The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-15 00:00:00

Napoleon 111. and Isabella 11.

(Prom the Times.)

If, as Louis XIV. is reported to have said, or as
somebody has said for him, punctuality be the
politeness of Kings, Queen Isabella of Spain has
something to learn in this respect. For instance,
her arrival at San Sebastian from Zaranz on Friday
was some hours after the one fixed upon, and when
she went to the church there was, I believe, but
one person to sing the Te Deum, it being supposed
that her Majesty had changed her mind. Her
troops, however, had to remain standing for hours
under t burning sun, and were obliged to remain
to the last. Then, again, on Sunday she kept
the bishop, his clergy, and the whole congrega-
tion waiting three-quarters of an hour, though
the distance from the Hotel de Vile, where she
was lodged, to the church may be walked over
in five minutes. In the matter of punctuality the
Queen might take a lesson from her Imperial
brother, with whom she is now exchanging visits.
Punctual or unpunctual, however, the King, Queen,
Infanta, Prince of Asturias, and the other Royal
children attended Mass at San Sebastian on Sun-
day. They were received at the church door by the
Bishop of Vittoria, in whose diocess San Sebastian
is, and who stood arrayed in full pontificals
to give the holy water to their Majesties. The
whole party, including the nurse of the youngest
of her Majesty's children—a fine young woman
from the mountains of Santander—proceeded under
the canopy of white satin embroidered in gold,
borne by ecclesiastics, to the high altar, the bishop
leading the way, and the organ, which is a gift
from a native of San Sebastian, and is said to
be one of the finest in Europe, pealing its solemn
music. On the gospel, or left-hand side of the
spectator, a gorgeous canopy of crimson silk, richly
ornamented within the sanctuary, had been erected,
with arm-chairs and hassocks for their Majesties.
Mass immediately commenced, the bishop officiated,
and the Te Deum performed with much solemnity.
They were conducted from the altar to the church
door wit la the same ceremonial as on entering.
At 1 o'clock the Queen held a reception of the
civil authorities and other inhabitants of the town
who might choose to attend. At half past 3 she
drove, attended by a few only of her suite, to
Luscati, to visit a cloth manufactory belonging to
the Messrs. Brunet, of San Sebastian, who had
made every preparation to receive them. She
returned by way of Hernani and the picturesque
village of Astigarraza, and descended the Urumea,
which winds through the tranquil valley of Loyola.
The Urumea flows into the sea close to San Sebas-
tian, at the bridge of Santa Catalina, where the
Royal carriages were waiting.
Yesterday Queen Isabella touched with her foot
the soil of France for the first time. Her arrival at
Biarritz had been announced for three o'clock ; but,
exact in her unpunctuality, she did not make her
appearance till four. The day was lovely, perhaps
a little too warm, but tempered by a delicious
breeze from the sea. The town was crowded to
excess. Thousands of vehicles of every size, form,
and capacity, came in from Bayonne and its neigh-
hood. Biarritz possesses many fine hotels and resta-
raunts, but three times the number would hardly
suffice for the numbers that filled it yesterday.
A!ong the road to the Negresse station,
by which the Queen was to enter Biarritz, were
erected lofty poles bearing the flags of France
and Spain alternately, and a triumphal arch,
at a short distance, on which floated the colours of
several nations, among them the British flag and
the stars and stripes of the United States. On the
sideways of this road thousands were either standing
or seated on chairs, which at 12 o'clock were hired
at five sous, and which a little before three were
quoted at If., and half an hour after from 1 ff. to
2f., according as the demand exceeded the supply.
As the day wore away and no Queen appeared,
the unpunctuality of the Royal visitor was very
freely commented upon. It was remarked, very
truly, that the Emperor arrived at the San Se-
bastian station at 2 55 exactly, as he had an-
nounced, and that, also as announced, he entered
the Hotel de Vine at 3, or a minute sooner. How-
ever, there was no help for it ; they were there,
and there they must remain or miss the sight.
There were a good many false alarms got up by
wags at the expense of the assemblage, who heartily
laughed at their own simplicity. The best of all was
caused by an old Basque peasant, who traversed the
whole line, or the greater part of it, from the Ne-
gresse to Biarritz, mounted on a diminutive but
lively donkey. He was hailed with shouts of laugh-
ter and applause, acknowledged the compliment paid
him with inimitable gravity, and repeatedly bowed
his thanks at the cry of " Vive le Cent Garde !"
Hope was also from time to time excited and as con-
stantly baffled by the passage of the officers of the
Imperial Household from the Palaceto the Negresse
to meet the Royal cortege. At last the whole of the
Cent Gardes on duty at Biarritz were seen to issue
from their quarters and enter the road leading
to the railway station. They were magnificently
dressed and superbly mounted. Their plumed
helmets and corselets glittered like silver in the
sun, and in their appointments their appearance—
for they are the finest men in the French army—
gave you the idea of perfect men-at-arms. A mur-
mur of admiration was heard as they rode slowly
by. They are all men in the prime of life, and have
the rank of sub-officers. They corresponded in
number to the Halabarderos who attended the Queen
of Spain, but otherwise there is no similarity be-
tween the stately Cent Gardes, with their glittering
helmets, their skyblue tunics, steel corselets, and
magnificent chargers, and the Halabarderos with
their three-cornered hats and their uniform, which
makes them look somewhat like parish beadles.
A little before 3 the Emperor left the Palace, at-
tended by the principal officers of -his household.
He wore the same dress as when he entered San
Sebastian—the uniform of a lieutenant-general, with
the collar of the Golden Fleece, out of compliment to
his royal guest. He was not long going over the two
miles and a half between Biarritz and the Negresse,
and he arrived there long before the Queen. After a
few more false alarms the cortege was heard ap-
proaching. Those who had climbed on the walls
and housetops could discern the flashing of the
swords and helmets of the cavalry as they appeared
now and then in the turns of the road, which were
concealed by the trees. The head of the cortege
at last appeared. Six Cent Gerdes opened the way,
followed by two outriders, who immediately pre-
ceded the Imperial carriage in which were seated
the Emperor, the King, the Queen, and her
daughter, the Infanta. The Queen and her daughter
were dressed in black, and wore the man-
tilla, which became them well, particularly the
Infanta, who is rather tall and thin. The King
wore the uniform of a Spanish Field-Marshal, and
of course, out of compliment to his Imperial host,
the riband and cross of the Legion of Honour. As
the carriage passed under the balconies of a house
at the turn of the road into the town, bouquets of
flowers were flung into the carriage, very probably
by Spanish ladies who were standing there. The
next carriage contained the Prince Imperial and the
Prince of Asturias, and the rest of the carriages
contained the Spanish Ministers—among whom was
O'Donnell—Generals, and their aides-de-camp, &c.
The cortege was closed by a troop of Chasseurs.

The party drove to the Imperial residence, where
the Queen was received most graciously and grace-
fully by the Empress. After a short rest their
Majesties, with their suite, proceeded to Bayonne,
which is, as you are aware, about four miles from
Biarritz. The first visit was to the Cathedral, due
notice of which had been sent to the episcopal resi-
dence. The Bishop was absent on his confirmation
tour, which usually coincides with the visit of the
Emperor to Biarritz ; and his Grand Vicaire lies
dangerously ill. The rest of the clergy did their
best to receive the Th Majesties. The canopy was at
the church door, the ecclesiastic whose duty it is to
present the holy water, &c. As they walked up to
the altar the Te Deana was chanted. After per-
forming their devotions the party drove down to
the large square of Bayonne— la Place d' Arnzes—and
issued out on the Allees Marines, which are the
finest public walks to be found anywhere along the
banks of the Adotir, with the citadel crowning the
heights opposite. The carriages swept round the
glacia of tho fortification, outer:4 tho Ligh road,