The Press. — London, England, 1855-04-21 00:00:00

APRIL 21, 1855. rich sky-blue satin, surmounted by Honiton lace of the best and must classical design. On the centre of the table is placed an oval looking•glass, richly carved and festooned with Honiton lace. In the front is a cushion, I rmed of green satin, with the letter " E " embroidered in the centre. The room known as the Queen's Closet has been fitted up as the sleeping apartment of the Emperor. The decora tions are of the most gorgeous description. The cornices, ceilings, and mouldings have been newly gilt, and the doors and panels redecorated. The sofas, couches, chairs, and other furniture of the room are covered with green satin, the woodwork being all splendidly gilded. The apartments for the personal attendants upon the Einpiror and Empress have also been splendidly fitted up. Th• whole of the rooms have been furni4ed with new car pets, and every appliance resorted to in order io render the visit as magnificent as it is undeniably welcome. TUESDAY. By the earliest trains crowds of visitors of all classes reached Windsor from the metropolis, and before eleven o'clock the High-street and approaches to the castle were densely thronged with spectators. It was generally expected that the Emperor and Empress, accompanied by her Majesty the Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, would have been present at a stag hunt, and this idea was appa rently confirmed by the fact of the Queen's stag hounds passing through the town. Instead, how ever, of proceeding to Salt-hill, the Emperor and the Empress, in company with her Majesty and the Prince Consort, walked upon the Slopes. The Emperor then visited the dairy and model farms, upon which new buildings, on a most extensive scale, have recently been erected. Shortly before three o'clock the Mayor and town council of Windsor proceeded to the castle, in their official robes, to present sin address of congratulation to the Emperor. The address was read as usual to his Majesty, and received a fitting reply. A deputation of the merchants, bankers, and traders of London was afterwards introduced and presented an address of congratulation to his Impe rial Majesty, which was read by Mr. T. M. Weguelin, the Governor of the Bank of England, and in turn elicited a gracious answer from the Emperor. The morning and early afternoon being thus passed, at four o'clock the Queen, Prince Albert, the Emperor and Empress of the French, and the whole of the Court, left the castle to witness a review in the Great Park of the 2nd Life Guards, the Royal Horse Guards, and the Carabineers, under the command of the Earl of Cardigan. The Emperor rode on horse back between Prince Albert and the Duke of Cam bridge. The Queen and the Empress were in an open carriage and four. The Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, Prince Alfred, Prince Arthur, Princess Alice, Princess Helena, and also the Princess d'Essling, the Duchess of Wellington, and the other ladies and some of the gentlemen of the household, were in open royal car riages and four. The officers in attendance on the Emperor and the Equerries in Waiting to the Queen and the I'rince rode on horseback on duty with the illustrious party. A great crowd of people of distinction from the neighbourhood, with an immense number of other persons on foot and horseback, who already occu pied a portion of the ground, here received the Em peror and Empress with acclamations. The line was formed by the following regiments:- 2nd Life Guards, Royal Horse Guards, the Cara bineers' and two troops of Horse Artillery. On the arrival of the royal cortege on the ground they were received with a royal salute, the bands playing the National Anthem, and "Partant portr la Syrie." The evolutions that succeeded were, however, evidently intended rather for a military show than a review. The troops marched past at first in slow time, thus affording the Emperor an opportunity of inspecting some of the finest soldiers in the world, complete in every equipment. The regiments, owing to some mistake, were about to advance at once in quick time, when Lord Cardigan halted them suddenly, right in front, and made them pass in broken columns by threes. They then marched past at a trot, and afterwards at a gallop. Several charges were then executed, and in more then one instance the horses and riders charged home to her Majesty's carriage, halting suddenly when close up to the royal party. To give reality to these charges, a few skirmishers were thrown out in front, and some half-dozen guns fired behind, but nothing more was intended. The Emperor was vociferously cheered as be passed along the line, as were also the Duke of Cam bridge and Lord Cardigan. Dining the review the Emperor was much en gaged in conversation with Prince Albert and the Duke of Cambndge, and from time to time rode up to her Majesty's carriage. The Empress Eugenie co iversed during the whole of this period with the Princess Royal. At six o'clock the review broke up, and the cortege returned by the same route. A Feat crowd of the nobility were present at the review, and - among the "mounted" gentlemen, who THE PhESS.. excited pat ticnlar observation, were the French Am bassador and Lord Palmerston. The Duchess of Kent was also present on the ground. the Queen gave another grand dinner, followed by an evening party that night. Windsor was also illuminated in honour of the occasion. For the accommodation of the Queen's visitors, a special train on the Great Western Railway was provided, which left Paddington at half•past eight o'clock, and was in readiness at twelve o'clock to convey her Majesty's guests back to town. At the review the Queen and de Empress wore dresses of a light colour, with dark scarfs and veils, her Majesty having on a green bonnet, and the Em press one of a blue colour. The Emperor of the French was mounted on his favourite charger, Phillips. The fame of his Majeay's sixteen English horses brought over the Duke of Wellington ( Master of the Horse to the Queen) to Windsor at an early hour, to inspect the animals. The procedings of the imperial visitors throughout this day were chiefly confined to the precincts of the palace, the great event being the holding of a" chap ter" in St. George's-hall, at which the Emperor re ceived the investiture of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. During the progress of this ceremonial, a guard cf honour, consisting of two companies of the Grenadier Guards, and one of the Coldstream, took their station in the centre of the quadrangle, and the bands performed alternately the national airs of England and France. It is worthy of mention that the Star and George worn by his Imperial Majesty on the occasion of his investiture are the veritable insignia used upon similar occasions by Louis XVIII. and Charles X.; and it may here be observed that the first French monarch created a Knight of the Garter was Francis the First, upon whom the honour was conferred by Henry the Eighth. The details of this ceremonial are thus described in the official narrative igiven by the Court News man The Queen held a Chapter of the Order of the Getter at three o'clock this afternoon in the Castle, for the purpose of investing his Imperial Majesty the Emperof of the French with the ensigns of this most noble order. The Knights Companions were robed in the Guard Chamber and afterwards passed to the Grand Reception roolll. Her Majesty the Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert were conducted by the Great Officers of State to the Throne-room. followed by the Duke of Cambridge and the Prince of Leiningen. The Queen and their Royal and Serene Hignesses wore the purple velvet mantle, the crimson velvet hood, and the splendid collar of the Order. The train of her Majesty, the Sovereign of the Order, was borne by the Peges of Honour in Waiting. The Queen wore also a diamond diadem. The Knights Companions were called over by Garter King of Arms, when the following answered according to their order of seniority :—The Marquis of Exeter, the Duke of Richmond, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Duke of Buckingham, the Marquis of Salisbury, the Duke of Cleveland, Earl de Grey, the Marquis of Abercorn, the Marquis of Hereford. the Duke of Bedford, the Earl of Clarendon, Earl Spencer, Earl Fitzwilliam, the Duke of Northumbetiand,the Earl of Ellesmere, and the Earl of Aberdeen. The officers of the Order present were—the Bishop of Winchester. Prelate; the Bishop of Oxford,Chancellor; the Hon. and Very Rev. the Dean of Windsor, Registrar; Sir Charles George Young, Garter King of Arms ; and Sir Augustus Clifford, Bart., Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod. The Knights appeared in the mantle and oollar of the Garter, and the Officers wore their respective robes with their chains and badges. The Knights Companions and Officers entered the Throne-room and took their seats at the table, the Queen being seated in a chair of state at the head, a second (vacent) chair of state being on the right hand of her Majesty. The Prelate of the Order stood on the right of the Queen, the Chancellor on the left, while the Registrar, Garter, and Black Rod remained at thebottom of the table. The ceremony commenced by the Chancellor reading a new statute, by command of the Queen, dispensing with the existing statutes of the Order of the Garter, in as far as required for the especial purpose therein mentioned, and ordaining and declaring that his imperial Majesty Napoleon 111 , Emperor of the French, be declared a Knight of this Order ; any statute, decree, rule, or usage to the contrary notwithstanding. By the Queen's command the Emperor of the French was conducted from hie apartments, through the Music. room and Grand Reeeption-room, between his Royal Highness Prince Albert and his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, the two Senior Knights Companions present, preceded by Garter King of Arms ( bearing the ensigns of the order upon a crimson velvet cushion) and by Black Rod. The Queen and the Knights of the Garter received his Imperial Majesty standing, and the Emperor, passing to the head of the table, took a seat in the chair of state on the right hand of her Majesty. Her Imperial Majesty the Empress of the French, his Royal Highness the Print* of Wales, her Royal Highness the Princess Royal. his Royal Highness Prince Alfred. her Royal Highness the Princess Alice, sod their Royal High• nesse* the Duchess of Cambridge ani.the Priecess had been conducted to the Throne-room before the en. trance of the Queen, for the purpose of witnessing the august ceremony. The Empress and the Duchess of Cambridge :were ushered to seats near the throne. The Queen announced to the Emperor of the French that his Imperial Majesty had been elected a Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Garter King of Arms, kneeling, presented the Garter to the Sovereign, and her Majesty, assisted by his Royal Highness Prince Albert, buckled it on the left lei . of the Emperor ; the Chancellor pronounoing the admonition. Garter King of Arms presented the Ribaud with the George, and the Queer put the same over the left shoulder of the Emperor ; the Chancellor pronouncing the admonition. The Queen then gave the accolade to the Emperor, acrd his Imperial Majesty received the congratul et i ona o f his Royal Highness Prince Albert, his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, his Serene Highness the Prince of Leiningen, and each of the Knights Companions present. The Chapter being thus ended, the Knights Companions were again called over by Garter, and retired from the presence of the Sovereign with the usual reverences. Her Majesty accompanied the Emperor to kis apart ments, followed by the Empress and Prince Albert, and attended by the ladies and gentlemen of the royal suites. The Queen and Prince afterwards returned to their own rooms. The French Ambassador and the Countess Walewski, Marshal Vaillant, Minister of War, and many ladies and gentlemen of the suite of their Imperial Majesties, wit nessed the ceremony. A guard of the Hon. Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, under the command of Major Harmer, the Standard Bearer, was in attendance upon her Majesty the Queen, at the Chapter-room, and a special Guard of Honour of the Hon. Corps. under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Topham. The Lieutenant was on duty in attendance upon his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of the French, at his apartments, and at the Chapter-room. The Yeomen of the Guard, under the command of Captain Macdonald, the Eton in Waiting, lined the Grand Staircase, the Vesti bule, and the Music-room. The Queen's footmen, in state liveries, were stationed in the Vestibule. The ceremonial being concluded. the Royal Family took a drive in open carriages through the Great Park in the direction of Virginia Water, The Duke of Cambridge, accompanied by the Prince of Wales, and Prince Alfred, rode on horseback, and was closely followed by her Ma jesty, the Duchess of Kent, and the Princess Mary, and the Duchess of Wellington. A party of equestrians, comprising Colonel Fleury, Colonel Edgar Ney, Lord Alfred Paget, and several members of the imperial suite, closed the brilliant cortege. In the expectation that the imperial visitors would pass through the Great Park, a vast concourse of persons had assembled on each side of the avenue, but their Majesties did not appear in public during the day. In the evening the town was splendidly illuminated. The Queen gave a state dinner in the evening, at which all the gentlemen appeared in uniform or Court these, the members of orders of knighthood wearing their respective ensigns. The magnificent service of gold plate was used on this occasion. Tire middle of the table was adorned with a number of heautifnl epergnes and vases in gold, while on two buffets at each end of St. George's-hall, in which the banquet was served, livers displayed, on a background of rich crimson,a variety of beautiful specimens of art in the precious metals, in shields, tankards, jewelled cups, vases, tazzas, and other articles of vertu in the royal collection. The buffets and the table were brilliantly lit by nnitemus wax lights in candelabra of silver gilt—the St. George candelabrum forming the centre ornament. Opposite to this candelabri.iii, at the table, were seated on the one side her Majesty the Queen and his Imperial Majesty the Em peror of the French ; and, on the opposite side, her Imperial Majesty the Empress and his Royal Highness Prince Albert. Behind the royal party on each side were stationed a special guard of her Majesty's Hon. Corps of Gentlemen at Arms. Two Yeomen of the Girard were posted at each end of the ball at the flanks of the buffets. After the banquet, Earl Spencer, the Lord Steward of her Majesty's Household, gave by command of the Queen, the toast of " The Emperor and Empress of the French." The band of the 94th Regiment played during the dinner. After the banquet, the Queen and Prince Albert, the Ern peror and Empress, with the Royal Family and her Majesty's guests, retired to the drawing-room, where the Queen received the evening party, and a concert was then performed by her Majesty's private band, under the direo tion of Mr. Anderson. TutRaDAY. This day was devoted principally to the visit of the Emperor and Empress to the city of London, where they had accepted the invitation of the Lord Mayor and Corporation to a dijeuner at the Guild hall. Their Majesties accompanied the Queen and Prince Albeit from Windsor to Buckingham-palace in the morning, and about half-past one left the palace and traversed the park and streets in a state procession. Enormous crowds lined the enure route and welcomed the imperial visitors with en , tlinsiostic applause upon their passage. The prepa• rations within the Guildhall were most gorgeous, and the repast provided gage evidence of the sumptuous n h o osp iwn i e tality for which the City has been so l on g ze- Shortly after arriving the Emperor received the congratulatory a ddress presented in the name of the civic authorities, and which was read by the Re corder. The reply was as follows ,My bird Mayor,—Alter the cordial reception lave ex . perienced front the Queen, nothing could affect Me more