The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-01 00:00:00

GREAT TOWER AT BALMORAL.

The general buildings of the new Royal residence at
Balmoral have been in progress for some time, but the
foundation-stone of the great tower, which will be the
most prominent and picturesque feature of the Palace,
was only laid on Thursday. His Royal Highness Prince
Albert had given instructions to delay this portion of
the building until the autumn, that her Majesty the
Queen might lay the foundation-stone in person, and
thus identify the Royal family with their future High-
land residence under circumstances of a peculiarly in-
teresting and historic character.

Intimation having been given that the tenantry on
the Royal estates, and the public in the neighbourhood,
would be privileged to witness the ceremony, arrange-
ments were made for the comfortable accommodation of
a large party within the grounds. The space in front of
the new building was set apart for the spectators, and
an area of considerable dimensions was lined off around
the site of the tower for the Queen and Court. The
foundation-stone, a huge block of granite, was placed on
its bed, underneath a triangle, in which the first stone
of the second course was suspended in readiness to be
lowered in due masonic form.

At 2 o'clock the tenantry began to gather, and by 3
a large concourse of people, in their best attire, had
taken their places. The weather, which during the day
had been rather showery, now became fine, and by the
time the Queen was announced the sun shone forth in
brilliant splendour.

At half-past 3 her Majesty left the palace with his
Royal Highness Prince Albert, her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Kent, and five of the Royal children. The
Queen and Prince Albert wore the Stuart tartan, and
all the Royal children were dressed in the Highland
costume. The Duke of Newcastle, Sir James Clark, the
Hon. Colonel A. Gordon, Sir George Cooper, Count A.
Mensdorff, the Rev. Mr. Anderson, Dr. Robertson,
and Lady Frances Bruce followed, the procession
being headed by her Majesty's piper, playing a march,
and loudly cheered as it passed over the lawn.
The distinguished circle being formed around the
stone, the Rev. Mr. Anderson, the minister of the
parish, offered up an earnest and appropriate prayer,
after which the architect, Mr. Smith, of Aberdeen, and
the master builder, Mr. Stuart, of Peterl#ad, assisted
her Majesty to perform the ceremony. The Queen then
placed in the cavity of the foundation-stone a roll con-
taining a brief record of the facts of the occasion, copies
of several newspapers, and the current coins of the realm
(one of each), hermetically sealed in a bottle, over
which was laid a metal plate fitted to the level of the
stone. Her Majesty was next handed a silver trowel,
and, being supplied with mortar, laid it on in the most
precise and workman-like manner. The upper stone
was now lowered to its bed and adjusted. The Queen
next applied the square and plummet, and, the builder
having pronounced the work perfect, her Majesty struck
the stone three times with a golden mallet, in token
that it was complete. The cornucopia was then offered
—viz., a quantity of corn as cut from the field was laid
on the stone, over which the Queen poured oil and wine,
as the symbol of peace and plenty, and then the com-
pany gave three cheers for the Queen and the Royal
Household. Her Majesty returned to the Palace in the
same order as the Court left, and the master builder in-
timated to the workmen that the Queen had generously
provided for their enjoyment.
When the Court returned to the Palace the company
assembled on the Green terrace, which stretches from
the new residence to the Dee, and there spent the after-
noon in the practice of Highland sports and games,
prizes having been given by Prince Albert for their en-
couragement, and awarded to the successful competitors
by his Royal Highness at the close of the day.
As night came on the workmen and others were en-
tertained to dinner in the iron ball-room. The Queen
and Prince Albert paid a visit to the party when dinner
was laid, and delighted them all with their kindness and
condescension.

When dinner was over the ball-room was cleared, and
by 10 o'clock was filled by the tenantry, old and young,
who enjoyed themselves to a late hour in the morning ;
and thus closed the proceedings of a day which will
long be remembered at Balmoral.