The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-18 00:00:00

The Return of the Prince and Princess of

Wales,

Yesterday had been looked forward to for some
days previously with eager interest at Portsmouth
in consequence of the hope and belief entertained
that their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess
of Wales would land there from the Fairy yacht on
their return from Osborne to Windsor, in lieu of
landing at the Royal Clarence Yard, on the oppo-
site side of the harbour, which is the route usually
taken by her Majesty in her journeys to and from
Osborne. A respectful request had been forwarded
to Osborne by the mayor and municipal authorities
that the Prince and Princess would thus honour
the town, but the arrangements which had already
been made for the debarcation of their Royal High.
ness to take place at the Royal Clarence Yard pre-
vented the re quest being acceded to. A notification
was, however, received from Oeb -rne that the
Prince would receive an address from the corporate
body afloat, fur which purpose the Fairy would be
stopped off the Victoria Pier, at the entrance to
Portsmouth harbour. The Fairy was expected to
arrive about 11 a.m., and Vice-Admiral Sir M.
Seymour, K.C.8., placed his barge and the boats of
her Majesty's ship
Victory, under the command of
Flag Lieutenant John B. Michell, at the disposal of
the Corporation. The Victoria pier wasgaily decorated
with flags, and the Mayor and Corporation repaired
thither in their robes of offices. The Royal Clarence
Yard at Gosport was thrown open to the public,
and was soon crowded by thousands. The special
train, with the Queen's State czrriage, was placed
opposite the Queen's private station, which adjoins
the landing pier, and a guard of honour, furnished
by the 6th Regiment of Foot, was there drawn up.
The road over which the Royal train had to pass in
leaving the Clarence Yard was kept by eighty men
of the 6th Hants Rifle Volunteers, under the corn-
mend of Lieut. Compigne, and a detachment of the
6th Foot. Major-General W. Paulet, C. 8., Vice-
Admiral Sir M. Seymour, C. 8., and Rear-Admirals
G. Elliot and R. Smart, K.H., with Captain Super-
intendent Hon. G. Hastings, C. 8., Colonel Somer-
set, C. 8., Assistant Quartermaster-General, Colonel
Thackwell, Assistant-Adjutant-General, and other
officers of their respective staffs, and attended by
the captains of the ships in commission at the port,
and a numerous bcdy of military officers, all in full
dress uniform, were waiting their Royal Highnesses'
arrival on the landing stage and platform. The
weather was bright and clear, but a strong and
bitterly cold northerly wind prevailed. At forty-
five
Master minutes Queen steam yacht,
ter Commander pastma ten
n der Paul,
arrived
r
from Osborne
with the Royal equipage. It was ten minutes past
Mo
eleven, however, before the signal announcing the
approach of the Fairy was heard. A Royal salute
was then taken up by the whole fleet with manned
yards, including the Victory and St. Vincent in
Portsmouth harbour. The Fairy, in a few minutes ,
after the conclusion of the salute, was in her ap-
pointed position off the Victoria Pier, with engines
stopped and motionless. She waited to receive the
civic dignitaries, who immediately approached
in the vessels placed at their disposal. The Mayor,
with a few appropriate words, handed the address to
the Prince, who said, " it gave him much pleasure
to receive it, and he much regretted that time -would
not permit of himself and the Princess landing at
Portsmouth." With these few courteous and friendly
words the ceremony was over, and the deputation
bowed and withdrew, the Fairy steaming into the
harbour, while shouts of welcome rang out from the
crowds on shore and from the seamen on the yards
of her Majesty's ships Victory and St. Vincent. At
the landing-stage Major-General Lord W. Paulet,
with Vice-Admiral Sir M. Seymour and Rear-Ad-
miral Elliot, at once hastened on board to pay their
respects to their Royal Highnesses, and a deputa-
tion from the clergy, magistrates, and inhabitants
of the borough of Gosport and the parish of Alver-
stoke were introduced to the Prince and Princess
by General Knoilys. The deputation consisted of
Mr. H. D. P% Cunningham, magistrate for the
county of Hants, and Captains Gambier and Man-
sell, R.N. Mr. Cunningham presented an address
which was graciously received. This ceremony
over,the Prince and Princess made their appearance
on deck in readiness to disembark. As the Prince
and Princess passed right through the centre of the
crowd to the state carriage one grand hearty Eng-
lish hurrah burst forth. The guards of honour of
.the 6 h Foot and Hants 6th Rifles presented arms,
the hand of the lino playing the English and
Danish Anthems, the regimental coleurs were
lowered, a precautionary shriek from the locomotive,
and the Royal train moved slowly out of the
yard on the way to Windsor, amid renewed cheers
from the spectators.
At Windsor the Prince and Princess were ex-
pected to arrive about half-past 1 o'clock, and long
before that hour the station and the whole route
through High-street and Park-hill to the Castle
was thronged with spectators. Thousands of visitors
had been pouring into Windsor by the South and
Great Western Railways during the morning to
inspect the decorations at the chapel, and the num-
ber assembled fell little short of that congregated
on Tuesday week last to witness the departure of
the Prince and his Bride for Osborne. From the
judicious arrangements of the borough police, how-
ever, under the able direction of the Mayor (Mr.
Hanson) and the magistrates, Messrs. Blunt, Harris,
and Driver, the danger and annoyance of an over-
crowded position experienced on the wedding day
were avoided, and every person had an excellent
opportunity of seeing the Royal couple as they
proceeded to the Castle, precisely at 2 o'clock. The
arrival of the train was announced by the ringing
of peals from the Chapel Royal of St. George and
St. John's Church. A few minutes afterwards the
Prince and Princess proceeded from the station to
the Castle in an open carriage, amid the hurrahs of
the multitude. The streets were decorated with
flags and various devices, and looked as gay as on
the day of their departure for Osborne. 'There was
no guard of honour, and the Prince and his suite
occupied only two carriages. Her Royal Highness
wore a purple velvet mantle and white silk bonnet,
with blush roses.

The Loss of Life at the Illuminations.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—I am directed by the Right Hon. the Lord
Mayor, particularly to request the favour of your
inserting the enclosed copy of a communication this
day received from Lieutenant-General Knollys, the
Controller and Treasurer of the Household of his
Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
WOODTHORPE.
Gui dhall, P C,, March 17.

" Osborne, March 16, 1863.
"My Lord,—l have received the commands of
the Prince of Wales to express to your lordship the
deep concern his Royal Highness has experienced
on becoming acquainted with the hfilicting circum-
stances and loss of life which occurred in the City
on the night of the illuminations.
" His Royal Highness would be the last person
in the country not to feel, as well as evince by
sympathy on
magnificent
r escueepht
oa an
goe cvi
vce aer styli omt no e,
the
especiallyies aa fnpt
deorwpetrhri
Princess
of Wales on their
passage through the City, and the demonstrations
of loyalty and affection which met them on every
side. It will be an alleviation to his Royal High-
ness's distress to contribute in any way towards
relieving the distress of those who have suffered
when rejoicing only was the object, and his Royal
Highness would, therefore, feel obliged by any
further information your lordship would be good
enough to furnish him with through me connected
with the chief sufferers.

"I have the honour to be, my lord, your lord-
ship's obedient servant,
" W. KNOLLYS, Lieut.-General.
" The Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, M.P."

A NOVEL GUN.—At Linzekilns, Fifeshire, on the
10th inst., some persons were desirous of showing
their loyalty by firing a salute, but a serious obstacle pre-
sented itself in the fact that no such thing as a piece of ar-
tillery existed in the place. A local genius set to work,
however, and in a short time had fabricated a cannon out
of ropes, which he coiled tightly into the shape of a tube.
The experiment was highly successful, the salute being fired
without accident.—Scotsman,