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

VISIT OF TILE FRENCH EMPEROR AND

EMPRESS.
THIS memorable event has begun and ended since
our last publication. On Saturday last the Emperor
Napoleon made a farewell address to the members
of the Corps Legislatif announcing his brief absence
from France ; and this day he will quit the English
shores on his return. The visit has been paid
under the most brilliant auspices, favoured by mag
nificent weather. Our illustrious guests obtained
everywhere the most cordial reception from ail classes,
every public movement they have made being
watched by eager and enthusiastic crowds, who
omitted no opportunity of evincing the warmth of the
welcome which they accorded to our imperial ally
and his Empress. Each day of the five to which the
visit was unavoidably restricted has been occupied to
the fullest extent with various performances of cere-
mony, compliment, or festivity. The following diary
presents the incidents of chief interest. Their Ma-
jesties left Paris on Sunday by railway and slept
that night at Calais. Prince Albert also travelled on
Sunday afternoon to Dover in order to be in readi•
ness to receive them next morning.

MONDAY.
The morning was exceedingly fine and calm, but a
heavy fog lay on the water, obscuring all view sea-
ward and rendering the transit across the Channel
somewhat hazardous, owing to the crowd of shipping
that had assembled round and off Dover harbour.
Preparations of every description had been made on
shore for the safe landing and honourable reception
of the expected visitors. Prince Albert, together
with the town authorities and various public function-
aries, were in waiting at an early hour in the fore-
noon. Presently guns were heard reverberating from
Calais, and the telegraph announced that the
Pelican steam-yacht had left that port with their
Majesties and suite. There was no fog on the French
side of the Channel, but as the convoy neared the
English coast it became entangled in the dense mist,
and its progress was necessarily cautious and slow.
An interval of long and anxious waiting on the part
of Prince Albert and the attendants at Dover took
place. At length, however, at a few minutes after
one, the ships-of war fired a royal salute, which told
the spectators on shore that the convoy had arrived,
and shortly afterwards the graceful Pelican hove in
sight, in tow of one of her Majesty's steamers, when
a shout of welcome was raised all along the pier, was
taken up in the harbour, and re-echoed from the
cliff. As the vessel neared the shore his Imverial
Majesty could be distinguished, wearing the uniform
of a Marshal of Fiance, and the grand cordon of the
Legion of Honour, and beside him stood the Empress,
who was in truth an object of the most intense in
terest to the thousands, male and female, who lined
the shore, impatient to bid her a cordial welcome.
Her Majesty was most simply attired in a Chapeau
de Paille, a grey paletot, and tartan dress, of a quiet
and unobtrusive pattern. Behind the Emperor and
Empress stood Marshal Valliant, and about a dozen
French officers, in brilliant uniforms, and on the
paddle-box might be recognised Admiral the Vis-
comte de Chabannes, who had the honour of com-
manding the imperial yacht on this occasion. The
light vessel was soon alongside the steps, the deco-
rated gangway was run out, the cheering reached its
olimax, and in another moment Prince Albert might
be seen handing the Empress on shore. The Em
peror followed alone, etiquette, it is presumed, pre-
venting his Imperial Majesty offering his arm to the
Countess Walewski, who was most graciously recog-
nised by the Empress at the landing,-place. The
dames d'honneur followed, then the English and
French Court functionaries, the whole party proceed-
ing slowly amid deafening cheers to the hotel.
At the Lord Warden Hotel luncheon had been
prepared, which was soon despatched, and the Em-
peror Napoleon afterwards received a ceremonial
deputation from the town council, who presented
him with a congratulatory address, to which his
Majesty returned the following retily, the first of
many similar expressions of thanks for similar corn-
pliments. He spoke in English, with but a slight
accent :

I ant exceedingly grateful that your Queen has allowed
me to dud such an occasion to pay my respects to her and
to show my sentiments of esteem and sympathy for the
English people. I hope that the two nations will be always
united in peace and in war, for I am convinced that it will
be for the welfare of the whole world and for their owe.
prosperity. lam exceedingly grateful to you for the senti-
ments you have expressed towards myself and the Empress,
and I hope you will be the interpreter of my sentiments
and hers to your countrymen.
' -

The mayor and corporation having withdrawn,
Prince Albeit at once conducted his guests to the
railway-station, immediately adjoining the hotel. The
interior of the sjation bad, been nicely decorated fgr
the occasion withflags and evergreens, and the plat-

.

form was kept clear by a guard of
of troops of the Line.
The journey to London was perform
more than two hours. The royal
at the Bricklayers' Arms station,
Mayor of London was in waiting
passant, and proceeded in carriages
Western station along the New Kj
minster-bridge, Whitehall, Charing.
St. James's-street, Piccadilly, It
north side of Serpentine, Victoria-gr
This first transit through Londe
one of the most memorable incidi
The route was about five miles Ion;
an hour and a half was occupied -
that distance. The carriages proceeded
pace, and the whole length was tra:
broken lines of spectators. The hL
describes the journey :
The route through London, from the
station, was thronged with countless thousani
tore, by whom the Emperor and Empress
the most enthusiastic demonstrations.
tele passed up Whitehall, Pall-mall, Si
along Piccadilly, the members of the
the families of the nobility and gentry,
dows, each vieing with the other in one
generous and hospitable welcome.
recognition of the representative of a
soldiers are fighting side by side wi)
and fathers.

As the cortege went along, the m.
gratulation appeared to increase, u..
Duke of Wellington's statue. and past the Achilles, the ap-
pearance of a gay party waving their handkerchiefs from
the balcony of Apsley-house, with the windows of the
Waterloo Gallery thrown open, reminded all pleasantly
how transitory may be even national enmities.
Hyde-park presented a scene such as has not been wit-
nessed since the opening of the Great Exhibition. Through
the whole extent of the road from Victoria-gate to Apsley-
house, along the north bank of the Serpentine, a space of
more than two miles, a double line of carriages was drawn
up, consisting of all the rank, fashion, and wealth of Eng-
land now resident in the metropolis. Thousands of gay
parties promenaded on the green sward by the side of the
road, while others of less degree lined the footpaths for the
whole distance. In Kensington-gardens, protected in front
from all pressure of the crowd by the ditch and sunken wall,
were drawn tip whole brigades of young children, flanked
by their attendants.
The magnificence and wealth displayed in so great a
collection of equipages, but more than all the beauty of
their occupants, and the warm welcome given by the* to
her Imperial Majesty of France, rendered th whole of
this promenade of the cortege from Hyde-park-corny to
Victoria-gate a perfect ovation for the Empress, and a
striking compliment to the Emperor. It was a drawing-
room and levee extemporised, by the nobility and gentry of
the country, to exhibit to them the warmth of feeling, The
cordiality, and the grateful heartiness with which England
welcomes her tried and trusty ally.
A rare sunshine enlivened the scene ; our climate did its
hest in honour of the occasion, and gave a brightness and
brilliancy to the fast budding trees—the early verdure of
the lawn.
Ou turning out of Victoria-gate by Sussex-gardens, to-
wards Westbourn-terrace, and so by Spring-street and
Weatbourne-terrace to the railway terminus, it became
evident that Tyburnia was in unusual excitement—that for
one day at least, crochet was suspended, and potichomanie
superseded.

At the Great Western station everything was in
readiness, the royal party entered the train without
delay, and were whirled off to Windsor, Mr. Brunel
himself driving the engine at a rate of seventy-two
miles an hour. _ _

Their Majesties arrived at Windsor shortly after
seven o'clock, and at once proceeded to the castle,
alighting at the Grand Hall, where the Queen,
accompanied by the Prince of Wales, the Priifess
Royal, the Duke of Cambridge, and the Prinee of
Leiningen, received her illustrious guests The
great officers of state and the household (in levee
dress), and the Ladies and Maids of Honour in
Waiting, were in attendance with the Queen at the
Grand Hall. Viscount Palmerston, First Lord of
the Treasury, and the Earl of Clarendon, Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs, were also present.
The Queen, taking the arm of the Emperor, and
the Empress that of Prince Albert, followed by the
Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, the Duke of
Cambridge, and the Prince of Leitingen, passed
up the grand staircase, through the Music-room,
into the Throne-room, where the younger members
of the Royal Family were assembled, and subse-
quently proceeded to the Reception-room, where the
ladies and gentlemen of the household of the Queen
and the Prince were presented to their Imperial
Majesties. After these and some other ceremonies
the imperial and royal personages retired to their
private apartments to prepare for the grand banquet
in St. George's•hall given by the Queen that even-
ing. The apartments prepared by her Majesty for
her guests have been described as follows:—
The sleeping apartment of the Empress Eugenie. which
is known as the Council Chamber, and adjoins the Queen's
Closet, has been decorated in an equally gorgeous style.
The state bed has been redecorated with preen satin and
crimson embroidery. The furniture *like thate the
Emperor's, green and gold. The toilet, is covered with

SAltlßiull
......--_____.
f honour consisting
rformed in a little
party left the train
1, where the Lord
; to receive them en
ages to the Great
Kent-road, West-
ig-cross, Pall-mall,
Hyde-park- corner,
-gate, to the station.
tdun was, perhaps,
dents tif the visit.
ng, and more than
. in accomplishing
)ceeded at a foot's
iversed between un-
Horning Post thus
the Bricklayers' Arms
thousands of specta-
.ess were received with
t. As the imperial col,
St. James's•street, and
le different clubs, and
ry, thronged the win.
me united acclaim of
Their cheers were a
nation whose gallant
ith our own brothers
iultitndinoue roars of
until turning by the
4 the Achilles, the ap-