At the Guildhall Banquet truly every toast was honoured duly, And the Yankee Engineers received a bumper, John Bull. The old "Star-spangled Banner," sung by Fryer in a manner All his own, made every Yankee heart a thumper, John Bull. It seemed to float right o'er us as we all joined in the chorus, And drank the loving cup in Civic style, John Bull. Well, and here's three hearty cheers for Old England's Engineers, Who make the best of your queer little isle, John Bull. 'Tisn't long, 'tis rayther narrow, but Laird, Bessemer, and Yarrow, With Armstrong, Whitworth, Maudslay, Ford, and Rennie,[7] John Bull. And others quite as clever use their very best endeavour To make their little land as good as any, John Bull. We must presently go back, and when on the homeward track The results of our excursion we shall tot, John Bull, And shall find ourselves agreeing we have seen _some_ things worth seeing In the land of Telford, Stephenson, and Watt, John Bull. [Footnote 7: The Maudslays, Joseph and Thomas Henry, were both famous marine engineers; the Rennies, George and Sir John, carried on the business and enhanced the repute of their father, a famous civil engineer and pupil of James Watt. Ford is probably a misprint for Fox (Sir Douglas Fox), the engineer of the Mersey Tunnel. Mr. Fryer, the vocalist of the evening, was a professional singer.] [Illustration: SALTS AND STOKERS VULCAN (Chief Engineer): "Yes, Ma'am, things _do_ look bad, and won't be better till you make a change in your officering! It's been Captain Nep's boys till now--it must be _both_ our boys in future!!"] "Snapshot" photography is mentioned, but one cannot say honourably mentioned, in 1887, and in 1892 the "detective" camera is spoken of as a fashionable plaything. The introduction of the Parcel Post in 1883 inspires a burlesque correspondence on its abuse by the senders of unsuitable articles, such as red herrings. In 1890 the Jubilee of the Penny Post is celebrated in a ballad in praise of Rowland Hill, always one of _Punch's_ heroes, who had carried his point though denounced as a lunatic. PART II THE SOCIAL FABRIC CROWN AND COURT It was in keeping with the "Orientalism" which coloured Disraeli's conception of Empire that his return to power in 1874 should be marked by a strengthening of the ceremonial ties linking the throne with our great Eastern Dependency. In 1875 the Prince of Wales visited India; in 1876 the Queen assumed the title of Empress of India. _Punch_ showed no lack of good will in speeding the Prince on his journey, while frankly criticizing the incidence of the cost. The grant of money for his expenses was opposed in the House in January, and _Punch_ admitted that the opposition was not altogether captious:--