England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century; Great Britain -- History -- William IV, 1830-1837
"Their Majesties proceeded to the top of the stairs, where the
sword and keys of the City were tendered to the King by the
Lord Mayor, and, on returning them, his Majesty signified his
wish that they should remain in his Lordship's hands. The
Chairman of the Committee then presented his Majesty with a gold
medal, commemorative of the opening of the bridge, having, on one
side, an impression of the King's head, and, on the reverse, a
view of the new bridge, with the dates of the present ceremony,
and of the laying of the first stone. As soon as these
formalities had been completed, the whole of the Royal party had
assembled in the pavilion, their Majesties proceeded to the end
of the bridge, attended by their Royal Highnesses, the Dukes of
Cumberland and Sussex, and by the principal members of the Royal
family. The officers of the Royal household, nearly all the
ministers, and a vast number of the nobility, and of the members
of the House of Commons, composed the Royal procession. In going
to, and returning from the Surrey end of the bridge, their
Majesties threw medals to the spectators on each side of them.
"As soon as it was announced that his Majesty was approaching the
bridge, Mr. Green had caused his balloon to be filled, and just
as the Royal procession had reached the Surrey side of the
bridge, Mr. Green made his ascent. His Majesty showed himself
from the parapets on either side of the bridge to the assembled
multitudes below.
"After the conclusion of this ceremony, the Royal party returned
to the pavilion, where a cold collation was laid out. A similar
repast was served up to the guests at all the other tables. After
the healths of the King and Queen had been drank, amid loud
acclamations, the Lord Mayor presented a gold cup of great beauty
to the King, who said, taking the cup, 'I cannot but refer, on
this occasion, to the great work which has been accomplished by
the citizens of London. The City of London has been renowned for
its magnificent improvements, and we are commemorating a most
extraordinary instance of their skill and talent. I shall propose
the source whence this vast improvement sprung. 'The trade and
commerce of the City of London.' The King then drank of what is
called the 'loving cup,' of which every other member of the Royal
family partook.
"At six o'clock their Majesties re-embarked, amidst the same loud
cheering, firing of artillery, ringing of bells, and other marks
of respect which had marked their progress down."
As a pendant to this picture, let us read a paragraph out of the
_Times_ of August 4th:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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