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

THE ARRIVAL AT WINDSOR.

During the whole of yesterday Windso r was in a
state of great excitement with the preparations for
the reception of the illustrious visitors. The tri-
umphal arch across Castle-street,. copiously hung
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
A!together the pains taken to afford every
facility in. wi'-nessing, the arrival of the Imperial
gtiesAts mere high iy,recli table to the directing powers
at Windsor and to the Groat Western Railway
Company. Seats were set tip on the rattorm or
the terminus, as well as in different parts of the
yard, where a special place was provided for the
children of the National School, so that they might
be about the first to honour the Emperor and Em-
press with the it shrill greetings. All the seats
within the precincts of the railway company's ter-
ritory wore 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 ss. at any
time during the afternoon, and the various shops
which were used as agencies for the purpose were
thronged with applicants.
At about 4 o'clock in the afternoon the parties
entitled to places on the platform began to exercise
. .

their rights-by filling- them with all celerity,-.
and the occupants of the pavement became more
and mere numerous, till at last they coalesced into
no small amount of compactness. The very ualu
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 tho former to the
latter can he seen at all, and further, ou this occa-
sion, the left-hand side of the road (to a party ap
preaching the C%stle) 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
half-past 6 passed away, and the multitude wasforced
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 7 o'clock, the report of a gun was heard, and
everybody wakened 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 prophecy of the gun was soon fulfilled. The
Emperor and Empress, with Prince Albert and
their suite, arrived a few minutes afterwards, andto
it seemed but the work of a moment for themm so
alight, to leave the door of the waiting
t-oroovviod_
imposingly fronted by the " Weloolins
0-es amid the
sor," inscribed amid a thick mass of on the
opposite shed, to enter their
he smaller
shouts of the National School cel4ilfdrorem% to receive
the second inscribed h the largo arch in
" Welcome
arch, and to proceed
theirthrouogyCastle-street, es were greeted by
where
~iv° rimporatTrific:,
Na-
" vivo l'Emperetn:o,'„ 6 c Welcome. '
poleon," "Hugon'
0.3 carriages passed was something marvellous, the
intensity of the feeling receiving additional stimu-
lus from the momentary character of the "
buti t) then
everybody t
sight."
The whole affair scarcely lasted a
itseeothnod,
had a good look"
Emperor,
for
a a
week thousand
pastad '
wos
and a "good look" at the
curiosities that had been raging
were at once assuaged, and, of Course, everybody
was delighted. Indeed so very en
the delight that a fresh allowanceotilfauPpiaslatuisce was
lavished anew as each carriage of the cortege fol-
lowed the Emperor up Castle-hill, and every one
of the attendant visit
had reason to be satisfied
with his share of the
reception."
In the evening the illuminations were a new
arcs 94_ AttmOion, Thy Towu-hall,with laws