The Press. — London, England, 1855-08-25 00:00:00

806 • station, a deputation of pupils of l'Ecole Polytechnique, whose parents had been killed under the walls of Seb istopol, occupied a prominent position, and upon the Emperor pointing them out, her Majesty appeared greatly interested. The spectacle which presented itself to her Majesty, as she passed along the Boulevards, was one which it is im possible adequately to describe. The Voltigeurs de la Garde and the Garde Nationale kept the line on each side ; behind them were densely-packed masses of people, every head uncovered ; every window of the yet unfinished houses, and every balcony, was thronged with spectators — the very roofs and chimney-tops were covered ; the bands of the Guides and the Voltigeurs were playing our National Anthem, while high over all were heard the loud hurrahs and " Vive la Reine," " Viva l'Empereur," of the assembled thousands. Everywhere the progress of her Majesty was an ovation which more than repaid the enthusiastic wel come given to the Emperor on his visit to London. On the Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle the third arrondisse ment had raised two tall masts, from which was suspended a golden cord, ornamented with the flags of France, England, Turkey, acid Sardinia. Four masts of a lesser height supported shields on which were inscribed the glorious words of " Alma," " Balaklava," " Bomarsund," and " Inkermann," Passing along the line was a most pic turesque decoration, consisting of columns and pillars bearing allegorical statues and inscriptions in honour of the Queen and of the Emperor. At the corner of the Rue Richelieu two handsome columns had been erected by the English residents—a fact which was announced in golden letters upon a large band of fringed velvet. The Opera had erected a most magnificent triumphal arch across the Boulevards in the style of Louis XIV. The Opera Comique had raised a column surrounded at its base with exquisite flowers, and bearing a profusion of flags and banners. The army and the Garde Nationale vied with each other in acclamations as the cortege passed. The whole of the road, from the station to St. Cloud, was lined on the left aide by the regular army, and upon the right by the Garde Nationale; the whole length of the line being not less than fourteen kilometres, or very nearly nine miles. As the cortege approached the Place de la Concorde the shades of evening had gathered thickly, and many of the houses and public buildings were illuminated. The ap pearance of the Hotel du Ministre des Affaires Etrangers and the Hall of the Legislative Assembly presented a mag nificent appearance, and the imperial carriages stopped a few moments, at her Majesty's request, in order that she might have an opportunity of enjoying the magnificent sight. Passing along the Champs Elysies, the Arc du Triomphe at the top of the hill became suddenly illumi nated, and by the time the imperial carriages had arrived at the arch almost every building was illuminated; the Palais de l'lndustrie with a large number of eagles in gas, the Palace of the Elysee with a most magnificent display, the whole of the public buildings in the I:ue de Rivoli, the gardens of the Tuileries, and every public building in Paris. At a quarter to nine o'clock the august party arrived at St. Cloud, the arrival being announced by salutes from the artillery stationed in the grounds. On alighting from her carriage her Majesty was received at the foot of the stair case by the Empress and her Royal Highness the Princess Mathilde, and the ladies and officers of the household of the Empress, the marshals of the palace, and the ladies and officers appointed to be in attendance on her Majesty during her stay in Paris. There were also present the great officers of the empire, M. Fould, the Minister of State and the Minister of the Household of the Emperor, and Count Walewski, the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Having reached the landing-place of the grand staircase, the Emperor presented to her Majesty the Ministers, grand officers, and officers of the household. At half-past nine o'clock dinner was served in the grand gallery of Diana, the chef d'ieuvre of the great painter Mignard. Their Majesties returned to the grand apartments, where they remained until eleven 0'c10ck..... St. Cloud and Paris were brilliantly illuminated during the whole of the evening. The official Moniteur of the day thus referred to the event:— The presence in France of her Majesty the Queen of England will afford to the inhabitants of Paris the occasion of displaying their sentiments of affection and of respect to the powerful ally of the Emperor, a sovereign whose vast dominions comprise not less than two hundred millions of loyal subjects. They will be in this respect the inter preters of the feelings of all the nation. Her Majesty the Queen of England will find here a welcome not less cordial and not less enthusiastic than that which the Emperor and Empress received on the occasion of their recent visit to London. It will be certainly one of the most important facts of the present epoch, so fruitful in great events, this visit to Paris of the Queen of England under the reign of the Em peror Napoleon, this solemn consearation of an alliance which common sufferings and victories are now cementing, and it will tend still more to unite the mutual sympathies of the two sovereigns. What proof more brilliant of its friendship could Eng land give than to confide to France at the same time its well-beloved sovereign, around whose throne all the virtues shine, and the young prince who will succeed her? France will respond worthily to this loyal confidence. The welcome given to the Queen of Great Britain will address itself also to her august consort, so closely asso ciated in her high destinies, and who, by the rare qualities of his mind and by his noble character, has succeeded in conciliating the esteem and affection of the English nation. From the enthusiasm which manifests itself iu all classes, from the great preparations which are being made along the route which the august visitors will take, it is easy to see that the population of Paris fully comprehend the important bearings of this great event, which associates itself heart and soul with the sentiments of the Emperor towards his faithful ally, and the arrival of the Queen of THE PRESS. England at Paris will be a day of great rejoicing for all France. SUNDAY. The illustrious guests of the Emperor at St. Cloud did not appear in public, the day being devoted to rest. It was generally believed that her Majesty, the Prince Consort, the Prince of Wales, and the Prin cess Royal, accompauied by the royal suite, would have attended Divine service in the chapel of the British Embassy. This arrangement was, however, changed, and the Queen had Divine service per formed in one of the apartments of the palace at St. Cloud. It was strictly private, no other persons being in attendance except those immediately con nected with the royal suite. Dr. Hale, chaplain to the British embassy, officiated. Her Majesty and the Prince breakfasted at an early hour with their Imperial Majesties, and shortly after wards enjoyed a drive in a pony-carriage through the magnificent park of St. Cloud. In the afternoon the Empress and her Majesty drove out again. The Emperor and Prince Albert, attended by the Marquis of Abercorn, Lord Alfred Paget, and the equerries of his Majesty, accompanied the carriageon horseback. The dinner was private, and in the evening there was a concert of sacred music. Crowds of people flocked to St. Cloud during the day. There were a few showers of rain, but the evening was remarkably fine. Ibm MONDAY. The series of visits to be paid by her Majesty to the numerous sites and scenes of interest in Paris commenced on Monday morning, the honour of priority being appropriately given to the Exposition des Beaux Arts, attached to the Industrial Exhibi tion. The Emperor attended his royal guests on this visit, leaving St. Cloud at half-past ten, and reaching the Palais des Beaux Arts at eleven. There the Imperial Commission, headed by their President, Prince Napoleon, the Foreign Commissioners, and the Jurors of the Exhibition, had assembled to receive them. They had mustered in the saloons immediately adjoining the principal entrance, and it was at once remarkable and interesting to see so great a gathering of men, who, in different countries and for various specialties, had achieved reputation and position in the ranks of industry and science. A beautifully-executed bust of her Majesty stood on a pedestal in the centre of the re ception-room, and on every side the walls were co vered with chefs d'ceuvre of art, while masses of ex cited spectators were hemmed in from an invasion of the reserved space by the police of the building. This small force it was at first believed would prove sufficient to protect the illustrious visitors from pressure by the crowd in the course of their survey; but after a time, notwithstanding their exertions, the police were overwhelmed, and in con sequence it was found requisite to recruit their numbers by some sergens de vine. The Emperor, with the Queen leaning on his arm, entered the palace shortly after eleven o'clock. He was followed by Prince Albert, who had with him the Princess Royal and the Prince of Wales, and after them came the suites of both sovereigns. The reception over, the cortege, led by Prince Napoleon, advanced into the principal saloon for the display of German pictures, and here the works of chief inte rest were pointed out by Dr. Waagen. The atten tion of their Majesties was, of course, much dis tracted by the cheers and cries of " Vive la Reine " which greeted them at different points; but the Prince and the Royal children, who felt them selves more at liberty, were so earnestly bent on seeing all they could, that several times they were left behind, and but for the recuperative energy shown by the officials might have been lost altogether in the crowd. From the German the royal party went on to the Belgian and thence to the French schools. In the latter there came a rush of specta tors, and for several minutes all was confusion. The illustrious party made its way as rapidly as possible to the next saloon, which was at once cleared for its reception, and here the scattered cortege was after some time reassembled. While a reinforcement of sergens de vile was sent for, the master-pieces of Delacroix and other painters, suspended in this inner saloon, were leisurely examined. No great inconvenience, therefore, arose, and both the Em peror and her Majesty sustained the temporary in road upon their freedom of locomotion with exem- plary good nature and self-possession. As soon as order had been restored, the progress through the palace was resumed. Passing along the north front of the palace the progress of the cortege was arrested for some minutes while their Majesties listened to the performances of a large choir of workmen, singers trained on a system bearing some resemblance to that of Hullah in England, and who went through a chorus, in which " God save the Queen" was introduced, led by their conductor, M. Chivet, with extraordinary precision and musical effect. At another point a second pause took place to examine the restoration of the Minerva executed by Phidias in precious metals, jewels, and ivory, SATURDAY, which was placed in the Parthenon at Athens. This restoration, which is in complete accordance with the descriptions of the original by ancient writers, is the property of the I)uc de Luynes. The Queen was afterwards conducted by her impe rial host through the Gallery of British Artists; and then, ascending the staircase at the north-east corner of the palace, the cortege described the cir cuit of the upper galleries, in which are displayed the water-colour drawings, the miniature paintings, the engravings on wood and steel, and the architec tural designs contributed by different countries. After completing the circuit of the galleries their Majesties returned to the central saloon, from which they had been compelled to retreat at au earlier period by the inroad of spectators. So de lighted were our Royal Family with the master pieces here displayed that they made the circuit of the saloon several times. After leaving the Exposition des Beaux Arts, the august visitors proceeded to the Palace of the Elysie, a palace formerly occupied by the Emperor when President of the Republic. After partaking of lun cheon, which was served in the salle-a•manger of the palace, her Majesty withdrew to the grand saloon, where the members of the corps diplomatique had the honour of being presented. At half-past three the Queen, accompanied by the Emperor, Prince Albert, and the royal children, pro ceeded to pay a visit to one of the most remarkable of the buildings of Paris, St. Chapelle. Her Majesty passed along the Rue de Rivoli, and when the imperial carriages arrived at the central entrance of the new wing of the Louvre, they were stopped for a few moments while the Emperor pointed out to her Majesty the extent of the works which, under his directions, have been completed. Proceeding on their way, the crowd increased greatly in number as far as the Palais de Justice, where there was an im mense concourse of persons assembled. The church of St. Chapelle owes its origin to Louis XI., who wished to build a suitable temple for the reception of the Holy Crown of Thorns, which had been pledged by Beaudoin the Second, of Cour tenay, to the Venetians for a loan of money made to the needy monarch. The first stone was laid by Louis Xl. in 1245, and this chef d'oeuvre of Gothic architecture was completed by Pierre de Montreuil in the short space of three years. During the first French Revolution, the St. Chapelle was pillaged and desecrated, the edifice itself being converted into a storehouse for grain and flour. The work of restoring the long-neglected building was com menced when the Emperor was President, and latterly has been carried on with great vigour arid energy. The restoration is now intrusted to MM. Geoffrey de Chaume, Michael Pascal, Perry, Bureau, Malezieux, Adams, and Bourguignon. The illustrious visitors entered the edifice from the Palais de Justice, of which the chapel was ori ginally an adjunct. The whole of the windows in the courtyard of the palace were removed and filled with crimson velvet and gold drapery; the magnificent escalier leading up to the front of the budding was richly carpeted, flags and banners were ranged around the courtyard, and the openings in the lower part were covered with some very curious specimens of old Bayeux tapestry. Their MAjesties were received at the foot of the great staircase by their excellencies M. Troplong, first president of the Court of Cessa tion; M. de Boyer, procureur•general ; M. Delangle, president de la Cour Imperiale; M. Rouland, procu•. reur-general ; and M. de Belleyme, president of the Civil Tribunal. M. Lapus, the principal architect charged with the restoration of St. Chapelle, ex• plained to her Mikiesty and Prince Albert the nature of the restorations which he was carrying out, and the principles which he had taken as his guide in the polychromatic and other decorations. After leaving St. Chapelle the imperial carriages proceeded to the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Her Majesty and the other illustrious visitors were received by the clergy of the church, attired simply in their mantles of ceremony—the canons of the Catholic Church and the etiquette of our royalty alike forbid ding that, on the visit of a Protestant monarch, the clergy should display all those imposing ceremonials which are exclusively reserved for Catholic crowned beads. Her Majesty was received at the entrance to the cathedral by the Archbishop of Paris and the Bishop of Tripoli. Passing slowly along the great nave, its noble but simple construction, and the ma jestic proportions of the ancient edifice, were greatly admired. Their Majesties passed through the choir, and there the series of fine and valuable paintings were much admired, and her Majesty expressed the wannest admiration for the richly-stained glass windows in the sacristy. Upon leaving Notre Dame, the imperial carriages proceeded by the Rue Rivoli and the Rue St- Antoine to the Place de la Bastile, and drove along the whole line of the Boulevards. Immense crowds of persons were here assembled, who evinced great anxiety to see her Majesty and the other illustrious visitors. Their Mskiesties, on their return to St. Cloud, gave a dinner of sixty covers, to which the principle niem- r