Australia -- Description and travel; New Zealand -- Description and travel; Windsor, Edward, Duke of, 1894-1972
That an American Company should be spending such a large sum in the
development of natural resources in British territory, was not the least
interesting feature of the situation. It is to Anglo-American
co-operation that Demerara and also the British West Indies must look
increasingly for brains, initiative, and capital for the development of
natural resources which are as yet by no means fully utilized.
The Prince returned to Trinidad through still steamy seas. Dawn on the
day after leaving Demerara found the _Calcutta_ passing the rocky
portals of the narrowest of the three channels which make up the famous
"Dragon's Mouth" entrance to the roadstead of Port of Spain. The shore
on the landward side of this entrance was dotted with pleasant
verandahed villas and fresh-tilled fields, signs of the civilization
which is pushing back the forest in all parts of the island.
On reaching Port of Spain the Prince visited H.M.S. _Calliope_, a light
cruiser just arrived from the north. He also paid a farewell visit to
the Governor, and inspected the local fire brigade. In the evening he
returned to the _Renown_, which shortly afterwards heaved up her anchors
and left harbour for Grenada.
At St. George's, the principal town of Grenada, the Prince landed on the
sheltered cove of Carenage, upon a decorated wharf on which was drawn up
a guard-of-honour of the West Indian regiment beneath the stone bastions
of an old French fort. He was received with every formality by the
principal officials, headed by Sir George Haddon-Smith, Governor of the
Windward Islands, Mr. Joyce Thomas, acting administrator of St. Vincent,
Mr. Herbert Fergusson, Colonial Secretary, Mr. E. Laborde, Colonial
Treasurer, and Sir Thomas Haycroft, Chief Justice, also the heads of the
local Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist and Catholic Churches.
Thereafter, up steep streets decorated with flowery arches, beneath the
clanging bells of numerous churches, through smiling, bowing, cheering
crowds of cheerful West Indians and their gaily dressed women and
piccaninnies, he was taken by car to the colonial Court-House, where the
leading residents were assembled. He entered through a shaded courtyard,
where he shook hands with a number of returned men and officers. The
address was read in a low-ceilinged legislative assembly room, with wide
French windows commanding a wonderful view of city and harbour.
In the course of his reply the Prince said the strength and spirit of
the British Commonwealth could not be fully grasped by anyone without
first-hand knowledge of the British Dominions and Colonies. "The more I
see of the King's world-wide possessions," he added, "the more deeply I
am impressed by the strength of the sentiment which binds them to the
Empire and the throne"--the truth of which was testified to by every
street he had passed through.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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