The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-19 00:00:00

effect, which were relieved by the elegant lace
window curtains. The chief decoration of this
unique apartment was the noble toilet, upon
which was a magnificent mirror, in a carved
gold frame, and the whole draperied with rich
lace festooned hangings over white satin. The toilet
bottle and china vases had been selected for their
artistic beauty as well as superior manufacture.
The lavement-stand, covered with a beautiful slab
of marble, had the usual fittings in white and gold
china, with splendidly cut glass ewer, goblets, &c.
A magnificent cheval glass, in a splendid gold
frame, adjoined the toilet, and the flooring of the
apartment covered with an elegant Turkey carpet.
A splendid collection of paintings of the Bonaparte
family had been hung in the room leading to the
Council Chamber ; on one side was a portrait of
Napoleon I. ; Jerome, King of Westphalia, youn
gest; brother of Napoleon 1..; Joseph, King of
Spain, eldest brother of Napoleon 1., and uncle to
the present Emperor ; and Count Waltersdorf,
Marshal of King Jerome. On the other, ,portraits
of Letitia, mother of Napoleon 1., grandmother of
the present Emperor ; Hortense, Queen of Hol-
land, Consort of Louis Bonaparte, King of Hol-
land, and mother of the present Emperor ;
Katherine, Queen of Westphalia, daughter of the
King of Wurtemberg, by the Princess Royal of
England, consequently cousin to Queen Victoria.

At about half-past two the Emperor and
Empress entered the hall, and at this moment it
presented a scene of the greatest magnificence
imaginable.
• The scene within the ball previously to the arri-
val of the august visitors was grand in the extreme.
The company, which had begun to arrive in large
numbers as early as ten o'clock, had very
nearly all assembled, and filling, as they did, the
whole of the west end of the building, and the
north and south sides, funned of themselves
A most brilliant and varied feature, but,
when viewed in conjunction with the gorgeous
decorations of the Hall, the rich, flowing robes of
the aldermen and common council, the embroidered
tiniforms of the representatives of the different
corps diplomAtique, constituted a tort ensemble
extraordivary splendour. All this burst at
.ince upon the eye the moment one had passe:i
through the principal entrance into the time-
iionoured edithe with a in:igic and enchanting effect.
rhe of the scene vas maiwained by the
" eloquent music" which was discoursed by the
,plendid band of the Royal Hors Guards (Blue),
old of which the following is a pr. .gramme

)verture— Ob,;ron
ieleetion —Le Ctialet A Adam.
Naltz—Fruhilhgsboten Gime.
PrecioAa

'tVar March of the Priests—Atha.lie
Overture—Guillaume Tell
ie:ection—Diainans do la Couronne

Waltz— Fa!x. Star ...

D'Albert.

Overture—Zainpn,

Her Ad.

,)venture—Mas,Aniello
ielection—Etode du Nord
Waltz—Tanz Pcrlen

Rossini.
Meyerbeer.
rhe band was under the direction of Mr. J. R.
rutton, band-master.
As the names of the company were not,

Selection—Donna del Lago
VackellllZ

owing to an accidental oversight on the
part of the committee, announced at tho door
A number of distinguished personages passed in
unrecognised by a large proportion of those

sent, but towards half-past twelve o'clock,
those arrivals were announced in the usual
manner, and amongst those whose titles we

overheard were—Lord Paninure, Viscount liar-
Lugo, the Greek Minister, the Sicilian Mi-
nister, his Excellency the Turkish Ambassador,

till of whom, is making their appearance, were
greeted with loud acclamation. To these succeeded
S'ir C. Wood (First Lord of the Admiralty), Earl
f Clarendon (Secretary of State. for .Foreign 'At-
airs), who were received in like manner. ' •ResideS
••hose we have mentioned there were also in attend-
vice the American, Sardinian, Swedish-, Portu
;nese, and Brazilian Ministers ; Earl of Harrowby,
,he Marquis of Salisbury, Viscount Canning, Sir
Molesworth, and Sir B. Hall..
The arrival of the august visitors it was under-
stood would take place about half-past one o'clock,
ind, as that hour drew nigh, the excitement of the
isseuabled multitude, which could not have num-
tered less than 2,000 persons was raised to a
,sinful degree, but it was for the moment relieved
)y the arrival of his Royal Highness the Duke
tf Cambridge at half-past one o'clock precisely.
_his Royal Highness, who looked remarkably well,
ad was attired in the uniform of the Coldstream
;Wards, was enthusiastically cheered as he wits
:ouducted to his seat, which he acknowledged by
towing in a most courteous manner. His Royal
I'ghness was immediately followed IT the MAr-
luis of Lansdowne, the Duke of Argyll, Lord
..'alinerston, and Sir George Grey.

About this time it was rumoured that the Em-
,eror and Empress wero close at hand, and this
vas succeeded by a hum of anxious expectation.
The band had just brought to a conclusion the
,eautiful overture of " Gu►llawe Tell," when the

essatiou of its strains was taken up by a merry
_,sal from the old bells of Bow Church. Presently
loud shout of " Vivo l'Empereur" was distinctly
,ver-heard outside, and the Lord Mayor, accom-
.)anied by the members of the Ctinunittee, the Alder-
.uen and Corporation, hurried to the grand entrance
vo receive their Imperial Majesties with becoming
aonour and formality. Immediately the baud of the
Ad Royal Life Guards struck up " Partant pour la
3yrie," which was re-echoed by the band within,
tnd to the music of this noble air, and amidst
t hearty cheer of welcome from the whole assembled
;ompany, the Emperor and Empress, preceded
i)3, the Lord Mayor and the usual attendants on
such occasions, slowly advanced up the centre of
t,he hall . and took up their respective positions
en the dais. His Majesty wore the uniform of a
General of Division, and the Empress, who
was attired. in a rich brocaded silk dress, looked
extremely well, and both very gracefully bowed
their acknowledgments to the sincere and general
shoutS of " Vive l'Empereur" and " Vive l'lmpera-
trice," which resounded on every side.
The brilliant suite of the Royal personages having
taken up theirpo' sitiou round the dais,theLord Mayor
advanced, and having presented the learned Re-
corder to their Majesties, the latter, in a distinct
and forcible 'manner, read the address ou behalf of
the Lord. Mayor and Corporation of the City of
London. Both the Emperer and Empress seemed
deeply alive to the warmth of the sentiments ex-
pressed in this manner.
The Emperor afterwards, amidst the , deepest
silence and attention, and in a clear voice, which
was heard in every part of the hall, read a written
reply to the address, in which he conveyed the
gratitude he entertained towards the Queen for
Affording him an apportuuity of hearing so
.uearty an expression of the sentiments of the
representatives of the City of Loudon—senti-
ments which he felt, he observed, were ad-
dressed not so much to himself as to the nation
who had chosen him as their head—and whose in-
terests were everywhere identified with those of
this country. He felt also that they were ad-
dressed to an army and navy united to them
by companionship in danger and in glory,
and to the policy of the two Governments, which
was based on the foundation of truth, moderation,
and justice. His Majesty then went on to say that
for himself personally he retained on the throne the
same sympathy and esteem for the English people
which he professed when amongst them as an
exile, and then went on to express a fer-
vent hope that the amicable relations which
now existed between the two countries might never
be disturbed by any petty rivalry, but th Lt the
union would continue to conduce, as at present,
to the promotion of their national welfare and
the great cause of civilisation. His Majesty conclud-
ed by assuring the people of this country that they
were right iu interpreting his presence amongst
them as a proper and energetic proof of his cordial
co-operation with them in the war in which we are
at preserit,engaged, and by thanking them for that
unmistakeable manifestation of good feeling towards
himself and the Empress, The remark of the Em.