The Sun.
London, England, 1838-07-30 00:00:00

OF-tilS EXCELLENCY MAR-

SHAL SOULT TO SHEERNESS.

(FROM OUR OWN REPORTER.)
It having been intimated to the authorities at Sheerness
that Ma7'shal.Soult and his suite would pay a passing tisk
to that port, on their way to the Continent, preparations
were rrade in the course of Saturday afternoon, to give his
Excellency the most cordial and honourable reception the
time and circumstances would adroit of. We under-
stand that . Admiral Sir Robert Otway, Bart., Com-
mander-in-Chief at Sheerness, met Marshal Soult
at her Majesty's State Dinner on Wednesday last,
when the Marshal intimated to Sir Robert that his Ma-
jesty Louis Philippe had requested him, if possible, to visit
his old friend Sir Robert Otway before leaving England.
An invitation was immediately given, and as cordially ac-
cepted by the Marshal, who regretted that his arrange-
ments would not permit him to devote more than a few
hours to the inspection of the Docks, Arsenal, &c.

His Excellency and suite left London on Sunday mor-
ning at four o'clock, having pre% isusly visited the Tower,
which had been thrown open at that early hour by order
of his Grace the Duke of Wellington. At a quarter past
four the two French steamers La Meteor and La Phaeton,
ommanded by Captains Barbotin and Goubin of the
French navy, got under weigh, many of the vessels in the
Pool having hoisted their flags as a parting compliment to
the distinguished stringers.
From an early hour look-out men were stationed on the
different heights and forts of Sheerness, and at a few mi-
nutes before nine, the French steamers hove in-sight, when
they were greeted with a Royal salute from the Howe,
which the French steamers returned. The scene at this
moment was extremely beautiful and interesting. All the
vessels in the port were decorated with a variety of flags and
streamers ; the fort in front of the Admiral's house was abo
similarly decorated—yachts, steamers, and boats of every
description, were in , motion in the harbour, and every
point and eminence from whence a view of the steamers
could be obtained was crowded with the inhabitants of the
town and the surrounding districts. The Admiral's
splendid ship the Howe, 120 guns, had the French tri-
color flag flying from her main top-mast, in honour of the
illustrious visitors. By the Admiral's directions Mr. Brown,
the Second Master-Attendant, boarded the leading
French steamer on entering the port, for the purpose
of conduc:ing the vessels safely to their moorings,
and in about half an hour they came to an anchor
within a few hundred yards of the Howe. • Admiral Sir
Robert Otway, accompanied by Admiral Sir Philip Dur-
ham, Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth, immediately
left the pier in his barge, and went on board the Meteor:
where.they were received with due honours by the officers
and crew. The most cordial greetings having been ex-
changed between the Marshal and Sir Robert, his Excel-
lency and suite entered the Admiral's barge, and proceeded
to the pier, where they were received by a guard of honour
of the 56th Regiment with presented arms, the band strik-
ing up " God save the Queen." The immense crowds as-
sembled en the pier took off their hats and greeted the
Gallant Veteran with loud and hearty cheers, which his
Excellency acknowledged with his usual condescension.
The party then proceeded on foot to the Admiral's house,
where his Excellency and suite were presented to Lady
Otway, and the young ladies, with whom the Marshal, his •
son the Marquis De Dalmatia, and the Marquis De
Mornay, conversed for some time. From thence the dis-
tinguished visitors were escorted by Sir Robert Otway .
through the arsenal and dock-yards, Sir Robert, who
speaks the French language with great fluency, exCiaining
to the Marshal every object of interest in their progress.
The model of the docks, which is a very curious and beau-
tiful work of art, attracted considerable attention, the
whole of the vast area being built on piles, and his Excel-
lency asked several questions as to the expense of the
works, the time taken in their construction, &c. The
' sixty-eight pound shot fired into the town in 1688 by
the Dutch Admiral, De Ruyter, when Sheerness was
burned, was also shown to his Excellency. From thence
the party proceeded to the dry docks, where the Cam-
bridge, 74, the Vernon, and same other large vessels,
were under repair. The Gorgon war steamer was
the next object of interest visited, and the distins
guished strangers expressed themselves highly pleased with
the exquisite workmanship of her engines, and the strength
and elegance of her construction. A very curious and in-
teresting relic was here presented to the Marshal by Mr.
Bankes, a snuff-box composed of a piece of timber taken
from one of the piles of old London Bridge, which bad
been under water for 760 years. The box was beautifully •
polished, and mounted in fine gold, and the Mirsbal ex-
pressed himself much pleased with the gift. On leaving
the yards his Excellency expressed himself much gratified
by the polite attention of Mr. Fincham, the builder, Capt.
Claville, superintendent of the Chatham Dock-yards, and
the other gentlemen by whom he had been accompanied.'
The barges of the Admiral's ship and the French steamers
were then brought alongside the pier, and the party pro- •
ceeded on board the Howe, where they were received with
a salute of guns, the Marines and guard of honour of
the 56th presenting arms. Captain Paget, and the offi-
cers of the Howe having been presented to his Excellency,
the company went over that splendid vessel, the high ordets
and neatness of every part, calling forth the warm commen-
dations of the distinguished strangers. Every part of s.
the ship, from the quarter deck to the cockpit, was visited,
all the decks, the store room, carpenter's room, armoury,
&c., &c., were minutely examined, and a glass of
English seamen's grog was tasted by several gentlemen
of his Excellency's suite, in the store-room. The party
then proceeded to the state cabin, where a very sumptuous
dejetour ala finirchette was prosided. In the centre table,
and immediately opposite the Admiral was the magnificent
vase presented by the King of the French to Sir Robert,
with the inscription, " From Louis Philippe, premier Rot
de France, to Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Otway, Bart-,
1832." The side-board was loaded with plate, and on the
table were various naval and military emblematic devices of
the union between France and England. Here the . •
Marshal was shown four brass thirty-two pounders,
which had been sunk in the Royal George off spit-
head, and which had been " actively engaged" in the
action with Conflans, under Lord Hawke, in 1759. This
point was delicately alluded to by Sir Robert Otway, and
the Marshal appeared to appreciate in this as well as in
other instances, the generous feelings of his host, who,
throughout the day, did the honours to his numerous and
diitinsuished guests with all that urbanity and cordiality for
which the gallant Admiral' is so pre-eminently distins
guished.

At twelve o'clock the party, consisting of about sixty'
sat down to table, the Admiral being supported on his right
by his Excellency Marshal Soult and the Marquis dl
Moi nay, and on his left by the Marquis de Dalmatia onu
the Duke de Vicenza. Among the distinguished persons
present were, Admiral Sir P. C. H. Durham, Commander:,
in-chief at Portsmouth ; Major Layton, and the officers
the 56th Regiment ; Colonel Warre, Commander of the
Forces at Chatham, Colonel Pasley , Royal Engineers►
Lord Oranmor , and the Hon. Miss Browne, Lordlleber
ter, Lord Staffordale, Colonel Hay, East India Corn'
pany's service, Lord Wharncliffe and Lady Caroline Strang' •
ways, Sir John Hill, Superintendent of Sheerness Dock'.
yards, Captains Barbotin and Goubin. of the French navh,
Col. Naudet, Lieut. Otway, Count Praslin, the officers °I
the Howe, and the various men-of war stationed at Sheer'
ness, &c. &c. The repast comprised every delicacy of rb
reason, with a profusion of Champagne, Burgundy, 13°7
deans, and other wines ; the dessert included
peaches, nectarines, melons, grapes, and other fruits. 17
short, everything connected with the entertainment was g°,.
up in a style of costliness and magnificence worthy of t!
rank and character of the Gallant Admiral and of the 11'
lustrious strangers for whom it was provided.
S:r ROBERT OTWAY, in proposing the first toast, said!
My Lords and Gentlemen, I am sure that in an assembly
like the present it is unnecessary to preface the toast I VII
about to give you by any introductory remarh`s.
English Men have been always proverbial for their
loyalty and attachment to the Throne, and rile,
illustrious strangers who have honoured us with rh;
presence, will, I am satisfied, join
with . us heartily
in drinking the health and long life of her Majesty I"o
Queen.
The toast was drank with loud cheers, and a Re) al
salute of 21 guns from the Howe.
Sir ROBERT OTWAY again rose, and said that be did lot
1:
require to look at the splendid vase which stood beforebT,;
to remind him of the honour he claimed of having been tc".)
intimate friend of his Majesty Louis Philippe,(Cheel
He had known that great Monarch in the days of his,abe
versity. He had seen him again at the Tuileries, whe%od
stood among the greatest of the Monarchs of Europe ;
he had found him the same good and dignified individual, °
to.
had witnessed the same cordial and gentlemanlike demean:les
by which his Majesty had acquired the esteem of all pantie
in private life. His reception at the Court of L°l,o
Philippe had been most flattering—(Cheers)--and
would only say that such a man was worthy of being„ of
King of the French, and the French nation was vorlll'ae,
such a Monarch.—(Great applause.) He would o°l the
tain them further, but give them, with all the honours,
health of " Louis Philippe, premier Roi de France.' ion •
The toast was received with
great cheering, and a
of guns.
"°°vl
Sir ROBERT OTWAY said—Gentlemen, I will
tri°° give you the health of an amiable and illusebied
lady to whom the British nation is deeply •ndre'
upon many grounds. Among these, I need bar? gifeto
mind you that her Royal Highness the Duchess oroz'e: jo
crossed the seas at an inclement and perilous seat
order that the future heiress of the British Cro!neT,..
be, in every sense of the word, an English. Prlo:s:d tbe,
(Much cheering.) The pains she has since taken, or
time she has devoted to the education and instru
.T!...job •
her Majesty, deserve the eternal gratitude of the D°6