The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-28 00:00:00

LON ON, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 26, 1855.

HER MAJESTY'S VISIT TO FRANCE.

BOULOGNE, Monday Night.—The Queen's visit to
France and the Emperor Napoleon will have terminated
before the foll Owing hastily written details of its closing
scenes are in print. She embarks to-night at 11 o'clock
on board the Royal yacht, and by 1 o'clock it is ex.
petted that she will be on her way to o,borne. Thus
has been happily concluded an event the magnitude of
which it is impossible to exaggerate, which has been
achieved without a singe drawback, and upon all the
details connected with which not only the illustrious
personages most directly concerned, but the population
of two countries the most powerful and civilised in the
world, have every reason to congratulate themselves.
From the spectacle of such accord between Sovereigns
who, being independent of each other, yet are proud to
show their mutual friendship, the happiest auguries for
the future may fairly be gathered. Those who are thus
united by the bonds of personal intimacy will know how
to guard the strength which it manifestly gives, and
study to guard against disturbing an alliance which,
begun 3n the grounds of interest and policy, has now
received an enthusiastic confirmation from the inhabit-
ants both of Paris and London. It can no longer be
doubted that the two nations have large sympathies in
common,' powerful enough to control all adver4e in-
fluences, and to afford the best guarantees for the safety
of Europe. The Queen's visit bas partaken even more
than the Emperor's of a public character, and, great as
was the enthusiasm with which he was welcomed in our

metropalis, it was at least equalled, if not surpassed, by
the feeling which has greeted her Majesty from all
classes of Parisians.. This was convincingly demon-
strated to-day by the immense numbers in. which they
turned out clog the route of the procession't6Witneas her
departure. A week's stAy,during which she has constantly
been seen driving in the streets, had in no sensible degree
diminished the interest which her presence excited, and it
must be among the highest consolations of Royalty for the
cares which itinvolves to know that even among foreigners,
who only know by repute the virtues which adorn our
Sovereign, so much respect and 11,;mage are voluntarily
accorded to her. It would really seem as if everything
had tonsprred to make this viit 'all' that could be de-
sired, for even the weather has been. favourable to a de-
gree that could hardly be hopes for. To-day there was
not a cloud in the sky, and the sun shone down upon
the ceremony of the departure with :a fervour of bril-
liancy which left no portion of the general effect unde-
veloped. As on the occasion of her Majesty's arrival,

the line of procession was kept by a military- force, the
troops of the National Guard, according to custom,

holding the right side, and those of -the regular army
the left. The Garde de Paris and the Sergens de ville
co-operated at all important points, and the best order
and arrangements prevailed. The Emperor and his
guests left St. Cloud for the Tuileries before 10 o'clock,

and thence, at'half-past 11, proceeded in carriages to the
terminus of the Strasburg Railway. The route followed
WaA that by the Rue Castiglione, the Place Vendome,
and the Rue de la Paix, into the Boulevards, and along
them to the station. The ceremonial observed was of a
much more formal character than that of the entry into
Paris. The cortege, which was marshalled with the
greatest care to produce a splendid scenic effect, pro-
ceeded at a foot pace for the whOle distance traversed,
and the Imperial carriage conveying .his Majesty, the
Queen, Prince Albert, arid the Princess.Royat—a mag-
nificent equipage in all its appointments—was drawn by
eight horses., each of which had a running groom lead-
ing him by a gilded bridle. On either side rode Mar
shal Magnan arid General Loewenstein. Another
carriage with six hoNes, and nearly as splendid, con.
veyed the Prince of Wales, Prince Napoleon, and
_ _

two ladies. The suite followed in five other car-
riages, and in front and behind there was an escort
of Guides. A few Cent Garden led the way, and
behind them, were the Ofliciers d'Ordonnance. It was

altogether a most 'stately and imposing procession, and
the epectacle.which the Boulevards presented as it slowly-
swept through them, the drums beating and the trum-
pets sounding a flourish, the troops presenting arms, and
the vast multitude on the. trottoirs shouting Vive la
Reine !" was indescribably fine. The arrival at the sta-
tion was signalled to all Paris by a double salute fired
in honour of the Queen, and then for the Emperor.
There, both outside and within, decorations even more
effective and splendid than on the occasion of her Ma-
jesty's arrival had been prepared. The initials " V.A.."
interlaced in white flowers on a fresh bank of green
leaves closed in the end of t!ie permanent way, the bal-

conies were hung with velvet, the roof with streamers,

and on the platform were assembled, within the gny
range of elegantly-dressed ladies which bound it, a dis-
tinguished- assemblage of official personages who had
come to take leave of her Majesty or to see her raf-Ay on
her way. Among these were M. de Baroche, M. de
Persigny; Lord Cowley, and the Attach of the Em-
bassy ; Count Walewski ; M. Pietri, Prefect of Police ;

M. tlatpsniann, the Prefect of the Seine ;,Baron Rothe-

chairrnmi' of the Northern Rail way:wand M. Petiet,

chief engineer, and manager ; M. Perrier, Count de
Segur, chairman ; Doc de Galliera, vice-chairman ; M.
Sayi• and M. Roux, directors ; M. Bossange, secretary ;
and MM.• Edwards, Sauvage, and Vinguer, engineers to
the Strasburg Railway. Their Majesties were at once
conducted to the state carriage, and the train, soon after
12 o'clock, took its departure amid loud cheers and the
strains of "God rave the Queen." At all the stations
on the way the neighbouring population were collected

in dense crowds to —welcome— the illustrious travellers.
Amiens was, however, the point of a special demonstra-
tion. There the stati:m was beautifully decorated, and a
saloon had been prepared for her Majesty. The National
Guard, the Infantry of •the Line, and Cuirassiers kept
the platform, which was overlooked by a series of bal-
conies, filled with elegantly-dressed ladies. A salute of
21 guns welcomed the arrival of the train. Lieutenant-
Colonel Duhamel, prefect of the department ; General
Boyer, Monseigneur de Satin's, Bishop of Amiens, the
sub-prefects, the Cour Imperial, and all the functionaries
of the department were in attendance to receive their
Majesties, who were greeted most enthusiastically. At
Allbeville a party of Dragoons were drawn up with the
National Guard to preserve order, but the sight of the
Imperial carriage was too much for the latter, and they
fairly broke their ranks, rushed forward, beating the
ground wish their musket-butts, and shouting " Vive Ia

Reine," " Vive l'Eaapereur," &c. It was five o'clock
when the train reached Boulogne. and immediately after
their arrival the Imperial and Royal party proceeded to
review the troops now encamped on the heights.
The review took place on the sands in front of the
Imperial Pav•lion Hotel, and, like that in the Champ
de Mars on Friday, consisted only of the inspection of
the defile. ,the number of men assembled being from
45 to 50,000. This force, with the exception of a regi-
ment of Lancers, consisted entirely of infantry of" the
line, there being no artillery present. The Emperor,
Prince Albert, and Prince Napoleon were on horseback,
attended by their equerries. Her Majesty and the other
•members of the Royal family, with the suite, witnessed
the spectacle from the carriages. The tide being out, and
the sands tolerably dry, the troops were displayed to the
greatest possible advantage, and looked superb. On the
eastern or upper side of the sands were the Lancers, ex-
tended in one line. In another, parallel and of equal
length, were formed some 15 regiments, in close column
of contiguous battalions ; and at either end were masses
of men brigaded together, whose serried ranks com-
pleted the third and fourth sides of this great quad-
rangle. Here, in the centre, after making the round of
inspection, the Emperoi and his guests took up their
position amid a grand flourish of drums and trum-
pet. The defile was soon over, but not until the set-
ting sun lighting up with splendour: so many succes-
sive forests of bayonets had left upon the mind of
the spectator a most powerful impression. This became
enhanced by the presence of the Royal squadron in the
offing—a presence proclaimed in the thunders of a mag•
nificent salute as the review closed. At its termination
the Emperor took his guests to the Camp at Honvault,
where from the heights they witnessed some practice
with a new description of rocket. Thence they drove
as far as the Camp at Ambleteuse, and night had fairly
closed in before they returned to the Imperial Pavilion
Hotel. The farewell dinner was laid with 30 covers,
and while it was proceeding Bculogne was brilliantly
illuminated. Exactly at 11 o'clock the embarkation was
safely effected amid the roar of a salute from the fleet
which shook the houses both at Folkstone and Dover.
A wonderful display of fireworks accompanied the de-
parture, which thus took place without a single mishap
or drawback. Indeed, looking back at all the arrange-
ments of this visit, there probably never was witnessed
more successful management. Not one accident has oc-
curred, and the Prefect of Police, M. Pietri, has reason
to congratulate himself upon the manner in which the
newly-organised force under his control has acquitted it-
self under a very severe trial of its efficiency.
It is not yet known to what extent the munificence of
the Royal family has displayed itself in the shape of pre-
sents, but, no doubt, these have been liberally bestowed.
We understand that a magnificent snuff-box has been
presented to the Prefect of the Seine, and that M. Her-
voix, the chief of police for the Imperial household,
whose activity and zealous exertions cannot be too
highly praised, has received a handsome diamond pin.
Her Majesty is extremely popular among the Parisians,
on account of her natural manners and her great affa-
bility. She has certainly on all public occasions ap-
peared highly gratified by the extraordinary attentions
of her Imperial host, and we are assured that her private
feelings are entirely in accordance with her bearing when
all eyes have been upon her.
The hasty manner in which, unavoidably, this great
event has been chronicled has prevented us from
recording several minor facts and incidents, which, ne-
vertheless, deserve a place in all contemporary records
of an, occurrence so remarkable. For example, at St.
Germain on Saturday the Queen visited the tomb of her
ancestor James 11., and yesterday again she went to
Neuilly in the afternoon, and there stood beside the un-
timely grave of the late Duke of Orleans.• What food
for moralising do these two simple occurrences afford I
Yet perhaps they are exceeded by a scene which took
place this morning at St. Cloud, and produced a powerful
impression on all who witnessed it. Whether by clever
premeditation or fortunate accident, the Emperor there
caught sight of a Voltigenr of the Imperial Guard, who
had lost his leg before Sebastopol and had otherwise
been severely wounded. The still suffering soldier was
making his way forward on crutches when the Emperor
advanced fo 'meet him, and, taking off the Cross of the
Legion of Honour which he wore; transferred it to the

poor fellow's breast. All who witnessed- the spectacle
were much affected by it,--most of all the decore himself.
Her Majesty is expectel to arrive at Osborne to-morrow
about croon. •

BOULOGNE, 11 15 P.M.
The Queen has this moment embarked.
Al! well.
The scene was truly magnificent.

(From the Constitutionnel.)

Paris presents at this moment the most splendid
and the most picturesque of spectacles—all lan-
guages are spoken here, all costumes borne ; the
whole world is represented here under aspects at
once the most varied and the most elevated. It
would be the image of the tower of Bebel, if an
admirable order did not preside over this universal
fete of all nations of the globe fraternising in the
bosom of the capital of France, where they have
come to glorify industry, the progress of intelli-
gence and of civilisation. For eight days, above
all, it is a marvellous picture, this fairy-like city,
where there is no longer repose, nor silence ; this
city, perpetually decorated with ensigns, where
myriads of population succeed to myriads' as upon
the ocean waves follow waves ; where the noise
and the movement of the crowd spread an in-
cessant life. everywhere ; where tastely every
evening the blaze of illuminations, replacing the
rays of the sun, seems to eternalise day by the sup-
pression of n'a6ht. Thus, under the active and in-
telligent impulse of Prince Napoleon, whom the
Emperor charged with the care of presiding over
the Exhibition of 1855, this magnificent enterprise
realises, surpasses even, all the hopes which it had
inspired, and an immense success crowns that
great idea, now concentrated by one of the most
characteristic events of contemporary history, the
visit of the Queen of England. This success of
the Exhibition of 1855 is glorious for France,
which enjoys this triumph ; glorious for the Em-
peror; who conceived the thought of this splendid
fete of Industry, and Art ; glorious also for the
Prince who has known how to comprehend and
carry into effect this conception of progress and
civilisation, so as at once to make it one of the
most beautiful, the most useful, and the most
popular events of our epoch. The circum-
stances amidst which the Exhibition of 1855 is
produced add moreover to the unexpected éclat of
this pacific concourse of all the discoveries and all
th a conquests of science, opened between all the
nations of the earth, in the midst even of the pre-
occupations of a gigantic and distant war, and on
the morrow of a loan of 750 millions, which will
complete a sum of 1 milliard 500 millions devoted
to the expenses of that war. On witnessing these
signs, so numerous and so manifest, of public and
private prosperity—on seeing all this gold which
flows from thousands of hands to go and vivify
every branch of national activity, who would ima-
gine that France is engiged in a formidable contest
against a powerful nation ? Who should have a
conception of the sacrifices and efforts which this
contest exacts, on seeing this exaltation and this se-
renity of the populations, which rush with somuch
enthusiasm and happiness from the thresholds of
workshops and manufactories upon the passage of
the Queen of England and the Emperor of the
French ? Who should think it on perceiving them
hasten with so much ardour to all the ceremonies,
to all the solemnities, to all the fetes where they
are able t 3 see these two august sovereigns of two
great nations, long time haughty enemies, now
generous allies, and return afterwards, happy and
cal m, to their labour of every day, as if they had
even derived front this spectacle fresh courage and
renewed confidence? For some timepast the land of
France is the blessed of God ! Everything succeeds
here with the Emperor, everything succeeds with the
people. Is it not because every thing combinesin her
the genius of humanity ; is it not because she carries
on her front the seal of civilisation ; is it not lastly
because she matches at the head of nations, in the
ways of democracy and equality, in the ways of
progress and liberty, which are the paths of the
future, that providence guides her steps and
watches over his destinies? Whatever may be
thought of monarchical forms, which are as the
vestment of the empire, democracy and equality,
progress and liberty, are at the foundation of her
institutions. Democracy and equality, progress
and liberty—behold the true character of the reign
of the Napoleons. The masses divine it and feel
it ; they divine and they feel that the Napoleons
on the throne, are the people crowned in their per-
sons ; this is what explains their love for the em-
pire and for the Emperor."

to extinguish the fire generated on board. They
had some men wounded, one dangerously. The
Cossack and Cruizer engaged another island, con-
nected with the main by a wooden bridge. The
bridge was first destroyed with shot from these
ships, and then they scoured the island, which was
full of Russian soldiers of the line, with grape and
canister shot, until not a Russian was visible. The
destruction of life on this island was dreadful. The
crew of the Cossack exacted a terrific retribution
' for the massacre off Hango Head. The French
performed their part bravely, with gun and mortar-
vessels, and also from a sand-bag battery, which
they erected on a rociy island in the course of
the two nights preceding the bombardment ; it
was within good range of the Russian batteries,
and was mounted with three mortars, besides
other guns of long range. All our mortar-guns
are rendered totally useless ; some of them,,,indeed,
were split to pieces. lam very confident that if
we hart bombarded Cronstadt as we have Sweaborg,
that, literally speaking, not a vestige of it would
be left, for this reason, Sweaborg is by nature a
place of great strength, as its fortifications are cut in
the solid rock, and hard to get at ; whereas Cron-
stadt is solely a work of art that required much
laborious care in its constrution, and consists to a
very great extent of wood and other combustibles."
—Oar/isle Journal.

From a Sergeant of Marines on board the Hast-
ings :—" Our little -squadron went at it in right
good earnest, with the gun and mortar boats of our
allies opening such a tremendous fire that would
rouse the peaceful inhabitants of your little town ;
and in less than an hour, to our great joy, was the
explosion of a magazine that seemed to shake the
whole place. 'lt was such a report that caused
our seamen and marines to work with more
vigour. Explosion after explosion—fire after fire—
was the order of the day, till night came on, when
the destruction of that most formidable place,
Sweaborg, was clear to all of us. We continued
all night by di7isions—the place apparently in one
mass of flames al' the following day—making good
fire, good direction, and another tremendous ex-
plosion, which proved to us that we had not quite
settled the job. We continued, however, till about.
eleven at night, and another explosion, with huge
masses of smoke and flame. It was indeed awfully
grand. My dear brother—it was indeed a sight. I
could have given the world had you been there. Not
yet satisfied with this, we physicked them with
rockets and shells, giving them abundant proof
that we have some destructive instruments of war ;
and more particularly the mortar and gun-boats—
they are splendid. The Baltic must have them.
Without them we can do nothing—with them
we can do wonders. Sir Charles Napier is the
practical man ; it was him that proposed them ; he
could see their use ; and the opinion of nearly all
the fleet is that he is the man to command
them."

NAVAL OPERATIONS IN THE BALTIC

STOCKHOLM, Aug. 20.—Her Majesty's ship Des-
perate, 6, Capt. White, arrived on the morning of
the 13th inst. at Faro Sound, reports that on the
10th inst. the above-named corvette and the screw
block-ship Hawke, 60, Capt. Ommanney, were at-
tacked by 17 Russian gun- boats which came out of
the harbour of Riga for that purpose. The action
was kept up with great spirit, and lasted two hours,
at the expiration of which the gun-boats were with-
drawn, some of them with considerable damage.
On board the Hawke one man was severey
wounded, and the Desperate received six cannon-
balls in her hull. On the afternoon of the same day
the above-named two ships bombarded the fortifica-
tions of Riga. Later accounts from Faro Sound
mention the arrival of the Hawke, which had also
put in there to repair damages.
In the accounts published of the bombardment
of Sweaborg it is particularly mentioned that a
large imperial Russian flag was seen flying on one
of the buildings, but which was not hoisted on the
second and third days. Private accounts received
here from Helsingfors state that the building in
question was the habitation of the Grand Duke
Constantine, who had come down from St. Peters-
burg expressly to be present at the expected attack,
and to excite the ardour of the Russian troops by

- -
his presence. The flag attracted the especial no-
tic() of the attacking ships, and particularly served
as a mark for the mortar vessels, in consequence
of which the building was speedily reduced to a
mass of ruins, but the Grand Duke escaped
unhurt. From the same accounts, it ap-
pears that the navigation department on board
the fleet was carried on with consummate skill and
an extraordinary knowledge of the intricacies of
the approaches, which reflects the highest credit on
the masters of the different ships. The writer, who
was an eye-witness of the whole affair, in describ-
ing the events, confesses that the Russians were
taken completely by surprise on being attacked
from a side, the channel to which had been con-
sidered always impracticable by their own pilots,
and that they were, therefore, not prepared to see
the hostile ships approach from that quarter. This
explains also the hurried attempt to throw up a
battery on the wooded island during the action,
which was, however, successfully interrupted by a
few wed-directed shells being thrown in by the de-
tached squadron sent for that purpose, the Rus-
sians abandoning the island with considerable loss.
The writer describes the third explosion on the
9th instant as the great event of the day, which
blew up the principa magazine of ammunition with
a most fearful crash, scattering death and desola-

tion far and wide. He says it lasted for fully three
minutes. For some time aferwards a perfect still-
ness prevailed on board the attacking ship,, but
shortly afterwards the deafening cheers of the Bri-
tish sailors were wafted across the water, and
reached the ears of the garrison. On the 11th, at
noon, the whole of the buildings in Sweaborg were
one mass of flames, and all the attempts made to
put out the fire were of no avail.