The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-12 00:00:00

pie Prince and Princess
_of Wales in

Denmark,

COPk:NIIAGEN, Tuesday Eeening.
kftcr a passage, rough is some parts, but on the
ole favourable, the yacht conveying their Royal
ghnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, with
members of their suite, from Scotland to the
ist of Denmark, came in sight of Elsinore about
o'clock this morning. AA that time there was
ly just sufficient motion of the waves to render
ling agreeable, and those on board as they swept
,ng the Kattegat, enjoyed an admirable eview
th of the Danish and Swedish coasts, which here
.esent—the Danish more especially—a strong se-
mblance to the picturesque outlines of Hemp-
dre. The Sound was, as usual, crowded with the
upping of all nations—many being of large ton-
age, constructed on the model which has been
,voured in these narrow seas for nearly four °en-
tries. The motions and courses of all these diffee
~nt craft imparted to the scene that element of life
nd variety without which the finest marine land-
cepo is opt to grow monotonous. Before the yacht
.nd at the entrance to the harbour lay the castle of
irouborg, the stronghold for centuries of Scandi-
navian kings and superstitions, rearing its white
3rothic towers from the water's edge to a height
and form recalling those of Heidelberg. Like the
;anent people to whom it belongs the voices of the
roe, were soon raised in honour of the fair Princess
arriving to revisit her early home, and the nine
Danish frigates moored in
welcomes of the cannon a circle off the town loof
st
io time in repeating
Kronborg. The celebrated Rolf Drake was not in-
:laded in this flola, but another ironclad, the
their number. Carrying
Dannebrog, was amtilong
eer guns, however, broadside fashion, she was less
readily to be distinguished from her companions in
the first instance—the Rolf Krake's armament
being upon the plan suggested by the gallant
officer familiarly known as Captain " Cupola"
Coles. The yards of the Danish vessels were
manned, but for whatever reason—possibly it may
not form part of Danish naval etiquette—the full
dress of flags was not resorted to. The duty of ac-
knowledging the Danish salutes devolved upon the
only British ship of war present—the Aurora, come
mended by Captain Leopold M•Clintock, of Arctic
celebrity. She first answered the salute of the fort,
then that of the fleet, and subsequently fired a salute
of 21 guns, when the Danish flag was run up to the
masthead of the Royal yacht. Some misconception
appears to have existed with regard to the strength
of the squadron that was to escort the Prince and
Princess of Wales, an idea having got abroad that
a considerable portion of the Channel fleet had been
told off for the purpose. Such a display of naval
strength was plainly unnecessary in the case of a
purely private family visit; and just at this moment,
when the tendency of men's mind in Copenhagen is
to grasp at anything affording material for com-
ment, the demonstration might have been under-
stood. The Aurora, in fact, had been cruising off
Heligoland some time previously and was lying at
Elsinore for a couple of days before the arrival of
the Royal yacht. As soon as the latter came in
sight she steamed out to meet her, and returned in
company with her and with the Salamis, the Admi-
ralty despatch boat, which throughout the passage
from Scotland acted in the capacity of tender. At
12 o'clock the Royal yacht came alongside the
pier, when the King and Queen of Denmark, the
Crown Prince, and the Princess Dagmar, who had
been waiting its arrival, went on board, under a
Efiliuto from the Aurora, and most affectionate
greetings ensued between the different members of
the family. Under what may be called the public
eye these were necessarily short in their duration,
but there was a sympathy tco powerful even for the
rules of palaces which drew together the Queen of
Denmark and the Princess of Wales. Sir Augustus
and Lady Paget, with the staff attached to the
embassy at Copenhagen, having paid their respects,
the Royal party and suite prepared to leave the
vessel and to take their seats in the carriages which
were to convey them to Fredensborg. Oa land there
was little of what could be called ceremony con-
nected with their reception, but such demonstrations
as took place were moat gratifying. The Mayor or
Burgomaster of Elsinore, an official whose functions
are not confined, as his name might imply, to purely
civic duties, but who acts as an officer of the State
and head of the Administratiun in the district,
made a short speech in Danish and pm-mnted a
congratulatory address. To this his Royal Highness
the Priuce of Wales returned a brief reply, and the
cortege proceeded on its way through ttae i0;713.
'1 he streets were all lined with soldiers, the house
fronts were gaily festooned and ornamented with
flowers, a triumphal arch spanned the principal
avenue, society arrayed itself in its very best clothes,
and at one point something very like a piece of
theatrical effect had been orgauised. Owing to a
sudden dip in the ground a terrace runs for a short
distance parallel to but considerably above the level
of the roadway. This terrace was filled with meta
hers of the various musical societies, and the space
intervening between the carriage drive and the po•
sition they occapied was draped so as to suggest the
impression that a gallery had been specially erected.
From this commanding position the orchestra sang
to a national air Danish verses composed in honour
of the visit of their Royal Highnesses, and the tem-
porary halt thus occasioned, while giving evident
pleasure to those who constituted the ltoyal cortege
afforded the spectators an admirable opportunity o
seeing those whom they had come to welcome. A
the carriages moved on again the acclamations re-
doubled, and were prolonged by groups assembled
along the road at intervals.
In these days of tercentenary festivals, and
above all in the town of Elsinore, it is a great
shock to one's Shaksperi inisin to be told that
Hamlet, properly " Amlet," was not the son
of the King of D2l.l:flask, but of a pirate chief ;
that, as a pagan, living centuries before the
Christian era, he did no more than his duty in re -
venging his father's death ; that he by no means
fell in single combat with Laertes, but lived
to become Governor of Jutland, and to marry two
wives, one of whom was daughter of an English
king. The culminating point of this antiquarian
heresy is that there was no Ophelia. To have one's
faith destroyed in one of the sweetest characters that
Shakspere ever drew is a trial ; but there is this
consolation. If the daughter of Polonioua did in-
deed exist and perish in the manner that generations
of Englishmen have joyed and grieved to think, this
much must be conceded to the inhabitants of Elsie
nore, after their tasteful decorations of this morning,
that her obit quies were doubtless conducted with as
much solemnity and effect as the ardent soul of M.
Fechter could desire. Leaving behind the picturesque
town of Elsinore with its 8,000 inhabitants, nothing
remarkable is passed on the road to Fredensborg
with the exception of the rained castle of Gurre, to
which a tradition clings remarkable for its likeness
in a double aspect to those connected with English
history. In the 14th Century Valdemar IV., like our
Henry 11., concealed in this sequestered nook from
the jealousy of his Queen a Danish Fair Rosamond,
known as Tovelil, or " Little Love." But whereas
English history has been content to infer that Queen
Eleanor, after the discovery, proved to her liege lord
a sufficiently retributive them in the flesh, Danish
story goes much further, and dooms Valdemar to
the fate of Herne the Hunter, for having blasphes
measly declared that be should not desire Heaven
if Curse were left to biro.
Fredensborg Castle, the destination to which the
co) e(ve rapidly made its way, and reached about an
hour after leaving asinore, takes its name—the
Castle of Peace—from the settlement putting an
end to the war with Sweden, which was concluded
in 1720. In the edifice dating from about that
period and erected in the reign of Frederick IV. there
is little externally to strike the eye. The gates and
appro.:o,es are not unlike and indeed by no means
excel many of those giving access to the country
seats of our untitled nobility. The grand court-
-3 and is Enclosed within semicircular ranges of
building, forming wings to the body of the palace,
and many of these apartments are said to be assigned
as marks of Royal favour either to persons who
have rl'r:ted well of the State, or to families belong-
ing to tho higher classes of society searae, pecuniary
cos render a dwelling free of expense a
Deo. The central portion of tho palace
ebovo a lefty terrace overlooßioa

circa

riscs

the courtyard, and tiNe upper portion of the building
is crowned by a dome -shaped roof. The frontage,
however, is flit and al ornamental, and tl- e great
door of entrance is as huge and bald a, some of

,hose still to be s6en in religious edi ces of the

period when " Churchwarden's Genic'' reigned
supreme. The atAraeltions of the palace consist
partly of a large collection of pictures, but mainly
in the views obtain, :d from its grounds over the
lovely Esrom Lake,, and the gardens, which are of
great extent and be autifully laid out. In the great
entrance hall, of str'.-king proportions and decorated
with paintings in honour of the peace which is as.
sociated with the foundation of the Castle, a guard
of honour of the Royal Horse Guards, dismounted,
was drawn up. This body, which is of as.good ave-
rage stature as the British heavy cavalry, has in the
distance, and morn especially with the sunlight play-
ing upon their unif arm, the aspect of being clothed
in brass. Both ho\mots and cuirasses are of that
colour, if not of that material, and the canary-
coloured tunic and buckskins look like a continua.
tion of the armour. The officer in command of the
corps wore over his uniform a scarlet and silver star
of Danmark, covering the entire of his cuirass. Pro.
bably the most remarkable feature, however, in the
array drawn up to receive the Prince and Princess
of England was the staff of running footmen belong-
ing to the King of Denmark. There wear, no doubt
in accordance with ancient custom, a livery exceed-
ingly rich as to material, but ludicrously suggestive
of Astley's. Scarlet and yellow are again the pre.
dominating colours, and upon their heads are silver
hats of great capacity, in which, as yesterday the
castle was en fete, enormous bouquets of the
choicest flowers were placed. So active and well
trained were these valets in the functions of their
dace that they skipped up and down stairs, carried
and unrolled heavy carpets, and yet not a single
flower was displaced.
To bid the Royal guests welcome to the palace a
distinguished party assembled on the steps of the
terrace. They included, among others, the grand-
father of the Princess of Wales, and brother of the
Duchess of Cambridge, the Landgrave of Hesse,
the Princess Try of Hainault, sister of the Queen
of Denmark, and her daughter, the Princess Hilda
of Hainault, Priucese Thyra of Denmark, General
Oxholm, the Danish State Steward, the Master of
the Horse, the Countess Reventlow, Sze. In the
suite of the Prince and Princess of Wales were the
Earl and Countess Spencer, the Countess De Grey,
Lady in Waiting, G.:nerat linollys, C it. Keppel,
Mr Meade, Dr Sieveking, and Dr Minter. Into the
reception at Elsinore a public character necessarily
entered to some extent, bat at Fredeiteberg it was
altegetl-er a family party. 11' ith the exception of
the military and servants of the household there
were not more than half a dozen spectators, ad-
mitted by special favour, who were unconnected
with the Royal family. The greeting which the
Princess received on alighting showed that however
warmly she may be appreciated and admired in
England, in Denmark, where she must have been
longer and mere intimately known, the affection felt
for her is even stronger. Philosophers have main-
tained that a great test of character presents itself
in the age of the associates with whom a man or a
woman will get on best, but in this eve the Princess
had no sooner passed from the embrace of one
relative, 77 years of age, who was visibly affected
on seeing her again, than she was claimed with the
utmost eagerness by her brother, the young Prince
Waldemar, not yet six years old, whom it was
absolutely necessary to kneel down and kiss before
the rejoicing could proceed any further. The
Prince of Wales was likewise most cordially
welcomed by all the assembled members of the
family; and after the officers of the guard, &c.,
had been admitted to the honour of kissing
hands, the Royal party withdrew into the interior
of the palace. The day was unfortunately marred
by several very heavy showers, but although one of
these preceded the arrival, and another immediately
followed the Looping of their royal highnesses.
there was fort ueately an interval of 10 or 15 minutes
during which the weather relaxed itsseverer features,
as if to enhance the pleasure with which the Prin-
cess naturally found herself on the familiar stairs,
surrounded by all the well known feces.
For the next few days the life at Fredensborg
Castle will 1),, as much as possible that of a private
family. To morrow (Weneeday) there is to be a
dinner party in honour of the birthday of the Q'ieen
of Denmark, bat the invitations are limited in
number and the proceedings will be strictly private.
In fact, it seems as if the object at present were
rather to spend a few da3 s of quiet erjeyment arid
retirement than to elver upon any round of public
gaieties which at such a moment might seem cut of
harmony with the netional feeling.
Wednesday Morning.
The weather is and baa been deplorably wet. List
evening there teas a dangerous landslip oa the line
of railway between Frendeborg and Copenhagen,
and the sightseers who had gone down to Eeinore
to witness the arrival of the Prince and Princess of
Wales were detained more than two hours on their
return before a second train could be procured from
the other end of the line and an exchange of pas-
iergers effected.
A large sectio❑ of the pubic, no doubt, will be in-
terested in learning that the sea voyage appears to
have improved the health of the Princess, and that
there has been little or no occasion for the services
of either of the doctors having the infant Prince
in their charge.
8

Savings Banks,

From a very elaborate and. voluminous, but exceedingly

,nteresting, return relating to savings banks, pnblished

on Friday, it appears that in Englandand Wales in 1861,
with a population of 20,r,61,725, there were 497 savings
banks, having 559 unpaid and 1057 paid cffieers, the securi-
ties of the former amounting to £355,370, and of the latter
to £297,400, the latter also drawing salaries and allow-
ances to the amount of £84,257 7e. The expenses of

managing the savings banks in England and -Wales for the
year ending Nis'. 20, 1863, was £116,067. The number of
accounts open at the latter date was £1,316,346—the tota
amount owing to depositors, £35,529,755 7s—the total
amount invested with the Commissioners for the Reduction
of the National Debt, £35,382,753 12s 10d—average rate
of interest paid to depositors, 19s 2d per cent for the
year—the total number of receipts from the depositors in
the same year, 1,!312 730—number of payments, 691,200—
the average amount of receipts from each depositor, £1 11s
—and average payments, £9 13s 3d.
The corresponding figures far Scotland are as follows :
The population in 1861 was 3,061,2,51, and the number of
banks 51. The unpaid officers numbered 41, and the paid
105, the salaries and allowances of the latter amounting
to £6,341 Ils 10d. In the year ending November, 20, 1863,
the total exptnses of management was £3,B44—the num-

ber of accounts open, 155,298—0 wing to depositors on
latter date, £2,877,508 11s 5d amount invested with
Commissioners of the National Debt, £2,575,3)3 17s 9d—
average ran of interest £.: 18s 10d—number of receipts
from dep-siLors, £27l,lB9—number of payments, 157,939—
average amount of receipts, £3 5a 7d—and an average
amount of payments, £1 13e 6d.

With respect to Ireland, we have the subjoined figures
supplied :—Thc p-pulation in 1861 was £5,764,513, and the
number of banks 53. There were 48 unpaid, and 144 paid
officers, the salaries of the latter amounting to £i,514 58
Bd. Starting, as u,ual, from the year ending Nov, 20th,
1863, it appears that the expenses of management amounted
to £9,578 83 91—accounts open, 66,652—0 wing to deposi-
tors, £2,071,522 17s 11d—invested with Commissioners of
National Debt, £2,058,829 4s 10d—rate of interest paid to
depositors, £2 16, 11d—number of receipts from depositors,
£9l,673—number of payments, £72,3l7—average amount
of receipts, £5 4s 4d—and average amount of payments,
£7 13s ld.

The islands in the British seas had a population of
85,924 in 1861, two banks, two unpaid and four paid officials
the latter drawing £ 1,140 for salaries and allowances. In
the year already mentioned the expenses of management
were £1,316 14a 61—the number of accounts open (on the
last day of the year), 18,516—the amount owing to deposi-
tors, £173,524 IGa 2d—the total amount invested, £173,321
lls sd—the rate of interest £3—the number of receipts,
10,820—number of paments, s,927—average amount of re-
ceipts, £5 12e 61—and average amount of payments,
£ll 7s 4d.
A recapitulaticn of the foregoing figures shows Chit in
the United Kingdom, with population of 29,031,293 in 1861,
there were 603 s wings banks, with 650 unpaid and 1,31 p
paid officers, the latter drawing salaries and allowances to
the amount of £99,253 43 7d. In the year ending Nov. 20,
1863, the expenses of the management amounted to
£135,776 3s 93—the number of accounts remaining open
were 1,556,842—the total amount which was owing to the
depositors on N0v.21, £40,952,311 12s—total invested with
Commissioners for fte.duction of the. National Deb,-,
1:K4790,208 Os 10d—the average rate of interest paid to de-
Powers, 193 Id—the number cf receipts fioni depositors
1,719,412—the number of payments! 910,383—the average
amount of receipts from each depositor, £1 78 10d, and the
average amount of par:mute to each, £3 122 61.