The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-08-01 00:00:00

VISIT OF H.R.H. THE PRINCE AND
PHINOESS OF WALES TO PORTLAND.

Portland most unexpectedly had the honour
of a short visit from their Royal Highnesses the
Prince and Princess of Wales on Thursday
afternoon . The Royal party were accompanied
by the Duke and Ouches& of Sutherland,
the Duke of St. Alban's, lion. Charles
Edgcumbe, Lady de Grey and Ripon,
Major Grey, and General Knollys who
arrived in Portland harbour about noon in the
royal yacht Osborne from Penzance. Im-
mediately on the yacht rounding the Breakwater
head a salute of 21 guns was fired from H.M.S.
St. George in honour of the distinguished
visit. The yacht anchored near that vessel,
and immediately afterwards the Royal party
landed at the Albert pier, where they were
received by Commodore Ryder of the Coast-
guard service, who happened to be i the Roads
with H.M.S. Argus ; Captain Rice, of EMS.
St. George, and John Cootie, Esq., engineer-in-
chief of the Portland Breakwater. The Royal
standard was hoisted on Portland Castle in
honour of the Prince and Princess. of Wales,
but we regret to add, owing to the serious indis-
position of Capt. Manning (Her Majesty's Lieu-
tenant,) he was unable to accompany the dieting-
guished Royal party over the works. A very large
crowd of people witnessed the arrival of their
Royal Highnesses, and cheered them most
heartily, a compliment which the Prince acknow-
ledged. A break drawn by three horses from
Sansom's Breakwater Hotel was in readiness for
the distinguished visitors, who were driven
to the Verne works, where they were received
by Major Nugent, RE., the commander of the
works, and Lieutenant Manger, R.E. The
royal party minutely inspected the vast fortifi-
cations now in progress of construction on the
Verne, the new casemated barracks, and the
large fortified ditch, after which they were driven
to the Breakwater. On arriving at the entrance
of the works the party ascended the .staging
leading to the Breakwater. Here a stone wagon
was o /Everted into a carriage, some seats
covered with flags I:l2ing placed therein. An
engine was attached, and in this manner the
Royal party were conveyed to the extreme end
of the work. Mr. Coode had previously
arranged that some divers should be in readiness
to descend. This seemed very much to amuse
the visitors, who expressed themselves as
being highly delighted, not only with this
but with everything else they had witnessed.
A considerable number of persona, includ-
ing the officials connected with the works,
accompanied the Prince on his Breakwater tour.
At 229 two the Royal party reembarked
on board the Osborne at the extreme
Ef]lcl Of the works, amidst the cheerin, of those
assembled and a salute of 21 guns from H.M.S.
St. George. The distinguished visitors proceeded
en route for Osborne. The Prince of Wales
expressed himself highly delighted with the
Breakwater, and at the progress of the works
since he last inspected them. He, however,
expressed regret that the Channel Fleet were
not in the Roads, the ships having left on Mon-
day for a mine in the Channel. They arrived
at Portland Roads on Friday morning.