The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-04 00:00:00

The Prince and Princess of Wales..

HoLknAm, Tuesday.
Their Royal Highnesses were met at dinner last
evening by a large and aristocratic circle. To-day
his Royal Highness joined the Lord-Lieutenant in
shooting the excellently stocked preserves in the
park.

The grand hospitality of thirty years back, dur-
ing the lifetime of the first Earl of Leicester, more
familiarly known by the term " Coke of Norfolk,"
will be more than revived this week by the present
earl and countess, who, in addition to the royal
guests, will entertain a large number of the llite,
not only of the county, but of London circles. Ac-
cording to present arrangements his Royal High-
ness will spend another day at shooting, and will
devote another day to the inspection of this noted
estate, which is said to be the largest in Norfolk,
and is estimated to realise some £60,000 a year from
its rent-roll, its great value being chiefly owing to
the improvements effected by the present earl's
father, who was unquestionably one of the most
liberal landlords and the greatest farmer in the
world.

On Thursday evening a grand ball, on a scale of
magnificence unequalled in Norfolk as a county
assembly, will take place, his lordship having issued
about. 400 invitations. Preparations of an exten-
sive character are in progress to render this ball as
gorgeous and complete as possible, and to givo
the affair as magnificent an appearance as possible,
as well as to afford light to the visitors, his lordship
has given instructions for the park to be illuminated
lamps will be placed along the carriage drives.

A Royal Shooting Party in Windsor Great

Park.

Yesterday the Princes of the House of Orleans visited
Windsor Great Park for the purpose of enjoying a
day's sport among the well-stocked coverts and preserves of
the R.oyal demesne. Every precaution had been taken by
the keepers to insure plenty of game, which had been
driven to the coverts, while the ground near and around
the portion-of the park which was to be shot over had been
well ferreted, and the rabbit_holes stopped. Their Royal
Highnesses the Comte de Paris, the Due de Chartes, and
another member of the ex-Royal Family reached the park
about 11 o'clock,,and were met by Major-General Seymour,
the deputy-ranger, the party being also joined by Lieut.-
Colonel Marshall of the 2d Life Guards. Mr. Cole, the
head keeper, attired in a livery, of green and gold, with a
silver horn, assisted by a number of keepers and beaters,
had charge of the proceedingS, the sport being commenced
in the-preserves near Cumberland-lodge. Thence the Royal
sportsmen shot over -the coverts on the right Of the road
leading to Virginia Water, a largo number of pheasants and
rabbits falling before their guns. The best of the sport was,
however, found in the large . covert on the left of the
obelisk side, which was next beaten with the most favour-
able results. Along this the Reyal,sportSinen intermingled
with a long line of keepers and beaters, advanced slowly
among the fern, driving the game in front of them. Phea--
sants rose by tens and twenties, rabbits scampered about in
dozens, while here and there might be seen occasionally a
roebuck, one of which was brought down by some of the.
Royal sportsmen, hung upon a branch, and at once
paunched by an assistant keeper. One of the Royal game
vans followed in the track of the shooting party, and as,
pheasants and rabbits were strung up within it one
was able to judge of the success of the sportsmen, which, 77
owing to the care which had been taken of the game, in
three hours and a-half mounted up to more than 300 head ;
double-barrelled breech loaders having been used by most
of the party. Their Royabalighnessea, accompanied by
Major-General Seymour, Lieutenant-Colonel Marshall
ie., then proceeded to the Royal Fishing Temple, orfl:
the banks of Virginia Water, where luncheon had been--
proyided from Windsor Castle. The lake- • itself was'}
partly covered with ice, but not thick enough to bear
skaters.

We are authorised to state that there is no founda;
tion whatever for the statement that her Royal Highnekq
the Princess Mary has recently contracted a matrimonial.
alliance. So long as a similar report was circulated as a
mere rumour
.we thought it too absurd to require notice;
but. now that it has been confidently asserted as a fact we
feel it our duty to meet it with an explicit contradiction...e.
Times.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge will
honour his Excellency the Ambassador of France with hiS
company at dinner on Saturday evening. A select party-
are invited to meet his Royal Highness.

His Excellency the Saxon Minister will return:
to town the latter end of the Week from a continental tour.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Ailesbury have
been receiving a select' party at Sevenoke Forest during
the holidays. Maria Marchioness of Ailesbury is expected
in town the latter end of the week.

Viscount Hamilton and Viscount Crichton have
left town to join the circle assembled at Holkham, Norfolk,
on a visit to the Earl and Countess of Leicester.

Sir Edward and Lady Caroline Kerrison have
arrived in town from Brome Hall, Suffolk, for a few day's.
Mr. George and Lady Charlotte Russell will
return to town to-day from visiting the Marquis and Mar-
chioness of Abercorn at Beaudesert, Staffordshire.
DEATH OF • SIR ALEXANDER BANNERMAN.—We
have to record the death, in London, of Sir A.
Bannerman, whose name is well known in connection with
the colonial administration of the country. The deceased
was born in 1783, educated with a view to trade, and for
many of the earlier years of his life was an extensive ship-
owner, merchant, and banker at Aberdeen. He was elected
in 1832, on the Liberal interest, to represent Aberdeen,
and continued uninterruptedly its member until 1847
Subsequently he became a Commissioner of GreenWich
Hospital, and the Governor of Prince of Wales Island (on
which occasion he.,received the honour of knighthood),
Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Bahamas, and.
in 1857 he was appointed to the chief command of the,
•
colony of Newfoundland.

LANCASHIRE D ISTRE S S.—Yesterday the Mansion
house Relief Committee, with the Lord Mayor at
their head, held a meeting at the Mansion-house, and
made grants to the amount of nearly £2,000 to several
local committees in the distressed cotton districts; to seine
for general relief, to others specially for clothing. Front
Nov. 1 the committee has met once a fortnight instead of
once month, and during the winter will continue so to de
for the purpose of taking into consideration all applications
that may be made to them by any of the relief committees
in Lancashire. Since March, 1862, upwards of £526,000
had been received at the Mansion-house, and more than
£497,000 has been expended in relief and towards the pur-
chase of clothing. The committee hope, with the balance
still in hand, to be enabled to continue through the next
few months dispensing money towards the relief of the
distress which still exists in many parts of the cotton dis-
tricts. The members of the committee present yesterday
besides the Lord Mayor were Mr. W. Morley, Mr Armitage,
Mr. Howes, and Mr. J. Gibbs. From time to time funds,
often enormous in amount, and subscribed in.connexion
with great public calamities, have been dispensed at the
Mansion-house—notably that for the relief of the suffei-ers
by the Indian mutiny, in the mayoralty of Mr. Alderman
Finnis, and those in relation to the Indian famine and the
Hartley Colliery catastrophe, in the mayoralty of Mr.
Cubitt ; but on no former occasion has a fund collected
there lasted so long in the distribution. It has extended
over the year of office of three Lord Mayors, and has now
entered upon that of a fourth. The money poured regu-
larly in there from the first in proportion to the pressure
of the distress, and although at one time the Man-
sion-house. Committee apprehended that a considerable
balanceof the funds in their hands would remain unapplied,
the still existing distress here and there proves that the
public sympathy and generosity were not in excess of the
occasion. During the whole of that long period the Man-
sion-house Committee has tact at short intervals, and alter
patiently examining the applications for relief made to it
from time to time by the local committee, through whom
the fund at its disposal has always been administered, has
made grants corresponding with the varying circumstances.
Each Lord Mayor, as he has come into office, has shared in
the responsibility attaching to the dispensation of the fund,
and has sought, with the rest of the committee, to eke out
the money in exact proportion as it seemed to be wanted.
The balance in hand from time to time has always been
invested'at interest, and the money so- accruing has gone
far to meet the expense attendant upon the administration
of the fund, so that the body of it has almost wholly 'been
kept intact for the purpose for which it was subscribed•
The accounts of the committee have at short ipterval
been regularly examined and audited by an eminent firni
of accountants in the city—that of Messrs. Youngs, Tut--
quand, and Co., who, to their great credit, have invariably
lent their services gratuitously, bearing in mind in so doing
the great public calamity in connection with which the'
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