"Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen,--I rejoice at again being able to renew my acquaintance with your ancient borough, and I return you my grateful thanks for the expressions of goodwill which you have paid me. The sentiments of loyalty conveyed in your address are most gratifying proofs of the feelings which animate the inhabitants of Plymouth towards Her Majesty the Queen and the members of the Royal family. I have frequently visited your borough, but never on so important an occasion as the present, when a work of no ordinary magnitude has been completed. As High Steward of the Borough, I cannot but take an especial interest in all that relates to its welfare or adds to its embellishment, and it gave me peculiar pleasure to accede to the request that was made to me that I should open this magnificent building. In conclusion, let me congratulate most heartily all those who have been concerned in the undertaking on the success which has attended their labours, and, connected as I am with your town, I feel proud to think it has been the result of local genius, perseverance, and energy." An elegant silver key was then presented by the Mayor with which the Prince opened the new Guildhall. A banquet followed, at which, in response to the toast of the Prince and Princess of Wales, His Royal Highness spoke as follows:-- "Mr. Mayor, my Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen,--I beg to return you, Mr. Mayor, my most cordial thanks for the manner in which you have been kind enough to propose my health, and to you, ladies and gentlemen, for the kind way in which you have been pleased to receive it. This is by no means my first visit to your ancient town. I have on frequent occasions spent some very agreeable days here; but among all the different visits that I have paid none will have been more interesting to me than the present one, nor more vividly impressed on my memory. I assure the Mayor and citizens of this town that great pleasure and gratification was afforded me in opening this magnificent hall, all the more so as my name is connected with your town as your High Steward. I esteem it a great honour to have that title, though the duties are certainly very slight; and if those duties consist only in coming here and being so kindly and cordially received by you all, I think I have every reason to congratulate myself. I congratulate those gentlemen who have built this hall, and who, I think, have every reason to feel satisfaction with its appearance and its prospects of future success. To you, Mr. Mayor, who have taken such pains during the last five years, as Chairman of the Guildhall Committee, it must be very gratifying; and allow me also to have the pleasure of offering my sincere congratulations to the Mayor of Devonport, as one of the architects of this Guildhall. I again beg to thank you for