The Express.
London, England, 1863-10-15 00:00:00

ALL Axon'slon, Load Provost at Aberdeen,

Chairmoo of tim Conamista• of Coatribubra

Abordass, Oct. 13, 1863. _ _
The following reply was handed to the Lord
Provost on the part of her Majesty :

Your loyal mad alfectiosate addrees kas deeply touched
roe. sod I thank you for st from my heart. It was with feel.
lap that I fail in seeking worsts to exams that I determined
to attired here to-day to witeess the IRS of CM
mate which will record to future times the tovssod reaped
of the people of this opacity mad city for my great and
beloved husband. Bat I could sot niooemle it to rsysf to
remain at Balmoral while such a tribute was bate paid to his
memory without mating se 01111111106 to mare you pervorially
of the deep and heartfelt sense I arterials of your kiedsees
sad affection ; and at the same time proclaim in public the
ssimusded menace and admiration, and the devoted lore
*milli my heart for him whose lose must throw a lasting
gloms over all my future life. Neves ens I forget the air-
=matinee to which you so feelingly alluded —that it was in
this city be delivered his remarkable address to the British
Amociation a very few years ago ; and that in this oouuty
we had for so many years been ir. the habit of spending some
of the happiest days of our lives.

Sir G. Grey then intimated the desire of her
Majesty to confer on the Lord Provost the honour
of knighthood. The Lord Provost having bent his
knee her Majesty applied to his shoulder that
magic touch whereby the Lord Provost was at once
converted from plain Alexander Anderson into Sir
Alexander Anderson, Knight. It was supposed
that her Majesty would not, in consequence of the
rein, come upon the platform, which was erected
on a level with the club windows for the purpose of
enabling her to have a better view of the statue
when uncovered ; but Sir G. Grey and General
Hood having Dome on the platform with
umbrellas for the use of the Queen, lc., the Queen
aud the members of the royal family soon followed.
Her Majesty stood forward near the edge of the
platform, in deep mourning dress, having on her
right the Crown Princess of Prussia, who held an
umbrella over the Queen, and the Princess Louise;
on her left the Princess Louis of Reese and the
Princess Helena. A little behind the Princess
Helena stood Prince Alfred, Prince Louis of Hesse,
Prince Leopold, Prince Arthur, and the Crown Prince
of Prussia, who occupied the extreme left of the
royal group, all of them dressed in the royal Stuart
Highland costume. Prince William of Hesse, who
stood behind his brother alone amongst the melee,
wore • plain dress, with a star ou the breast. It
was a truly touching and • trying scene to be-
hold the mourning widow surrounded by so many of
her children, thus awaiting the uncovering of the
cote and pulseless representative of her husband
and their father. It was impossible to remain un-
moved in the presence of such a, group, and the
Queen's countenance symbolised the most painful
emotions. Most injudiciously as it struck me, in
common with hundreds of others, the Very Rev. Dr.
Campbell, the priucipal of the university, recited
a prayer, which, though heard by few, occupied
from eight to ten minutes in the delivery, and which
if given would occupy nearly a half column of a
newspaper. Apart from the consideration of the
rain, which was falling fast, every one felt that
the Queen ought not to have been kept so long
in her distressing position, and if I mistake uot, her
Majesty's countenance indicated a similar feeling.
The prayer over, the statue, which was hitherto
hid from sight by one of the royal flags from the
Winchester, was exposed to view, the flag having
been removed in the usual way and lifted
on a pole, from which it afterwards floated. This
was the most trying moment of all to the Queen.
I fully expected that under this severe ordeal the
woman's feelings would have got the upperhand,
aud that • painful scene would have ensued.
There was nothing more, however, than • long,
anxious, and intent gaze upon the familiar features
represented on the bronze, and an occasional
ammement of the lips, as if the Queen was com-
muning with herself, or engaged in mental prayer.
Having dwelt on the statue fer a considerable time

[TWOPENCE

from one point of view, she walked a little to the
right and surveyed it from another—a respectful
and reverential silence being maintained through-
out. Her Ma' orty then bowed to the people, and
enetwed the club, where she partook of some re-
freshment.

The statue reached Aberdeen on Wednesday of
last week,and Las since been placed on its pedestal.
The site is at the west end of Union-bridge, at the
I *Diner of Union-terrace, the wooded bank that
I slopes toward the Denburn forming its immediate
background. The pedestal of the statue animists of
*plinth of grey dressed granite ; its size is ten feet
by eight feet and a half, and about a foot in depth.
Above this is a moulded base of red polished
granite. The die, also of red granite polished, is
Ifive feet eight inches by four feet two inches ; and
four feet two inches in height. Over the die there
is a mops of red polished granite, and both cope
endless are relieved by bronze bands and scrolls
The seethe itself represents the Prince suited,
wearing the cloak of the order of the Thistle over
a field-ntanharsundlersa, with a scroll representingg
the address delivered by him to the In •
is his left band, and a field-
bar ht. kia.
artriat the
slMbkW*
pedsetal 14 feet 6 inches. On the
frost of the die these is the simple inscription,
"Albert." The likeness to Prince Albert is
extremely good. The face is rather too delicate
for that of the deceased Prim*, at least in his latter
yam, though it might represent him with perfect
accensey in is early and youthful days. Messrs.
ll‘Donald, Yield, and Co., of the Aberdeen Granite
Works, executed the pedestal ; Menem John Fraser
and Son, builders, laid the foundation ; and the
attire arrangements were under the management
of Mr. Smith, City architect.
When the ()Meg trim prepared to return, Major-
General Hood maw teeth* portico of the club and
inquired tif Gars& %Awe .whether he had got a
band, as it wet the wish of the Queen that the
drums should butt and the bugles sound. General
Walkereidisd if her Majesty wished to have " God
save the Queen" played. General Hood d
" Whatever is usual when the Queen retires."
Orders were immediately issued to have the "roll"
beat, and accordingly as her Majesty returned the
sounds of the pibroch, the bugle, and the drum,
were heard along the line. As there was no regi-
mental brass band, "God save the Queen"
was net played. Perhaps those who are disposed
to draw conclusions from slight incidents may
assume that this order, which issued directly front
her Majesty, is an indhotiou of her disposition to
appear more frequently in public in future. I
merely give the fact, and there I leave it. The
royal party, with the exception of Prince Alfred,
who returned to Edinburgh by the 4.15 train, left
the station shortly after 3 o'clock, and proceeded
by special train to Aboyne, and thence by carriage
to Balmoral The rain now somewhat abated, the
people began to circulate freely in the streets--the
great point of attraction being the statue, now fully
exposed to view—and to discuss the incidents of
'tie Queen's visit to Aberdeen, which is not likely
to be won forgotten by the inhabitants of the
" granite city.