The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-11 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY.

WINDSOR CASTLE, April 10.

The Queen drove in the grounds this morning,
accompanied by her Royal Highness Princess
Helena.

Her Royal Highness Princess Louise rode in
the Home Park.

His Royal Highness Prince Leopold, attended by
Mr. Buff, also went in the grounds.
His Royal Highness Prince Alfred went to Lon-
don this afternoon, attended by Lieut. Haig and Dr.
Bernhardt.

Lord and Lady Palmerston left the Castle to-day
for London.

Lieut.-General Sir H. and Lady Bentinck had the
honour of dining with her Majesty and the royal
family yesterday.

4>

The Prussian Ambassador and the Countess
Bernstorff have left tor St. Leonards-on-Sea.

The Duke of Grafton will return home from
Cannes the first week in the ensuing month. The duchess,
who is far from well, will delay her return to London till
late in the season.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Ailesbury,
after visiting the Earl and Countess Spencer at Althorp,
have gone to their seat in Wiltshire.

The Marchioness of Kildare gave birth to a
daughter a few days since, at Kilkea Castle, Kildare.

The Earl of Dudley has arrived at Dudley House,
Park-lane, from Witley-court, Worcestershire.

The Earl and Countess of Bessborough have left
town for Bessborough House, Kilkenny.
The Earl of Wicklow will entertain a succession of
friends at Shelton Abbey, Wicklow.

The Dowager Viscountess Combermere and the
Hon. Mrs. Bunter have arrived at St. Leonards-on-Sea.

Lord Henry and Lady Ulrica Thynne have left
town for Maiden Bradley, Wilts.

Lord and Lady Huntingfield and the Hon. Misses
Vanneck have left the St. George's Hotel.

Exhibition of Race Cups.

Mr. Hancock, the court jeweller and goldsmith,
of New Bond-street, having undertaken the decora-
tion of the banquet tables at the inauguration of
the New Tattersalls, has for the last few days
favoured the public with a view of the magnificent
collection of the race cups he has procured for the
occasion. To describe in words the extreme beauty
of the collection would be impossible, as each one
of the many splendid specimens of the goldsmith's
art would call for more space than we can but in-
conveniently devote to a cursory notice of the
whole. With few.exceptions, the " cups," as they
are termed, have emanated from the workshop of
Mr. Hancock, who is now, par excellence, the race
cup manufacturer of England; and a more gorgeous
exhibition it is impossible to imagine. Towering
conspicuously in the centre stands the magnificent
piece of plate, given by the Emperor Nicholas, which
was won by the Earl of Clarendon's Alarm at Ascot.
Then we have the splendid York Cup of 1860,
illustrating the Battle of the Standards, and the two
beautiful tankards, ornamented, with subjects taken
from Le Brunn's Battles, forming the Goodwood
Cup of 1858. Baron Rothschild's Doncaster Cup
of 1853 also will be certain to attract immense at-
tention for its extreme beauty, whilst the Goodwood
Cup of 1863 will again find hosts of admirers, illus-
trating, as it does, a paragraph in the life of Mary
Queen of Scots. There is, however, one piece of
plate which, though not a racing " cup," is
of extraordinary beauty, the presentation
plate to the Master of the Bicester Hounds.
Nothing can exceed the exquisite finish or ex-
treme beauty of this work of art, and had it alone
proceeded from the atalier of Mr. Hancock, it would
have been sufficient to stamp his fame as one of the
most celebrated workers in the precious metals
either at home or abroad. Nearly all the race cups,
&c., that have been won at Doncaster, Goodwood,
Ascot, and other places for the last ten years,
amounting to over 100, form the exhibition ; and,
therefore, from the cause stated above, we shall be
excused from pointing out all the beauties they each
present. The glittering collection will, doubtless,
form one of the most, if not the most attractive
features of the inaugurative banquet.

At the meeting of the proprietors of the Dis-
count Corporation, held to-day, a dividend at the
rate of 51 per cent. per annum on the paid-up
capital was recommended.

The report of the directors of the Standard Bank
of British South Africa, to be presented on the 21st
inst., recommends a dividend at the rate of 8 per
cent. per annum for the half-year ended the 31st of
December last, after appropriating £36,000 to re-
serve, and leaving to £2,009 to be carried forward.
The last day for applications for Extension Shares
in the Clarence Hotel Company, Dover, is Thurs-
day next, the 13th inst.

In the Foreign and Colonial Produce Markets
during the last few days there has been a very
limited amount of business transacted. Tea has
been in moderate request, at steady rates, while
sugars have maintained about former prices. Coffee,
howeVer, has declined about ls. per cwt., while
moderate transactions have been reportod in rice at
steady quotations. Tallow, however, has continued
dull, and prices have been depressed.
THE KING OF THE BELGIANS.—The continental
journals are just now occupied in speculating on the
reason of the visit which the King of the Belgians is pay-
ing to the English Court ; and apart from political objects,
which are of course considered to be one principal cause of
the visit, the future matrimonial alliances of the Princesses
Helena and Louise are thought to be engaging his Majesty'ts
attention. The Avenir National, a Parisian journal, states
that the Emperor of the French and the King of the Bel-
gians have for some time past kept up a constant corres-
pondence in reference to the affairs of Mexico, and, as well
as other French journals, is of opinion that the Belgian
ruler will visit Paris on his return from England, and will
have an interview with the Emperor, in order to confer as
to the future support to be rendered by France to the Em-
peror Maximilian.

THE MULLER REWARD.—The question as to the
rightful recipients of the reward offered for the dis-
covery of the murderer of Mr. Briggs is still in abeyance
In accordance with the instruction by the attorneys of Sir
Richard Mayne, the sum of £lOO has been handed over to
Mr.. Beard by Messrs. Robarts, Lubbock, and Co., the
bankers. In reply, however, to an application to the North
London Railway Company, the directors state that
Matthews himself has laid a claim to the money, and
taken steps to prevent its being paid over to the assignees
Under these circumstances, the reward originally offered
by the Railway Company will probably be withheld ; and
t was ascertained that the bankrupt had not withdrawn his
claim for the amount, so that the matter may yet have to
be detezmined by future legal proceedings on the part of
the assignees, with a view to substantiate the claim made
onbehalf of the creditors of Matthews.

REPRESENTATION OF LOUTH.—DUBLIN, Monday
Night.—The nomination of candidates for Louth
took place to-day at Dundalk. Colonel Fortescue proposed,
and Mr. William Ruxton seconded, Mr. M'Clintock ; Mr
Kennedy was nominated by Mr. Foster, and seconded by
Mr. Finlay. Colonel Foster and Mr. Andrew M'Kenna
were also proposed, but they retired. A show of hands
was taken, and declared to bo in favour of Mr. Kennedy.
The polling was fixed for Thursday. A great crowd
assembled, but although party feeling ran high, there was
no disturbance.

INLAND PATTERN AND SAMPLE POST.—With
reference to the revised rules of the inland pattern and
sample post, which were published on the 27th ultimo, it
has now been, decided to modify the rule No. 6, and to
permit the transmission of samples of seeds, &c., intended
for delivery within the United Kingdom in bags entirely
closed, provided that such bags were transparent, so that the
officers of the department may be able to satisfy themselves
as to the nature of the contents. It is to be distinctly
understood that this modification relates only to the inland
pattern and sample post.