The Press.
London, England, 1856-09-06 00:00:00

Coat alto

Her Majesty the Queen and Royal Family left
Holyrood at an early hour last Saturday, and
travelled direct to Balmoral, arriving there in safety
the same evening. The Royal Family have, since
their arrival at Balmoral, enjoyed daily rides or
drives in the neighbouring woods.

H.R.H. the Prince of 'Wales will leave Osborne-
house shortly for Balmoral. His Royal Highness
visits Manche%ter en route.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, ac-
companied by Colonel the Hon. J. Macdonald, has
left St. James's Palace for Gordon Castle, on a vi-it
to the Duke and Duchess of Richmond. H.R.11.
returns to town early next week. H.R.H. has in-
spected For George Fochahar, N. 8., during his stay
at Gordon Castle.

The Duke of Beaufort has left Badminton for
Gopsall hall.
The Earl and Countess of Wilton are at present
on a visit to the Duke and Duchess of Manchester,
at Tanragee Castle.

The Marquis of Ely, Lieutenant-Colonel Lord
West, and Lady Elizabeth Hope Vere and Miss
Hope Vere, are among the recent arrivals at the
Lord Warden Hotel, Dover.
The Earl and Countess of Westmorland are
receiving a select circle at Apthorpe•park, Northamp-
tonshire.

Lord Panmnre has arrived in town from his seat
in Scot!and.

Viscount Palmerston left town on Thursday for
St. Leonard's-on-the. Sea.

Miss Florence Nightingale is at present staying at
Malvern for the benefit of her health.

THE QUEEN OF CUDE.

THE royal family and suite left Southampton on
Saturday night for Harley house, London. Daring
the whole of the day the native attendants were
busily engaged in packing up, and early in the even-
ing a number of vehicles accumulated in the front of
the Royal York Hotel for the purpose of conveying
them and their goods to the railway station. A con-
course of persons was of course attracted to the
spot, and long before the time appointed for the
leave-taking that portion of the High-street facing
the royal residence was literally blocked with specta-
tors. The natives seemed greatly to enjoy the
necessary preparations, and, although there were
sufficient cabs called into requisition to supply each
one with an inside berth, yet the roof of the vehicles
seemed to be the place selected in preference to the
more retired accommodation in the interior. One
cab succeeded the other down the High-street in
rapid succession, each conveying on its roof one or
more of the Oriental visitors, who, as they passed
through the streets to the railway, made signs indi-
cating their farewell. During the removal of the
baggage, one of the workmen, it is said, entered the
Queen's apartment inadvertently. In a moment he
was hurried out by a eunuch. He had just time to
notice the Queen, who, dressed in white, was promi-
nently seated among a number of native ladies. At
the railway station every proper arrangement was
made for the comfortable departure of the royal
party. A train, consisting of two first, two second,
and one third class carriage, was provided. For the
time being the general public were not admitted,
although a few friends received the privilege.
About half•past seven the scene inside the terminus
was a most animated and laughable one. A number
of the pariah class had got into the third class
carriages, and were smoking and thoroughly enjoying
themselves. Others were busy carrying and stowing
away Hindoo bedding, mats, carpets, and curious
culinary and washing utensils, &c. Cabs were
racing into the terminus every minute with the moon:
sheer and gentlemen of the Court. The Hindos-
tanee of the natives, the slang of the cabmen, and
the noise of the crowd, formed a Babel of tongues.
Towards eight o'clock a rush was made to see the
princesses and maids of honour. This was the signal
for the eunuchs to display the nature of their duties,
and, having requested the spectators to make room,
the ladies, "closely veiled," made their appearance,
and were ushered into their carriage, the blinds of
which were immediately drawn, the exterior from
that moment being carefully guarded. The " ladies •
of the harem, with their heads also entirely covered,
next arrived, and were treated in a similar manner.
These, however, were less careful of their privacy,
for upon being seated the curtains were slightly
opened. The King's brother and the heir-apparent,

SEPT. 6, 1856.

accompanied by an equerry, occupied a compartmen.
to themselves, and when all had arrived an intima
tion was made that the Queen was near at hand.
Her Majesty was in the terminus tor some time before
it was decided how she could be best got out of her
carriage and conveyed to the railway carriage without
being seen. It MIS at first intended to carry her
in a palanquin, but this idea was abandoned. Long
and earnest conversations took place between the
eunuchs and other natives outside the carriage, and
her Majesty within, evidently about the difficulty of
preventing her from being seen. Her Majesty
talked very volubly upon the matter. Great dis-
putes, in Hindostanee, took place also between Mr.
Brandon, the interpreter, the eunuchs, and other
native servants, apparently about the same subject.
Full half an hour was wasted in this way. The
Queen's carriage wag drawn up to a doorway of the
platform diff rent to that where the Princes and
others entered, and there was a distance of twenty
feet from the carriage where the Queen was to the
railway train. At length it was determined to con
teal her by bolding up pieces of cloth, linen, or
shawls, so as to form a screened passage for her
Majesty to walk through. But the screens could not
be got long or wide enough, nor were there sufficient
number of eunuchs to hold them up. If the screens
touched the ground persons could look over them,
and would be able to see the Queen's head ; and if
they did not touch the ground persons could look
under, and would be able to see the Queen's feet.
At length, with the assistance of Mr. Watkins, the
station-master, who helped to hold up the screens,
and of Mr. Brandon, who stood in a gapway. caused
by the shortness of the screens, an imperfectly con-
cealed passage was formed; and soon afterwards the
door of the carriage opened. Every one's breath was
now suspended. Mr. Brandon twisted round, to
present his back to her Majesty, so that he might
not be guilty of the profanation of looking at her,
when presently a stout figure, completely shrouded
in a white dress, emerged from the carriage. This
was the Begnm, or Queen Dowager of Oude. She
was followed by a lady attired similarly to herself.
The curiosity of the spectators was now almost
boundless, but the eunuchs, still holding up the
screens, closed up behind her Majesty until she en•
tered a darkened compartment of a railway carriage,
the door of which was immediately closed. Her
Majesty soon uncovered a portion of her face, and
looked through the window of the carriage
at the crowd ; but no one outside could ells-
ting,ui--lt her features. However, with all this cau.
tion, her Majesty had not entered the compartment
entirely unperceived, for one or two persons, availing
themselves of the opportunity afforded owing to the
attention of the officials being directed to the impor-
tance of the proceeding, climbed to the roof of the
royal carriage, and by that means witnessed the
Queen's progress between :he two lines of drapery
placed to secure privacy. The Queen was closely
veiled, but dressed in a silver-grey train, and wore
gold anklets about her fee:.
Shortly after, the train left, and arrived safely at
the Waterloo station about eleven p.m., when the
whole party were carefully conveyed to Harley•house,
New road, the late residence of the Duke of Bruns-
wick. Since their arrival in town the royal family
have maintained a strict seclusion, but their attend
ants and suite are frequently seen in the grounds
round the house.

Mr. Brandon, who has been connected with the
family for several years in the kingdom of Oude,
and accompanied them on their voyage to this coun-
try, acts as their interpreter and general agent. The
Prince, who recently attained his twentieth year, and
Is about the middle height, is described by Mr.
Brandon as exceedingly frank and kindhearted in
his manners, but bashful in the presence of strangers.
Though unable to speak English, he has been well
educated after the fashion of his country. The uncle
of the Prince, "the General," as be is called among
themselves, is stout, above the average size, with •
good presence, and about thirty-three years of age.
The Queen Mother is between fifty and sixty, and of
a somewhat corpulent figure, of a light copper-
coloured complexion, like that of her son and
grandson.