cork
harbour afforded for dockyard accommodation, but after the works at
Haulbowline were completed, he hoped that the people of Cork would see
that the Admiralty had no desire to do any injustice to Ireland in
respect of the navy. He was glad to announce to the company that on the
occasion of the forthcoming visit of the Prince of Wales to Dublin a
division of the armour-clad vessels of the Channel fleet would be sent
to the Bay of Dublin, where, weather permitting, the ships of the
division would anchor and remain during the time His Royal Highness was
to stay in Ireland.

Captain M. J. O'Connell, in returning thanks for the Volunteers,
remarked that in the London Irish there never had been any political or
polemical disputes.

At this stage o