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

THE VISIT OF THE EMPEROR

AND

EMPRESS OF FRANCE.

GREAT PREPARATIONS IN THE CITY.

LATEST PARTICULARS LAY).
This morning at an early hour upwards of 300 me-

chanics, decorators, and labourer3 were most actively
enga,4ed in the interior of Guildhall and tie court-yard
facing the ancient building, 'in completing► the extensive,

pr,,parat:ons for the reception of the Emperor of the
French on Thursilay next, at the grand banqutlt which
is to be given by the Lord Mayen. an i Corporation of
the City of London.

The large area in front of the Hall has been com-
pletely, covered in, and seats for the accommodation of
2,000 persons have been c9nstructed, the access to sOlich
will be by tickets, issued by the City authorities. The
dernand fir seats this morning, at the Lord Mayor's
residence and court, has been immense.
At a meeting cf the churchwardens, overseers, &c.,
this morning, in the vestry room of St. Lawrence Jury,
Gresham-street, arrangements were male for the erec-
t:On of seats for 300 persons in the churchyard adjoining
Guildhall PoLcc-court. A large number of the City
police were in attendance to keep back the crowds of
persons assembled to catch a glance of the unusual pre-
parAti;ins fir the reception of,the Imperial visitors. , ,
Large placards were posted on the walls of the Guild-
hall and the adjacent buildings, with the words, "Eng-
lishmen, give a hearty welcome to toe Ally of our
Q teen." Massive barriers were being erected along the
pavement on either side of King-street to Cheapside,
and a triumphal arch will be constructed at the entrance
of Guildhall-yard, by the corner of Gresham-street,
which will be gaily decorated with , banners, flags, and
various a)legorical illuminations in gas. The interior of
the extensive awning will he brilliantly lighted up and
decorated magnificently.

The whole of the thoroughfares le!aling to Guildhall
will be stopped and guarded by detachments of military
and the City police, assisted by the City of Lontion

The inhabitants of King-street, Gresham-street,
Guildhall-buildings, Church-pas-age, Cheapside, and
along the whole line of route through which the Em-
peror will pass, were this morning having beats erected
at the windows awl upon the roofs of the houses, and in
every position where a glance of the procession can be
obtained..

The houses will be illuminated in
,the eveuing, and
other preparations are in progress.

The interior of Cuildhall will be most elaborately and
mag‘ niaccutly decorated, and when completed will pre-
sent au extraordinary and brilliant appearance.

ARMY BEFORE SEBASTOPOL COM-
MITTEE.

The Committee reassembled this morning, in Commit-
tee-room No. 17 of the House of Commons. Mr. Roe-.
buck in the chair.

Mr. Maxwell, the barrister, one of the commissioners
sent out to inquire into the medical comforts of the
troops, was recalled, and underwent a long examination
as to the state of affairs while' he was there. He said
that the hospitals were in a most wretched state ; that
there was a great deficiency of medicines and medical
comforts, which ho attributed to the requisitions of the
surgeons being unattended to. Dr. Hall was the highest
medical authority out there, and he presumed he was
responsible. At the same time he did not wish to draw
inferences against any particular individuals. The sur-
geons and officers had instructions not to give any
information on the subject of hospital management. He
was not gazetted as a commissioner, nor did he report
himself when he went out. He raceived no special in-
structions, all his duties having beefs very generally
described.

Oil this point the Committee cleare'd the room, and
remained a long time in deliberation.
The Chairman (on the readmission of the pu')lic)_said
the committee would like to see Mr. Maxwell's commis,
sion and any instructions he might have recei wed.

Colonel Horsford, of the Ist EattaliOn Rifle Brigade,
said the troops were badly off for- clothing. The warm
clothing for the men arrived about the end of November,'
but it was not distributed until some time afterwards,
on account of the difficulty of transport. His regiment
when he went out consisted of 960 men, but by the end
of January the effective strength was reduced to 180.
He did not think the troops were completely supplied
with warm clothing when he left the East towards the
close of January.' He had no doubt that the sickness
which prevailed amongst the men was mainly attributable
to hard work and the weather. He had no complaints
to make in reference to the Commi,iFitriat department of
his regiment. Ho was never in want of ammunition.
The men suffered considerably from want of medicine.

Sir C. Trevelyan was next called. He said he
had been fifteen year; in the commissariat, having
been during that time assistaut-secretary to the Trea-
sury. He proceeded to give a statement of the prepara-
thins which were made for the Commissariat department
on the breaking out of the war.