“Gentlemen,—Her Majesty having been graciously pleased to confer upon me the honour of presenting to you these Colours, I am anxious to express how highly I am flattered by this distinguished mark of the Queen’s favour. At a time of all others the most awful, when our country is threatened with the unprovoked attack of a most implacable enemy, and when you have evinced your readiness to stand forward in the defence of everything that is most dear to us all, what can be more gratifying to you than being so particularly distinguished by her Majesty, and receiving your Colours from her? Animated as your hearts must be in gratitude to the Queen, in addition to every other noble sentiment that has guided you, from the moment of the first offer of your services, it would not only be superfluous, but presumptuous in me, to add anything more upon the occasion than the expression of every fervent wish for your success in the event of the enemy carrying his threats into execution; confident that no power, however strenuously exerted, will ever wrest these Colours from you while there is yet left a man in your corps to defend them.” To this speech a suitable answer was made by Lord Hobart, who expressed, in behalf of the corps, the most patriotic and grateful sentiments. * * * * * Subsequent Directors turned Ranelagh into mere Assembly and Concert Rooms, and the gardens for a display of fire-works. It soon ceased to be an attractive promenade, and the brilliant display of beauty it had made for years was seen no more. * * * * * In 1805 an order was made for taking down Ranelagh House, which had been the residence of Sir Thomas Robinson, and the Rotunda. The furniture was sold by auction, and the entire buildings. General Wilford became the purchaser of a portion of the land, on which he erected a large house, and resided in it for many years. The ruins of some of the original buildings belonging to Ranelagh Gardens remained for a considerable time afterwards. In the front of General Wilford’s house, on the north, some excellent cricket matches were played, for Chelsea then abounded with first-rate cricketers.