The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-25 00:00:00

evinced o❑ all occasions by her Ladyship to those who
had the happiness of knowing her.
Several other toast wore given, and responded to by
the Duke of Beaufort, Mr. Alderman Thompson, and
Mr. Dunbar, and the party separated at midnight much
gratified with the splendid hospitalities of the Mansion
House.

VISIT OF HER MAJESTY TO
TUNBRIDGE WELLS.
Her Majesty the Queer' and bis Royal Highness
Prince Albert left town on Saturday afternoon on a visit
to their illustrious relative the Queen Dowager, who is
at present staying at the Calverley Hotel, Tunbridge
Wells. _

The directors of the South-Eastern Railway having
been acquainted with the royal intention, made such
preparations as the shortness of the notice would allow,
at the Bricklayers' Arms station, and a special train,
consisting of the royal saloon carriage, two first-class
carriages, and a break van, a ere in readiness shortly
after two o'clock. Precisely at half-past two her Ma-
jesty and the Prince Consort arrived at the terminus,
attended by the Countess of Desert, Colonel the Hon. C.
B. Phipps, and Colonel Bouverie. On alighting, the
royal party were received by Mr. Macgregor, the chair-
man; Mr. Renshaw, the deputy-chairman; the Hon.
James Byng, Mr. &nate, and Mr. Brown, directors; and
Mr. J. W. Herbert, the secretary to the company, by
whom her Majesty and the Prince were conducted to the
saloon carriage, which was decorated with flowers, and
supplied with maps and pleas of the railway. In a very
few moments, everything being in readiness, Mr. Cud-
worth, the locomotive superintendent of the company,
took the direction of the engine, and the train having
been set in motion passed rapidly over the Bricklayers'
Arms viaduct on to the main line.
The journey to Tunbridge—a distance of 41 miles—
was very satisfactorily performed, without let or hin-
drance, in something under an hour. At the Tunbridge
Wells junction, where the train necessarily stopped for
a few moments to exchange engines, her Majesty was
presented, through Mr. Macgregor, with a dish of very
fine grapes and a bouquet of flowers, which had been
sent over to the directors for the Queen's acceptance by
Mr. Joyce, of Tunbridge Castle. The train then pro-
ceeded over the branch line, which passes through a
district almost unequalled for its variety and beauty of
scenery, to the Wells, where the royal party arrived pre-
cisely at a quarter before four o'clock.
At the terminus her Majesty and the Prince were re-
ceived by Eirl Howe, Lord Chamberlain to the Queen
Dowager, and by Captain Somerset, one of her Majesty's
Equerries. The Queen and the Prince immediately en-
tered one of the Queen Dowager's pony phaetons, and the
suite following in a second carriage, the royal party
drove off to the Calverly Hotel, Earl Howe and Captain
Somerset attending on horseback. The vicinity of the
station, and the road thence to the Calverley Hotel, was
thronged with carriages, filled with elegantly-dressed
ladies, anxious to welcome her Majesty's arrival in the
locality where as Princess Victoria she passed so much
of her time; and the pedestrians, of whom there were
some thousands assembled, greeted the royal presence
with loud and enthusiastic cheers.
Her Majesty and the Prince, OR arriving at the hotel,
were conducted to the Queen Dowager's apartments,
which consist of an entire wing, that portion of the edi-
fice having been set apart for her Majesty's exclusive ac-
commodation by Mr. Churchill, the proprietor of the
estalishment.
Ater passing a short half hour with the Queen Dow-
ager, the Royal carriages were ordered for a drive. The
two Queens, accompanied by his Royal Highness Prince
Albert, then entered a pony phaeton, drawn by four
horses, and, accompanied by the Royal suite in a second
carriage, and attended by Earl Howe and Earl Somerset
on horseback, proceeded through Calverley-park into the
Wells. The royal party drove slowly through the
town, and pessing over Mount Ephraim crossed Rusthall-
common to the High Reeks. These localities were all
perfectly familiar to the Queen, and her Majesty ap-
peared to be much delighted at revisiting the ecenes of
her childhood. From the Rocks the Royal party drove
across the forest to the Erridge-road, and upon their re-
turn called at Mr. Rye's Tunbridge repository, where
her Majesty inspected the manufactures in the show-
room, and made several purchases for the royal children.
Their Majesties returned to the Calverley Hotel at six
o'clock.

Her Majesty and the Prince, after partaking of a de-
jeuner, took leave of the Queen Dowager, and escorted
by Earl Howe and Captain Somerset, returned to the
railway station, where the special train was in readiness
to convey them to town.
The Queen and the Prince were conducted to the
saloon carriage by Mr. Macgregor, and Mr. Cudworth
taking the direction of the engine, the train was instantly
in motion. The journey home was admirably per-
formed, and the Royal party arrived at the Bricklayers'
Arms station, a distance of 47i miles in one hour and
ten minutes.
Her Majesty and her illustrious Consort, on alighting,
thanked the directors for their courtesy and attention to
the Royal convenience.
The Quern and the Prince then entered one of the
Royal carriages and drove off to Buckingham Palace
amidst the cheers of the crowd assembled.
Mr. Finnigan, the superintendent of the South-East-
tern Railway, had the charge of the Royal train through-
out the journey.

CO UitT CIRCULAR.
His Royal Highness the Prince Albert, attended by
Mr. G. E. Anson, presided at the Council for the ma-
nagement of ti e Duchy of Cornwall, at the Duchy
Offices, Somerset-house, on Saturday morning.
Their Royal Highnesses the Prince Alfred, the Prin-
cess Royal, and the Princess Alice, attended by Miss
Hillyard, took a drive in au open carriage and four on
Saturday morning. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince
of Wales, the Princess Helena, and the Princess Louisa
took their usual walks and rides.
The Marchioness of Abercorn and the Earl of Liver-
pool had the honour of dining with her Majesty on
Saturday.
In the evening there was a concert at Buckingham
Palace. The following was the programme:—

PART I.
Overture (II Direttor della Commedia) Mozart.
Lied, " Die Hermath," Herr Pischck Reissiger.
First Movement and Barcarole, piano.
forte, Mr. W. S. Bennett (from 4th
Concerto)
Arie, " In diesen heiligen Hellen," Herr
Formes (Die Zauberflote) Mozart.
Fantasie, " Souvenir de la Sonnambula"
Violoncello, Signor Piatti
PART 11.
Terzetto, "Er starb fur die heilige
Sache," Hirren Rauscher, Pischek, and
Formes (Wilhelm Tell) Rossini.
Lied, " Des Trostes," Herr Rauscher Abenheim.
Musical Sketches, " The Lake" and
"The Fountaiu"—Pianoforte, Mr. W.
S. Bennett
Ballade, " Das Glcckengelaute," Herr
Formes
National Bohemian Airs, Herr Pischek.
Her Majesty's private band was in attendance.
Yesterday mei ning her Majesty and Prince Albert, the
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Court, and the domestic
household, attended Divine service in the private chap,l
of Buckingham Palace. The sermon was preached by
the Bishop of London, The service was read by the
Hon. and Rev. E. Keppell.
His Serene Highness Prince Ernest of Hesse Phi-
lippstahl visited her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent
on Friday, at Clarence House, St. James's.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge, the Princess Mary, and the Hereditary
Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg Strelitz, honoured the
Royal Italian Opera with their presence on Saturday
evening.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge attended
divine service yesterday morning iu the chapel of the
Female Orphan Asylum.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge,
the Hereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg Stre-
litz, and the Princess Mary, attended Divine service yes-
terday morning in Grosvenor Chapel.
The Belgian Minister transacted business at the Fo-
reign-office on Saturday.
Lord Duncan, M P., had an interview with the Chan.
cellor of the Exchequer on Saturday, at his official resi-
dence in Downing street.
THE GREAT WESTERN FISHERIES.—A deputation
from the Committee, consisting of Sir W. Ogilvie, of
Carnousie, Bart. ; Captain J. T. Benett, from Lloyd's,
Messrs. H. M. Burt, J. Sanders, J. Wilson, T. Felton,
and J. Barwise, and Mr. W. P. Metchim (secretary) had
an interview with the Right Hon. 11. Labouchere, on
Saturday, at the Office of the Board of Trade.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Lady Mary
Wood had a dinner party on Saturday at their residence
in Downing-street.
The Duke of Wellington, the Duchess of St. Albans,
the Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury, the Earl and
the Countess of Dclawarr, attended the early service yes-
terday in the Chapel Royal, St. James's. The prayers
were read by the Rev. Dr. Wesley, and the sermon was
preached by the Hon. and Rev. F. West.

W.S.Bennett.

W. S.Benne

llolzel.

THE PX-ROYAL FAMILY OF FRANCE.—The Count
and Countess de Neuilly, on Friday last, left St
Leonard's on a visit to the Queen Dowager, at Tun.
brido Wells, and after remaining to luncheon with that
illustrious personage and the members of her court, re-
turned in the evening to the above marine resort. The
Queen of the Belgians is expected to arrive on a visit to
her venerable parents to• day from Brussels. The Prince
and Princess de Joinville purpose staying some weeks
with the Duchess d'Orleans and her youthful sons at
Ems. The Duke and Duchess de Nemours, and the
Duke and Duchess d'Aumale, are with the Count and
Countess de Neuilly. The amiable countess has derived
so much benefit by her residence at St. Leonard's that
the exiled members of the family intend to prolong their
residence at that watering place before resuming their
residence at Claremont.
COLLIERY EXPLOSION AT ST. HELEN'S, LANCA-
SHIRE.—Saturday morning, at six o'clock, a frightful
explosion of fire damp occurred in the Laffak coal-pit,
about two miles from St. Helen's. There were in the
pit at the time between seventy and eighty workmen,
and of these, we regret to say, five have been killed,
aed twenty-two seriously injured. Such was the force
of the explosion that the man engaged in receiving the
coals at the pit mouth, technic:llly called " the brow-
man," had his skull fractured by a plank of the head-
gear that was blown from its position. After the acci-
dent, no time was lost in exploring the pit, and all who
had been below were drawn to the surface by eight
o'clock. Three of those kill d are married men with
families; the two others were boys. As usual, the cause
of the explosion is involved in mystery.
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH IN IRELAND.—The first
electric telegraph eractel in I-eland has just been con-
itructed on the Great Southern and Western Railway,
for two miles, between the company's works in luchicore
and the terminus at Kingsbridge.