erous hospitality extended to Col. Henry Walker and his associates, who represented this corps at the celebration of its three hundred and fiftieth anniversary," I have prepared and this day forwarded a set of resolutions which also have been unanimously indorsed by my command.

Please present them to the Honourable Artillery Company with my personal as well as my official compliments, and believe me, with great respect,

Your obedient servant,

HENRY WALKER, Commanding

the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company.

H. A. C.

ARMOURY HOUSE, FINSBURY.

MAY 14, 1888.

Sir, I am directed by the President, Vice-President, and Court of Assistants to acknowledge receipt of the vote of thanks passed by the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts, which they received with much pleasure; and I am to inform you that it has been placed in a conspicuous place in the Court Room, to remind the company of their brethren in arms in America. Yours very sincerely, R. W. BLAND-HUNT,

COL. WALKER, Commanding

Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Boston.

The resolutions were as follows:

Secretary.

At a meeting of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts, U. S. A., held at its armory in Faneuil Hall, Boston, on Sept. 30, A. D. 1887, it was unanimously

Resolved, That the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts has learned with unfeigned pleasure of the kind reception and generous hospitality extended to its Commander and his associates by Captain-General and Colonel, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, the Lieutenant-Colonel, His Grace the Duke of Portland, the officers and members of the Honourable Artillery Company of London, at the celebration of their three hundred and fiftieth anniversary, and rejoices in the friendly relations existing between the two companies as a bond of brotherhood, uniting not only them but also the nations they represent.

Resolved, That for the courtesies thus shown to its Commander and other members this company tenders its warmest thanks to the parent company, and its earnest wishes that the cordial feeling of kinship now animating the two organizations may continue and increase.

HENRY WALKER (COLONEL), Captain commanding the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts.

The resolutions were handsomely engrossed on parchment, and placed in a heavy carved oaken frame. On the centre of the upper side of the frame was a large spread eagle. At each of the upper corners were two cannon crossed, and at the lower corners were crossed muskets, espontoons and halberds, all the ornamentation being carved out of oak.

RECEPTION

AT THE ARMORY OF THE ANCIENT AND HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY, AUG. 29, 1887.

From the hour the delegation of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company landed in England on its visit to the parent company, its movements were watched with the greatest interest, not only by members of its own organization but also by the citizens of Boston at large. That interest daily increased as the telegraph brought to them the story of the cordial welcome given to their representatives, and of the successful manner in which their dignity and good name had been upheld. Both company and people were greatly gratified at the result of the mission, and the feeling became general that some public recognition should be made of the services which had redounded so much to the credit of both and had strengthened the hold of the company upon the confidence and good-will of the community.

Pursuant to this feeling a meeting of the company was held at its armory, Aug. 15, 1887, Major James P. Frost, First Lieutenant, presiding. After a full discussion it appeared to be the unanimous wish of those present that a reception should be tendered to the delegation in such a way that all the members of the company could join in it. Major George S. Merrill, Col. Edward Wyman, Major James P. Frost, Adj. George A. Keeler, and Serg. Amasa W. Bailey were appointed a committee with full power to take all measures necessary for carrying out the wishes of the company.

The committee decided to give the delegation a reception and dinner at the armory as soon as possible after the return of the Commander and Mr. F. A. Walker, who were to be the last of its members to reach home. It was also decided to meet the steamship "Catalonia," upon which they were to take passage, at the mouth of Boston Harbor.

On the afternoon of Aug. 26th, the committee, together with Lieut. George H. Allen and Serg. Edward Sullivan, took up its quarters at Hotel Pemberton, Nantasket, there to await the arrival of the "Catalonia." Through the kindness of Dr. C. H. Cogswell, Port Physician, arrangements were made for a passage to the steamship as soon as she should be sighted, on board the quarantine boat the " Vigilant."

At 5.20 o'clock on the morning of Aug. 27th, the "Catalonia" came in sight. Soon the " Vigilant was alongside with the committee on board, where, with but little delay, it was joined by Commander Walker and Mr. F. A. Walker, who left the steamship amid the cheers and good wishes of their fellow-voyagers only to find a warmer greet

ing from their comrades. The "Vigilant" immediately landed its passengers in Boston, there to await the formal reception to them arranged for the evening of the Monday following.

Early on the evening of Aug. 29th, the company began to assemble in its armory eager to welcome its representatives home. An informal reception was held in the library, where the hearty hand-shaking and the heartier words of congratulation told the Commander and his Associates how highly their conduct abroad was appreciated at home. The dinner was given in the armory where three tables were laid in the form of a trident and ornamented with flowers, the hall itself, with its pictures, its hundred portraits of Past Commanders, its score of old flags and other articles of interest, requiring no further decoration. Before the Commander's seat at the table was a beautiful bed of roses and asters, the gift of Serg. John Galvin to him.

At 8.15 o'clock, Major Frost entered the hall with Commander Walker, followed by the other members of the delegation which visited London. Their entry was a signal for all present to rise and join in round after round of cheers. Every seat was occupied, over two hundred members of the company being present.

Dinner being over, Major Frost called the company to order, saying: Gentlemen of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, - Permit me, first, to congratulate you upon the success of this evening. Upon very short notice this little gathering was started, and it is owing entirely to your enthusiasm and kindly regard for the reputation of this old company that you have gathered here so promptly and in such numbers. It has well been said that the Ancients never do anything by halves, and that their motto is, What is worth doing at all is worth doing well." That every seat is occupied to-night shows your interest in welcoming back to old Boston the delegates which you officially sent to England a few weeks since. This is the first time, so I believe, in the history of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company that an official delegation has visited our parent company in London. With the original plan of the way in which our company was to be there represented and of the means adopted for carrying it out, matters in which we were all interested, you are already familiar. You also know full well the liberal manner in which you supported the delegation. This is an unusual occasion, and it demonstrates your good-will and fraternal spirit toward your Commander, your second lieutenant and the entire delegation. Not once have they forgotten their duty as members of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company; not once has your Commander forgotten his dignity as the Commander of this company. He has borne himself as a true American citizen and a loyal citizen of old Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He has so fulfilled his duty as to create a favorable impression under all circumstances and in whatever position he has been placed. He brings back to you the good name of Boston and the reputation of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts untarnished. I need not say, Col. Walker, that this is the spontaneous greeting of your comrades. We know full well, from the English press, of your reception there and what you have done. We hope that

you will accept our gathering here to-night as a token of our earnest approval, and that you, together with the other members of the delegation, will make themselves heard on the subject of the trip. [Three cheers and a tiger for Commander Walker and his Associates in the delegation were given with a will.]

MAJOR FROST. —I take pleasure in introducing to you one whom you well know, Col. Walker.

Commander Walker responded with the following address:

Comrades and Friends, — When, a few weeks since, I stood before a brilliant gathering of the Honourable Artillery Company of London as your representative and received a most hospitable welcome, I said that my heart was almost too full to utter the thanks I felt. Much greater is my embarrassment now to find words in which to thank you for this your unexpected welcome to me and to those who with me carried over the sea your good wishes to our ancestral corps. It proves the truth of the saying that a prophet is never without honor excepting among his own kindred and in his own country. All rules are proven by the exceptions and this generous, spontaneous welcome is the exception. The commission, as your Commander, with which you honored me, brought with it great responsibilities in this Jubilee Year of our mother company and of our own: two organizations whose age, relationship, character and history make them fitting representatives of the two great peoples of which they form a part. Separated for two and a half centuries, they have, until within the past few years, known but little of each other, that little being limited chiefly to a correspondence between individual members.

There were, however, two marked events which gave them a common interest, the acceptance by the late Prince Consort, and afterward by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales of an honorary membership in the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, each at the time of his acceptance commanding the Honourable Artillery Company of London. Neither organization, however, until now, seemed to appreciate fully the peculiarity of that relationship and character, the length of that life of each and the importance of the historical epochs which it covered and in which it had shared. The growth of such a personal intercourse, gradually increasing and leading to an official one, culminated this year. Within a twelvemonth of each other the anniversary of their respective natal days stand, marking by centuries the life of each and, for the first time in their histories, calling them together around each other's festal board to enjoy each other's hospitality, to mutually congratulate each other on their past and to wish each other prosperity in the future. That our company should be fittingly represented at the three hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Honourable Artillery Company; that in word and act we should show that the children had not deteriorated by being transplanted; that, as Americans believing in our own country and its institutions, we were broad enough to be proud of our connection with the company from which we sprang and to see and acknowledge all that was good in it and our motherland; in fine, to show that our organization was one to which the other might gladly claim relationship was a work, the responsibility of which fell largely upon me as your Commander. I have tried not to disappoint your hopes, as did every man of your delegation with me. They are worthy of your thanks and mine for the continued support given by them to me and for the creditable manner in which they performed every duty assigned to them.

Of the visits to be interchanged by the two organizations the first has been made. Boston has visited London. Your representatives found there a military company, the Honourable Artillery, venerable in its age and surroundings but ever young in its character, complete in all arms, efficient and soldierly, and a host whose hospitality was unbounded, or limited, if at all, only by the physical endurance of its guests. To His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, its Captain-General and Colonel, our company is under deepest obligations for special honors conferred on its delegation. To the Duke of Portland, to the Court of Assistants, to the Committee under the chairmanship of Capt. Williams, to all the Officers and Members of the Honourable Artillery are we greatly indebted. In all one purpose was evident, that was to give us a welcome which should insure our pleasure and comfort during our stay with them, and that purpose was accomplished in letter and in spirit. I know of nothing done which ought not to have been done and nothing left undone which ought to have been done.

Next year London will visit Boston. I know you and our community well enough to believe that you will open wide your hearts, that our good city will fling wide open its gates, aye, and keep them open to every man of the Honourable Artillery of London who shall honor our two hundred and fiftieth anniversary with his presence. I gave them a cordial invitation to come. I knew you would indorse it by both word and act.

How the responsibility placed upon me has been met I leave others to say, but as I look upon your faces so full of welcome and listen to your words of congratulation I can but feel that you are satisfied and I am content, the more so as I fain believe that our brethren across the ocean will cordially say amen to your good wishes for me and those who, with me, were their guests. To you and them my thanks are due, and to you and them, not two companies, but one in bonds of loving fraternity, I give them with all my heart.

At the close of the address Commander Walker in an informal way gave a very interesting account of the experience of the delegation in London. As he afterward made a report of the same matter in writing to the company, which is to be found in another part of this record, it is deemed unnecessary to repeat it here.

MAJOR FROST.-Some of the English papers evidently labored under an erroneous impression regarding our delegation that visited London. Upon its arrival at Liverpool, one of them cabled to America, and the message was copied here, that the famous shooting team of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Boston had arrived in Liverpool and that the famous rifle shot. Col. Bodine, was one of its members. It appears that Lieut. Fottler had been mistaken for Col. Bodine. Now, although Lieut. Fottler may not have sought this honor, it is unmistakably true that he did score an unqualified triumph on every occasion at which he was present. Gentlemen. I take pleasure in presenting Lieut. Fottler.

LIEUT. FOTTLER'S SPEECH.

Mr. Chairman and Comrades of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Com pany,-Our Commander, Col. Walker, has given you such a free and full account