The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-23 00:00:00

THE PASSAGE.

It was not actually decided until Friday evening
what vessel would have the hon9ur of conveying the
Emperor and Empregg oh their return to France ;
Imt the new, swift, and ele, aptly-fitted French and
English mail scam-packet'Em press, the vessel that
piloted the Pelican across the Channel on Monday
last, had been prepared by orders of the French
Admiral (Viscount de Chabannes) for the rec3ption
of the Imperial visitors ; and at the recommooda-
tion of the admiral the Empress was selected, and
,he very small additions to her furniture and de-
corations which were deemed to be necessary were
made in the course of a few hours. _ _

At eight o'clock on Saturday morningthe French
men of war D'Assas, Le Corse, Pelican, Petrel, and
B tyonaisse, dressed with flags, and the Orion,
saluted the flag of Real Admiral Berkeley. At nine
the English men of war " dressed ship," and then
;.egan the business of the day, and the usual hurry-
i egs to and fro and the intercharige of orders fol-
lowed in rapid succession, until the booming of the
heavy guns of the batteries ashore and the hoisting
of the Royal and and Imperial standards announced
the arrival of the Royal train.
To Captain Smithett was again assigned the
honourable and responsible post of piloting our Im-
perial visitors, and as it was blowing strong from
E.N.E., that gentleman took the steamer Empress
out at an early hour in the morning to the west
side of the Admiralty pier ; there everything was
perfectly ready for the embarkation,when his Royal
Highness Prince Albert handed the Empress on
board, and his Royal Highness the Duke of Cam-
bridge attended the Emperor to the little vessel.
The " farewell " having been spoken, and the last
adieus to the shore having been waved, the steamer
cast off, with the Imperial standard at the main,
and the British ensign at the fore. Amidst the
thunder of the cannon on the heights, the deep-
sounding guns of the French squadron afloat, and
the immense cheering from the whole amphitheatre
of the thousands ashore, the little craft steamed
slowly round the bay, and then stood out to sea,
dipping gracefully in the yielding waters, as if re-
peating grateful acknowledgments to the shores of
England on behalf of her Imperial freight. The
wind freshened, and the sea became rougher ; but
still, by order of the Emperor, the steamer lingered
—the Emperor and Empress watching with thank-
ful eyes the demonstrations in their honour, ashore
and afloat. Admiral Berkeley, with Captain
Richards, in the Black Eagle, had steamed round
to the west side to meet the Imperial yacht, as did
also the Vivid, Admiralty tender, and several
other vessels; and to meet the wishes cf all par-
ties, we believe it was arranged that the steamer
should run to the eastward, and steam down
through the two admirably-moored lines of
the men-of-war, and receive, at parting, their
good wishes. The Empress steamer, under
the orders of Admiral Chabanues, was
making slowly for the first man-of-war; but, un-
happily, at that moment some white-funnelled
steamer vulgarly obtruded so near the Empress,
and so smothered the Imperial party on board
with her thick black smoke, that the Empress, to
escape the nuisance, was ordered to steam to the
Orion. Here, by command, the steamer was or-
dered to go slowly, whilst as she passed the Em-
peror and his consort received from the manned
yards of the noble two-deckers the last burst of
accompany
sister vessel
t o B the
u-
lo o
cheers from English throats, Which, coming from
British sailors, were certainly not the least hearty.
pftoiollnow of
followed
her
her
across
Away then sped the Imperial ship,
dropping at
every mile all those that attempted to
croe at about a cable's length distance astern
Qheureenw,itwhhiteillie vesselexce
°NW understand that the passage, thoughrn rather
rough, was not a disagreeable one to their
Ma-
jesties. Indeed, we hear that both the
Emperor
and Empress enjoyed the fresh breeze aad the rapid
!notion, and engaged in conversation with Lord
Alfred Paget, Lord Cowley, and th • eir respective
attendants all the way across.
As the French coast was approached •
of the Emperor, the vessel was steered ) by desire
towards
Ambleteuse, where from the deck ofthe vessel a
fine view was obtained of the great
French army on the heights ; and, including eamp of the
digression from the straight line auti this
the slow-
eteaming at starting, their Imperial AI • ajesties were
landed on their own shores within one hour and
fifty minutes from the time they left the Admiralty
The Emperor and Empress left the
pressing and bowing their thanks to all on
ex-
and, amidst the cheers of his own
bon board,
jects, were escorted to the Imperial Pavilion Hotel, where they
slept for the night.
The grand reception, however, of the Emperor
took place yesterday, when no less than
French infantry filed before him and ian 32,000
his brilliant, staff, under the command of Marshal Baragnay
d'Hilliers, on the sands cf Boulogne, and hailed ,h 1 . I
return with the h.,udeit ace i . •
,
iropp%sible not to admire thegladness-
1
Biesna- Which prevailed a nations, and it was
and enthu-
plongeit the troops, Whe