The Town Clerk having read the Address from the ancient borough, which was first incorporated by a charter of Edward III., in 1342, and had figured in subsequent history, especially at the time of the Spanish Armada, the Prince, in reply, said:—
"On behalf of the Princess of Wales, as well as on my own behalf, I offer my sincere thanks to you for your address and for your cordial welcome to us on our visit to this ancient and beautiful town. The salubrity of the climate of Dartmouth and the excellence of your sanitary arrangements have long been known to me, and I can appeal to no better proof of my entire confidence in them than that afforded by the step I have taken in sending our two sons to be educated on board the Britannia. I beg to assure you that with that step both the Princess and myself are perfectly satisfied. I trust you will continue to devote your attention as you have done in the past to the improvement of the sanitary arrangements of the town. I thank you again for the kind wishes you have expressed towards the Princess, myself, and our family."
The Prince also congratulated the Mayor, Sir Henry Seale, on the splendid effect of the illuminations of the previous evening. Accompanied by the Municipal authorities, and by the Duke of Connaught, Prince Louis of Battenberg, and a numerous retinue, the Prince and Princess then proceeded to the Britannia for the distribution of the prizes. They were received by Mr. W. H. Smith, then First Lord of the Admiralty, and the other Lords; by the Commander-in-Chief of the Plymouth division of the Channel Fleet; and Captain Fairfax of the Britannia. Between 500 and 600 of the friends or relatives of the cadets, and other invited guests, among whom were Lord and Lady Charles Beresford, Sir Samuel and Lady Baker, were assembled on the quarter-deck, sheltered from the sun by a canopy of flags, surmounted by the flag of Denmark, and the white ensign of England.
The distribution of the prizes took place, a report on the state of the training having been previously read by Dr. Hirst, director of studies at the Greenwich Naval College, who had superintended the examination of the cadets.
After the distribution, the Prince of Wales, standing on the deck in the uniform of a captain of the Royal Naval Reserve, said:—
"My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen,—Permit me to express to you the great pleasure it has given the Princess to present the cadets who are about to leave the Britannia the prizes which they have so successfully won, and to express to you on my own part as well as on that of the Princess the very great pleasure it has given us to be here to witness and take part in these interesting proceedings. From Dr. Hirst we heard a most interesting and exhaustive speech regarding the studies of the cadets and their merits. I can only wish those who are about to leave the Britannia, and who have now fairly entered that noble service for which they have been trained, all possible success. Let me hope that the tuition they have received here will not be thrown away upon them, and that they may all emulate those bright examples to be found in English history and of which every naval officer must be proud. To those cadets who still remain on board this ship I can only recommend strict assiduity to their studies and strict obedience to discipline, and all of them to try to pass out of the Britannia as highly as they can, remembering, above all, that saying which one of our greatest admirals has handed down to posterity—'England expects every man will do his duty.' A personal interest which the Princess and myself take in this ship and the confidence we have of its being an excellent practical school for boys have been testified by the fact that we have sent our two sons among you to be educated. For myself, my only hope and trust is that they may do credit to the ship and to their country."
Mr. W. H. Smith, M.P., First Lord of the Admiralty, thanked their Royal Highnesses for their welcome presence, and called upon the cadets to give three cheers for the Prince and Princess of Wales. The cheers were prolonged to three times three, caught up in row-boats around, and echoed by the high banks of the Dart. The chief captains of the cadets, who are mainly responsible for discipline and occupy a place of honour in the ship's mess-room on the main deck, were presented to the Prince and Princess, and the proceedings came to an end. Captain and Mrs. Fairfax had the honour of entertaining the Royal personages and a select party at luncheon. Later in the day the Prince of Wales paid a visit to Captain Zirzow, on the German Imperial frigate Niobe, and drank a glass of wine to the health of the Emperor of Germany. Captain Zirzow telegraphed at once to the Emperor that the Prince of Wales had called a health to him.
When the Prince and Princess arrived at Dartmouth on Tuesday they were rowed to the Britannia, one of their sons steering and the other pulling the second bow oar. They left the ship in a boat rowed by full-grown sailors, and with their two sons, who were going home for their holidays, sitting in the stern sheets. From the Britannia to the landing-place, which was brightly draped with crimson cloth, hawsers were stretched and thus a clear lane was kept among the crowd of craft for the passage of the Royal boat. Tho cadets of the Britannia sat in their blue coats with tossed oars, and cheers were raised by those on the boats, yachts, the many little steam launches, and the shore. Little girls threw flowers before the Princess as she stepped upon the landing stage. A special train was waiting to meet the ordinary mail from Penzance and Plymouth.
So ended a visit which formed an interesting incident in the family life of the Prince, and the events of which will long be remembered in South Devon.