"I have been honoured by his Majesty the King, Don Alphonse XIII., with his august representation to congratulate you on the day of your centenary, and in the presence of the learned men who have assembled in this great metropolis for its celebration. In obeying the King's command, in which his Government and the Spanish people join, I honour myself, investing you, in the name of his Majesty and your motherland, with the Royal Order of Alphonse XII., as a high reward to your merits and the services rendered to mankind through your science and your labour. I feel it is also my duty to avail myself of this opportunity in order to make public the sentiments of my beloved Sovereign and of his Government, conveying sincere thanks, first to his Majesty King Edward VII., who I have just learned has most graciously conferred upon our compatriot a high distinction of this noble and hospitable country, and also to all the representatives of England and those of the learned societies here assembled to commemorate this centenary. Hearty gratefulness on behalf of Spain to all who have come and are represented here to-day to honour Don Manuel Garcia as a glory to modern science."
The Marquis de Villalobar then invested Señor Garcia with the Order, amid loud cheers. After this glowing tribute came Professor Fränkel, who said that they were assembled to honour one who had devoted his best days to the teaching of singing,—had not been content with attempting to discover the secrets of voice-culture by sound alone, but had proceeded in a thoroughly scientific way. Through his genius he had thrown light on the hitherto dark places of the larynx and the source of the living human voice. He had thereby laid the sure foundations of the physiology of the voice.
In recognition of his merits the German Emperor had conferred on him the Great Gold Medal for Science. The Minister for Public Instruction had requested him (Dr Fränkel) to present that rarely awarded distinction to Señor Garcia that day when he completed the first century of his immortality. He did so with the greatest pleasure, as one who owed a very great debt of gratitude to the method of laryngoscopy invented by their honoured friend.
An address from the Royal Society was then presented by Sir Archibald Geikie (principal secretary), Professor Francis Darwin (foreign secretary), and Professor Halliburton, F.R.S. The address, which was read by Professor Halliburton, was as follows:—
The Royal Society of London join very cordially in congratulating Manuel Garcia on the celebration of his 100th birthday.
The President and Council recall with much pleasure the circumstance that the Royal Society afforded in their 'Proceedings' the medium for publishing to the scientific world the memorable paper in which Señor Garcia laid the foundation of the experimental study of voice-production, and at the same time, through the laryngoscope, provided the starting-point for a new department of practical medical science.
The Royal Society trust that Señor Garcia may still continue for years to come to enjoy in good health the esteem which his scientific achievement and his high personal character have brought him.
Signed and sealed on behalf of the Royal Society for Promoting Natural Knowledge,
WILLIAM HUGGINS, President.
Sir Archibald Geikie (as a corresponding member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences) read the following telegram from that Academy:—