In 1871, the Duke of Edinburgh, Master of the Trinity House, had returned to England, and on the 24th of June took his place as President at the annual banquet. The Prince of Wales was present, and a distinguished company.
In proposing the health of the Prince of Wales, the Master thanked him for having performed the duties of the Mastership during his absence. Three years before he had jocularly called the Prince his younger Brother. He had since become an Elder Brother, but, in respect of the Trinity House, he, as Master, was still the eldest brother. The Prince, in reply, said:—
"It is a great pleasure to me to have my health proposed by my brother in the kind manner in which he has proposed it. He has been pleased to allude to what I call the small duties which I have had to perform at the Trinity House in his absence. I think all the Brethren are well aware that it gave me great satisfaction to be able to do anything during my brother's absence; and I only regret that I had not more to do; but the real duties were, in fact, performed by a gentleman who now sits on my right (the Deputy Master), and I have to thank him and all the Brethren for the assistance they rendered during the interregnum. My brother is now on half-pay, but the time may come when he will again have an important command. In that event I shall be glad again to be of any service during his absence, and the Trinity House may always count upon my placing myself at their disposal."
The usual toasts were given, and responded to. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales gave Her Majesty's Ministers, saying:—
"To whatever party they belonged, so long as they performed their duty to the Crown and upheld the dignity and honour of the country, they were entitled to the compliment he now asked the company to pay to them, and he had great pleasure in coupling the toast with the name of his noble and learned friend the Lord Chancellor."
The Lord Chancellor responded, saying that there was not among the methods of preserving peace any greater or more effective means than that of maintaining in its full force and activity the great Navy of England, which must be looked upon by every Government with unmixed admiration; and he trusted, whatever differences might exist on other subjects, Her Majesty's Government would show that they had one common object, the maintenance of the maritime reputation, honour, and dignity of the country.
Mr. Milner Gibson, by command of the Master, proposed a toast always given at the Trinity House anniversaries: "The maritime and commercial interests of the country, and the President of the Board of Trade." Having himself long held the office of President of the Board of Trade, Mr. Milner Gibson bore testimony to the efficient administration by the Trinity House of the funds placed at their disposal. As the funds came from a tax on the shipping and trade of the country, it is a right and constitutional thing that the expenditure should be controlled by the Minister of Commerce, responsible to Parliament. He could say that the lights on the coast of the United Kingdom were equal, if not superior, to the lights which existed in any other country in the world. Under the control of the Board of Trade we had made great improvement in the system of lighting our coasts, coupled with a reduced charge upon the trade of the country.
It might have been added that it was when the Prince Consort was Master that more constitutional relations between the Trinity House and the Government came into operation, the funds being supplied by the Board of Trade, and administered by the Corporation, who then had what they called "new Sailing Orders" for their guidance.