On Thursday the King laid the foundation-stone of the new
building of the Commonwealth of Australia in Aldwych. The King, who was accompanied by- the Queen and Princess Mary, after inspecting the guard of honour of King Edward's Horse, who with their feather-plumed hats looked like mounted Bersaglieri, entered the tent which had been erected over the site, and there listened to a very happily worded address read by Sir George Reid, the High Commissioner. The King's reply was equally happy, and specially recognized the fact that in any national emergency Australia would be ready to play her part for the common cause. " The loyalty of her sons will never be appealed to in vain." A picturesque and interesting incident in the ceremony was quite unexpected and unrehearsed. After the cheers for the King and Queen the Australians present gave their characteristic "Coo-ee- Coo-ee." The call, begun in the tent, was heard and taken up by the Australians waiting in the crowd in the Strand. We hope that the incident may become a precedent at Australian gatherings in England. It would certainly add to the picturesqueness of such ceremonials, for the bush-call is not an artificial product like the "yells" of the American University student, but a real product of the Australian soil.
