Volume One - Into the Victorian Age - The official opening of the docks . . .

God grant that her boy, the scion of a noblestock, who sat beside her, might attain mature age, and might even live to see a further outlay, equal to that of the Bute interest, at this place, so that the vast resources of this mineral district, and particularly of the estates which he would inherit from his ancestors, might be fully developed by adequate dock and railway accommodation. The history of this nation would prove that its great source of wealth and prosperity was the development of its resources in minerals. Where did coal and iron exist in such virgin abundance as in this district. He felt that the Taff Vale Railway Company had undertaken a great responsibility in agreeing to pay forty of fifty thousand pound a year rental for this undertaking; but they had not incurred that responsibility without satisfying themselves that this undertaking was a wholesome and necessary one for the district, and that consequently it would develop a sufficient traffic to make it remunerative to both companies.

Something had to said of "rival undertakings." He detested the phrase. It was apt to lead to bad feelings. He did not call this a rival undertaking to the Bute Docks. Lord Bute had conferred a great benefit on the district by providing facilities for shipping a large quantity of minerals. This Company, looking forward to a continuance of the progress which the trade had thus exhibited, had come forward to double the capacities for export. He believed that ere long a time would come when even these increased facilities would prove insufficient. As for the Taff Vale Railway, they were chained to their post, bound on the one hand by their agreement with Lord Bute, and on the other by the arrangement they has entered into with this undertaking. As long as he had health and strength and presided over the Taff Vale Company, he would answer for it that they would honestly, faithfully, and with the utmost integrity, perform all that they had agreed, or that could be fairly expected of them. (Applause.)

The Chairman next gave "The Right Hon. the Baroness Windsor." He observed that Lady Windsor was the owner of the soil on which they were assembled, and a warm patroness and supported of the enterprise which they were met to celebrate, - which she rightly considered would be of great advantage not only to her own property, but to the commercial and general prosperity of this district. (Cheers.)

The Hon. Captain Clive, in the name of Lady Windsor, begged to return his thanks for the cordiality evinced in the reception of the toast. It was a very great pleasure and satisfaction to Lady Windsor that she had health and strength to attend on this occasion, and to see with own eyes the completion of this gigantic undertaking, in which, for a long time she had a deep interest, believing it to be fraught with benefit to her own estates. (Cheers.)