The Express.
London, England, 1847-09-21 00:00:00

Our correspondent at Fleetwood writes as follows
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FLPIZTIVOOD. MONDAY.—Up to the moment I write, for
the last train which leaves here for Lot-don tool tv (half-past
twelve o'clock at noon), the royal squadron had not made
the bay. Yesterday was an anxious day for thousands
here, who had arrived during the morning and the pre•
ceding evening by special trains from Manchester, Liverpool,
Lancaster, Leeds, and the intervening towns, though, from
the state of the weather, a great d,al of doubt prevailed as to
whether the vessels would put out to aes. The morning
was calm and clear, but towards nine or ten o'clock sudden
squalls of wind, accompanied with torrent., of rain, came at
short intervals, and prevailed throughout the whole of the
succeeding portion of the day. A diversity of opi-
nions prevailed among't nautical men as to whe-
ther the royal squadron would venture out in
such a sea, a majority of the seamen accus-
tomed to the coast inclining to the opinion that it was not
probable; and certainly none of the numerous steamers
lying et the pier, and advertised to sail on trips in the after-
noon to meet the squadron, ventured out. Crowds of anxious
spectators lined the piers and terraces overlooking the mouth
of the harbour at six o'clock, the hour of flood tide, the
hour at which her Majesty was expected, and for more than
an hour afterwards, even whet[ darkness had set in—hoping
against hope; but not a vessel hove in sight. Great disap-
pointment prevailed, but it was thought the royal squadron,
having had a head wind to contend with, might only h .ve
been delayed,—that it might arrive in the oiling during the
night, and steam into the h arbour with this morning's tide
at seven o'clock. Fleetwood is exceedingly full of visitors;
every bed at the hotels and private lodging-houses had been
taken up by yesterday morning, and wnen evening arrived,
with its disappointed expectations, some thousands of persons
had to avail themselves of the special trains provided by the
Lancashire and Yorkshire Company to convey them home
again, or to the surrounding watering places where &MOM-
modation for the night was expected to be had. The near
est of these are Blackpool, Poulton, and Ly thins, ab sut a
dozen to fifteen wiles hence. This morning the railway
trains brought back many of the disappointed of yesterday
and vast numb,ra of other visitors besides ; and when the
I tide flowed many an anxious and curious eye was again
strained to catch a glimpse of some distant funn 1 that might
be in the van of the squadron, or herald i a approach. But
we were doomed to a second disappointment. Hope, how.
ever, has found another anchor, and people are in good
spirits. A rumour get currency, and turn out to be cor-
rect, that the wife of the pilot of the port had received •
letter from her husband, dated from Campbeltown Bay, on
Saturday night, where he had gone by order of the
Admiralty to pilot the royal squadron into this port,
stating that in the event of say but the most favour-
able wind her Majesty would not attempt such a long voyaeo
in one day, but would most likely put either in.,. Ramsay or
Douglas hays, in the Isle of Man, and thus make two easy
stages of the distance, of six or seven hours' sail each day.
As the distance from Campheltown Bay to Fleetwood is 140
miles, and might have occupied 12 or 13 hove a to steam, in
such weather as we had yesterday, this is thought likely by
those acquainted with the passage, and so up to this time
those with have come here to greet their sovereign with a
passing cheer as she comes ashore have not given way to
positive despondency or fear, but flatter themselves that it is
m, rely " hope deferred," and that they will yet be gratified.
A very fresh breeze has beets blowing all the morning, with
successive intervals of showers and sunshine, and the distant
waves of the ocean, as far as the eye can stresch, are
crested with foam ; but the wind is directly north-west,
—the most favourable wind that could prevail for vessels
makinfe, the bay front the Isle of Man—and there is nothing
in that to damp the general expectation. It I. thought now
that the royal squadron may brave in sight towards three or
four o'clock, and lie in the offing to come up with the tide at
dusk, where the royal yacht will ba moored with four
hawsers at about thirty feet distance from the pier head, till
morning. The conduct of the railway companies up to the
present time has been moat admirable. Capt. Huish, of the
London and North Western, is here with the royal train,
and has afforded every opportunity, consistent with reason,
of gratifying the general wish to inspect the state carriage of
her most gracious Majesty; and Mr. H Houldswortb, Mr.
Higgin (chairman of the Lancashire and Yorkshire, and
Fleetwood and Wyre companies), and Mr. George Wilson
(vice-chairman of the former of these two companies),
assisted by the other directors, have made every pro.
vision possible to afford a view of the debarkation
of the royal family. The landing oier is covered with a abed
which has been lined with elegant draperies, and the floor
of which is covered with crimson cloth. The high sheriff of
the county is sojourning here in order to receive her Ma-
jesty when she comes ashore in the morning, and is accom-
ranied by the two members for the northern division of the
county. Whilst writing the above, although nothing has
been heard to create alarm for the safety of her Majesty, I
may mention the fact, which has just been communicated to
me, as showing that the weather has been sufficiently rough,
that two vessels were drivers ashore about 20 miles from
here, whilst endeavouring to fnake the mouth of the Ribble.
They were seen from Southport, and one of them, a vessel
laden with corn, from Limenek, had broken her back ; but
as she had not gone to pieces entirely, at low water it was
expected to save much, if not all, of her cargo. The crew
had been saved.