The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-27 00:00:00

The City Police and the Royal Marriage

Yesterday morning a report, which, with an appendix,
extends over fourteen pages, was issued by the City autho •
rities on the subject of the regulations adopted on the occa-
sion of the entry of the Princess Alexandra on the 7th.
The report is from the committee of the whole court, includ-
ing the Lord Mayor, and contains a chronological statement
of the steps taken in reference to the royal entry. It is
shown that the royal reception committee which was ap-
pointed, arranged for the decoration of the public buildings,
and put themselves in communication with the chartered
livery companies, so as to secure a suitable and splendid
ceremonial. The efforts that were made to secure the object
of the inhabitants of Southwark and Westminster, that the
civic procession should go the whole route, are set forth,
and the responsibility of the refusal, which the committee
conclude threw an undue proportion of the multitude upon
the narrow streets of the City, is attributed to Sir Richard
Mayne and the Government. The correspondence with Sir
Richard Mayne was first carried on by the late Mr, D. W.
Harvey, whose unexpected decease materially increased the
difficulties of the position. Sir R. Mayne expressed his
willingness to render every aid in keeping the passage
through Chancery-lane to Holborn. On the 4th the Lord
Mayor informed the committee of an offer from the Com-
mander-in-Chief to place a body of the Life Guards within
the City. This offer was at once most gladly accepted, and
within two hours afterwards a special messenger was de-
spatched with the following letter
" Mansion-house, March 4.

" Sir,—ln referee ce to your communication of this day,
I beg to inform you that the offer so kindly made through
you by his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, relative
to the attendance of some of the Life Guards within the
City, to assist the police in carrying out the requisite regu-
lations for maintaining a clear passage for the procession on
the 7th inst. has been submitted to the magistrates, and also
to the royal reception committee of the corporation, who beg
sincerely to acknowledge the consideration of his royal
highness, and have much pleasure in accepting such offer.
Instructions have b_ en accordingly given to Capt. Hodgson,
the Acting Commissioner of the City Police, to put himself
in communication with the proper authorities on the sub-
ject.— I am, &0., " W. A. RosE.
"Sir Richard Airey, Quartermaster-General."
It appears, however, before the receipt of the communi-
cation from the Horse Guards, Capt. Hodgson had told Sir
R. Mayne that the assistance of the military would not be
required within the City. This conversation, unfortunately,
was not reported to the Lord Mayor. On the 6th his lord -
ship sent to know the number of Life Guards that were
coming, and was informed that 200 of the Royal Horse
Artillery would be placed at his disposal. His lordship told
two officers who waited on him in the afternoon, that he
should Le glad of the assistance, "not only of 200 but of
300 or even 400 men if they could be obtained, upon which
the officers said they were pressed for numbers, and all they
could spare for the City would be 200 of the mounted Artil-
lery." His lordship, it is added, felt it necessary to decline
an application for permission for the Tower Hamlets corps
to march through the City on their way to Hyde-park. It
is the opinion of the committee that the delay in the pas-
sage of the royal procession arose from the following causes :
" 1. The enormous increase in the numbers of the p
lace, who strove to obtain and secure positions to view the
procession within the City, in consequence of the arrange-
ments above alluded to for preventing the civic portion of
it from passing along the entire route.
" 2. The death of Mr. Commissioner Harvey, which sud-
denly and at a moment of great difficulty threw double
duty upon Acting-Commissioner Captain Hodgson, who bad
at once, and without previous notice or preparation, to dis-
charge both the administrative and the executive Junctions
connected with the employment of the City police upon so
important an occasion.
" 3. The substitution of mounted Artillery for the house-
hold troops, which the authorities of the City had been led
to expect, the latter being a force far better adapted and far
more accustomed to keep an unbroken line through large
masses of people than the troops which were actually sent.
" 4. To the unbounded enthusiasm and loyalty of the
people, whose eagerness to witness and to share in the
welcome of the Princess was beyond all example.
" 5. The obstruction caused by the intrusion into the
line of route of vans and carts after the time appointed for
their exclusion, and esp:,cially of several large vans filled
with Metropolitan police constables.
" 6. The want of a complete understanding between the
Ist City of London Volunteer Brigade and the police,
whereby the only serious obstruction was created—vie.
that opposite the Mansion House:"
A. report from Captain Hodgson and various memoranda
connected with the proceedings of the 7th areapp...a4"' co
the committee's report,