The Express. — London, England, 1863-03-09 00:00:00

. s 4 ;.1 i 2 ARRIVAL OF THE PRINCESS ALEXANDRA. THE DISEMBARKATION AT GRAVESEND. l i•ving at an early hour taken our stand at the river end of the gay and splendid platform of the Terrace Pier we had time to• observe the brilliant panorama which opened tefore us on the broad bosom of the river. In midwater on one side lay the Emerald, the finest wooden frigate in her his i esty's navy, and on the other the graceful corvette I cocoon, destined to be the future sea home of our ill' istrionsinvalid Prince Alfred. Up to a late hour of the morning these two grim war ships sat ur on the waters as silent as the grave, and it was not until the royal squadron came iu sight that they y A ve any sign of the teem ing life which they enclos ed. Numerous men-of-war boats darted here and t here across the river, their _business,__ being to keep a clear passage for the royal squAoron, and vessels, of various kinds, moored is various positions, , Jovered with spectators, and each provided with is band, gave wonderful life and animation to the picture. Notwithstanding the haze, the eye a nild reach anus to Tilbury Fort, and the imaginat,ion might turn the crowds that gathered there into the ancient traiu bands listening to the immortal speech with which great Queen Bess ate Bled the hearts and nerved the arms of Englishmen of the olden timeagainatthe invader. The two war-. dupe that lay in the . river way were probably of 'more force than any ten of the little fleet with whisk stout Lord Howard of Efiinghain sailed forth to meet the invader, but the men were still the same, and if the work were again to be done, they -would give a similarly good account of the enemy.. The company on the pier had ample olaserve ail these things, and to conjure alp usll those historic visions, but we strongly suspect thattheir whole attention was concentrated rather on theifuture than on the past, and that listening for the wiz strokes of the telegraph bell which was to wigaal the Prince's arrival at the railway station, or fee the boom of the cannon which was to announce that the royal squadron was iu sight, formed their piaci* amusement and occupation. Shortly after 11 o'clock the tiny Osborne darted past with 'the swiftness of an arrow, bearing the luggage of tale Princess and suite ; and people now began to •crain and stretch, and raise the hum of expects- rtion, gentlemen to get ready their hats to cheer, :and lr.dies to shake out their cambric hand iterchiefe preparatory to the usual feminine demon libations of welcome. The Recorder of the town stun down in imposing judicial costume ; but we are .bound to admit that in amplitude of wig he ;Was surpaseed by the judge of the county mart, who followed closely after. The Bishop of Rochester also appeared about this time on the 'platform in full canonicals, and freely distributed a .3wayer which his right reverence had prepared for Abe occasion but of which time and previous arrangement; did not permit the delivery. The ,mayoress, Mrs. Sams, was in attendance with a charming little bouquet to be presented to the Primness on landing, and was much commended for • the richness and good taste of her morning costume. ,The ladies will be glad to learn that Mrs. Sams' 'dress was of crystalline, the new material brought into fashion by the Princess Alice, and a I rich Paisley shawl completed the costume. There • were a few naval officers, a few military, and two or 'three volunteers clustered about the landing stage, whilst all along, on each side, the crimson benches were densely packed with fai r eager spectatom. 'Ever and anon the telegraph bell gave a little tinkle and the impatient cried out " The Prince," -but titers were a good many of these false alarms •to be gone through before his Royal Highness actually arrived. Than a salvo of artillery was heard frost the rive, and there was a still louder -about of "The Princess;" bht tidiness also doomed to be a disappointment, for it was only the Lords of the Admiralty in their yacht the Black Eagle, whom etiquette obliged the frigate and corvette to salute. At last a tremendous volley from the Shorn battery announced that the royal squadron was really approaching, and the pier became at once alive with expectation and and excitement. Mr. Sharland, the zealous and e intelligent town clerk—and who, we may ob serve by way of parenthesis, is more courteous and attentive to the representatives of the press than ' any other municipal functionary with whom it has bees oar lot to come in contact out of London— • marshaled his forties, placed his stout burgesses in their allotted positions, and unfolded to admiring eyes the richly engrossed scroll which contained the corporation address to the Princie and Princess. As • this document was pronounced to be a marvel of ornamental penmanship, it is only justice •to Mews. Hooper and Soo, of Fleet-street, to state that it was prepared in their office. The guns of the Shorn battery were quickly followed by the salvoes of the frigate and corvette, the crews of which DOW blackened the decks as if by magic, and, swarming up the rigging, proceeded to man the ! yard% sailor fashion, even up to the trucks, where a urns than ordinarily minuses tar might be seen perchedready to give an a oriel cheer of welcome. Both ships were now dressed with colours, but they were far surpassed in gay brilliancy by those of th e llricteria and Albert, which now might be seen sailing like a majestic swan slowly round to the landing stage. We have often noticed the beauty of this aplendid vessel, but she never appeared to greater a dvantage, or was an object of greater interest, than on the morning of Saturday last. Her rig ging was literally covered with flags of the most brilliant variety of colour, she glided along the water with an almost imperceptible motion, and turned toned to her allotted station with a pre cision that showed her to be handled with.= amount of nautical shill that is not always per ceptible on similar occasions. Every one knows the white deck saloon of the Victocia and Albert, with its long rows of large win dow's en each aide through which the British public 'ham Goof ten gaisk at their beloved sovereign bad her family. Never was that gammons iatenae than son the ,present occasion. A river steamer crowded with passengees hung neon the stern of the royal yacht, and with true British politeness came as close as Possible up to the windows of the saloon, In order that its human freight might stare and cheer and get a good sight of the Princess. From .the commotion on bond this vessel, the people on , the pier became aware that the Princess was show ing herself, and they waited with frantic eagerness for their tuna. A lady came to a window on the whore-side, and immediately a deafening cheer *mot* the air. Glasses wee all levelled at the attractive object, but when it was ascertained Visa the lady at the window was a dignified-looking nation of tarty, the en thusiasm was in a moment changed into a per vading estimation of amusing perplexity. There was a buzz and ham of dinappeurtmeat to be baud em every side—" That asn't be the Princess," " she is thirty," "she is forty," widths lady went solar as to exclaim" the is fifty," in assents of indignant sorrow. Vey soon, however, sunshine was re stored by the appearance of th e Princess Alexandra herself, radiant in beauty which satisfied all beholders. The pbotospraphic portraits which bus so plentifully filled the shop windows had given the British public an en tirely erroneous idea of her royal highness's dppearance, and for this simple reason, they all neosemarily have, even when coloured, a dominating tone compounded of black and white, and, there fore, it was with not lees surprise than pleasure that the thousands who clustered on Gravesend pier on Saturday gazed on a fair sunny girl with golden hair, eyes of the bright Scandinavian blue, and a complexion which rivalled our own island tint for brilliancy and purity. There was at first a universal sigh of relief, they a tremendous cheer, and, from that moment, the Princess was aecetted as the worthy bride of the heir apparent of England. It was 1191111411141 before any one thought of looking at herfoyel b#msWA dress, but when that came to be examined, the thrdlet was equally aatiefactoey. Over a Usk inaasfiroloured Irish poplin of great 5 4 •,a4 • , .t; THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, ..- --- - - - Tidiness (manufactured by Messrs. Fry and C o . of began to show itself, and the court-yard re-echoed Dublin) her royal highness wore na ample of with loud cheers. regal purple, and round her peck's vielorine • Inside th e station th ere was more ef a wi rarest Russian sable ; a white silk bonnet wi loom tea}' but: - tai; warmth poi flower' completed the toilet, which bannounied 'tin the ' cti of a. , fa 0. . with, although it could not heighten, 'the was suflitilithtly marked ill om ...,i ut ti lt natural charms of the ropd wearer. We _were tau. nog non liken one - end to the glad to observe that the al, was OtTery MOIRSIO was fl . th , fast -taste+ayienu o( s i expanse, and it is to be hoped that the shrubs statue ' being obligin the the 1 hint thus given at the very fountain-head of fashion Crystal Palace Company. Mr. B y, the architect I will not be lost on the foolish girls who are daily of the South Eastern Railway Company, deserves riskiug their toot and other lives by wearing drape- great credit for the a rrangem nisei ent of his materia an ls. ries of the most abased dimension s . The Prince The roof was a graceful of eire rgreeos d had by this time arrived at the pier, and was flowers, so disposed as to represent zig-zag lines shaking bands cordially but hurriedly with the running the whole length of the station. la each various local notabilities. His Royal Highness's division were hung large flags of different nations, eyes glanced impatiently towards the stately vessel, held at the top by wreaths of flowers, and falling which was gradually being settled in her moorings, in festoons. The distant arches of the engine-house and, no doubt, saw there metal far more attractive —visible beyond the station—were completely than even the most worthy of mayors, or even the covered with evergreens, as if overgrown with ivy. most dignified of judges or recorders. At last the The side of the platform against the walla of the gangway was run on shore, sod in another reception-rooms was decorated with rare flowers, 111001811 A the Prince might be seen hurrying along statues, and evergreens. Each pilaster bore the deck of the Victoria and Albert towards the trophies of flags and spears, so arranged as to re eutrance of the saloon. At the same moment a present a nation. The oonutries honoured in this young and graceful figure passed rapidly along the way were France, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, interior of the latter, and at the threshold his royal Prussia, Belgium, Spain, Austria, Italy, Portu, highness saluted, with the ardour of a lover , tem - Russia, Turkey, and merica- The recesses be pered by the respect of a gentleman, the lips of his tween the pilasters were filled with statues, intended bride. It was an honest, hearty English and the intermediate spaces with shrubs kiss, and the Eughsh people cheered it in a perfect and flowers. These were formed in semi-circular paroxysm of approbation. That cheer must have beds, the edges of which were made of triple lines been heard to have its loyal and virtuous of evergreen leaves, very gracefully arranged. sentiment understood, the meaning of that seuti- The whole station looked in fact like the interior went being that the English people accepted the of an elegant conservatory. kiss as the seal of a virtuous union bringing life- The platform was covered with a rich-coloured long happiness tothe royal couple, and rod example crimson cloth, over which was stretched a line of and prosperity to the entire nation. There is a crimson and black carpeting. This was swept verse of a forgotten drawing-room poet, which every quarter of an hour during the morning, describes not inadequately the character in which before the arrival of the royal party. Built up assembled thousands aooepted that royal kise of on the rails at the upper end of the station were welcome : seats raised one above the other, and filled with a Sweetest seal of soft affection, brilliant company of ladies and gentlemen, mostly Tenderest pledge of future blies, adorned with the fashionable colours and Coventry Dessert two of young opoonzioo, favours. The bulk of these seats faced the rooms of Love's first snowdrop-virgin kiss. the station, being carried a little beyond the door of There was but one wish breathed amongst the the outer reception-room, and a few were placed at myriads who witnessed the salute of Saturday last, the upper end of the platform , commanding_ hea and that was that it should prove the harbinger of p ers p ective view of the carpeted passage. T life-long love and happiness to the young and grace- amusemeut provided for the occupants of these fnl royal couple who, thus with northern openness, seats was the music playing outside the station, and had interchanged it innocently in the face of the the sight of the earliest state arrivals. The outer world. reception or ante-room, filled on one side with about A very few moments brought the Prince and his e hundred lady visitors, was crowded aboutone o'clock bride to the pier, where they were received by the with civic and state functionaries, dressed in scarlet local authorities, and two loyal addresses were and Windsor court uniforms. About twenty presen t e d, an d , to use a parliamentary phrase, re _ minutes after this, the Duke of Cambridge, at , ceived as read. tended by two aides-de-cainp, and followed by Sir ' The Printout was evidently dazzled with the Geor g e Gre y , walked on to the platform, where brilliancy of the scene, sad, above all, charmed he was soon jemed hY Sir Richard Mayne. Be with the bright array of her young amazonian was received 'by the company with loud °beers, who in armour of white mailing, scar- an d he walked some distance towards the mouth guard, and gipey hats, lined the passage on of the station, where he remained talking to Sir either side. There were fifty of these young ladies George Grey until the arrival of the royal train. in all, and as they must certainly be the founders Another quarter of an hour elapsed unbroken by of a new order of female chivalry, we here insert any particularly amusing or resitting incident, their slimes —Misses Johnson, Bond, Brightwell, except the flitting in and out of Mr. Lapin), and Chaplain, Hart, Barker, Gould, Belton, Schooling, the appearance of the Hon. Mrs. Byng, the wife Martin, Cavell, Carlin, Grey, Ackworth, Willis, of the chairman of the South-Eastern Company, Edwazds, Bra m e, Will oug hby D ura l . melo n ,with an enormous bouquet that would have filled a Coles, Frost, E. Lake, Whitley , kluht, Wright, R. small wheelbarrow. The proceedings were now Gregory, Cooper, A. M. Patten, Winnett, Pallia- diversified by the entrance of a waiter bearing a ter, Pottinger, Hilder, Hill, White, Bryan, covered dish of meat, with which he marched along Fletcher, Norris, Bromfield, Lake, Martin, Pal-the platform into the reception-room. He was li iikw, e „th y wi imet k i T roug h t „, R ou b emy , followed by another waiter, a rather fat and perspir - Williams, Sharl ' and, Schooling, Martin, Raekstraw, ing, but very self-possessed waiter, who bortlin one Waid, C ke, Losl, Newman, Terry, Fletcher, hand a plMe of horse-radish and in the other a Beverley, Matthews, Sharland. bailed &It of bottles of champagne. The appear __LTasi presented flowers with, Prince and Pris'e's ance of these two men—the sating - house heralds of along, and received in return perfect showers the royal party—was received with laughter and g-gr7c,.. smiles from b ot h the roya l couple. applause, which had hardly subsided when the A very few momenta more brought this brilliant royal train was announced , precisely at twenty pageant to an end, the royal carriages se minutes to two, or ten minutes earlier than the soon as filled filing off towards the station, the a VV ointeci twwe ' This produced en expectant Princon merely stopping tor a ta d at a stand flutter amongst the company, and the raoe-glasses in the Teams-garden which had been specially were rubbed and prepared for service. The Hon. ' allotted to the Danish residents in London. An Mrs. Byng gave a glance to her bouquet to see that ode in her native tongue was here presented to her it was m good order—that nothing bad been royal highness, which she graciously received, and dropped from the full-blown cornucopia—the the procession moved on onl y to the railway ate- emblem of plenty ; the six or eight mild policemen Lion. We have before noticed the gay appearance who, with excellent taste, were the only body of the line of route, and it now showed off to guard in the station, were ordered into rank the greatest advantage. The roadway was lined opposite the door of the outer reception room ; the on both sides by the county volunteers, end three or four " gentlemen of the press" who were most excellent order was kept by the borough not with the royal train, or at different points on police, under the able superintendence of r. the line of procession, took their places on the edge White, who has the rare faculty of doing his duty of the platform, and were the first to wed- At the amine time with palates' and firmness. cc ' the r0 ,.y e1 .,.......,..,, e4we ',.... a wh .,, ew i t d ., eceret .„ etiwih At the railway itself the county constabulary kept evergree ns , " '"'"*""" ""`""-' "P wi thi n guard, and they could only be exceeded in obstinacy twenty yards of the reserved seats. In a few seconds and stupidity by the Royal Engineers, who there the long-expected royal pair (the Windsor pair as divided the duty with them. The officer who they are now called, an old pun having been commen d e d the detachment o f th a t corps would chilly revived for the occasion) stepped briskly fiz listen to no reason, nor read any voucher that their carriage, the Duke of Cambridge, with is was presented to him, bat neolutely refused admit- usual gallantry, being the first to assist the Lean on the right arm of the Prince Lance to the representatives of the London press, who Priem ' s& would have been deprived of the opportunity of of Wales, and ing before her with a modest giving a complete record of the royal progress gratified smile, and some little apparent timidity, by the discourtesy of this person had not accident the Princess Alexandra walked slowly along the sent Mr. Porta, the station-maaler, to the rmcue platform. She was received with hearty cheers, when the latter very soon relieved the son of Mars, and the waving of hats, handkerchiefs, and beu from a responsibility to which he was evidently un- E ete, which she acknowledged by graceful b°we' equal. The journey to town was unmarked by any wren she arrived nearly in front of the door of the special incident. Numerous assemblages of the outer reception room, the Hon. Mrs. Byng presented people were gathered at the different stations, and her with the enormous bouquet before mentioned, eveywhere the welcome of the people was sum* Mrs. Byng making repeated curtseys, and the tskeable. In about fifty minutes the royal traiu Primes, repeated bows. One or two members of arrived safely at the Bricklayers' Arms station the court thought they ought to relieve her of where them etropolitan portion of the pagan this pleasing burden of flowers , but they did no might be said fairly to commence. I more than make the suggestion. The Prince of Wake looked pleased at the warm recep tion accorded to the young lady, though he hurried her over the grouud with all convenient speed. The young Princess, who has just completed ter nineteenth year, is interesting rather than strik ingly handsome or insipidly pretty. The charm of her fops, which is rather long, lies in a pensive,. amiable expression, and her smile is made very pleasing by a very good full-lipped mouth. Her nose is good • her eyes are coloured rather faintly, and her general complexion is fair. None of the photographs or lithographs do her strict justice. Her figure is neat, and showed to advantage in a tightly-fitting mantle, and she appears to be as tall as the Prince of Wales. She was, as before stated, very quietly dressed in a light mauve colourW Irish poplin, a purple velvet cloak trimmed with sable, a sable muff, a white bonnet trimmed with r mauve, and pale lavender gloves. She wore her hair in the present favourite style—brushed back from her face. The passage through the admiring crowd in the outer reception room was soon effected, and the Princes and Prince, with the rest of the royal party, which included, amongst others, the Prince of Prussia, the Duke of Sere Coburg and the Count of Flanders, passed into an inner room that was tastefully fitted up for luncheon. Beyond this again was soother elegant apartment, furnished as alhondeir for the Princess. Her father and mother eat her yo delighted with everybody and every brother and sister, who accompanied her, appeared thing. The crowd of distinguished attendants on the Prince and Princess filled the little banquetting room to overflowing, and the soup was ladled by the waiters out of the tureen into the plates in parities of extreme pressure. A littl screen standing in the outer reception room covered the opsratuass of another flurried waiter, and two of the royal grooms in full tally-ho costume kept g and out of the inner room during this Canararred in repast. How the half-dozen addresses were read and presented is a mystery which can only be unravelled by an historian with more time and patience on his bands than the correspondent of a daily p.m.—and we are glad that Mr. W. H. RusWl was on the ground —we presume in his capacity of tout chronicler. Precisely at two o'clock the outer reception-room was again filled with a bustling crowd, and some of the directors of the company helped to clear the side doorway looking on to the platform for the Princes to show herself once more to the company before entering her carriage. She earns out of the luncheon room leaning on the right arm of the Prince of Wales, looking preciselyas she had looked while talking along the platform. Her appearance at the door was the signal for • burst of ahem*. The Prince looked at her after this reception, as if to see how she bore it, and then led her up the RECEPTION AT THE BRICKLAYERS' ARM& A fan-shaped approach to the outer gateway of the Bricklayers' Arms Station was kept by a double line of soldiers and policemen, and the gateway, tastefully fitted up with evergreens, was turned into a lofty triumphal arch. This Meth was sue; mounted by the Prince of Willba's feather-4 proper, popular, but not very graoeful decoration —and the background consisted of a ray of flags and spears, the royal flag being in the centre. In this ray the Danish, Fre nc h, Austrian and Greek flip were placed on the right, and the Union Jack, Spanish,Sardinian, and Belgian flags on the left. On each side of the arch were shields surrounded by bathers showing the royal arms of England and Denmark surmounted by crowns. A rich fretwork of gold fleur-de-lis, varied with silver balls, decorated the top line of the arch, and other points were similarly decorated. The centre of the arch was appropriately occupied with the word " Welcome," formed of scarlet letters enricted with silver ball*, and set in a dense nest of evergreens. On each aide d the arch ware clumps of banners, and decorations showing rays of silver and gold, and the supporters of the arch were two lofty masts bearing the camas of England and Denmark. iestossis of the lap of all masons hung from the tops of these masts, and half way down were silver crowns, from which sprung similar banners. The station-yard was covered with greed, and on the right and left of the entrance wee spacious galleries covered with crimson cloth, interwoven with wreaths of evergreens and lowers. These seats, all covered in with sloping roofs, were filled early in the morning with a brilliantly-dressed company, conthting chiefly of ladies. The preva lence of the Danish colours, scarlet and white, was noticeable in the costumes, giving this dress circle a very gay appearance. The centre of the yard was occupied by a mare of troops—the infantry being under the ems mend of Major-General Cranford, the cavalry under the command of Major-General lowrasson, and the whole being under the command of Sir David Wood, E. C. B. , Royal Horse Artillery. Flap of all nations Laded over the simple roof of the station ; of fi cials decorated with favours bustle; about the yard • the tall dignified commander of the Meb.lit;in pollee—Sir Richard Mayne— attired in &11 court costume, rode in and out ; military and volunteer bands played at intervals I and the whole place had the look of gay lists for some grand approaching tournament. hen the Duke of Cambridge, Sir George Grey, and the Lord Mayor arrived, about twenty minutes past one o'clock, and the bands struck up the National Anthem, the mamma ed the visitors MARCH 9, in ay once more on to the platform. r Th' adt ittateteived with another and a louder burst of seller Aug . .; and when they withdrew again into the Amin, prarious to passing out of the (rent i 4 door into,. the s on-yard to their 01117411 0 3, AV i were honoured : th a sound English three times theta by the en inside. 1 The whole.l the arrangements at. the Briek layers' Arteiritation reflect the highiat credit:in everybody concerned—on the police, the militainf i , and particularly the directors and officers of the• South Eastern Railway Company. The royal train . was in chary cif ritTr. Iberia', the wefts' manager, Mr. Knight, the traffic mauager, the Hon. Mr. Byng, the chairman, and Mr. Samuel Smiles, the distinguished secretary. The arrangements in and about the station were confided to Mr. Brady, Mr. Whately, Mr. Noden, Mr. Cockburn, and Mr. Shooemith--all of whom, trusted officers of the company, were on duty. wearing favours. They have all nobly earned for their station a new title copied from something better than an old tavern in the neighbourhood: We hope that when the Princess uext goes to the Old Kent-road, it will be to a station named after her own fair self, and we shall then hear no more jokes about her making the Prince jealous by flying to the Bricklayer's Arms. SOUTHWARK. The procession was formed in the station-yard in a few minutes, and here the faithful chronicler has a most unpleasant duty to perform. He has to accuse the weather of being out of harmony with a million and a half of people, by raining on the Princess just as she began her triumphal march through London. At five minutes past two the royal procession began its journey, and at five minutea past two a sharp shower came down upon the heads of the performers and the audience. An attempt to shut in the royal carriage was met by strong signs of disapproval by the black mass of spectators ; and the popular wish was acceded to by the royal party just as the clouds began to dis perse. The muscular pushing crowd on the foot ways on each side of the Old Kent-road and the Dover-road was in no humour to be baulked of the show which it had waited patiently five or six hours to see. The shops, houses, balconies, rook churchyards, and even tress, craw med full of swaying, eager-looking human beings, were all deter:mufti that Ophelia should not be shut out of the Danish play. Th e I sisging of children, the shouting of men, the pealing of church bells, the crash of military betide, and the roar of voices, made a strange, impressive, deafening sound as soon as the procession got fairly under weigh. The fluttering of thousands of flags, the waving of thousands of handkerchiefs, the lines of streamers quivering from house-top to house-top, the dingiest houses wearing a strange mask of orna mental devices ; the " welcomes" and short prayers plastered on every projection ; the long walls of human faces—faces of old and young, male and female—planted as thickly as leaves in a forest, formed a sight in which all want of harmony iu colour, and all meanness of detail, were lost in one grand impressive whole. The dammed-up mass on the pavements and in the gutters flowed thickly and painfully, drawn on by the procession. Then began the struggle with the police—the fight in too many cases foe life and air. The policemen, who strove manfully, and almost savagely, to do' their duty, and to keep the line of the procession from being hopelessly mixed up with the struggling outside crowd, were tossed about like straws in a high wind. Ohildren were held high above the human whirlpools, to save them from a peril they ought never to have been exposed to. Here and there a small gap in the crowd and piercing shrieks that rose even above the festive and almost heartless clamour of bells and trumpets pointed out a spot where a few had been pressed down and were being trampled upon. The procession itself, at points like the junction of the two Kent-roads, the entrance to the Borough from Dover-street, and the passage up the hill on to Loudon-bridge, was only preserved from utter dispersion by great exer tion and violent cohesive force, especially in its rear ranks. The foot troops who were at the tail of the show had their ranks broken several times, and once they had to form a square and threaten to use the butt-ends of their muskets. The march past St George's-church and through the broad part of the Borough was like filing through • deep valley, shut in by high mountains of human beings. Across this noble thoroughfare—one of the most striking parts of the whole route—a large triumphal arch was erected in the widest part of the High-street. It spanned the road with three arches, and rose to a height of 60 feet, surmounted by a rich cornice. The middle arch, about 30 feet wide, formed the passage for the procession to pass through, and the keystone of this was a lion's head! holding festoons of flowers. The pediment of this structure contained allegorical figures representing History, Peace, Poetry, and Painting. The pilasters on each side were half covered with evergreens and flowers, studded here and there with devices. The arms of England and Denmark were displayed on each side, and the Prince of Wales's feathers were used as a lofty central ornament. The site of the old Town-ball—now a builder's .desert--ITaaBlled with a large gallery containing the charity children of the local schools, who sang as the prooesaion passed. The ugly iron railway &nth which spans the Borough by Bt. Thomas's Hospital, had neither flower, flag, nor festoon, but its dull-lead colour was re li eved by some peculiar ornaments. These were a few of the railway labourers in their working dresses who stood on a narrow ledge, or hung suspended over the edge of the bridge by a frail painter's platform. The danger to them was probably not so great as to the Icrowd below, who would certainly have been the greatest sufferers by any fall from above. LONDON-BRIDGE TO TEMPLE-BAR There can be no doubt of the zeal and energy which the Corporation of London have exhibited in reference to the reception within the limits of their jurisdiction of the bride of the heir apparent of the throne of England. The government officials have all along carefully disclaimed the notion that the entry of the Princess Alexandra into London was to be in the nature of a pageant ; but the City still clings to its ancient taste for celebrations, cere monies, and processions, and accordingly, in 1 the face of much thwarting and some thing very like snubbing on the part of the Home-office, the civic authorities set about to do as they liked with their own ; that is, they de termined that, if the display of the Corporation was to be confined within the City proper, matters should be conducted in the fashion which they be lieve to be the true one. In the first place, the wealth of the centre of the commercial community of the metropolis of the greatest commercial coun try in the world wan typified by a princely vote from the funds of the Corporation, to be devoted to the getting up of the materials for a grand recep tion, as well as to a personal gift to the Princes' of Wales. There was every outward appearance of a lavish, and, generally speaking, judicious outlay of the fluids provided ; but it is very much to be regretted that the main object which the City had in view, namely, a splendid procession, which was to escort the Princesa from London-bridge to Temple pailfean bar, was defeated by the absence f organization, which it seems no money could the occasion p r ocure. For all purposes of a t the line of route through the City was a failure. How this came to pane will appear in the narrative which we give below of the proceedings in the City. Taken as a whole, and looked at without dwelling upon details, the decorations of London-bridge were such as to produce a most effective coup-d'onl. On the parapets on each sides at short intervals were erected tall standard poles, each being surmounted by e golden elephant with a castle ou its back, or by a raven, the popular Danish emblems. From the to of these standards Boated red banners with a white cross, the colours of Denmark, while at the foot were • affixed the portraits, in sepia, of the Danish kings, from the earliest period up to his present Majesty, Frederick VII., the uncle of our future Princess of Wales, Betseea the etaadardi were i 1863. ia riplikieralliftich powerful incense arose ; *ng a great part Or the day and impregnated ! u around with'en agreeable odour. These 1 tripods with tiaiir Manse were supplied by Mr. oc cati Ranimel, wh ' 'applied similar tripods at Tuniple.bar a one or two other points. The I prrfurne was s ' • made to burn for hours 1 Arough wind and ~ ' . On both sides of the north and iiiiiih ' approaches to the bridge were erected large and elegant pedestals, each bearing 'on the top a bronze figure of a Danish , warrior, holding the Daneborg, the national flag of ! Denmark, and below, three colossal statues of `: Fame, with wings extended and bearing a wreath. I The upper portion of these pedestals was surrounded with small lamps, which were lighted up at night. In the different recesses along the parapets ap peared smaller pedestals, in a similar style of orna mentation, but instead of each having three statues d o nate it had only one. To be sure a close exa mination of the medallion portraits of the kings of Denmark brought out those works of art in rather a comic point of view, and they bore all the marks of having been produced by an artist of cognate skill to him who painted the portraits of the ancient Scottish kings at Holyrood at a contract price. Still, as we have said, the general effect l was excellent ; and flanked on the west as it was by the shipping covered with flags, and in many cases with their rigging crowded with seamen, and backed os the south-west and south-east by tall warehouses with their fronts clad in the gala colours of this day, and crowded at window and roof by enthusiastic sight seers, anyone geeing at the scene could hardly realise that they were looking at the London-bridge of their every- 1 day experience. At the time the civic procession passed through the triumphal arch which had been erected on the north aide of the bridge the erection was almost obscured by scaffolding, all of which was not removed when the royal cortege passed under it. On the south side there wereonly a few poles and planks, which were fortunately taken away in due time. The arch, which is 60 fret high, spanned the entire thorough- • fare, sad had about it a solidity which one would not have expected in so purely temporary an &ea non. The month or principal side bore iu the amine, immediately over the carriage-way, the united arms of Bogland and Denmark, and finely executed medallions in relief of the Prince of Wales and the Princess Alexandra. Appended above the arches over the footways, on the columns, were placed, in honour of Denmark, the statues of Saxo Orammations (1166) ; Holberg, the poet ; Thorwaldsen, the sculptor; and Juel, the painter. In the pediment was the following quotation from Shakspere, in gilt letters : Hoisoir, riehw, marriage, blessing, Long mute:mance sod increasing Hourly toys be still upon you : Englind 'bonen her Mewing' on you. Under this inscription there was ; large and richly coloured painting, representing Britannia escorting the Princess Alexandra to the shores of England, ac companied by sea gods and goddesses. The Princess stood in the boat, in her bridal dresa, holding the hand of Britannia, shill sail, and a numerous body of nymphs as rowers, promising a quick voyage. The good wishes of the City were further exp resded at night by replacing this with a transparency de picting the riche,' of earth, air, and water, in offer ings to the Princess Alexandra. On the top of the arab or pediment appeared a very effective piece of scalpture—Britannia. in • ear, drawn by four prancing horses, welcoming the Princess to our shores, with, on either side, recumbent figures of Fame, heralding her happy approach. In the centre of the northern aide of the arch there was a po r- trait of Queen Victoria in a widow's dress, within a wreath of laurel, and the crown above, supported by figures of Wisdom and Strength. The eight Corinthian columns on this side of the arch sup ported four statues of Fame, and the arms of England and Denmark were emblazoned above the footways. The arch was painted white, the capitals and cornices being gilt. It is with reluctance that we venture to indicate an opinion that the general effect of the arch was not satisfactory, and its chief merit, after all a negative one, was that it completely screened all view of the bridgei from the spectators advancing with the civic procession until it was passed, and gave them a sensation akin to that produced by a transformation scene when they debonched upon the bridge itself. Except aline on each aide of the north end, extending about a third of the bridge, composed of the Hon. Artillery Company's In fantry Brigade, with their band and colours, under the commend of Lord Colville, and a few policemen ranged on each aide of its southern extre mity, there was no person on the bridge, which presented itself under an aspect novel to everyone that looked on it, and this without reference to its decoration, namely, that of emptiness and stalkers. On to this charmed spot, whichcontrasted so vividly with the turmoil of the region which bad been just left behind, the civic procession advanced, but, although in a regulated line, in most admired dis order so far as etiquette and arrangement were concerned. It had been arranged that a procession akin in its features to that in which the Lord Mayor figures on the 9th of November should take place. This procession was to start from the Guildhall, to pass along Cheapside, to traverse London-bridge to its southern end then to wheel and form from the north end of the bridge, and to precede the royal carriages to Temple-bar, where it was to turn off by Chancery-lane. Accordingly, by ten o'clock, the component parts of the pageant were marshalled at Guildhall ; and a large number of guests were entertained at a-very splendid dejedner, which was laid out in all the available rooms of the building. Now it seems to us that this breakfast, mit was called, was the primum mobile of the mishaps which afterwards betel the City promotion. If the time occupied in restoration, which was probably superfluous in most cases, had been devoted to getting the procession under way, and marshalling it in its proper position ' it is probable that all might have gone well. As it was, instead of starting at an early hour, it was much past 12 when a long line of carriages, bands, and the paraphernalia of the City companies began to move into Cheapside. When the head of the train turned out of King-street, it found the street iniuyrsses iton of the crowd : in fact the • Moors were beforehand with the preservers o order and She.. police-constables. Hone artillery and volunteer regiments, who bad been detached to keep the way, when they arrived found that no effort of theirs but that of violence could force a mass of persons who thronged the street on each side nine or ten deep into the comparatively narrow range of the footpath ; and their numbers being relatively very few—the absence of policemen being conspicuous—each man had as much as he could "do to hold his individual standing-place. Through this dense gathering the procession lite rally forced its way up to the Mansion house, where a scene of confusion occurred which baffles description. To an unhappy person in the procasion, hours seemed to elapse ; while space was liMeally fought for, through which that which was to have been a stately pageant was to have swept prdudly and gorgeously. By dint of Feat exertion, and the performance of some skilful military manoeuvres, the lit City of London Rifle Volun teers contrived to get into line in front of the crowd, which from Princes-Arad and Cornhill pressed on the area before the Mansion-house, which by comparison may be called open. As soon as the tight tank of the corps was reached the way was forced clear for the procession, which hurried on somewtat rapidly, in order to reach London-bridge in due time, it being then quite 2 o'clock. The appearance of things at the Mansion-house was striking. Apart from, the immense crowd which was surging to and fro in the roadway, aid which was unpleasantly picturesque, every building was thronged from area to roof with spectators. The pediment of the Royal Exchange presented a singular appearance, being seemingly sur mounted by a dark fringe, like the feathers on a French general of division's coked bat, but which was in fact a line of people who were clinging to and leaning over the parapet in all sorts of attitudes, many of them quite acrobatic. On the summit of an insurance office at the end of Lombard-street, front of the church of St. Mary Woolnoth, is perched a figure with helmet and spear, which may be Minerva or Britannia ; and to this clung a man who, in order, to support himself, clung with one arm round the neck of the figure, forming an odd groupe. The Mansion-house was decorated with an unsparing hand. The columns which sustain the portico were draped in crimson and gold ; medallions of the Prince and Princess were attached to each of the pilasters, around which flowers were wreathed, festooua of which were pendent in great profusion. Above, and close beneath the pediment, were ranged a line of Prince of Wales's feathers, interspersed with creams of St. Dagmar of Denmark. The portico bad been con verted into a " sane de epeotaele," and in tiers of benches were seated a large number of ladies, dressed as it is to be imagined they would have been on such an occasion, iu attendance on whom was a moderate number of gentlemen, many of whom were in uniform. Turning the eye down Cheapside from this point, it must be confessed that the sight which presented itself was magnifi cent, and every way creditable to the taste and loyalty of the citizens of London. Banners and flags were hung out of windows and across the street in such abundance that they formed in the aggregate almost a canopy over the heads of the crowds below, while with emblematic devices, floral decorations, crimson and gold and silver were massed together in such profusion that a bright hue was given to the very atmosphere of the dingy old street which bad arrayed itself so splendidly in gold deem Every where were palpable signs of good intention on the part of the civic authorities, who at that moment were struggling painfully through a middle passage of no small discomfort, if not of danger. Taking up that part of the civic procession at the point at which it emerged with ruffled dignity from the crowd into King William-street, it may be stated that it proceeded at a quick pace along that avenue, which was kept tolerably clear, and soon reached the statue of King Wil liam I V. Here the horse artillery of the Honourable Artillery Company, with six guns, was drawn up, and a corps of Volunteer light cavalry extended on the left side towards the bridge. On the right the stately hall of the Fishmongers' Com pany presented a striking appearance, lavishly decked with the ornamentation of the moment ; and crowded with company, who were accommo dated in superbly-fitted up stands, one of them look ing riverwarde on to London-bridge, while the band of her Majesty's 22nd Regiment was stationed on the item of the hall, and discoursed excellent music all through the day. In truth, every person did what seemed good unto him so that it enabled him to each the bridge, to traverse its left side to the southern end, and to turn there and, like the cele brated army of the King of France, to march back again into the dark and threatening limbo of disorganised crowd which awaited him on the space before the statue of William IV. and the gorge leading into King William-street, where they had broken in and taken pos session. The Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, and as many of the carriages and footmen as could be ranged along the length of the bridge, remained Awaiting the arrival of the Princess Alexandra, who was advancing slowly through the Boroegh. At this critical moment, when there was a hush of expectation almost solemn about the bridge at its southern approach, a dark cloud gathered, and from it descended a pelting shower, happily only of a few momenta' duration. Promptly a hoarse roar son uding angrily was beard ,in the distance to the south, and it came nearer and nearer, resolving itself into the joyous and excited shout of the mul titude, who took up the cheers as the six carriages, which, with two escorts of the Royal Hone Guards Blue and the Life Guards, preceded by a small body of mounted police, and regulated by Lord A. Paget, Clerk-Mershalto her Majesty, and Major Teesdale, R.A., chief equerry to the Prince of Wales, formed the very unostentatious cortege of the Princess, passed along their serried ranks. Exactly at 25 minutes past 2 o'clock the head of this simple pro cession appeared at the southern extremity of the bridge and passed slowly forward. In the first carriage were General the Hon. Sir C. Grey, Colonel Seymour, Captain Lund, and Mr. Funck • in the second, , Countess Hilda. Reveutlow and Madame Vauvile ; in the third, General Oxholme and Madame Oxholme ' • in the fourth, Prince Waldo . mar and Prince William ; in the fifth, Prices Frederick, Princess Dagmar, and Prince's Thyra. Somewhat to the surprise, as we imagine, of the spectators, with two excep tions, all the gentlemen —come of whom, it should be stated, iu addition to these above-mentioned, were members of the Prince of Wales's household—were in plain clothes. It may have been etiquette, but on such an occasion as this it would certainly have been advan tageous from a spectacular point of view if the male occupants of the carriages had worn uniform. Bacon did not think it beneath him to discourse on the value of spangles, and he laid down the whole philosophy of stately dress in reference to its effect on the multitude, which takes impressions merely from its eyes. It is certain that our multitude on Saturday would have been better pleased with a little display of scarlet, blue, and gold in the royal carriages. The carriage which contained the Danish Princesses, the oting sisters of the Princess Alexandra—namely, Dagmar and Princes& Thyra, and their brothers, were surrounded by an escort of the Blues; sad when the fifth carriage passed on to the bridge a young lady who sat in the place of honour wager a moment taken for the bride elect, and received an ovation from all those who could see on to the bridge which seemed rather to surprise her. Some of the suite of the Danish princes seemed greatly struck with the appearance of the scene which presented itself to them at this point and they rose in their places in the carriages, and looked wonderingly, and probably anxiously, around at the vast concourse of people which met their eyes on the Oity side. There was a pause of some duration before the carriage containing the Princess Alexandra, the Prince of Wales, Prince Christian of Denmark, and the Princess Louise, the parent , of the future Princess of Wales, came upon the bridge. When it reached the southern end, for some reason, which was not then accurately, but which was very unpleasantly discovered afterwards, the cortege -as again brought to a standstill and remained stationary for nearly twenty minutes. The few persons privileged to loiter on the bridge had ample opportunity for respectfully but earnestly making themselves acquainted with the form and features of her royal highness. There was no dissentient from the opinion that the Prince of Wales has been fortunate enough to have obtained as the partner of his life a lady whose personal appearance and demeanour are but in described by the word charming ; and on whom it is intended to speak in the terms which we couceive to be the most satisfactory when we say that her beauty and grace are of the type lovely English girlhOod. Except that she seemed a little pale, her royal highness showed ne eigns of the somewhat laborious progress which she had made ; and as she took in the view the IMO presented to her of that mighty city on the threshold of which she stood, au exprer mien, half of wonder half of gratification, passed over her face ; and after a few momenta' siletwe be turned to the Prince of Wales, who sat oppeOte her, and addressed a few sentences to him. Afla that, during the pause in the progress of the pro- CWWIIOII to which we have alluded, she belied slid smiled at every fresh shout from the rather di.t er. spectators on the two shores and on the shippillL but,who contrived to make themselves very decidePy heard. At length the royal carriages were e nablet to move over and off the bridge, and when theY reached the Middlesex ride, the cause of the delay was sufficiently apparent. As we have hail, bet only had the crowd broken in and taken jeeseol'' of the confined area in front of the statue of IV., but a long line of carriages iii which aury beate ,, members of the Corporation of London were rabra• without reference to official dignity and precedeutv• or the right aide of the roadway, on the outer edge of a mass of persons eight or nine feet deep beY'c l the footpath. These obstacles extended to the Mansion-house ; and with the same utter disrego' of facilities for the procession and the e ouveuieuo' of the crowd itself, no serious attempt w as made t I f It II I.