The National Register.
London, England, 1822-04-29 00:00:00

ST. GEORGE'S DAY.

Tuesday being the day appointed for celebrating
his Majesty's birth-day, the morning was ushered in
by the ringing of bells, displaying of flags from the
church steeples, and every other demonstration of
joy. At half-past nine the following detachments
with their officers arrived on the Mall, viz.—The
2d Battalion of the Ist Regiment, commanded by
Col. Townsend, the Ist Battalion of the 2d Regt.
or Coldstream, under the orders of Captain and Ad-
jutant Henry Bentina ; and the 2d Battalion of
the 3d Regiment, under the command of Col. Rooke.
After the battalions had gone through their evolutions,
they proceeded from the parade towards the King's
Palace, followed by a great number of spectators.
At one o'clock the Park and Tower guns fired a
royal salute; the grand drawing-room held by his
Majesty at Buckingham-house, and in point of
splendour, has not been equalled for some years.—
The preparations in all quarters were upon the
most magnificent scale, and there were, by royal
order, some peculiar observances in honour of that
day. Among 'hese we noticed that the Knights of
the Bath, the Garter, and other distinguished
orders, appeared decorated with the splendid col-
lars, ribbons, and other insignia attached to the
several honourable dames to which they belong.—
The troops on duty were the Horse Guards (Blue),
and the two regiments of Foot Guards, the former
in their new and splendid uniforms, and the latter
in white gaiters, &c. The bands of the several
regiments were in attendance in state uniforms.—
The Foot Guards were stationed on the lawn,
within the railing in front of the Palace, and the
horse were arranged in lines so as to form avenues
through which the carriages were to pass along.—
His Majesty left Carlton-house by the garden gate
leading into the Park at 12 o'clock, and proceeded
to Buckingham-house. About the same time that
the King entered the Palace, the company began to
arrive to the drawing-room, and in a few moments
all was bustle and animation. The members of the
royal family present on this occasion were, their
Royal Highnesses the Dukes of York, Clarence, and
Gloucester, and the Duchess of Gloucester. The
first named Royal Duke drove to the Palace in a
new and splendid town carriage, which attracted
much notice. All the Cabinet Ministers and Foreign
Ambassadors were present. The Speaker of the
House of Commons went in his state carriage. The
Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of London were present,
as were the greater part of the leading Members of
the House of Commons. The company did not
cease to arrive until half past four o'clock, and it
was nearly seven before the drawing-room was coa-
eluded.

Extract of a letter dated Comrie, April 15th:—
" About half past nine on Saturday (the 13th inst.)
while at breakfast, we were visited with the smartest
shock of an earthquake that has been felt in this
neighbourhood for the last fifteen or twenty years.
It was accompanied by two very loud reports, one
apparently above our heads, and the other, which
followed immediately afterwards, under our fect.
The noise of these, which were much more terrific
than thunder, lasted, I should think, fully SO se-
conds. It set our kitchen utensils a ringing, and
brought down some of the covers of the pots and
pans. I have felt much severer shocks in the West
Indies, but not accompanied with such a noise. The
sensation it created in me was exactly like that I
have felt on the deck of a vessel, on her guns being
discharged."
There were two elections on Monday at the So-
ciety of Arts and Sciences. The first was for a
Vice-President of the Society, in the room of the
late Sir Nathaniel Conant: Mr. Thomas Hope was
elected. The second was the annual election for
the Presidency of the Polite Arts: Mr. Warren, the
engraver, was returned. Mr. Barber Beaumont
was in both instances the unsuccessful candidate.