st, was
received with loud cheers, renewed during the short but effective and
well delivered speech, in which he referred to a former visit to
Ireland, when he was received with much kindness and cordiality. "That
visit was certainly but a short one, but it was long enough to enable me
to see a good deal of the country, and to inspire in me a lasting
interest in all that concerns the welfare of Ireland."

The Prince of Wales, in proposing the next toast, said:--

"Ladies and Gentlemen,--It is now my pleasing duty to propose
'The Health of His Excellency the Lord-Lieutenant, and
Prosperity to Ireland.' Nothing could give me greater pleasure
than having the honour of proposing this toast. I am convinced
that all the Lords-Lieutenant that come over to Ireland do their
utmost to fulfil their duties, and sometimes they are very
arduous ones, and I feel convinced that his Excellency on my
right has the goodwill of the country. The theme before
me--Prosperity to Ireland--is one that might be enlarged upon
greatly. Nobody wishes more sincerely than I do prosperity to
this country. No one in the large assemblage which crowds this
hall, and no one outside this hall, could more largely wish for
the prosperity of Ireland which was so dear to them. I think I
may say without fear of contradiction, that at the present
moment Ireland is rich and prosperous. There has been a great
decrease of pauperism and of crime, and I may say that what will
do more than anything else towards making a country prosperous
is the extension of its agriculture. It was with great pleasure
that I accepted the position of President of the Royal
Agricultural Society, and it afforded me great pleasure to be
present for a short time at the Show to-day. My brother has
already alluded in his speech to the fine animals we saw, and I
may add that I feel sure that in no other part of the United
Kingdom could a more creditable Show be held than that which was
opened near Dublin this morning. During the last four years
there has been a great improvement in every respect in the shows
of the Royal Agricultural Societies. I believe I am not wrong in
stating that in 1867 the entries in the department of horses
numbered 257, and now, on this occasion, they are but one short
of 600. That alone shows the interest which all classes of the
community ta