The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-22 00:00:00

The Royal party embarked in the Royal yacht at
Cowes shortly after 11, and experienced rather a
rough passage to Gosport, where her Majesty
arrived alongside the Clarence-yard about ton,
when the illustrious party were at once conducted
to the two state saloons attached to the special train
provided by the London and South Western Rail-
way Company. With a view to the comfort of her
Majesty and the Royal family, the day being bit-
terly cold, with heavy snow storms, the South
Western Company had proVided 12 newly-designed
copper feet-warmers, two feet long and a foot broad,
made like flat footstools, and manufactured ex-
pressly for this journey.
The Royal train left Gosport at noon, in charge
of Mr. Godson, the traffic superintendent of the
above line, who accompanied it to Basingstoke,
which was reached at 1.13 p.m., the illustri-
ous passengers encountering a heavy snow storm
between the last named place and Winchester.
At Basingstoke the train was taken in charge by
Mr. Tyrrell, the traffic superintendent of the Great
Western Railway ; Mr. Saunders, the secretary,
accompanying it to the Windsor terminus, where
her Majesty arrived at 2.18 p.m. Mr. Burlinson,
the Slough superintendent, and Mr. Matthews, were
in attendance on the platform, which was crowded
by spectators, largely sprinkled with ladies, while
outside the station were five of the Royal carriages
and several breaks, the postilions and drivers of
which wore their scarlet liveries for the first time.
beneath their overcoats, since her Majesty has been
in mourning.

The Royal party on leaving the train were
conducted to two carriages, each drawn by a pair
of white horses, her Majesty taking her seat
in the first, having graciously returned the
silent though cordial salutions of the bystanders
on passing across the platform. The Queen,
who was still in mourning, appeared in good health,
while the youthful Prince and Princesses, who have
doffed their mourning, could not have looked better
after their journey. There was no guard of honour
at the station, but the bells at St. George's Chapel
and St. John's Church rang out merry peals as the
Royal party arrived, and left the station for the
Castle, which was reached shortly before half-past
two in the afternoon.

His Royal Highneas Prince Arthur arrived at the
Castle in the evening, and the Right Hon. Sir G.
Grey, the Secretary of State for the Home Depart-
ment, also arrived at Windsor Castle on a visit to
her Majesty. The Court will probably remain at
Windsor for about three months.

THE PRINCE OF NV ALES has expreesed his inten-
tion of becoming patron of the Arcbsaological Institute, in
the room of the late Prince Consort.

Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge
had a dinner party on Saturday evening at the royal
duchess's residence in the Ambassadors' Court, St, James's
Palace.

The Duchess of Somerset will have a dancing
party at the Admiralty on Wednesday next.
The Duke of Athole has arrived in town from
Blair Athole, Perthshire.
The Earl and Countess of Yarborough are sur-
rounded by a select family circle at Brockleeby-park, Lin-
colnshire.

The Earl and Countess of Mount-Edgoumbe are
expected home in May.
The Countess of Caledon arrived at her family
residence on Carlton House.terrace on Saturday evening,
from attendance on the Queen at Osborne, Isle of Wight.
The Earl and Countess of Bective have left The
Lodge, Virginia, for 24, Grafton .street.
_ _

The Dowager Countess of Mexborough is pro-
long:fig her stay at the Royal Crescent Hotel, Brighton.
Vie learn that her ladyship's health has now greatly im-

proved.

Viscountess Jocelyn left town for Windsor on
Saturday, to enter on her duties as lady in waiting to the

Queen.
The Baroness Stankeiller and family have left
the Brunswick Hotel, Jermyn-street, for St. Leona'.is.
SIR EDWARD B. LYTTON, Bart., M.P., has taken
the late Marquis of Breadalbane's splendid mansion in
Park-lane Jor a term of years. _ _

A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday at the
official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury
in Downing-street. The Ministers present were Lord Pal-
merston, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, the Duke of
Argyll, Sir George Grey, Earl Russell, Earl de Grey, Sir
Charles Wood, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Duke
of Somerset, the Right Hon. Milner Gibson, the Right
Hon. Edward Cardwell, Lord Stanley of Alderley, and the
Right Hun. C. P. Villiers.

AMATEUR THEATRICALS.—On Friday evening
an amateur performance was given at the Queen's
Concert Room, Hanover-square, which attracted a more
than ordinarily fashionable audience. The pieces selected for
representation were the three act drama "Plot and Passion,"
and Morton's laughable farce of " Whitebait at Greenwich."
The most remarkable performance of the evening was that of
Mr. Palgrave Simpson, who sustained the part of the M.
Desmasets in the drama. Without, of course, attempting
to compare it with the embodiment of the part by Mr.
Robson when the piece was first produced at the Olympic
Theatre, we may with truth say of Mr. Simpson's version
of the character that it was quite a surprize to the audience.
It was marked by the greatest intensity, and we could hardly
imagine it to be the performance of a gentleman familiar
with the stage only as an amusement. Henri de
Neuville was also well and powerfully repre-
sented by Mr. C. Stephenson, and the Fouche Hof
Mr. Augustus Spalding was a performance deserving
the highest praise. Miss Aylmer Blake, as Marie, and
Miss Owenas Cecile, well sustained the high honours ladies
invariably secure at all amateur performances. In the farce
we have to notice particularly the pexformanee of Mr
Quintin Twiss, as Jacob Small, as a most mirth-exciting
effort, and with a complimentary word to Mr. Stephenson
and Mr. S, Bradshaw for the ability they also displayed, we
again have to award honour and praise to the ladies. Miss
Sullivan as Miss Lucretia Buzzard, was particularly excel-
lent, and from the admirable manner with which wo re-
membeiher to have sustained the character of Mrs. Malaprop
some few years since, we regret that she had not a
part better calculated to display the talent she undoubt-
edly possesses. Miss Dart, by her excellent acting, made
the little part of Sally tell immensely. At the fall of the
curtain the applauso was unanimous and enthusiastic. The
celebrated band of " Wandering Minstrels" on this occasion
officiated in the orchestra, and many of the compositions
performed by them elicited the highest approbation,