On Monday the Queen, on her way North, stopped to
open formally the Manchester Ship Canal, and to declare that the great inland city had become a sea-port. In going and coming from the Canal, the Queen drove through eight miles of streets densely packed with Manchester and Salford men and women. At the docks, the Queen entered the Admiralty yacht, 'Enchantress,' which, escorted by the gunboats, 'Seagull' and Speedy,' had come up the Canal, and seated on a dais, made a sort of triumphal tour of the docks and the mouth of the Canal, in the presence of some fifty thousand spectators, for whom stands had been provided, and of an immense unprivileged multitude who lined the quays. One incident of the ceremony was specially picturesque. While on the waters of the Canal, and in fall view of their townspeople, the Mayors of Manchester and Salford kneeled at the Sovereign's feet and were bidden to arise Sir Anthony (Marshall) and Sir William (Bailey). This open-air knighting on ship-board had in it an Elizabethan spirit which has quite taken the fancy of the nation. The pageant was in every way worthy of the great city, and is a public pledge that Manchester is absolutely determined to make the Canal a success. Meantime it is essential that something should be done to keep the canal water from festering. It is a point of honour not to complain of the smell, but if we get a hot summer the result on the health of Salford might be disastrous.
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