The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-07 00:00:00

PUBLIC ENTRY

INTO

THE CITY OF LONDON.

THIS DAY.

MARGATE, FRIDAY, March 6,
5 o'clock p.m.

The Royal yacht, having on board the Princess
Alexandra, with the Prince and Princess Christian
of Denmark and other members of the Royal family,
arrived here, accompanied by the Revenge, the
Warrior, &0., at about 11 o'clock last night.
All the vessels of the squadron lay off the town
at but a short distance from the head of the Jetty,
and, with the advantage of a magnificently moon-
light night, were clearly seen by the residents.
The sea was calm during the night, and this morn-
ing the sun ushered in a glorious day.
The Mayor of the borough was astir early, and a
special meeting of the Town-council was hastily
formed to consider what steps should be taken on
the rare and auspicious occasion of the arrival of a
Princess about to become the bride of England's
future King.
A deputation was appointed to wait upon the
Royal party to inquire whether they would gra-
ciously allow the Council to testify the great
joy of the inhabitants upon the safe arrival of
the Princess, and to express by an address
tha sincere and loyal welcome to the shores
of England, which was the predominant feel-
ing of ail classes in the town. The Mayor, the
Vicar, the Town Clerk, with some of the aldermen
and other members of the corporation, accordingly
proceeded to the Royal yacht, but were passed on
to the Revenge for the object of their mission to be
inquired into. Communication having been made,
her Royal Highness returned a most gracious answer,
signifying her readiness to receive the members of
the deputation, and that they were at liberty to
present an address, which would be received by her
Royal Highness at half-past 2 o'clock.
This expression of welcome and attachment was
hastily prepared and handsomely engrossed, signed
by the Mayor on behalf of the whole corporation,
and at the appointed time the deputation proceeded
to the Royal yacht, accompanied, however, by some
additional members of the Council, who wished to
offer their congratulations to the Royal party.
Among them were the Mayor of Margate, Mr.
Flint ; Aldermen Hunter, Price, Standring, Mer-
cer; various members of the Council ; Mr. T.Black-
burn ; Mr. Hannan ; the Rev. C. T. Astley, M.A.,
Vicar ; the Rev. H. Woods Tindall, M.A., Lectu-
rer of Trinity Church ; and Mr. Brooke, Town
Clerk, with Mr. Reeve, Clerk.

Upon arriving at the vessel permission was asked
and at once very considerately granted, that this
accession of numbers should be allowed.

The party were then ushered into the state cabin,
where they were graciously received by her Royal
Highness, and had the honour at being presented
to her in turn by the Mayor. The address was
also handed to her.

After this ceremony was concluded, the party
wore conducted over the Royal vessel,and the Prin-
cess, leaving the cabin, came on deck, accompanied
by Prince and Princess Christian, and the other
members of the Danish family, and very graciously
conversed with members of the deputatiou. Her
affability, sweetness of countenance, and graceful-
ness of manner, together with the pleasure which
she evidenced at the warm feelings which, though
subdued, displayed themselves in the countenances
of all present, made a most favourable and per-
manent impression upon the visitors from the
borough. The hearty wishes which some were
permitted to express for her earthly and spiritual
welfare were but the first riple of a vast wave of
earnest prayer which will now rise in every heal t
and be expressed by millions of lips. Immediately
after the conclusion of the reception, viz., shortly
after 3, the squadron weighed anchor and proceeded
up river.
THE NORE, FRIDAY EVENING.

The Victoria and Albert royal yacht, Capt. G.
H. Seymour, C. 8., having on board her Royal
Highness the Princess Alexandra and suite, toga-
gether with the Warrior, 40, Capt. the Hon. A. A.
Cochrane, arrived at the Nore yesterday afternoon,
and came to an anchor at 5 '2O p.m. The royal
yacht weighed anchor at Margate Roads shortly
after 2 o'c,ock, in company with the Warrior, the
wind at the time blowing fresh from the south-west,
which, shortly before the squadron arrived at the
Nore, increased to a fresh gale with squalls of rain,
The Victoria and Albert, however, followed by the
Warrior, continued on her way, and shortly after
5 p.m. anchored at the Girdler Deeps, at the Great
Nore, the Warrior coming to an anchor at the same
time, and the Vivid about an hour after. The squa-
dron was saluted with 21 guns from the battery at
Shoeburyness, and a royal salute was also fired from
the Formidable, 84, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Sir
W. J. H. Johnstone, K.C.8., Commander-in-Chief
at the Nore ; the Cumberland, 70, Captain T. P.
Thompson ; and the Leander, 51, Commander 0.
M. Crewe-Read. The crews of each vessel manned
yards on the royal yacht coming to anchor.
A royal salute was also fired from the batteries
at the Nore by the Royal Artillery, and the Danish
colours were hoisted.

The weather last night was very squally, a fresh

gale blowing from the south-west, accompanied
with occasional rain.

On the royal yacht coming to an anchor Admiral
Johnstone immediately went on board in his barge,
and was presented to her •Royal Highness the
Princess Alexandra.

The passage to the Nore from Flushing was a very
agreeable one, and it was only as the royal squadron
approached the Thames that a slight gale sprung up.
Last night thare was a brilliant illumination on
the beach at Sheerness, the word " Welcome" being
displayed in gigantic letters formed with blue
lights, which could be distinctly seen from the
Royal yacht. There was also a torchlight proces-
sion, and several large bonfires were lighted along
the shore.

The Warrior was also partly illuminated.
Just previous to putting the engines of the
Royal yacht in motion for Gravesend, the men-of-
war under the command of Admiral Smart, dressed
ship, manned yards, and fired a salute, to give eclat
to the departure of the royal vessel.
The effect of "manning yards" was extremely
pretty. Suddenly a confused black mass was seen
at the shrouds of the head.nost ship, and instantly,
as if by magic, men swarmed up the rigging of
every vessel in the fleet. They clustered up the
shrouds like bees. At first there seemed some con-
fusion, but as the men got higher, formed into their
places, and spread out upon the yards, the marvel-
lous rapidity and regularity of the movement was
seen with feelings of admiration and astonishment.
Hardly had the men joined bands when the royal
yacht began to move, and in an instant a large dense
spirt of smoke issued from the side of the admiral's
ship, and the eye had scarcely time to perceive it ere
from every vessel came the same discharge, followed
instantly by another and another. In a few seconds
the hulls of the vessels were enveloped in a dense
white smoke, from which in regular order, from
port ana starboard, came the broad flashes of the
discharges, like sheets of yellow lightning, followed
by heavy pealing thunder.
Before the sounds of the salute died away, the
Royal squadron had got in motion, and the flotilla
in attendance having followed the example, the
whole fairly sailed for Gravesend, and everything
went as pleasant as smooth water and a fair sky
could make it. Just before Gravesend was reached
the Royal yacht was observed to run up some sig-
nals, and this was instantly fallowed by a dull
booming sound, evidently caused by the gunboats
stationed off Tilbury announcing to the authorities
ashore the close proximity of the Royal flotilla,
and from the activity aboard the Victoria and Albert
preparations, na doubt, were being made to land.
The appearance of Gravesend from the river was
extraordinary, as every available spot from which a
view of the landing-place could be had swarmed
with human beings, whilst the river seemed
covered with craft of all descriptions from a man-
of-war to a waterman's wherry. When ail the
preparations were complete, and her Royal High-
ness and her suite landed the eight off shore must
have been strikingly effective, but seen from the
deck of one of the vessels accompanying the royal
squadron it lost all its attraction.
In concluding the brief sketch. of the trip from
the Nore to Gravesend, we have only to say that
the saluting was as general and right royal as
as could be wished, that the shipping all" dressed',
in their brightest and newest colours, and that, in
short, everything went off to admiration.