The King, who earlier in the week opened the new
galleries of the Science Museum in South Kensington, 'visited the City last Saturday to open the new building of Lloyd's. In South Kensington the prescience of the Prince Consort led to the Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1851 holding the large area of land which is gradually being covered by National Museums. In the City the King was encouraging private enterprise, and yet Lloyd's is unofficially a national, or even an international, insti- tution. Since its coffee-house days it has lodged for a century and a half in the Royal Exchange. Now it has its own fine house near-by, designed by Sir Edwin Cooper, where it will continue to do business, not only for the British Merchant Marine, but for the whole world. Such is the reputation that began to be built up in Edward Lloyd's house. And Lloyd's depends upon the Merchant Marine. We wish that we had had space last week to write of the dinner (held at the Mansion House two days before the opening at Lloyd's) of the youthful Company of Master Mariners. The Prince of Wales spoke in his capacity of Master of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets, and the Prime Minister made one of his delightfully discursive speeches, ranging from the ' Great Harry ' to the life-boat of to-day, and from philology to the piratical habits of the Welsh.
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