The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-01-19 00:00:00

court Naos.

Her Majesty has granted a pension of £l5O per annum
to the daughters of the late Dr. Paris.
The rumour that the Queen intends or desires to con-
fer the title of King Consort on her husband is renewed.
We cannot believe, however, that any such step is con-
templated.
The health of the Duke of Sutherland has caused
extreme anxiety among his friends. His Grace is suf-
fering from general debility. . . .

Queen Vitoria, who has of late devoted much atten-
tion to photography, has lately sent the Empress
Eughnie, as a New Year's present, an album full of pho-
tographs taken by herself. It contains porkraite of the
Royal children, and of the Prince Consort, together with
views of Windsor Castle, Balmoral, and Osborne House.

Tax ANNUITY TO eau Persona HOTAL.—The Act
of Parliament (20th and 21st Victoria, cap 2) to enable
Her Majesty to settle an annuity on her Royal Highness
the Princes, Royal was passed on the 26th of June last.
Her Majesty is empowered, by letters patent, to give
and grant unto the Prinoess Royal, or to such persons as
Her Majesty shall think fit, for the use of her Royal
Highness, an annuity of £B,OOO for her life, to com-
mence from the date of the marnaje of her Royal
Highness with his Royal Highness oe Frederick
William of Prussia, to be free from all taxes, assessments,
and charges, and to be paid quarterly, on the sth of
January, the sth of April, the sth of July, and the 10th
of October. The proportionate share is to be paid on
the next quarter day after the marriage. The annuity
is to be charged and payable out of the Consolidated
Fund of the United Kingdom. The annuity will there-
fore commence on the 25th inst.

Ten GALA DAY ON THII Wm.—The authorities of
the various provincial cities and towns are taking
counsel together and holding "councils' besides, for the
purpose of making arrangements for the due and proper
celebration of the wedding-day of the Princess Royal of
Englund on the 25th. The most hearty, liberal, and
sympathetio spirit obaraoterises all these meetings.
Publle balls are the order of the day, or rather of the

night in every place of any importance ; there will
also be music in the streets, much feasting in doors
among rich and poor, and altogether a vast deal of con-
vivialty and fun on the occasion.

THE PRINCESS ROYAL'S MARRIAGE.
The preparations at St. James's Palace rapidly ap-
proach completion. Ante chambers and galleries have
become marble halls, rich with gilding and bright with
varnish. In the chapel the carved oak galleries are
finished, and their effect is a great improvement on the
old high sleeping pews. The windows have been fitted
with stained glass, so as to moderate the light which
might otherwise have proved too strong. The carved
oak work of the galleries is to be relieved with gilding.
The Communion table will be richly draped with crimson
velvet and gold, and adorned with the plate of the
Chapel Royal. Most of this plate is of pure gold, and
of Queen Anne's time, but there are some noble salvers
and flagons with crest and cipher of Charles I. The
Royal pew over the entrance porch has been draped
with curtains and fittings of crimson velvet and gold,
and this is designed to accommodate the corps diPlo-
matique, more than 30 of whom will be present on this
oeciamon. It is thought that not more than 1,600 or so
can witness either the ceremony or procession from any ,
point of view inside the palace The tickets which
will admit the fortunate few to these places have already
been given amongst the Ministers and the great officers
of state in certain proportions. Her Majesty, with
much kind feeling, has, we believe, specially recom-
mended that the tickets shall eventually reach those
who may be supposed to feel the strongest interest in
the Princess Royal—namely, young ladies of her own
age. The visitors, therefore, who will occupy seats in
the saloons of St. James's, being nearly all young ladies,
and in full court dress, will form perhaps the most bril-
liant and beautiful portion of the whole spectacle. No
person in mourning of any description will be admitted.
All must be in their places by half-past 11 o'clock, and
after that hour none will be allowed to enter. His
Rorl Highness the Prince of Prussia, with his suite,
will arrive at the chapel at 12 o'clock. The procession
of Her Majesty will follow next, the bride elect, with
her bridesmaids and ladies, arriving a few minute be-
fore half-past 12.
In the lists of the bridesmaids it was never contem-
plated that more than seven young ladies whose names
have been mentioned should have the honour of attend-
ing. The Princess Alice will, of course, be chief brides-
maid. The marriage ceremony is fixed to commence at
half-past 12 precisely, and with the hymns and choral
accompanyments will occupy about 40 minutes. In con-
sequenoe of the great inconvenience felt on the occasion
of Her Majesty's marriage, when signing the registry in
the Chapel Royal, which is excessively small, it has
been determined to alter that arrangement on the pre-
sent occasion. The registry, therefore, will not be
signed in the chapel at all, but in the throne-room, when
the high contracting parties shall have returned there.
The dejeuner, which takes place afterwards at Buck-
ingham Palace, will only include the Royal guests, the
bridesmaids, and one or two of the chief officers of
state and foreign ministers. For the concert which
takes place at the Palace in the evening a large number
of invitations have been issued.
On the day but one following the ceremony the Chapel
Royal will be thrown open to the public, and will remain
open for some days. The state apartments in St. James's
Palace cannot be thrown open till after the drawing-
room of the 30th inst. has been held, but immediately
afterwards they will be opened to the public, and so
continue for at least a week.

The Prince of Prussia is to set out from Berlin on the
17th, and, joining his consort at Magdeburg, their
Royal Highnesses will prosecute the journey to London
by way of Cologne and Calais. Prince Frederick-Wil-
liam was not to leave till the 21st. All the Belgian
court will be present at the ceremony with the excep-
tion of the Duchess of Brabant, who cannot undertake
the journey.
It is proposed among some leading members of
the aristocracy, to hold a grand ball at Willis's Rooms
on the 27th, in honour of the occasion. The names of
the Marchioness of Londonderry, the Marchioness of
Westminster, the Countess of Kinnoul, the Countess of
Jersey, the Countess Dowager of Lichfield, and the
Viscotiutess Palmerston, are mentioned as having al-
ready sanctioned the ball with their patronage
Arrangements are in progress in many corporations
throughout the country to grace the occasion with be-
coming festivities.
The bridal costume of the Princess Royal will be of
moire antique; the lace dress of exquisite Honiton gui-
pure, consisting of three flounces, the body being
trimmed to match. The veil will be of Moulton guipure
lace, which will be worn in a style completely novel in
this country for bridal costume, and will be attached to
the head with magnificent Moorish or Spanish pins.
The dress and veil are splendidly worked, the emblem
being the rose, shamrock, and thistle. The latter has
employed fifty girls for the last twelve months. The
new style of veil was entirely her Majesty's suggestion,
and the carrying out of the idea has met the approba-
tion of the Queen. The God of this production will be
about £6OO.

The following will, we believe, be found a correct list
of her Royal Highness's bridesmaids :—Lady Cecilia
Lennox, Lady Susan Rothiun Clinton, Lady Susan
Murray, Lady Victoria Noel, Lady Emma Stanley, Lady
Katherine Hamilton, Lady Constance Villers, Lady
Cecilia Molyneux. The Prince of Prussia will be
attended by a similar number of gentlemen (Prussian),
under the title of "Gentlemen of the Bridegroom."
We are requested to state that the manufacture of the
medal, the design of which has been already published,
has been entrusted to Messrs. Hunt and }Walsall.