The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-17 00:00:00

THE ARRIVAL AT WINDSOR.

During the whole of yesterday Windsor was -in a
state of great excitement with the preparations for
the reception of the illustriotts visitors. The tri-
umphal arch across Castle-street, copiously bung
with lamps and adorned with the flags, of the four
allied nations, was a conspicuous object ; and
scarcely less so was the smaller arch in Thames-
street, at the entrance to the terminus of the Great
Western Railway. These alone were sufficient to,
occupy the attention of the loungers till the time
arrived for the great gathering, and as a minor•
source of amusement there was the construction of
the platforms raised for the accommodation of the
public. Altogether the pains taken to afford every
facility in witnessing the arrival of the briperial
guests were highly creditable to the directing powers
at Windsor and to the Great Western Railway
Company. SeatS were set up on the platform of
the terminus, as well as in different parts of the
yard, where a special place was provided for the
ohildren of the National School, so that they might
be about the first to' honour the Emperor and Em-
press with tin:ir shrill greetings. All the seats
within the precincts of the railway company's ter-
ritory were awarded to the occupants gratis on spe-
cial application, and, as we understand, were all
taken on Saturday. However, in addition to the
railway seats, a large platform was erected; com-
mencing directly opposite to the smaller arch in
Thames-street, and extending up Castle-street -to
the very foot of the principal arch. On- this large
platform places could be obtained for sg". at any
time during the afternoon, and the various shops
which were used as agencies for the purpose were
thronged with applicants.

At -",bout 4 o'clock in the afternoon the parties
entitled to places on the platform began to exercise
their rights by filling them with all due celerity,
and the occupants of the pal;ement became more
and more numerous, till at last they coalesced into
no small amount of compactness. The very nature
of the place tended to produce density in the multi-
tude. So short is the distance from the railway
terminus to the Castle that there are but few points
from which a visitor coming from the former to the
latter can be seen at all, and further, ou this occa-
sion, the left-hand side of the road (to a party ap-
proaching the Castle) was. completely occupied by
the platform. Hence there was a constantly thick-
ening crowd on one side of the way, which often
threatened to overflow the space reserved for the
Royal carriages, and was only kept within due
bounds by the zeal and vigilance of the police. To
the expectant multitude the appearance of her
Majesty, who previous to the great business of the
day passed up Castle-street in her open carriage,
was a most welcome spectacle, and she was greeted
with enthusiastic cheers, which she gracefully re-
turned.

There was a sort of notion at Windsor that the
Emperor would arrive at a quartet after 5 o'clock,
and hence expectation began at an unreasonably
early hour. However, half-past 5, and 6, and
hal f-pist 6 passed away, and the multitudewasforced
to content itself with watching certain alterations
made in the arrangement of the flags of the tri-
umphal arch, which, we may observe, was in a
state of perpetual improvement throughout the
day. Expectation, however, was kindled afresh
by the report, spread like wildfire, to the effect
that the Emperor was at Paddington. Again the
time seemed to grow long, the approaching even-
ing began to sober that brilliancy of the sky which
had so auspiciously distinguished the day, and the
work of illuminating the lamps on the arch was
deliberately commenced.
' At this juncture there was something almost
painful in the anxiety of the 'multitude, when,
about "F• o'clock, the report of a gun was heard, and.
everybody 'walfened into new life. The gun pro-
Claimed that the Emperor was in sight on the rail-
road ; the lamplighter of the arch speedily de-
scended, and the thrilling sensation that the great
event of the day would in a moment take place ran
through the crowd like a galvanic shock. The
The prophecy of the gun was soon fulfilled-
i)ert and
with Prim'
afterwards, and
Emperor and Empress,
their suite, arrived a few minutes aftterfor
th•ein
to
it seemed but the work of a
alight, to leave the door of to "Wind-
imposingly fronted by the
sor," w
,t,hs7:lo,aeoilione-rooni, so
sor," inscribed amid a thickeir
carriages amid the
masse of laurels on The
opposite shed, to ,enterth
School children, to receive
shouts of the Nationa,l
froim,the smaller
the second inscribed," Welcome"
arch, and to proceed through the large arch in
Castle-street, where
,t,heir eyes were greeted by
Vive l'lmp" eratrice,
pi)" cc N-,,:..
" Vive l'Empereur,"
leo,
~, ec Etigenie," . " Welcome. The thunder
„fapplause that rolled through the multitude as
th carriages passed was something marvellous, the
,3
intensity of,tlic feeling receiving additional stimu-
lus from the momentary character of the " sig.ht "
second but then
The whole affair scarcely lasted a , 6 •
'
everybody had a " good look
and a "good look" at the at the Empress, Emperor, a thousand
curiosities the, had been raging' for a week past
were at once assuageed lad, of course, everybody
ed,
was -.delighted.
Ind so very enthusiastic was
the delight that a fresh allowance of applause was
lavished anew as each carriage of the cortege fol-
lowed the Emperor up Castle-hill, aud every one
of the attendant visitors had reason to be satisfied
with his share of the "reception."
•- In the evening the illuminations . were .a new
source of attraotion. The Town-hall, with lamps