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

SATURDAY.

Her Majesty, with Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales,
and the Pnncess Royal, went on board the Victoria and
Albert, in Osborne Bay, at seven in the evening of Friday.
The royal party dined on board, and retired to rest at an
early hour. At half-past four on Saturday morning the
royal yacht weighed anchor, and proceeded on her voyage.
The Victoria and Albert was accompanied by her tenderthe
Fairy, and also by the Irene and Vivid, two of the Trinity-
house steam - vessels, celebrated for their speed. The
morning was superb, the sky serene and bright, the sea
unruffled, and so rapid was the motion of the yacht, that
it was soon seen by those who had the direction of her that,
unless ber way was stopped, the squadron would arrive at
Boulogne before the preparations were completed ; or, what
was of more immediate consequence, before there was
sufficient water in the harbour to allow the entrance of a
vessel of such size and tonnage as the Victoria and Albert.
At half-past eight the royal convoy was off Beachy Head,
and at ten off Dungeness. Here the rate of speed was
diminished, and the squadron slowly steamed along,
bearing towards the French shore.

At two o'clock precisely the Victoria and Albert arrived
in the harbour of Boulogne amid the most deafening peals
of artillery and of musketry from the soldiers stationed
along tke front of the cliffs.

AL an early hour of the morning the moat complete pre-
brations were made for the landing of the royal party. The
myeror arrived at six o'clock the evening before from
Paris. Although he proceeded in the moat unostentatious
Manner, his piesence was soon recognised by an expectant
people, who 'cheered him vociferously from the railway-
station to the Pavilion Hotel, where apartments had been
engaged for him and his suite. It was expected that the
Empress would have accompanied him, but it appears that
she was prevented in consequence of a temporary delicacy
of health.

On the previous evening twenty-eight of the imperial
horses and three carriages arrived at the Hotel du Nord.
One of these carriages was particularly remarkable for its
beauty and magnificent appointments. It was built espe-
cially for the Queen's use during her sojourn in France. It
is a most unique vehicle, of peculiar elegance and light-
ness, lined with white satin and with hangings of gold.
The harness belonging to it is profusely ornamented with
appendages of the same precious metal. The expense of
this carriage amounted, it is said, to 40,000 francs. At an
early hour the Emperor reviewed the troops stationed at the
camp of Honvault; after which he proceeded to the rail-
way-station, with a view of hastening the completion of the
arrangements for the reception of her Majesty.
The quay and every part of the route to the railway-sta-
tion presented the most picturesque and animated appear-
ance. The temporary pavilion, erected for the reception
of her Majesty on her landing, was truly magnificent in its
decorations. The Doaane, or custom house, was thickly
hung with the flags of both countries, ranged with exquisite
taste, and studded with numerous devices. The hotels
and other houses had also flags and other decorations, and
were ornamented with laurel and evergreens. The
entrance to the railwaystation was of most gigantic pro-
portions, and the gates gilt in the most superb style. The
gigantic figure surmounting it, holding a scroll above the
bead, with the word " Civilisation" inscribed upon it, gave
to the whole a most dazzling and classical appearance. A
peat number of temporary benches were erected in front
of the houses on the quay, for the benefit of those who were
willing to pay from seven to twenty-five francs a seat,
according to the elevation. Every available space, from
4t* ocawani *144 to t APReviNS Fiore.4lo 11011,3181

80k

had its occupant. The royal route was lined on each aitie
by regiments of lancers and dragoons, backed by the sol-
diers of tlte line standing arm to arm. In the immediate
neighbOurhood of the pavilion were the Mayor and other
municipal authorities, together with a brilliant stall of
officers. Upon pillars erected at certain distances were in•
scribed eternately the letters "N." and "V.," in gold.
Some of them erected near the Dousne and the station•
house had the initials " N. V. A. and lc." inscribed in gold
upon their sides.

By all accounts there were 00,000 soldiers on duty this
day, and their presence upon each side of the port and all
along the overhanging cliffs for miles in extent formed a
scene of surpassing interest and brilliancy.
By a few minutes after two o'clock the Victoria and Albert
was moored at the
.appointed landing-place, and at the
same moment the different beaus that were stationed at
various places struck up our national anthem—" God save
the Queen," and continued playing during the progress of
the royal party to the railway-station. His Imperial
Majesty immediately stepped on board, and, having first
bowed. kissed the hand d the Queen. Her Majesty then
kissed the Emperor on both his cheeks. The Emperor
then conducted the Queen on shore. This event of the
landing of her Majesty on the shores of France was cele-
brated by a brilliant feu de joie along the heights, and the
cordial and enthusiastic cheers from the spectators. The
men uncovered their heads and the ladies waved flags and
pocket handkerchiefs. The Roman Catholic priests of the
different churches in Boulogne had special invitations from
the authorities to attend the ceremony, and they occupied
prominent places near the pavilion.
The royal and imperial party were delayed for a few
minutes in the pavilion in consequence of the presentation
to her Majesty of an address, agreed upon at a meeting of
the English residents and visitors in and near Boulogne,
at the Hotel du Nord, on Wednesday la-t. The address
was presented through Mr. Hamilton, her Majesty's Con.
sul at Boulogne, and was read to the queen by the Earl of
Clarendon.

Baron James Rothschild, the chairman of the Northern
of France Railway, being in attendance with the other
directors, presented to her Majesty a magnificent bouquet
of flowers, which the Queen smilingly accepted.
Her Majesty was then banded by the Emperor into the
carriage he had placed at her service. His Majesty
having then mounted his horse rode upon the right of tLe
carriage.

The imperial and royal cortege then moved off, and
arrived at the railway-statiou at about twenty minutes past
two o'clock.

Having stopped for a few moments to partake of the
refreshments there prepared, the illustrious party entered
the carriages in waiting, and proceeded by the railw•a) at a
rapid rate on their route to Paris.

The transit to the capital was accomplished with
great celerity, the train dashing through one station
after another at express speed. Most of these
stations were decorated and crowded with spectators,
who tried to catch a glimpse of the royal visitors in
passing. At Amiens there were vast preparations
made, as the royal party stopped there for a few
minutes for refreshment. The journey was then
resumed, at even higher speed than before, as it was
found that the day was wearing ont, and the entrance
to Paris would have to be almost accomplished in the
dark. Notwithstanding the best efforts of the engineers,
this result very nearly occurred. The sun was
setting a 5 the convoy reached the terminus of the
Strasbourg Railway, and the myriads who had
waited pa►iently for some hours on the route to St.
Cloud were much disappointed at finding scarcely
light enough left to give fhem a fair view of the distin-
guished visitors whose arrival they had prepared to
welcome. The preparations and adornments made
along the whole distance were on the most magnifi-
cent scale :

The interior of the Strasbourg station presented a most
gorgeous appearance as the illustrious visitors entered.
Upon one side was an elegant estrade of the choicest and
richest flowers, and the whole of the distance on the right
of the station along which her Majesty passed was one
mass of flowers. At the end of the station there was a
large square space, covered with a magnificent carpet of
enormous dimensions, around the sides of which ranged a
number of banquettes, covered with velvet and embroidery,
for the ladies who were honoured with invitations to wit-
ness the reception. The sides of the station, up to the
first floor, were hung with crimson velvet embroidered with
bees and stars. There were the Imperial arms of
Englc.nd and France richly guilt, emblazoned shields bear-
ing the arms of the towns of France, garlands of &meta
suspended from the roof, and eagles with extended wings,
healing on them the monogram of her Majesty, and
trophies and banners were profusely distributed over the
whole of the splendid hall The exterior of the station
was ornamented with the arms of the empire, trophies,
medallions with the royal and imperial cyphers, and flags
and banners withdnt number.

Descending the steps of the station, her Majesty, the
Emperor, Prince Albert, rnd the I'rince of Wales, entered
the first carriage, an elegant open barouche drawn by four
horses, and preceded by outriders and an escort of Guides.
The second carriage was occupied by the Prince Napoleon,
the Princess Royal, Earl of Clarendon, and the Marquis of
lireidelbano. A third was filled by the Marchioness of
Ely, Eady Churchill, Bon. Miss Bulteel, and the Marquis
of Abercorn. Lord Alfred I'sget, General Grey, Colonel
Phipps, Colonel liiddulph, Sir James Clark, and the other
officers of the royal suite, followed in open carriages. Pre-
vious to leaving the station, General la Wcestine, in the
name of the 91h battalion of the Garde Nationale,
presented a magnificent bouquet to her Blrijesty, which
presented a niagniticebt bouquet to her Msjesty, which
er Majesty gracetulla accepted. On leaving tha
• . .