Physical description
Blue hard covered 35 page book with an address, a reponse from Prince Alfred, and a number of signatures.
Inscriptions & markings
To his Rotal highness Prince Alfred Ernest Albert Duke of Edinburgh K.G. &c &c &c
May it please Your Royal Highness.
We the undersigned, being Colonists of Victoria wirh expressions of a Century and upwards venture to approach you Royal Highness with expressions of unaltered loyalty to Her Majesty's throne and person, and our very sincere and heart congratulations to your Royal Highnedd on your auspicious visit to his distant dependency of the British Empire.
We can confiently assure your Royal Highness that however attractive Republicans Institutions may be to many young communitites generally Victoria is in the main free from the taint of any such prediliction. The loyalty and attachment to Monarchial Government of those numbered amonst her older Colonists have been strenghtened bu their enlarged and by the deep connection ever increasing with their ripening years that their material interests will be best protected by the perpetuation of the intimate connexion with the Great Empire over which Her Majesty rules - an Empire the Language, Laws, Customs and Institutions of which it is their privelige to inherit.
We may be allowed to esteem the visit of your Royal Highness to these shores as of teh utmost importance, regarded from the Imperial as well as from a Colonial point of view. Your Royal Highness has now had an opportunity of satisfying yourself, and may bear testimony on your return to Europe that the Colonists of Victoria, although they have left their Mother COuntry, have not lost the spirit of enterprise, the energy, the self-reliance, the love of law and order which distinguish the British Race - and that in common with their fellow countrymen at home they possess qualities, the possessoin of which by her peple has made England great and glorious amongst the nations - while your presence here proves to the Colony at large, be especially to our Colonial born youth that Her Majesty 's solicitude for our welfare is unabted.
Wish a sincere hope that the visit of your Royal Highness to the other COlonies of the Australian Group may be gratifying to you, and your ultimate return to the Royal Circle safe and attended with every happiness.
We beg leave to remain,
With the greatest respect,
Your Royal Highness'
Most humble and most obedient servants,
Signature Date of arrival in the Colony.
Edward Henty Novr 19th 1834
Francis Henty Decr 9th 1834
John Pascoe Fawkner Oct 9th 1835
Many ignatures follow including
John Wilson Novr 1841
Joseph Bickett 27 September 1842
Theophilis Dredge January 1839
Archibald Fisken August 1839
Samuel Legge April 1841
David Coghill March 1838
Joseph L'Estrange 1849 December
Thomas W. Wills Dec 1839
James Cuthbert November 1840
John Lamb May 1838
John Hogan November 1839
William Higgenbotham Born Oct 19th 1840
Richard Winter January 1840
Alexander Aitken Born Melbourne June 30 1842
William Cross Yuille February 1837
George Black Decr 1840
Peter Scott Sept 1840
Robert Hoddle March 1837
Henry Darlot September 1839
W. Bacchus 1837
C.B. Hutton Feby 17th 1842
H. Gerrard Feby 1839
Thomas P. Scott 10 August 1838
William Rutledge 19th Decr 1829 in Sydney, at Melbourne in July 1838
Rodk Urquhart March 1842
Thomas Black Septr 1842
J.B. Were November 1839
Thomas Anderson 1839
John Bull June 1842
