nd the Mayors of the towns and
counties of North Wales.

SOCIETY OF FRIENDS OF FOREIGNERS IN DISTRESS.

_May 5th, 1868._

There is no form of charity more obviously suitable and good, than
helping distressed strangers in a strange land, and especially
foreigners in London. The sixty-second anniversary of the "Society of
Friends of Foreigners in Distress" was celebrated on May 5th, 1868, at
Willis's Rooms, under the presidency of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. The
guests included many representatives of various nations, the charity
itself being cosmopolitan, and helping the distressed of all races and
regions.

In proposing the health of "The Queen, the Protectress of the
Society," the Prince observed that "Her Majesty had shown a deep
interest in the charity, ever since 1837, the year of her
accession to the throne, when she became an annual subscriber;
and his lamented father became its protector at his marriage,
and continued to subscribe to its funds."

In proposing the health of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Sir Travers
Twiss, her Majesty's Advocate-General, said that he was not merely
following the high example of his august mother and lamented father, but
was moved by his own kind disposition. As it was not generally known,
he took the liberty of mentioning, even in his presence, that the
Prince, in the course of his Eastern travels, passed through no great
city without having visited its institutions in aid of suffering
humanity; and it was still fresh in the memory of those who were around
him how much his heart was touched at the sight of the shelter afforded
by British and American philanthropy to the unfortunate Syrian
Christians, who had been driven from their homes at Damascus, and found
a temporary asylum among the European residents at Beyrout.

His Royal Highness, in returning thanks, expressed the high pleasure it
was to be present in support of the institution, and proposed the health
of the "Foreign Sovereigns and Governments--protectors and patrons of
the Institution," coupling with the toast the name of his Excellency the
Prussian Ambassador; to which Count Bernstorff responded.

In proposing the principal toast of the evening, His Royal Highness said
that he was sure it would be received with enthusiasm:--

"The 'Society of Friends of Foreigners in Distress' was the
first of the kind established in London, and its object was to
afford assistanc