The Express.
London, England, 1863-03-09 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING,

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Tidiness (manufactured by Messrs. Fry and Co. of began to show itself, and the court-yard re-echoed
Dublin) her royal highness wore na ample of with loud cheers.
regal purple, and round her peck's vielorine • Inside the station there was more ef a wi
rarest Russian sable ; a white silk bonnet wi loom tea}' but:-tai; warmth
poi
flower' completed the toilet, which bannounied 'tin the ' cti of a. , fa 0. .
with, although it could not heighten, 'the was suflitilithtly marked ill om ...,i
ut
tilt
natural charms of the ropd wearer. We
_were tau. nog non liken one - end to the
glad to observe that the al, was OtTery MOIRSIO was fl .th, fast -taste+ayienu o(
si
expanse, and it is to be hoped that the shrubs statue' being obligin
the
the 1
hint thus given at the very fountain-head of fashion Crystal Palace Company. Mr. B y, the architect
I will not be lost on the foolish girls who are daily of the South Eastern Railway Company, deserves
riskiug their toot and other lives by wearing drape- great credit for the arrangemniseient of his materiaanls.
ries of the most abased dimensions. The Prince The roof was a graceful of eire rgreeos d
had by this time arrived at the pier, and was flowers, so disposed as to represent zig-zag lines
shaking bands cordially but hurriedly with the running the whole length of the station. la each
various local notabilities. His Royal Highness's division were hung large flags of different nations,
eyes glanced impatiently towards the stately vessel, held at the top by wreaths of flowers, and falling
which was gradually being settled in her moorings, in festoons. The distant arches of the engine-house
and, no doubt, saw there metal far more attractive —visible beyond the station—were completely
than even the most worthy of mayors, or even the covered with evergreens, as if overgrown with ivy.
most dignified of judges or recorders. At last the The side of the platform against the walla of the
gangway was run on shore, sod in another reception-rooms was decorated with rare flowers,
111001811 A the Prince might be seen hurrying along statues, and evergreens. Each pilaster bore
the deck of the Victoria and Albert towards the trophies of flags and spears, so arranged as to re-
eutrance of the saloon. At the same moment a present a nation. The oonutries honoured in this
young and graceful figure passed rapidly along the way were France, Denmark, Sweden, Norway,
interior of the latter, and at the threshold his royal Prussia, Belgium, Spain, Austria, Italy, Portu,
highness saluted, with the ardour of a lover, tem- Russia, Turkey, and merica- The recesses be-
pered by the respect of a gentleman, the lips of his tween the pilasters were filled with statues,
intended bride. It was an honest, hearty English and the intermediate spaces with shrubs
kiss, and the Eughsh people cheered it in a perfect and flowers. These were formed in semi-circular
paroxysm of approbation. That cheer must have beds, the edges of which were made of triple lines
been heard to have its loyal and virtuous of evergreen leaves, very gracefully arranged.
sentiment understood, the meaning of that seuti- The whole station looked in fact like the interior
went being that the English people accepted the of an elegant conservatory.
kiss as the seal of a virtuous union bringing life- The platform was covered with a rich-coloured
long happiness tothe royal couple, and rod example crimson cloth, over which was stretched a line of
and prosperity to the entire nation. There is a crimson and black carpeting. This was swept
verse of a forgotten drawing-room poet, which every quarter of an hour during the morning,
describes not inadequately the character in which before the arrival of the royal party. Built up
assembled thousands aooepted that royal kise of on the rails at the upper end of the station were
welcome : seats raised one above the other, and filled with a
Sweetest seal of soft affection, brilliant company of ladies and gentlemen, mostly
Tenderest pledge of future blies, adorned with the fashionable colours and Coventry
Dessert two of young opoonzioo, favours. The bulk of these seats faced the rooms of
Love's first snowdrop-virgin kiss. the station, being carried a little beyond the door of
There was but one wish breathed amongst the the outer reception-room, and a few were placed at
myriads who witnessed the salute of Saturday last, the upper end of the platform, commanding_
hea
and that was that it should prove the harbinger of perspective view of the carpeted passage. T
life-long love and happiness to the young and grace- amusemeut provided for the occupants of these
fnl royal couple who, thus with northern openness, seats was the music playing outside the station, and
had interchanged it innocently in the face of the the sight of the earliest state arrivals. The outer
world. reception or ante-room, filled on one side with about
A very few moments brought the Prince and his e hundred lady visitors, was crowded aboutone o'clock
bride to the pier, where they were received by the with civic and state functionaries, dressed in scarlet
local authorities, and two loyal addresses were and Windsor court uniforms. About twenty
presented, and, to use a parliamentary phrase, re_ minutes after this, the Duke of Cambridge, at-
, ceived as read. tended by two aides-de-cainp, and followed by Sir
' The Printout was evidently dazzled with the George Grey, walked on to the platform, where
brilliancy of the scene, sad, above all, charmed he was soon jemed hY Sir Richard Mayne. Be
with the bright array of her young amazonian was received 'by the company with loud °beers,
who in armour of white mailing, scar- and he walked some distance towards the mouth
guard,
and gipey hats, lined the passage on of the station, where he remained talking to Sir
either side. There were fifty of these young ladies George Grey until the arrival of the royal train.
in all, and as they must certainly be the founders Another quarter of an hour elapsed unbroken by
of a new order of female chivalry, we here insert any particularly amusing or resitting incident,
their slimes —Misses Johnson, Bond, Brightwell, except the flitting in and out of Mr. Lapin), and
Chaplain, Hart, Barker, Gould, Belton, Schooling, the appearance of the Hon. Mrs. Byng, the wife
Martin, Cavell, Carlin, Grey, Ackworth, Willis, of the chairman of the South-Eastern Company,
Edwazds, Brame, Willoughby Dural.melon,with an enormous bouquet that would have filled a
Coles, Frost, E. Lake, Whitley, kluht, Wright, R. small wheelbarrow. The proceedings were now
Gregory, Cooper, A. M. Patten, Winnett, Pallia- diversified by the entrance of a waiter bearing a
ter, Pottinger, Hilder, Hill, White, Bryan, covered dish of meat, with which he marched along
Fletcher, Norris, Bromfield, Lake, Martin, Pal-the platform into the reception-room. He was
liiikw, e„thy wiimetki Trought„, Roubemy, followed by another waiter, a rather fat and perspir-
Williams, Sharl'and, Schooling, Martin, Raekstraw, ing, but very self-possessed waiter, who bortlin one
Waid, C ke, Losl, Newman, Terry, Fletcher, hand a plMe of horse-radish and in the other a
Beverley, Matthews, Sharland. bailed &It of bottles of champagne. The appear-
__LTasi presented flowers with, Prince and Pris'e's ance of these two men—the sating-house heralds of
along, and received in return perfect showers the royal party—was received with laughter and
g-gr7c,.. smiles from both the royal couple. applause, which had hardly subsided when the
A very few momenta more brought this brilliant royal train was announced, precisely at twenty
pageant to an end, the royal carriages se minutes to two, or ten minutes earlier than the
soon as filled filing off towards the station, the aVVointeci twwe' This produced en expectant
Princon merely stopping tor a tad at a stand flutter amongst the company, and the raoe-glasses
in the Teams-garden which had been specially were rubbed and prepared for service. The Hon.
' allotted to the Danish residents in London. An Mrs. Byng gave a glance to her bouquet to see that
ode in her native tongue was here presented to her it was m good order—that nothing bad been
royal highness, which she graciously received, and dropped from the full-blown cornucopia—the
the procession moved on only to the railway ate- emblem of plenty ; the six or eight mild policemen
Lion. We have before noticed the gay appearance who, with excellent taste, were the only body
of the line of route, and it now showed off to guard in the station, were ordered into rank
the greatest advantage. The roadway was lined opposite the door of the outer reception room ; the
on both sides by the county volunteers, end three or four " gentlemen of the press" who were
most excellent order was kept by the borough not with the royal train, or at different points on
police, under the able superintendence of r. the line of procession, took their places on the edge
White, who has the rare faculty of doing his duty of the platform, and were the first to wed-
At the amine time with palates' and firmness. cc' the r0,.ye1.,.......,..,,e4we',....awh.,,ewit d.,eceret.„etiwih
At the railway itself the county constabulary kept evergreens, " '"'"*""" ""`""-' "P within
guard, and they could only be exceeded in obstinacy twenty yards of the reserved seats. In a few seconds
and stupidity by the Royal Engineers, who there the long-expected royal pair (the Windsor pair as
divided the duty with them. The officer who they are now called, an old pun having been
commended the detachment of that corps would chilly revived for the occasion) stepped briskly fiz
listen to no reason, nor read any voucher that their carriage, the Duke of Cambridge, with is
was presented to him, bat neolutely refused admit- usual gallantry, being the first to assist the
Lean on the right arm of the Prince
Lance to the representatives of the London press, who Priem's&
would have been deprived of the opportunity of of Wales, and ing before her with a modest
giving a complete record of the royal progress gratified smile, and some little apparent timidity,
by the discourtesy of this person had not accident the Princess Alexandra walked slowly along the
sent Mr. Porta, the station-maaler, to the rmcue platform. She was received with hearty cheers,
when the latter very soon relieved the son of Mars, and the waving of hats, handkerchiefs, and beu-
from a responsibility to which he was evidently un- Eete, which she acknowledged by graceful b°we'
equal. The journey to town was unmarked by any wren she arrived nearly in front of the door of the
special incident. Numerous assemblages of the outer reception room, the Hon. Mrs. Byng presented
people were gathered at the different stations, and her with the enormous bouquet before mentioned,
eveywhere the welcome of the people was sum* Mrs. Byng making repeated curtseys, and the
tskeable. In about fifty minutes the royal traiu Primes, repeated bows. One or two members of
arrived safely at the Bricklayers' Arms station the court thought they ought to relieve her of
where them etropolitan portion of the pagan this pleasing burden of flowers, but they did no
might be said fairly to commence. I more than make the suggestion. The Prince
of Wake looked pleased at the warm recep-
tion accorded to the young lady, though he
hurried her over the grouud with all convenient
speed.
The young Princess, who has just completed ter
nineteenth year, is interesting rather than strik-
ingly handsome or insipidly pretty. The charm of
her fops, which is rather long, lies in a pensive,.
amiable expression, and her smile is made very
pleasing by a very good full-lipped mouth. Her
nose is good • her eyes are coloured rather faintly,
and her general complexion is fair. None of the
photographs or lithographs do her strict justice.
Her figure is neat, and showed to advantage in a
tightly-fitting mantle, and she appears to be as tall
as the Prince of Wales. She was, as before stated,
very quietly dressed in a light mauve colourW
Irish poplin, a purple velvet cloak trimmed with
sable, a sable muff, a white bonnet trimmed with
r mauve, and pale lavender gloves. She wore her
hair in the present favourite style—brushed back
from her face.
The passage through the admiring crowd in the
outer reception room was soon effected, and the
Princes and Prince, with the rest of the royal
party, which included, amongst others, the Prince
of Prussia, the Duke of Sere Coburg and the Count
of Flanders, passed into an inner room that was
tastefully fitted up for luncheon. Beyond this
again was soother elegant apartment, furnished as
alhondeir for the Princess. Her father and mother
eat her yo
delighted with everybody and every-
brother and sister, who accompanied
her, appeared
thing. The crowd of distinguished attendants on
the Prince and Princess filled the little banquetting
room to overflowing, and the soup was ladled by
the waiters out of the tureen into the plates in
parities of extreme pressure. A littl screen
standing in the outer reception room covered the
opsratuass of another flurried waiter, and two of
the royal grooms in full tally-ho costume kept
g and out of the inner room during this
Canararred in
repast. How the half-dozen addresses were
read and presented is a mystery which can only be
unravelled by an historian with more time and
patience on his bands than the correspondent of a
daily p.m.—and we are glad that Mr. W. H.
RusWl was on the ground—we presume in his
capacity of tout chronicler.
Precisely at two o'clock the outer reception-room
was again filled with a bustling crowd, and some of
the directors of the company helped to clear the
side doorway looking on to the platform for the
Princes to show herself once more to the company
before entering her carriage. She earns out of the
luncheon room leaning on the right arm of the
Prince of Wales, looking preciselyas she had looked
while talking along the platform. Her appearance
at the door was the signal for • burst of ahem*.
The Prince looked at her after this reception, as if
to see how she bore it, and then led her up the

RECEPTION AT THE BRICKLAYERS'
ARM&
A fan-shaped approach to the outer gateway of
the Bricklayers' Arms Station was kept by a double
line of soldiers and policemen, and the gateway,
tastefully fitted up with evergreens, was turned
into a lofty triumphal arch. This Meth was sue;
mounted by the Prince of Willba's feather-4
proper, popular, but not very graoeful decoration
—and the background consisted of a ray of flags
and spears, the royal flag being in the centre. In
this ray the Danish, French, Austrian and Greek flip
were placed on the right, and the Union Jack,
Spanish,Sardinian, and Belgian flags on the left. On
each side of the arch were shields surrounded
by bathers showing the royal arms of England
and Denmark surmounted by crowns. A rich
fretwork of gold fleur-de-lis, varied with silver
balls, decorated the top line of the arch, and other
points were similarly decorated. The centre of the
arch was appropriately occupied with the word
" Welcome," formed of scarlet letters enricted with
silver ball*, and set in a dense nest of evergreens.
On each aided the arch ware clumps of banners,
and decorations showing rays of silver and gold,
and the supporters of the arch were two lofty
masts bearing the camas of England and Denmark.
iestossis of the lap of all masons hung from the
tops of these masts, and half way down were silver
crowns, from which sprung similar banners.
The station-yard was covered with greed, and on
the right and left of the entrance wee spacious
galleries covered with crimson cloth, interwoven
with wreaths of evergreens and lowers. These
seats, all covered in with sloping roofs, were filled
early in the morning with a brilliantly-dressed
company, conthting chiefly of ladies. The preva-
lence of the Danish colours, scarlet and white,
was noticeable in the costumes, giving this
dress circle a very gay appearance. The
centre of the yard was occupied by a
mare of troops—the infantry being under the ems-
mend of Major-General Cranford, the cavalry
under the command of Major-General lowrasson,
and the whole being under the command of Sir
David Wood, E. C. B. , Royal Horse Artillery. Flap
of all nations Laded over the simple roof of the
station ; officials decorated with favours bustle;
about the yard • the tall dignified commander of
the Meb.lit;in pollee—Sir Richard Mayne—
attired in &11 court costume, rode in and out ;
military and volunteer bands played at intervals I
and the whole place had the look of gay lists
for some grand approaching tournament.
hen the Duke of Cambridge, Sir George Grey,
and the Lord Mayor arrived, about twenty minutes
past one o'clock, and the bands struck up the
National Anthem, the mamma ed the visitors

MARCH 9,

in ay once more on to the platform. r
Th' adt ittateteived with another and a louder
burst of seller Aug..; and when they withdrew again
into the Amin, prarious to passing out of the (rent i
4 door into,. the s on-yard to their 0111741103, AV i
were honoured : th a sound English three times
theta by the en inside.
1 The whole.l the arrangements at. the Briek-
layers' Arteiritation reflect the highiat credit:in
everybody concerned—on the police, the militainfi,
and particularly the directors and officers of the•
South Eastern Railway Company. The royal train
. was in chary cif ritTr. Iberia', the wefts' manager,
Mr. Knight, the traffic mauager, the Hon. Mr.
Byng, the chairman, and Mr. Samuel Smiles, the
distinguished secretary. The arrangements in and
about the station were confided to Mr. Brady, Mr.
Whately, Mr. Noden, Mr. Cockburn, and Mr.
Shooemith--all of whom, trusted officers of the
company, were on duty. wearing favours. They
have all nobly earned for their station a new title
copied from something better than an old tavern
in the neighbourhood: We hope that when the
Princess uext goes to the Old Kent-road, it will
be to a station named after her own fair self, and
we shall then hear no more jokes about her
making the Prince jealous by flying to the
Bricklayer's Arms.