Mayor of Liverpool.
In 1880 I was elected Mayor of Liverpool, an honour which I very greatly esteemed. It was an eventful year, for many distinguished strangers visited Liverpool. General Sir Frederick Roberts came as the hero of the hour after his wonderful march from Cabul to Candahar. He was entertained at a banquet, and an At Home at the Town Hall, and he with Lady Roberts stayed with us for three days at Blundellsands.
Among other visitors we entertained were Lord Lytton, then Governor-General of India; and King Kallikahua, the King of the Sandwich Islands. His Majesty was very dignified, and accepted quite as a matter of course the royal salutes fired by the guard ship in the river as we passed by in the Dock Board tender. At the banquet in the evening I was warned by his equerry that I must try and prevent His Majesty imbibing too freely. It was not an easy thing to do, but to the surprise of my guests I stopped the wine and ordered cigars; this had the desired effect. I believe this was the first time smoking was allowed at a Town Hall banquet.
The King had with him a big box full of Palais Royal decorations which he showed me, but with which, fortunately, he did not offer to decorate me.