The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-04 00:00:00

THE FAMILY OF KINGS,

The following is a tabular list of the thirty'
nine reigning sovereigns of Europe, divided
into three sections, namely, those of purely
German birth and education, those of German
descent, and those not German, but more or less
allied, to German families. The last, as the least
numerous, deserves precedence.

NON, GERMAN SOTEREIGNS.

France
Italy

Portugal
Spain

Sweden al
SOVEREIGNS OF C
Great Britain
Netherlands

Ld Norway.
ERMA.N DESCENT.

• Portugal
Russia

SOVERIGNS BORN AND
Anhalt
Austria
Baden

DUCATED IN GERMANY.
Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Nassau
Oldenburg
Reuss- Greiz
Schleiz
Saxe-Altenburg
„ Coburg- Gotha
Meiningen
„ Weimar

Bavaria
Belgium
Brunswick
Denmark

Greece
Hanover
Hesse-Cassel
~ Darmstadt
Howburg
Lichtenstein
If
Lippe-Detmold Waldeck
Memilenburg-Schwerin Wurtemberg
It is a not uninteresting fact in connection with
this list, that, while the actual number of reigning
European sovereigns has decreased by six within
as many years, five of these sovereigns, of Modenfl'
Monaco, Naples, Parma, and Tuscany belonged to
the first of the above three classes. So that evo
the Italian war of Independence has contributed to
the comparative increase of pure Teutonic blood
among the sovereign families of Europe.—Spec•
tator.

Saxony
Schaumburg-Lippe
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Sonctershausell

We believe that Parliament will meet for the
despatch of business on Thursday, the 4th of February.--
Observer.

OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS.—Mr. G. Bracken-
bury, her Majesty's Consul at Madrid, has been appointed
Consul at Charente. The consulship at Madrid will;not be
filled up. Mr. Ricketts has been appointed Consul at
Sarawak. The Rev. John Renwick is appointed asoistaat
and successor to the Rev. John Ramsay, minister of the
church and parish of Gladsmuir.—Observer.

LORD PALMERSTON.—We regret to state that
the noble Premier's non-attendance at the Cabinet Council.
on Saturday was owing to a somewhat sharp attack of
gout. His lordship remains at his seat, Broadlands, lianto•
The Chancellor of the Exchequer arrived in
London on Saturday afternoon, from Hawarden castle,
Chester.

The Right Hon. T. Milner Gibson arrived ill
town on Saturday, from the seat of Viscount Palmerston►
Broadlands, Hants.

Vice:Admiral Sir M. Seymour, coin'
mender-in .chief, and Major-General Lord Wm. Pauiet,
C. 8., commanding the south-western district, embarked oa
hoard the Fire Queen, steam-yacht, Staff-Commander Paul,
on Saturday morning, and proceeded to Oslorne, to yap
their respects to her Majesty.

The Right Hon. B. Disraeli and Mrs. Disraeli
have left Grosvenor-gate for Mentmore, Bucks, on a visit
to Baron and Baroness de Rothschild.

THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE is ill, and intaoUro
that he will resign before the meeting of Parliament are
multiplying fast.

THE PALACE OF THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES
PRINCE AND PRINCESS LOUIS OF HESSE, Deltg.
STADT.—A palace is being built in Darmstadt, a descrir
tion of which cannot fail to be of interest to our reader*
as it is destined to become the home of a member of
the royal family. It is the palace of their Royal High
nesses Prince and Princess Louis of Hesse. The 01
building will form a prominent feature in the town o},
Darmstadt by its size and position. The site (a large
garden of 350 ft. by 1,500 ft.) is the property of the
Crown ; it was formerly used for botanical purposes, 00°
will now be laid out as a garden for the use of the prints
and princess. The east end of the site faces the Withel'
minenplatz, a handsome square, with the Cathoii°
church, a cupola-covered structure, designed by the late
esteemed architect Moller. To the west the garden e'
tends to another square, called Marienplatz, while toward°
the north and south it is bounded by two broad street*
from which it is separated by rows of chestnat trees, Being,'
moreover, situate in the highest part of the town, with a
gentle slope from east to west, this garden combines all 00
advantages of a site at once healthy and beautiful. The
view from the first floor of the palace, over the garden and
the wide valley of the Rhine towaras the hills of the Pala'
tinate, the hills near Mayence, and the Taunus mountain*
is truly charming. The building stands at a distance of 120
feet from the east end of the garden, It consists of 13
principal or centre part, and two adjoining wings ; the bael‘
elevation, or garden front of the former, being enriched Dici
a projecting rotunda, winged on both sides by terraces 00d
flights of steps leading to the garden. The principal from
teeing the Wilhelminen-square, has a projecting entrance;
porch, constructed for carriages to drive under it, that
visitors may alight under cover. This porch forms a 513 tic
cious balcony, with a balustrade on the top. The wails ei
the bailding are constructed of brickwork. The rusticate°
plinth, the columns, the archivolts, the architraves, and Or
nicer are of red sandstone from the quarries of the Ocletli
wald and the banks of the Main. The decorative parts ee
the cornices, as dentils, &c., the capitals of the eoluroli
and pilastres, the balustrades, the sculptured frieze, havil
medallions with trophies and other suitable emblems, atii
the festoons are executed in terracotta. Of the externs
decorations, the rose, shamrock, and thistle, the Hessian
°.
arms surrounded by the garter, and the English arms, N°6
form characteristic and ornamental parts. The styli) le
Italian, and more purely carried out than is usually the
case on the Continent. The building is being executed fr°l
the design and under the superintendence of the architect°
their Royal Highnesses, Mr. Conrad Kraus, of Mayellees
and will be finished in the autumn of 1864.—Btoilder.
THE NATIONAL SHAKSPERE COMMITTEE.---91,3
Granville, Lord President of the Privy Council, sod
the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor of London have accept%
office as Vice-Presidents. The following gentlemen ll°
joined the Committee—The Rcv. Thomas Corser, of DI/.
chester, James Spence, Esq., of Liverpool, HenrY
Bright, Eq., of Liverpool, S. R. Solly, Esq., G. Vieioo;
Esq., Princess's Theatre, James Anderson, Esq., 6urreA,
Theatre, G B. Martin, Esq , Exeter-hall, and J'
M 1).
M. GOUNOD'S " CECILIAN MASS" was perior.-
at the Protestant Church cf St. Andrews, Wells-street,
a Midnight Service on Christmas Evel