The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-21 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

Their Serene Highnesses Prince Ernest of Philipp-
stal, Pune William of Hesse, and Prince Edward of
Saxe Weimar, visited the Queen and Prince Albert yes-
terday at Buckingham Palace.

Ili; Royal Highness Prince Albert, attended by Colonel
Seymour, visited her Majesty the Queea Dowager yes-
terday at Marlborough House. His Royal Highness
honoured the New Society of Painters in Water Colours
with a visit at their gallery in Pall-mall.
The Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, the Princess
Royal, the Princess Alice, and the Princess Helena,
took their usual pony and walking exercise yesterday.
The Queen and Prince Albert honoured the perform-
ance of the French plays with their presence yesterday
evening. The Royal suite consisted of Lady Caroline
Cccks, Hon. Matilda Paget, Lord Byron, Colonel Buckley,
and Lieutenant-Colonel Seymour.
The Queen's private baud was in attendance on Thurs-
day evening in Buckingham Palace, and performed the
following pieces:—
Overture
Pot Pourri, "Ein Feldlager in Sale-
sien" _
Meyerbeer.
Andante and Minuetto
March,
Cherubini.
Cambridge visited
of
Her Royal !IN
hness the Duchess
"Les Deux Journd s" ........... .
of Gloucester 3 ester-
day at Gloucester House. Th
her Royal Highness the Duchess
Mr. Hancock with a visit
te's3)uclieFs of Cambridge
honoured tho establishment of
yesterday.
lw Mr.
h Mr. Isley (Trowbridge), ,e), John Willcox,
A deputation, consisting of Mr. W. Lewis, high bailiff
o11331.4)--h;n Vines (Leighton), Mr. J. Maunders °Vey-
motith), Mr. Charles Bailey (Barnsley), Mr. Robert Ste-
venson, Mr. Joseph Foster (Doncaster), Mr. Frederick
W. Baker (Buckingham and Biooster), Mr. A. APR.),
(Daventry), and Mr. Henry Gregory (Newmarket,
Royston, acd Haverhill), had an interview, relative to
the County Courts, with the Chancellor of the Exche-
stre,t. The deputation was accompanied Exche-
quer yesterday, at his official residpnce in Downing-
panied by Viscount
Duncan, M.P., and Mr. 6otheron, M.P.
Lord Chichester had an interview with Sir George
Grey yesterday at the Home-office.
A deputation, consisting
of the E
Hope, M.P., Mr. Denison, atrr.l
BotefidPocowk,is Mr:
m,
.p
M.P., x
Lord Newport, M.P., Mr. M. G4slcell. M.P., Mr. Clive,
M.P., Mr. Horton, Mr. Paget, Mr. Stone, and Mr.
Austin, had an interview i h the Right Hon. 11. La-
bouchere yesterday, at the office of the Beard of Trade,
on the subject of the Severn Navigation Bill.
The Marquis of Breadalbane ad an interview with
the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday. Sir Thomas
Fremantle, Chairman. of the Customs, had also an in-
terilew yesterday with the Fight Parcue6

7
--71S1CIORTING INTELLIGENCE.
EPSOM SPRING MEETING.
The suppression of Derby sweeps, from which large
sums were derived in aid of the fund, led many to believe
that it would be impossible to maintain the munificent
bonus added to the Metropolitan Handicap, and that the
meotiug in consequence would suffer. So far from this,
the promoters of the race worked with redoubled energy,
and with such unlooked-for success, that not only was
the 5002 forthcoming at the proper time, but a consider-
able balance was lett over for next year's handicap. Con-
sidering the difficulties they had to contend against, this
result is highly creditable to the "Licensed Vic-
tellers of the Metropolis," and, mortifying as
the disappointment :yesterday must have proved,
we have no doubt it will stimulate them to per-
petuate a race which they may fairly call their own.
That the contribution of so rich a purse, exceeding by
i 2001. the highest amount given to any other stake, was
appreciated, was proved by the acceptance, which was
large in proportion to the nominations, and included
most of the crack horses of the day, amongst them
Surplice, winner of both Derby and Leger; Cossack, a
i Derby winner; Canezou, Flatcatcher, and many others
1 of high repute.
Speculation has been carried on to a greater extent
than on any previous handicap at Epsom, Canezeu,
Flatcatcher, Ferehill, and several others being backed
to win great stakes. So far, then, as money, capital
entries, and heavy betting, seconded by liberal .and
experienced management, were calculated to insure sue-
' cess, nothing was wanting; at Epsom, however, as at
Bath, the elements were most unpropitious; the snow
fell heavily on Tuesday, Wednesday, and 'Thursday,
and on the last-mentioned day it lay so deep on the
i course, that it became very doubtful if the race could be
run without imminent peril to the horses and their
riders. This was represented to Sir Gilbert Heathcote,
at whose request Mr. Dorling proceeded to town to con-
sult the other stewards as to the propriety of postpon-
ing them until Saturday. It was determined, however,
to take the chance of a change in the weather, and not
to give any decision on the subject until the next day.
The day broke favourably; indeed, so fine was it, that
long odds were betted in town that the meeting would
come off, and thousands proceeded by rail or by road
only ,to discover, on their reaching the Downs, 'that
racing was out of the question. So obvious was this,
that Sir Gilbert Heathcote and Sir Joseph Hawley,
the only stewards present, after a short consultation,
decided on a postponement until Saturday (this day),
to commence at half-past one o'clock. An official no-
tice to this effect was posted shortly after one o'clock,
and the crowd collected in or about the stand reluc-
tantly wended their way back.
Mr. Dorling, we understand, has employed 200 or 300
men to sweep the snow off the course ; there is every
prospect, therefore, of the meeting taking place to-day.
Should another fall of snow prevent it, the stakes and the
bets on them will be void, the laws of racing limiting the
power of stewards to postponement from day to day in
the same week.
With regard to the great race, the only transactions
were at 5 to I against Flatcatcher' 12 to 1 against Cla-
rissa, and 100 to 6 against Mogador. Speculation ran
chiefly on the question, "to run or not to run."
Having in our paper of Thursday given the engage-
ments and order of running, it is only requisite now to
give the names of the probable starters for the Metropo-
litan Handicap and their jockeys, as they appear in Mr.
Dorling's card:—