The Express.
London, England, 1858-02-02 00:00:00

PRINCE FREDERICK OF

PRUSSIA

AND THB

PRINCESS ROYAL.

(THIS DAY.)

It having been announced several days ago that the
royal couple who were lately united under such auspi-
cious circumstances, would leave London this morning
for their future home, the public of the metropolis,
joined by vast numbers from a distance, prepared to
give themaheartyfatowell. Theoccasion was, indeed,
well worthy of a public ovation ; and the scene this
morning was such as can never be forgotten
either by the crowd who took part in it
or by the royal personages who this day quit our
shores. On the day of the marriage comparatively
few persons among the vast multitude assembled in
the vicinity of St. James's Palace were enabled to
catch even a glimpse of the bride and bridegroom, the
space along which the cavalcade passed being too
limited to admit of the gratification of public
curiosity. This 'morning there was no such draw-
back. It had wisely been determined to give the
populace of London an ample opportunity of
obtaining a parting glance at the eldest daughter
of their Queen ; and for this purpose it was
arranged that the procession should pass through the
centre of the metropolis.
A quarter to twelve was the time fixed for quitting
Buckingham Palace. Long before that time
great numbers of persons assembled in St. James's
Park ; though, in consequence of its being univer-
sally known that the route would be through the
main streets, the crowd in the park was by no
means inconveniently large. A line was formed
by the public about eleven o'clock, and shortly after
a detachment of Life Guards and of Household.
Troops drew up on the esplanade in front of Buck-
ingham Palace; the band of the former playing
" Home, sweet home."

At ten minutes to twelve o'clock the advance of
an outrider and two orderlies told that theleave taking
of the sovereign and her daughter was over, and a
moment after the royal cavalcade passed through the
principal entrance gate. Immediately behind the or-
derlies came a squadron of Life Guards, and after this
an open carriage, containing on one side the
Princess Royal and her august husband, and
on the other the Prince Consort and the Prince
of Wales, this carriage being followed by
one containing the Duke of Cambridge, and
Prince Arthur ; and this again by several others,
containing a few members of the Queen's Household,
and the household and suite of the Prince and
Princess Frederick William. Behind the carriage
occupied by the royal couple rode a standard-bearer,
and a second squadron of Life Guards ; but
these last were so arranged u not in any
degree to exclude the public view of the
principal objects of attraction. The procession
passed along at what may be described as a mode-
rate trot. For about half an hour before
it set oat, there had been seen occasional flakes of
snow, ami, as if W enfi. tie ovrut of the
day in the memory of all present, the procession
started amid a slight fall, which gradually
increased as it proceeded towards the city, and by
. the time it reached Temple-bar there was a dense
fall of snow. This circumstance seemed to give
an additional interest to the spectator. Amid
the descent of snow the royal carriage still
remained open; the idea of closing it seemed never to
have entered into the mind of its occupants, although
their clothes, like those of the spectators were soon
whitened by the slow flakes; and the Princess Royal,
her face protected only by a veil, continued to
brave the pelting of the snow, while she graciously
acknowledged the loud and continued salutations of
the multitude, wended its way along the Strand to
Temple-bar, amid the half-joyous, half-regretful,
feelings of dense muses of persons who were
assembled on the pavement, at the windows, and in
every conceivable position from which it could be seen.
The snowfall is the more remarkable from the fact
that it is the first that has taken place during the
present winter; and instead of creating anything
like a feeling of regret, it seemed only to add to
the excitement and interest of the occasion.

The procession, after skirting Stafford Horse,
entered Pall-mall, whence the beet view could be
obtained. At Temple-bar it was met by the
Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs of London
and Middlesex, who were to conduct it thence
to the station. The ancient gateway of the
city had been tastefully and elaborately decked
for the occasion. Over the top of it floated
a gigantic standard, and immediately be-
neath this, and extending across the; upper
part of the masonry, were a great num-
ber of flags, so arranged as to form a semi-cirele,
while farther down were seen the Puri= flag.
intermingled with a vast profusion of other flags,
On the west side of the Bar, moreover, were portraits
of the Prince and Queen, and between these, in large
characters, designed especially for the eyes of the royal I
couple, were the valedictory words " God
speed you," and "Farewell." On the City side
of the Bar were the City sword and mace.
On reaching the city, the carriage of the
b ePorileneelsablellotY hale
vast
t stopped
forthrong about
aae ea
central point to obtain a distant view of her features.
srmle mirte at . so
that
u
t
The royal procession then pulsed on its way,
being now preceded by three civic
carriages, the first containing Mr. Sheriff
Allen, the second Mr. Sheriff Lawrence, and the
third the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress.
The scene all through the City wu one of in-
describable interest Flags waving in the greatest
profusion, the City bells ringing merrily,
the crowd hurrahing enthusiastically, the young
Princess bowing with manifest sensibility to their
multitudinous greetings,caring nothing for the snow,
but sharing in the feeling of loving regret which she
saw manifested by all around her: all this formed a
scene which can never be forgotten. The procession
passed up Ludgate-hill, through St. Paul's
Church-yard, and Cannon-street, over London-
Bridge and through the Borough; and retched
the Bricklayers' Arms Station at a quarter to one
o'clock.

BRICKLAYERS' ARMS STATION.

The most satire preparations had been made by
the authorities of the South-Eastern Railway Com-
pany at the Bricklayers' Arms Station, for the
reception of the ,royal party. The decora-
tions of the station were placed under the
direction of Mr. Isborne, and the manner in which
he executed the task assigned to him reflects much
credit on his taste. The whole length of the station
was commented with flags and festoons of evergreens.
Scarlet cloth was laid along the line of procession
from the point of entranoe, and extended tho entire
length of the royal train. Several hundred spode-

tors were present from an early hour, and.
being kindly provided with tickets issued by the
railway directors for that purpose, were allotted
stations on the platform, conveniently placed for
viewing the newly-married couple. Mr. Ebertll,
the general manager of the South Eastern Con.
pany, was on the spot from an early hour, and
his exertions to provide for the convenience of the
spectators were unremitting and mosttuocesaful. The
crowd just outside the station was immense, and the
anxiety to catch a glimpse of the Royal Prince and his
royal lady much exceeded the desire usually may,
Tested on ordinary occasions. The feeling that " the
eldest daughter of England," was about to leave
her own home and country for a foreign lend wm
no doubt the cause of this deep anxiety.

The second battalion of the Grenadier Guards,
consisting of 100 men, nuder the command of
Lieutenant Colonel Burnaby, Captain Ferguson, and
Lieutenant Loftus, arrived at the station some time
before the arrival of the Royal cortege.

At a quarter to one o'clock, the time designated
for the arrival, the procession entered the terminus,
amidst strains of music, loud cheering, and waving
of handkerchiefs from the many ladies who were
accommodated with seats in the station.
The following directors of the company were
present to receive the royal couple, and accompanied
them to the royal carriage :—Hon. James Byng,
Chairman ; W. Gorden Thompson, Deputy Chair-
man ; Coles Child, Esq. t Seymour Tinlon, Esq.;
John Cross, Esq.; Charles Gilpin, Eq., M.P.;
Alexander Kay, Esquire ; Jonathan Miller, Eaq.;
Captain Daniel Warren, John Anderson, Esq.;
Henry Rich, Esq., M.P. Mr. Smiles, the Secretary
of the Company, was also present.

- - An interesting incident occurred just before the
royal garty took their places. A superb bouquet
of flowers, which had arrived the evening before
from Paris, was presented by Mr. Eborall's
daughter to the Princess Frederick William, who
accepted the offering with the greatest affa-
bility. The earliest occupant of state carriage
was a little Italian greyhound which, we have been
informed, was a favourite of the Princess Royal.
The carriage in which the royal party rode, is the
one] which her Majesty and other royal
travellers use in their joarnies on this line.
Her Royal Highness was supported on the
arm of her husband, the Prince Frederick William,
to the royal carriage, and entered it with a light sad
elastiostep. She was followed by the Prince,herhas-
band,and after him Prince A lbert,the Prince of Wales
and Prince Arthur entered the royal compartmea'.
Prince Albert then called the Duke of Cambridge,
who was standing at some distance amidst
the crowd which now surrounded the princely
party, and invited him to join the party,
which he did. On either side of the royal
carriage the press of people was now very
great, and the cheering was loud and continual.
The great object of attraction was of course the
newly married couple, and more particularly the
young Princess. With great good taste and feeling
on her part she remained standing all the time the
engine was preparing, and now on to one
side, now to the other, she directed her re-
gards, and repeatedly acknowledged the
truly affectionate cheers which echoed all around
her. She was at one moment evidently moved and
some tears which she struggled to conceal were shed,
but youth, and the consciousness that she was under
the care of the gallant and noble-looking Prince
beside her, soon brought back her spirits, and she was
again all smiles till the departure of the train. Her
Royal Highness was warmly dressed in travelling
costume of a greyish colour. As the railway whistle
gave the signal of starting one last cheer more was
raised, and as affectionate a " God speed you !" as ever
accompanied a royal departure, mingled with the
rattle of the railway train which conveyed her Royal
Highness to Gravesend. The engine was driven by
Mr. Cudworth, the superintendent of the locomotive
department.

ASPECT. OF GRAVESEND.
(PROM OUR OWN arroaria.)
GRAVESEND, TUESDAY, Now!.
The whole of yesterday Gravesend was a scene of
busy preparation. Flags, banners, and streamers
were everywhere hung out of windows or hoisted
high up above prominent house-tops. Carpenters, de-
corators,and builders founditheir services in great re-
quisition, and even after nightfall the rattle of
hammers was heard in all quarters. Each hour,
moreover, added to the arrivals of craft in
the river. Now it was a stately steam-
vessel; anon a rakish-looking yacht of a
highly elaborate description, and then an
above-bridge boat. Greenwich, Blackwell, and
Woolwich sent down wherries to assist at
the embarkation, and still more enterprising
watermen got huge bargee moored into posi-
tions from whence could be obtained any view
of the departure, no matter how remote. A large
body of Thames police, however, were con-
tinually on the alert, and the curious
were not allowed to anchor within a specified
line. On the banks below Gravesend and Tilbury
temporary structures were run up for the accommo-
dation of those who could afford to pay for seats,
regardless of the safety of their limbs. In fact, no
available spot seemed to have escaped the specula-
tivs,and everything that ingenuity or past experience
could suggest was done to meet the wants of the
day. Hundreds of visitors came down by the after-
noon trains, and at night the hotels and taverns
were full. On all hands but one hope
was expressed, and that was "May the weather
be propitious to the day." It is gratifying to be able
to report that this hope was fulfilled ; at day-
break this morning a thick mist overhung
the river, but it cleared off before the arrival of the
early trains, and the morning though winterly
and cold, was relieved by • bracing cheerful
atmosphere. At this time the preparations
along the route marked out for the procession were
not quite finished; not an inch of the ground was
without a device, or a flag, or a banner, while at
the most prominent places the decorations were
of a highly elaborate description. Lofty poles were
tastefully ornamented, or triumphal arches thick
and bushy with laurels and evergreens were
placed at every bend in the route, and st
intervals the houses on each side of the streets
displayed some pretty and appropriate sen-
timents, illustrative more or less of artistic skill.
Some were of small, others of large dimensions, and
whichever way the eyes of the youthful
couple turned they would be certain to fall upon such
expressions as " May you be happy," " God bless
your union," " May the sea only divide us." The first
part of the line is somewhat narrow, scarcely admitting
of more than the carriages to pass, but inthe centrals
a spacious crescent, and here the public had
collected in great force. Then comes Harmer-
street, a spacious and elegant thoroughfare. Both
sides were emelliahed with tall poles, bearing orna-
mental designs in variegated paper, and at the bottom
there was an archway executed in silver gilt and gold.
Altogether the town was so thickly studded with
colours and evergreens, that the scene could not hi'
to recall to the young Prince's recollection some of
those fit. days for which the small towns of the
Rhine are famous at certain periods of tho year.