Towards the end of November the King visited Durham, and in his reply to the inevitable address gave some interesting reminiscences of the late Bishop of the diocese. He said:-- “Dr. Lightfoot, who was transferred from his theological studies in the University of Cambridge to undertake the administration of a large and important diocese, evinced a powerful personality of character through the brilliancy of his intellect, his profound learning, his earnest piety, and a capacity for organisation so remarkable as almost to appear intuitive.… I may mention that I myself was personally acquainted with Bishop Lightfoot when I was an undergraduate at Cambridge, and I wish to add my own testimony to the admiration and regard with which he inspired all who, like myself, had the advantage of knowing him.” On 21st December Queen Alexandra received a grateful address from the chairmen of the sixty local committees who were entrusted with the management of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee dinner fund for the poor of London, and so ended this eventful year. CHAPTER XVIII LATER YEARS--A SERIOUS ACCIDENT TO THE KING--GRADUAL RECOVERY--THE ATTEMPT ON THE KING’S LIFE The year 1898, destined to bring His Majesty a serious accident and a tedious convalescence, opened uneventfully. On New Year’s Day the King accepted the post of Patron of the Fourth International Congress of Zoology, which had arranged to meet at Cambridge in August. In January, too, the Brixton branch of the Social Democratic Federation sent to the King a proposal that the Government should organise a system of State maintenance of the underfed London school children. In reply, Sir F. Knollys wrote:-- “His Royal Highness directs me to assure you that he feels the greatest sympathy for the large number of underfed and half-starved children living in London, and although he is afraid he does not feel himself at liberty to support your particular proposal, it will give him much pleasure to send a donation to the London Schools Dinner Association, which he understands is doing very good work in the required direction.” In March the King went to Cannes, and saw President Faure in Paris on his way thither. On 10th March His Majesty laid the first stone of a new jetty at Cannes in the midst of a brilliant assemblage. He said, speaking to the Mayor:--