The Duke of Cambridge, who was loudly cheered, said: "I personally am much gratified by the kind reception which has been given to my name in conjunction with this toast. His Royal Highness, with a modesty which is delightful in one in his position, has expressed diffidence in proposing it; but there is no ground for such diffidence on his part, for there is no officer in the Army that I know of who takes a more lively interest in the efficiency of the service, even in its every detail, or who, whenever the opportunity offers, shows a greater aptitude than does His Royal Highness. He has proved a most worthy spokesman for the Army on this and on many other occasions, and I am sure officers of the Army are always flattered and gratified when His Royal Highness has the opportunity of speaking of them as he has done this evening. I feel particular interest in being present here, and I beg to express to His Royal Highness, who has many and constant duties to attend to, my thanks and those of my mother, who is, unfortunately, in a very suffering state, for having, on the mere expression of a wish on her part, at once consented to preside on this occasion. I beg also to thank you for the compliment which you have paid me and my family by your attendance, for I cannot forget that this institution was originally founded in memory of my father, who had many opportunities of showing the deep interest he took in the charitable institutions of the country. On that account many of his friends were anxious that some testimonial should be established to his memory, and instead of a statue I am happy to think, as I am sure he would have been glad to know, that it took the form of the useful and necessary institution we have met here to assist. But for its aid the recipients of its benefits would have to drag out a miserable existence either in the workhouse or under even still worse circumstances. We must all feel gratified that these old women are, thanks to the benevolence of yourselves and the public, enabled to pass their last days in the comparative comfort that they find in the Asylum at Kingston. As head of the Army, I may say that a higher compliment could not possibly have been paid to it than to establish an institution such as this, and I am gratified to think that the support it has received leads us to the hope that it is now established on a solid and valuable foundation. I beg again to thank you, in the name of the Army, and to say that the service feels the deepest interest in the prosperity of the Asylum."