The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-13 00:00:00

The Prince and Princess of Wales.

SANDRINGHAM, April 12.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales spent
the greater part of Monday in looking over the im-
provements of the estate.
The Princess of Wales walked and drove out.
Viscount Hamilton, Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon.
H. and Mrs. Byng, and Colonel T. Percy, arrived
at Sandringham on a visit to the Prince and Prin-
cess of Wales.

Mr. Herbert Fisher also arrived.
On Tuesday the Bishop of Oxford left Sandring-
ham for London.

The improvements to the royal estate have pro-
gressed considerably since the previous visit of their
royal highnesses. All evidences of the late fire
have been removed and the rooms refurnished, and,
to afford assistance at any future fires either on the
estate or in the neighbourhood, his royal highness
has purchased a very unique fire-engine, 4, The
Sandringham." A fire brigade is to be organised
on the spot. The royal gardens fast approach com-
pletion. They cover an area of about 15 acres of
land, on which 12 months ago sheep were grazing.
The principal entrance faces the east front of the
house, from which a new carriage drive has been
made across the park. A beautiful circular 'glass
house is stocked with camellias, which are now in
flower. Eight acres of the garden are enclosed by
brick walls varying in height from 14ft. to 18ft., and
within this enclosure are to be grown the choicest
fruit and vegetables to supply the royal tables.
The situation is delightful, having a gentle slope 'of
eight feet towards the south. It is completely
intersected by carriage drives, one of which is ill
the shape of an oval, whilst others intersect the
principal borders. The fruit trees are planted in
rows 75ft. apart the whole length of the garden
(900 ft.), and in the rows the trees are 10ft. apart.
Apple and pear trees are planted alternately, and
will be trained in pyramid shape. On the south side
of the north wall are four vineries, each 50ft. long,
and the vines with which they are now stocked are
covered with blossoms, as also are the peach trees
in the two end houses, which are of the same di-
mension as the vineries. All the walls are covered
with fine healthy young fruit trees. The new stables
have been completed, but it seems now to be doubt-
ful if further extension will not be found necessary.
The existing stables will accommodate about 40
horses, and of course the fitting up of the stalls is
very perfect. Over the stables are dormitories for
the grooms and stablemen. All the 18 divisions of
the beautiful pheasantry are stocked, each contain-
ing one cock and five or six hen birds. 70 new
hatching boxes are nearly completed, and when
completed they will make up an aggregate of 130.
The head keeper is sanguine of having a rare lot of
birds for the next shooting season. Whilst great
efforts are being made to make the Prince's Norfolk
seat contribute all the pleasure possible to their
Royal Highnesses during their retirement, the wants
of the labourers are studiously considered, and
hence the erection of more new cottages of a superior
character. When these are completed there will be
10 new labourers' cottages, besides five or six
keepers' houses. His Royal Highness has given
directions for the fine old ruins of Appleton Church
to be partially restored, and carefully preserved.
These ruins possess a charm for archmologi sts ; and
all who are acquainted with them will rejoice that
the Prince of Wales has refused to allow them
to be removed.

THE KING OF THE BELGIANS.—We are happy to
say that the health of the King of the Belgians is so far re-
stored that yesterday his Majesty was able to walk through
several of the streets of Windsor, and inspected the newly
built almshouses in Victoria-street, adjoining the royal
infirmary and savings-bank.

The Duke of Devonshire and Lady Louisa
Cavendish were to arrive on Tuesday at Lismore Castle
the noble Duke's seat in the county Waterford, from Castlo
Howard, the Earl of Carlisle's seat in Yorkshire. Lord
and Lady Frederick Cavendish was to join the duke and
his daughter yesterday at Lismore.
The Duke and Duchess of Argyll left their resi-
dence at Campden Hill, Kensington, a few days ago for
Devonshire, to pass the recess, one of their children being
unwell.

The Duke and Duchess of Sutherland left Staf-
ford House, St. James's, on Tuesday afternoon, for Trent-
ham, for the holidays. Tho Duchess Dowager, who has
been residing for some months at Stafford House, goes to
her beautiful villa at Chiswick to-day.
The Marquis of Hartington, M.P., left Devon-
shire House on Tuesday evening for Paris, for the Parlia-
mentary recess.

The Earl of Lonsdale left his resiednce on Carl-
ton-house-terrace yesterday to pass a few weeks at Ventnor.

---
Lord and Lady Elcho have returned to town.
The noble Lord has recovered from his recent cold, which
precluded his attendance at her Majesty's Court at Buck-
ingham Palace.

Lord Kenyon has recently presented an altar-
rale bust of Spencer Percival,
the unfortunate statesman.to the Vaughan Library of Harrow School. It is a vale'
able gift, as the only one taken. No portrait of Mr. Per"
cival was taken in his lifetime.
Lady Gwendolena, Anson, youngest daughter of
the late and sister of the present Earl of Lichfield,
about to be married to Mr. O'Shee, the wealthy Irish
commoner.

The Right Hon. William Hutt, M.P., had the
honour of dining with the Emperor and Empress 01
Austria at the Imperial Palace, at Vienna, on the Bth
inst.

Messrs. Bacon and Co. have published a net
topographical map of the eastern portion of the State of
North Carolina with part of Virginia and South Carolina,
from tho latest and best authorities, on a scale of eight
miles to the inch. This map represents the actual seat of
war, where the great decisive battles remain to be fought
out.

LANDSLIP IN ITALY.—The Italia of Naples speaks
of a terrible landslip. It says—" The commune of Buons-
notte, in the Lipper Abruzzi, is hourly menaced with utter
destruction. Our correspondent states that five manufac-
tories have already been overthrow; and that 64 more are
threatened with ruin. The inhabitants have fled in con'
sternation to the neighbouring villages. The cause of thl
disaster is a sudden depression of the soil. Meanwhile
number of civil engineers have hastened to the sput, ana
measures are in the course of adoption to prevent still
greater disasters."

THE POPE'S " BLESSING.”—The Pope, about tell
days back, was pleased to accord an audience to
upwards of 200 persons who had come to Rome to attend
the ceremonies of the Holy Week. On that occasion IJ'
Holiness pronounced a short allocution, given as folloW°
by the Stendardo Cattolico:—', Many persons desire the
blessings of the Pope ; if the person who bestows it is only
considered, it is without value, but if He who is repre-
sented by the giver is regarded, then the benediction ig
useful and necessary—above all, in the sad times in which
we are living. We are besieged with so many contradie
tions and misfortunes that without the special aid of
Heaven we could not bear the burden by which we are over'
whelmed. Men of great genius who utter truths are in'
deed to be met with. But, as those sayings have not for
basis the Catholic religion, there is no use in pronouncing
them. Therefore, keep in mind, I beg you, and endeavour,
to inculcate on your children and all the members of yon'
families, that the truth is to be found solely in the aposfoli°
and Roman Catholic Church. May the blessing, therefore,
be of use to you with that object ! May it accompany
not only in the journey which you will nave to make t°
return home, but also still more in that which each of of
will have to perform to go from earth to heaven, where
doll await you."