The Express.
London, England, 1868-07-02 00:00:00

STATE BALL.

By command of the Queen a state ball was
given last evening at Buckingham Palace to which a
party of upwards of 1,800 was invited.
The Prince and Princes of Wales, accompanied by the
sombers of the royal family and the other royal visitors,
conducted by the Earl of Bradford (Lord Chamberlain),
and attended by their ladies and gentlemen in waiting,
entered the ball-room at 20 minutes past 10 o'clock, when
the dancing immediately commenced.
Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales wore a white
tulle dress over white silk, with a tunic of white satin
trimmed with Honiton lace and bouquets of lilies of the
Head dress—a tiara of diamonds. Ornaments—
pearls and diamonds, with a corsage of diamonds. Orders
—Victoria and Albert, Catherine of Russia, and the
Danish Order. - _ _

Her Royal Highness the Princess Louis of Hcoso wore
a Brussels lace tunic over a blue crape petticoat, trimmed
with silver. Head-dress—a diadem of diamonds. Orna-
ments—diamonds, with a diamond stomacher. Orders—
Victoria and Albert, St. Catherine of Russia, the Order
of St. Isabel, and the Prussian Order.
Her Royal Highness Princess Christian wore a tulle
dress over white silk trimmed with bands of rose-coloured
satin and Honiton lace. Head-dress—a coronet of dia-
monds and opals; the back of the head ornamented with
rows of diamonds, and Christine geraniums. Pearl neck-
lace and other ornaments to match. Orders—Victoria
and Albert, and St. IsabeL
Her Royal Highness Princess Louise wore a dress of
silver tulle over a rich glace petticoat, trimmed with
chatelaines of pink roses and green leaves. Heal-dress—
roses and diamonds; diamond ornaments. Orders—Vic-
toria and Albert and order of St. Isabel.
Mr. D. Godfrey's Quadrille Band (conducted by Mr.
Daniel Godfrey, bandmaster Grenadier Guards) was in
attendance, and played a selection of music.
A number of distinguished guests hail the honour of
receiving invitations to the ball, but some were prevented
by unavoidable cause from obeying her Majesty's com-
mand.

ARRIVAL OF SIR R. NAPIER IN LONDON
(THIS LAT.)

The Commander-in-Chief of the Abyssinian
forces arrived in London this morning at 6.30 by the mail
train in connection with the London, Chatham, and Dover
railway, due at the Victoria terminus at 6.15 a.m. The
route Sir Robert Napier would take in proceeding to
the metropolis was not even known to the members of
his family, and consequently some little confusion ensued
ere he reached his destination. It was expected that he
would travel from Dover rid the South Eastern line, and
accordingly the company had made preparations to
meet him on his arrival, and a private carriage, containing
Sir Robert's son, was in waiting at the Charing-cross sta-
tion. A telegram was, however, received by the officials
to the effect that Sir Robert had left Dover by the London,
Chatham, and Dover line, and on the receipt of the mes-
sage the carriage was at once driven to the Victoria
station. In the meantime the superintendent at the
latter terminus received a telegraphic communication—
"Sir R. Napier in express train"—and there being no one
at the station to receive him, the question arose as to the
mode of couveyanoe from Pimlico. However, shortly
, after the arrival of the express train, Sir Robert's
carriage, containing his son, entered the station,
1 and after a brief but affectionate greeting the vehicle
proceeded to Cleveland-square. Sir Robert will, it is ex-
pected, visit Sir Stafford Northcote in the course of the
day, and will probably shortly have an interview with her
Majesty.

His Royal Highness Prince Arthur, who arrived
in London yesterday to be preeent at the State Ball, returned
to Chatham this morning, travelling by the South-Eastern
line from Charing Cross.
Yesterday afternoon Lady John Manners had a
musical party at her residence in Cumberland-terrace.
The Duke and Dueling d' Aumale leave Orleans
House, Twickenham, to-day to_ the Continent.
Yesterday afternoon Lady Holland gave the
first of a series of afternoon parties at Holland House,
Kensington, on which occasion her ladyship was honoured
by the presence of the Prince of Wales, Count and
Countess de Paris, Prince of Teck, and a brilliant assem-
blage of the members of the aristocracy. The Count and
Countess de Paris, attended by the Marquis and Mar-
chimers de Beauvoir and Count de Beauvoir, arrived
just before 6 o'clock.
A form of prayer and thanksgiving for the pre-
servation of the life of the Duke of Te.dinbur,3ll and for the
success and safety of the Abyssinian expedition, printed
in Hebrew and English, has been homed. It is to be used
in all the synagogues of the British Empire on Sunday
next.
His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury gave
his annual dinner yesterday at Lambeth Palace to the
stewards of the recent festival of the Sons of the Clergy.
Mr. Ranting has given a further donation of
3001. to the Curates' Augmentation Fund.
AERONAUTICAL SOCIRTY.—Last night this scien-
tific body met at the Society of Arta, in the Adelphi, first
under the chairmanship of Mr. Alexander, engineer of the
Mont Cenis Railway, and afterwards of Mr leisure, when
*protracted discusiuon took place upon the practicability
of aerial navigation by means of a flying machine. Mr.
Thos. Moy, engineering
_draughtsman, of Clifford's-inn,
whose plan chiefly called forth the criticisms, gave a
mathematical description of a machine by which he believes
it possible to float through the air at pleasure, and at
a speed of 160 miles an hour. The wings of his apparatus
he proposes to work by steam, with one of 'Mid's or
Jordon s engines. A fourteen-horse single cylinder
engine to the ton would be required, and the machine
itself would have two and
a tail, each exerting a
third of the rising and pro • power. He has no con-
fidence whatever, he ' in the screw or balloon, and
thinks he should be able to attain any altitude, or simply
skim the surface of earth or water, just as he liked, and
descend at will, for the purpose of taking in fuel,
or with any other view- . In a word, he would
have the same means as an or an albatross
of flying to whatever spot eat
might select,
and to sail and steer through the air with the
same security and ease as • steam ship gets over the sea.
Mr. Waltham approved? and admitted all the data, but
thought the power of flight could be tested by leas expen-
sive means, and suggested that the society should for the
present confine its attention to demonstrating that a man
could fly by a single pair ot.tr. Mr. Stringfelkm, one
of the exhibitors at the Palace, enthusiastically
declared that the world should yet see that he could fly
with his own machine, and this opinion seemed to be um-
vermeil held. Mr. D. J. Brown suggested that a better
agent, leas expensive and easier of arriamwould
be liquiffed gas obtained from carbonic acid, but this view
was controverted by Mr. Amen, and so the various features
of the plan continued to be canvassed until the time tor
adjournment arrived, which waa sornewhat late.