Australia -- Description and travel; New Zealand -- Description and travel; Windsor, Edward, Duke of, 1894-1972
An epidemic in Jamaica abridged the West Indian part of the tour, but
the _Renown_ visited several of the other islands, beginning with
Trinidad, where the flotilla anchored three days after leaving Colon in
the quiet roadstead off Port of Spain. Here Sir John Chancellor,
Governor of the Island, came on board to pay his respects to the Prince,
who shortly afterwards landed.
The entire city of Port of Spain had been effectively decorated.
Sugar-cane-stalks, cocoa-pods, and coco-nuts, were worked in cleverly
upon arches, spanning its substantial streets, to represent the
agriculture of the Colony. The other main Trinidad industries, asphalt
and oil, were well in evidence in the smooth surface found upon the
roads along which the Royal procession passed. The crowds lining the
route were made up in fairly equal proportions of negroes, East Indians,
and persons of mixed or "coloured" race. Few Europeans were seen until
the Legislative Council building and the Town Hall were reached, where
they were in considerable numbers. Those presented to the Prince
included Messrs. De B. Best, Colonial Secretary, H. B. Walcott,
Controller General, A. G. Bell, Director of Public Works, L.
Elphinstone, Solicitor-General, Colonel Mui, Commandant of the Local
Forces, Major Rust, acting President of the Civic Council, Rev. Dowling,
Catholic Archbishop, Dr. Ansley, Anglican Bishop, Sir Alfred Smith,
Chief Justice, also Justices Russell and Deane, and Father de Caignai,
Head of the Tunapuna Monastery.
The official address, read by the Governor, made special mention of how
much the island owes to the British Navy, and the Prince in the course
of his reply also dwelt upon this matter: "You have well referred," he
said, "to the security enjoyed by Trinidad during the Great War, in
which the people of this colony contributed in worthy measure to the
victory of British arms. I am particularly glad to have this opportunity
of congratulating the colony upon its fine services, and of meeting some
of the gallant men whom it sent overseas. I am also much pleased to hear
the colony appreciates how much it owes to the Royal Navy for its
tranquil prosperity during those terrible years." Touching upon more
local matters, the Prince said the colony had given a high measure of
prosperity to those whose forbears had made it their home. It had also
provided new opportunities for progress and well-being for a large
immigrant population from His Majesty's Indian Empire. "I feel sure," he
added, "that all its people, not only long established but recently
arrived, will do all in their power to maintain its good traditions of
law-abiding progress and loyalty to British ideals."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account