The Express.
London, England, 1863-03-07 00:00:00

TH2I," EXIERE SS, SATURDAY EVENtilii MARCH 7, 1863.

HARMONIUMB.—NigaI t sr)tli
cads. MALI% sad WOOD. t.i

ghe

TO 0011.1.11FONDINTS.
Ahwetinensents tntended ter • Ilse Swan" London Wyman
must he at *a ea* 10. Hooverte-etreet, by Two
cTaZiL on the day of paldloation.

iXIVIENT GARDEN.
Tao imam TEE AREOUIFX or NANTES Mown
Wean. Santlay. H. Cord. and W. Hanlon; Miran L Ilea and
A. Ellec - And BEAUTY AND THE MUST. Concluding with
tM lranaformatton Bconc—Conunimea at 1.

iA r!Wk"..

THIS Immo. 017 r AILIZICIN COUSIN. Minn
gotheni and Beaudoin ; Mrs. IL lltsoUlhum -BASSI LA
FRINc AB S
sOP YSSINIA. Mr. Comptes and Mum L.
—And MIS. WHISK Mr. Coos and Miss lisraeur.Keeley.

-PLINCIII6'B.

Tun Erman, THH liINNING SUIT. Yawn H. Mandan.
Venn. and Cathcart; Mlw Any Hadionak and lira H. Manton.
—And ALL THAT GLITTSin 18 NOT GOLD. Ileum Veda,
Mimes, Hanlon , Mims Aylmer, Joon, and Mn. Manton.

LYCEUM.
Me Snarl% A SUDDEN ATTACK. Yewa Shore
sad Whidicomb Wee Ilianvls sad lira Lea —And THE
DUELS YOTTO. Moira Pechter. O. Wilda& Brougham, and
layasoad Missed C. Leclerc% K. Terry, sad Elserorihj.

BRITANNIA.
Ten Edna, WOMAN'S I EVOTION. Mn. L Yazoold and
Kin SoWe Maw —And AEON 11A88AN. Mn. 8. Lane:
Mama Nana, Los* ?twill's, and ME*. C. Stephan Too
86,yen and Ws twolitdas.—Cossoce id half-put 6.

HIGH WATIK AT LUNIX)24 O.OIIXII.
TIM DAT —Worn ID& Sh. 2aOL
2044000041-110 ming, Sh. Ma.....Albseassis. 40. Os.

LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 7.

RECEPTION OF THE PRINCESS
ALEXANDRA.

On MONDAY EVENING next a DOUBLE
NUMBER of the EXPRESS will be published,
containing the fullest particulars of the reception
of the Princess Alexandra in England.

THE young Lady whom all England is eager to
welcome to-day is not the first Danish Princess
who has landed on our shores as a bride. For
above a thousand years her country and ours have
had close relations, and eight centuries ago the
two countries were under one Crown. After such
mutual repulsions and connexions as made up
much of the history of both nations, nothing was
more natural than that one here and there in the
line of sovereigns on either shore should take a
wife from the other. This has happened three
times before, and there seems to be an absolutely
unanimous pleasure in both States that a fourth
' Royal Marriage is carrying on the traditionary
' friendship between Britain and Denmark.
To those who have any historical associations
with the spectacle of this day it must be a promi-
nent thought how times and fortunes have im-
proved since the former welcomes which were

offered to Danish brides. To the Princess ALax.-
ANDRA there must be much that is trying to nerve
and spirit in leaving the places and circumstances
in which her whole life has been spent ; but the
wrench of parting with the pest being once over,
the present is as cheerful, and the future as pro-
mising as can be conceived. What a contrast with
the arrival of Mamas"; to be Queen of Scot-
land, four centuries ago t The only idea of a
prosperous voyage then was the vessel not foun-
dering, nor falling into the hands of any enemy :
and the King's attendants might look out for it
all along the coast for days or weeks before it
appeared. The only notion of royal state or
privilege in the transit was having a sail
of purple silk and ornamented couches—
miserable consolations amidst the tossing' and
tackinga of days or weeks, and the diet and
smells of ship life in the olden time. Even worse
might be the life of the Scottish Court afterwards.
We read of the foreign brides of Scottish kings of
that period weeping bitterly when at length com-
pelled to let their wedding attendants go home ;
and we may imagine the dreariness of an adopted
country where the towns were mere collections of
wooden huts, thatched with straw—made to be
burned by the marauders who were for ever
ravaging the country. There was nothing for
princes and nobles to do but to eat and to fight ;
and for royal and noble dames but to sit through
gross banquets of five hours long, while the com-
mon people were devouring weeds and the bark of
trees, and to hear the news of the day in the
form of tidings of forays on the Border, or duels
nearer at hand, with a good many occasional
murders of relations and acquaintances. Attempts
at keeping up tournaments failed; and mum-
mings at court, and feats of strength in
the field, were the only amusements. In
matters of nearer concern to the young wife
the case was no less dreary. She was valued in
one sense—that she released her new country from
its annual tribute for the Orkney and Shetland
Isles, by that tribute being made her dowry ; but
therein began and ended her consequence. Her
bridegroom had neither head nor heart ; and he
was always in the hands of favourites who took
care that nobody should be of importance to him
but themselves. To look from the landing of
Maitosarr to that of ALXXLIDRA is like turning
from the murky sea view beheld from some Cape

of Storms to the prospect from the heights above
Damascus, where the fairest paradise in which men
dwell is spread below.

Between these two Danish brides comes ANN;

who married our Jam= I. while he was still King
of Scotland only. Her impressions might have
been as unhappy as those of Maitoaarr if
the method of her marriage had been the
same ; but her bridegroom went to her
for the marriage, and remained in her
country for half a year. She wee not
spared the terrors and sufferings of the sea ; for it
was because she was driven beck by storms in the
first instance that she was wedded in Norway in-
stead of Scotland ; but she had undergone some of
her disappointments in the interval between her
meeting with her bridegroom and her reaching hor
. . . . .

home with him. She had taken the measure of
his mind, and established the influence of her
stronger will. Fourteen dreary years were to be
worn away in Scotland before she entered the
civilized life of London, to find such comfort as she
could there amidst alarms of Powder Plots, and
the consciousness of the indignity with which her
husband was regarded. In self-reliance alone
could she find consolation ; and this consolation she
freely used. If others plotted and intrigued, she
could match them at that game ' • and by her
portrait we see something of the habit of
mind thus induced. In the face which ap-
pears between the stiff ruff and the helmet
head-dress, studded with jewel,—in those
wide-opened eyes, and that well-closed mouth and
massive jaw, we see nothing of the frank cheerful-

nem of a mind and heart at rest--such as we be-
lieve and trod will ever characterise the counte-
rmines of the Danish Piumcms who becomes ours
from this day forward.
_ __

How different s fate must hen necessarily be
Heaven shield us from the presumption of fore-
casting her future beyond the clear indications of
what can not happen ! Everybody has troubles
and griefs. We do not suppose that she can be
exempt from them. But it is not presumptuous,

4irthe presence of the wines of to-day, to Tele*
that there are some sortews which she cannot be
'lleuceiveeblilable to, ar. some of the highest of
human delights and privileges which' she cannot
but enjoy. In her short journey of to-day
she will see more faces than her own
country could show in all its length and
breadth ; and every one of those faces will be
lighted up with love and hope for her. There are
two large families, of which she is the connecting
link, who are to-day glowing, in all their members,
with affectionate exultation. One, of whom every-
body is thinking, and for whom everybody is
feeling, is sitting waiting at the end of the
journey, to welcome another daughter to her heart
and home ; and one of the future brothers is
lying ill at Malta, amidst universal sympathy with
his disappointment at being absent on such a day.
All the net, on both sides the new house which is
about to be founded, are as gay as affection and
congratulation can make them. What the affec-
tion of mother, brothers and sisters, friends, and
the people is towards the PRINCE of Wsizs, his
bride will see to-day, to the full ; and in it she
and her parents will find the best promise for the
new life now beginning.
There must be something solemn to anyone in set-
ting foot in a new country which is to be hence-
forth more than one's native land. There must be
something overwhelming in entering upon a strange
scene, where a strange language is spoken, as the
home of one's whole life. To a young girl there
must be something tremendous in the gaze of
millions of eyes, bent on her not for moments but
for hours. But we need not fear for her. Not only
is there one by her side to support her under the
trial—there is that in her mind and heart which makes
everything easy, calms all extraneous agitations,
makes all strangers look like friends, and turns all
fears into delights. If our PRINCE had been enter-
ing upon a politic marriage with a stranger, we
might see his bride agitated or cold in aspect on
her first presentation to the people. As it is, we
doubt not we shall see our new daughter of Eng
land as gay and gracious as her bridegroom and his
well-wishers could desire. May it be a day to be
spoken of with enthusiasm for generations to come !

Tun Diartrrz wirn BRAZlL—Additional diplo-
matic correspondence on this subject was published
yesterday, from which we learn that the King of
the Belgians has consented to act as arbitrator be-
tween the English and Brazilian governments in
their dispute respecting the officers of the Forte.
The correspondence contains a letter from M.
Moreira to Earl Russell, dated March 2, maintain-
ing the position taken up by the Brazilian govern-
ment inoonnezion with the wreck of the "Prince of
Wales," and requesting an acknowledgment of the
fact that the recent payment of indemnity by the
Brazilian government was made under protest. The
acknowledgment as requested follows.

be Court.

WLNDSOR CANTLE, XARcs 6.

The Duke of Saze Coburg, accompanied by the
Prince of Leiniogen, attended by Baron Max Von Wangen-
heiro, M. dlichleinitz, and Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. D.
de Res, who met his Royal Highness at Dover, arrived at
the Crete Let night.

The Prince of Wales and the Crown Prince of Prurra
met hie Royal Highness at the Windsor station.

The Prue San Ambassador and the Earl of Clarendon ar-
rived last night and left to-day.
The Queen, sorompusisd by the Duke of Coburg and
Princes' Helena, walked and drove in the grounds this
morning.
The Duchess of Brabant and the Count of Flanders
arrived to-day, and are attended by Countess d'Yve, Count
de Lanny. and Major Burnell.
Major-General the Hon. A. Hood attended their Royal
Highnesses from Dover.

Prince Frederick of Hesse Camel and the Duke of Hol-
stein Glucksburg, attended by Baron Oertssa, H. de ROW
Moslf, and Captain Von Kass, arrived at the Palace Hotel,
Buckingham pate, yesterday. Their Royal and Serene
Highnesses were met upon landing at Dover yesterday by
Lieutenant-Colonel du Plat, who attended the Princes to
London.

The Prince Comort Memorial Committee held ► meeting
yesterday at the Palms of Westminster. Present—the Earl
of Clarendon, Mr. W. Cnbitt, M.P., and Sir Charles L.
Eastlake.

Despatches were received yeetetday et the Colonial-office
from the Governor of the Falkland Wand,.

Despatches were sent to the Lord High Commireiorter of
the lonian labutda, and to the CUMIN= of the North
American Provinces.

THE RECEPTION

OF THE

Princess Royal Int Prussia immediately after her
marriage. Even on that occasion, deep and universal
as was the bsterestivolted in relation to the eldest
daughter of the Sovereign, the external signs of
public sympathy were lees marked and demon-
strative than when a welcome was to be given to
the bride of the Prince of Wales.

The Terrace-pier, as the spot selected for the
landing, naturally claims a priority of notice in
my detail of the elaborate and splendid preparations.
Last night two ships of war lay quietly moored in
front of the pier ; one, the Emerald frigate,
reckoned the finest vessel of her class in the navy ;
the other, the Racoon corvette, the ship selected
to be the naval home of Prince Alfred on his royal
highness attaining his lieutenancy—both destined
to take aprominent part in the national pageant.
The pier itself was admirably arranged, and.
its decorations embraced everything that was
suitable to the occasion. On the river side was
a sloping landing-stage, on which the Princess
Alexandra was to descend from the vessel
which had conveyed her to England. At the
summit of this were two retiring rooms, one in-
tended for his Royal Highness the Prince
of Wales, the other for the young ladies chosen to
greet the illustrious Princess, by strewing flowers
in her path on her descent upon the shores of
England. From these apartments there extended
a long covered space, with an ample passage in
the centre, and several rows of benches, covered
with crimson cloth, on each side ; the roof being
arched and interleaved by festoons of large
artificial white and red roses, and the hoarding at
the back of the benches covered with flags. Along
the entire length of the roof were recognised the
well-known plume which is the heraldic device
of the Prince of Wales. It is impossible
to conceive anything more simple, taste-
ful, or effective than the whole of this
enclosure. It was a charming spectacle, and
when the effect was heightened by the present*
of some thousands of ladies dressed in full
harmony with the joyousness of the occasion,
the picture was one of which the inhabitants of
Gravesend might well be proud, and which could
scarcely fail to gratify the royal party itself. It
ought to be stated that all the arrangements at the
pier, as well as those in Harmer-street—the
principal street of Gravesend—were entrusted to
Mr. Snelling, the gentleman who was the active
manager of the preparations made in connexion
with the first departure of the Crown Princess of
Prussia for the Continent. The seats on either
side of the covered structure thus brilliantly deco-
rated were assigned to the principal inhabitants of
Gravesend and its vicinity.
On emerging into the open space leading to the
town one beheld a second tier of benches
on each aide, and these also were occupied
for the most part by persons belonging to the
neighbourhood. Here, too, the decorations were
of the most festive character. Harmer-street,
already mentioned as the chief street of the
town, commences at the entrance to the pier,
and the arrangements there were most complete,
appropriate, and effective. Crossing the whole
width of the road were seen, at intervals of about
20 yards, charming festoons of red and white roses,
similar to those at the pier, suspended from lofty
poles on each side of the road, the latter being
covered with tin foil, over which were entwined
evergreen leaves. On the left hand side of the
street, after leaving the pier, a mess
of ascending benches, surmounted with a
boarding, on which were inscribed on one
side the words, " Velkommen du Advaltke," and
on the other, in English, " Long life and happi-
ness." The view of Harmer-street from
the pier was terminated by an immense
triumphal arch, on which the loyal 'en-
thusiasm of Gravesend, under the judicious
direction of Mr. Snelling, seemed to have concen-
trated
itself. In point of elevation it was in-
ferior
to the work on the north aide
of London-bridge, but in all other respects
it was, at least, equally remarkable.
At the aides of the arch were effective imitations
of Corinthian pillars ; the opening of the arch, as
well es other parts of the structure, was most beau-
tifully adorned with artificial festoons. At the
summit were allegorical figures, amongst which
, Britannia was seen welcoming the Danish
' Princess to England ; while old Neptune and some
attendant water deity looked on approvingly at
the greeting. Encircling the arch were, on the side
facing the pier, in large characters, the words
"Long Life and Happiness," and on the other
I side, that commencing Milton-road, " Love and
i Honour await thee." On each aide were also the
initials of the Prince and the Princess. It was, I
[ believe, long after midnight before this part of the
Gravesend preparations was completed, but no one
could view it afterwards without feeling that it
was worth all the labour bestowed on it. At the
end of Harmer-street, as already implied, com-
mences Milton-road. At the entrance to
this road was a spacious stand, if the
term be not a misnomer—(tbis structure
is said to have done duty at Epsom, and
to have been imported for the occasion)--accomo-
, dating probably upwards of a thousand persons.
i From this point to the station the street prepara-
tions were rather of a private than civic character,
. but not on that account the lees worthy of the cue-
, sion. The houses on each aide of Milton-road, King-
street, and New-road were nearly all profusely and
gracefully embellished with evergreen festoons, arti-
-1 ficial flowers, and all the available resources of the
locality ; and flags and banners, amongst which
' the national emblems of Denmark were
conspicuous, fluttered gaily along the route.
High-street, which diverges from the line
1 of the procession at right angles towards
the river, and was therefore excluded from any close
' contact with the royal cortege, was by no means
sulky on that account ; on the contrary, flags waved
on every part of it, and the street presented a
most animated aspect to the royal travellers as
they passed its upper extremity.
; At the railway station nothing was wanting to
• complete the universality of the town's welcome.
; There is nothing imposing in the entrance to the
station, but this has not prevented it from doing its
part. About 50 yards from the station the road had
been decorated w►th a number of flags waving across
i it. In front of the station, are about half a
1 dozen unpretendin3 pillars, these, and the cornices,
were encircled with furze, holly, and laurel,
and some balustrades above were adorned
with artificial red and white roses, the pre-
dominating feature in all the decorations ;
and on the roof was a lofty flag-staff, from the tip
of which waved the royal standard of England.
The entrance of the station led to a vestibule or
reception room beautifully decorated with the
choicest plants in full flower, supplied from the oon-
servatories of the Earl of Dartmouth, under tbe super-
intendence of his lordship's head gardener, Mr. Budd.
Among these plants were roses, acacias, primulas,
cinosrarias, geraniums, lilies, cacti, azaleas, came-
lies, tulips, spring primroses, orange trees, laden
with fruit, heaths, ferns, ilta In fact so
ladmirable and so lavish was the selection

of these rarities that one might have fan(

oneself at a grand floricultural exhibition in July.
In this entrance room was ranged a small number
of seats, covered with crimson cloth. On
one aide of the reception room thus
charmingly prepared for the royal travellers was a
retiring room, also decorated in a suitable manner,
intended for their occupation while the train was
being got ready for their reception. The plat-
form of the station was equally in bar.
mony with the occasion. The roof, which
is of itself somewhat ornamental, was festooned
throughout with artificial red and white roses, the
sides of it being covered with evergreens, varied
with artificial red and white roses; the pillars were
also encircled with evergreens, and from the centre
of the roof were suspended alternately small red
and white flags, which gave a charming finish to
the picture.

The decoration of the station was, it may be
remarked, effected under the superintendence of
the station-master, Mr. E. Portch, and, though it
was superadded to official duties of enormous
pressure connected with the railway, the result
proved that that gentleman was fully adequate to this
task. The extent of these duties, and of the
public requirements for the day, may be judged of
from the fact that the running of no less thanabout
30 special trains had to be provided for in con.
flexion with the debarkation of the Princess Royal;
and in order to avoid the marring effects of acci-
dents, special instructions were given to the
servants in charge of the trains to approach
Gravesend with extra caution and at reduced
speed. The train service was considerably
increased by the number of volunteers who
flocked to Gravesend this morning from all parts
of Kent to take part in the reception of the
Princess. Chatham, Maidstone, Canterbury, the
Weald of Kent, the entire north coast of the county,
and the Cinque Ports, all contributed to
swell the military influx, and it is computed that
the volunteer contingent ou the occasion numbers
between four and five thousand men, the whole
brigade being under the command of Lieutenant.
Colonel Gladdish.

The inhabitants of the town are, it may be ob-
served, very much delighted at the invitation which
has been given to their chief magistrate to at-
tend the royal wedding, he being the only
civic dignitary besides the Lord Mayor of
London and the Mayor of Windsor who
has been so signally honoured. One illustration
of their feelings on this occasion is the intention
seriously taken up and cherished by the authori-
ties, of changing the name of the town from the
lugubrious appellation of Gravesend to the eupho-
pious and auspicious one of Alexandra, in honour
of the illustrious princess who this day makes it
the threshold of her new home.

The preparations made for the royal reception
having now been thus generally indicated, I
must now say a word or two with regard to
the weather. Here, as in London, it has
been the subject of immense anxiety. Yes-
terday afternoon the fine genial weather of the
last few days gave place to rain and cold ; showers
began to tell on the waving festoons ; and the
public mind was clouded with gloomy forebodings
for the morrow. Throughout the evening at
rained fitfully, and the final street decorations were
proceeded with amid drizzling showers. To-
wards midnight the rain entirely °eased, and
throughout the night, I am informed—it was
certainly the case at a very early hour
of the morning—the sky became cloudless and the
moon shone brilliantly, while the wind, which was
rather high yesterday afternoon, blowing
from the south-west, had undergone a complete
lull. This satisfactory state of things was not
maintained as the morning advanced, and by the
time the inhabitants were out of their beds the
prospects of the weather became a matter of anxious
speculation.

Railway trains from London and various parts
of Kent, and crowds of visitors from the coast of
Essex, began to arrive at an early hour of the
morning, and the streets were enlivened by the
marching of the volunteer corps, headed by their
bands, as they arrived in rapid succession.