The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-15 00:00:00

THE CALEDONIAN BALL.

We owe our readers an apology for having so long
delayed the publication of any notice of the above bril-
liant festival. We are happy now to have it in our
power to record a result far more successful to the good
cause in which its promoters are engaged than has fallen
to cur lot fur some years past. The receipts for tickets
exceeded by nearly 2501. the amount realised at the last
anniversary, and, par consequence, the excellent charities
in behalf of which the reunion is got up are propor-
tionately benefited. The ladies patronesses worked most
strenuously and successfully, and, aided by the inde-
fatigable treasurer, Captain Forbes, there was nothing left
undone in the entire arrangements which could by pos-
sibility add to the enjoyment of all those who patronised
the ball.

The far-famed Willis's Rooms were never seen to
greater advantage. All the appliances that good taste
and profuse expenditure could bestow were lavished
with an unsparing hand, and the ball-room, when illu-
minated and graced with the presence of the ladies pa-
tronesses, presented a scene of the moat gorgeous mag-
nificence.

The ladies patronesses, true to their advertised pro-
gramme, assembled at ten o'clock. Among those present
we observed—

The Duchess of Norfork, the Duchess of Richmond,
the Duchess of Buccleuch, the Duchess of Montrose, the
Duchess of Roxburghe, the Duchess of Sutherland, the
Marchioness of Ailesbury, the Marchioness of Breadal-
bane, the Lady Elizabeth Drummond, the Countess of
Morton, the Countess of Eglinton, the Countess of Kin-
noull, the Countess of &afield, the Countess of Rose-
bery. the Countess of Minto, the Countess of Vernlam,
the Countess of Camnerdown, the Lady Blanch Balfour,
the Lady Agres Duff, the Lady Mary Christopher, the
Lady Elcho, the Lady Dahneny, the Lady Anne Mac-
kenzie, the Lady Anne Charteris, the Lady A. G. Hally-
burton, the Lady Willoughby de Eresby, the Lady
Ruthven, the Countess de Flahault, the Lady Carington,
the Baroness Stratheden, the Hon. Lady Duff, the Hon.
Mrs. Ferguson of Pittour, Mrs. Macleod of Macleod, &c.
The boys and girls educated in the Caledonian Asylum
arrived at the rooms at nine o'clock, and took 'up their
station in the lower room, through which the company
passed. Their appearance, as usual, excited great inte-
rest, and we are bound to add that a more healthy set of
" lads and lassies" we never looked upon. The stair-
case, as usual, was lined with stalwart Highlanders, each
bearing claymores and battle-axes of most colossal di-
mensions. The pipers of the late Duke of Sussex, the
Duke of Sutherland, the Duke of Argyll, and Captain
Forbes were also in attendance.

At half-past ten o'clock the ladies patronesses en-
tered the ball-room and took their seats on a dais at the
upper end of the apartment. Their entry was greeted
by the band, under the direction of Herr Strauss, playing
a popular air.
Immediately afterwards,
THE DUCHESS OF ROXBURCHE'S QUADRILLE
was formed by the following ladies and gentlemen:—
Lady C. Gordon Lennox Marquis of Abercorn
Lady A. Gordon Lennox Sir James Mackenzie
Lady Rachel Russell ... Marquis of Douglas
Lady Alice Douglas
Lady Frances Hay
Lady Elizabeth Melville Cluny Macpherson
Lady Louisa Primrose Mr. Campbell, jun. (of Islay)
Lady Louisa Murray
Lady Charlotte Elliot Mr. Pringle
Lady Elizabeth Duncan
Hon. Miss De Flahault
Hon. Miss Campbell
Hon. Miss Charteris Sir Robert Menzies
Miss Kennedy Erskine
. _

Miss Kennedy Erskine ... Hon. F. Charteris
Miss Whyte Melville Lord James Murray
Miss Fletcher

Miss Elphinstone
Mr.
Menzies

Miss Drummond Mr. Riddell
Mis 3 Riddell...

The ladies in this quadrille were principally attired
in white, and each wore a plaid scarf over the shoulder.
Among the costumes we observed nono more elegant
than that of Lady Francis Hay, who wore a wreath of
heather blossoms, and looked a peifect Highland beauty.
The gentlemen wore either the kilt or full military uni-
form; the leans perhaps predominating. The Marquis
of Abercorn, the Marquis of Douglas, Lord James Mur-
ray, and Mr. Campbell (of Islay) were each magnifi-
cently attired in their respective plaids.
After this quadrille bad been danced the children edu-
cated in the Caledonian Asylum entered the room,
headed by the Duke of Roxburghe, the Marquis of
Huntley, the Marquis of Douglas, the Marquis of Aber-
corn, and Captain Forbes. The dense crowi which at
this time thronged every portion of the ball-room ren-
dered it a matter of some difficulty for the little urchins
to make the circuit of the apartment. This, however,
having been at length accomplished,
The Ladies Patronesses' Quadrille (under the direc-
tion of the Lady Marian Alford) was. formed by the
following ladies and gentlemen:—
Hon. Miss Macdonald ...... Mr. Valentine Browne
Lady Lucy Herbert
Lady Harriet Anson ...... Mr. Macdonald
Lady Adeliza Fitzalan Howard Earl of Powis
Miss Sutton..
Miss Fox.

Miss Haslear
Lady Margaret Compton Prince Richard Metternich
Princess Metternich

Miss Ellis.
Miss Wallis Lord Bateman
Lady Dorothy Viscount Eastnor
Lady Albreda Fitzwilliam Mr. Liddell
The ladies in this quadrille wore pink dresses trimmed
with white roses, a costume which had a remarkably
chaste and pretty effect.
LADY ANNE MACKENZIE'S REELS
were danced as follows:

Reel, No. 1.

Lady Rachel Russell..
Lady Alice Douglas

Reel, No. 2.

Lady Charlotte Elliott - Mr. Campbell, jun.(of Islav
Lady Elizabeth Duncan Lord James Murray °

Reel, No
_3.

Lady Harriet Elliot
Hon. Miss Charteris Sir Robert Menzies
Reel, No. 4.

Hon. Miss Louisa Charteris Mr. Fletcher.
Miss Elphinstone
Reel, No. 5.
Miss Ferguson (of Pitfour)
Miss Fletcher
Reel, No. 6.
_ _ _

Miss E. Ferguson (of Pitfou'r) Hon. Lewis Grant
Miss Galloway ........ Mr. C. R. Mackenzie
Reel, No. 7.
Miss Riddell

Miss Grant (of Glenmoriston) Mr. J. S. Forbes.
The costumes of the ladies who took part in these

reels were not particularised by any especial feature,
many of the ladies having danced in the previous qua-
drille. All, however, wore the distinguishing plaid of
their respective clans. The bagpipes were led by John
Macbeth, piper to the Duke of Sutherland.
The excellent regulation of the Ladies Patronesses, to
admit no gentleman unless attired in fancy costume,
was rigidly enforced; but it is right to state that the
" Penny Post," or Windsor uniform—in other words,
a piece of red cloth sewn over the collar of the coat—
was very generally adopted by the majority of th©
rougher sex.
Atter the above set dances had been gone through,
the ball was commenced by the general company, and
the festivities were kept up with so much spirit that it
was nearly five o'clock before the orchestra was allowed
to depart.
The company included a very large number of the
leading members of the aristocracy; and altogether we
do not remember a more successful reunion for some
time past.

METROPOLIS IMPROVEMENTS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sin,--So many thousands of our countrymen are out
of employment, especially in the building trade, in this
overgrown city, and there is such a general stagnation
in the commerce and trade of the interior of our country,
that almost any scheme for the revival of active employ-
ment for the labouring classes should be patronized by
the wealthy and respectable portion of the public. I
would beg permission, through the medium of your
journal, to advocate the resumption of a few useful and
admirable undertakings in the way of improvement and
embellishment of this metropolis, which were suspended
so impoliticly ill COMeattonro of tho thoughtless, foolish,
and unnecessary panic that pervaded all classes three
years back, when the best and most legitimate specula-
tions were stopped in the vortex of the most ruthless and
shamefully fraudulent schemes ; when ruin fell upon
thousands, and a certain few made princely fortunes.
Of ornamental and highly useful projects, I would
strongly advocate the revival of the Holborn-bridge
Company, the Bank of England Approaches Company,
and the Regent's Canal Railway Company.
With respect to the first of these projects, a spacious
viaduct from the summit of Skinner-street, to cross
the valley to Holborn-hill, on a level with New-gate-
street, might be a very great ornament to the City,
an immense saving of thousands of valuable horses, and
so great a convenience to the public as to be almost in-
appreciable. Ask the tired male and female pedes-
trians when they aro dragging their weary limbs on a
hot sunny day up these hills what they think of the
scheme ? Ask the heavy-laden porter whether ho would
prefer the half measure of Mr. Jeffrey's plan for raising
the ground sixteen feet, or the level viaduct of twenty-
five feet ? Who can doubt his answer. It would be,
" Give me the viaduct."
With respect to the Bank Approaches Company, if it
were now revived and a compromise come to between
the City and their opponents on this subject, the enter-
prise could not fail of meeting with public favour and
support, and turning out a very successful improvement.
The plan was to form a couple of spacious arcades be-
tween Lothbury and London Wall, having a glazed roof,
shops on the ground floor, and counting-houses and
sleeping apartments above ; it would be a general and
cheerful rendezvous and attraction to thousands obliged
to visit the City for business in wet weather, or for
pleasure when dry.
gruous to a foreigner, or to
Nothing appears more incon
a visitor from the provinces, than those narrow,. crooked,
dark, inconvenient, ill-ventilated, aid ,G
lanes (Little Bell-alley, Szc.),in claosek porfoxFiren,itly
do
the handsome national buildings the n England
and Royal Exchange ; while the proposed passages
would form a splendid communication with Finsbury-
square and Circus.
With respect to the Regent's Canal Railway, the Bill
was opposed in Parliament through the dislike to the
line entering the private grounds and gardens in the
Regent's Park. Now it would answer every purpose if
the „away «-eat no further than to the vicinity of
eumberland•market. A railway along the Regent's
Canal is much wanted for the thousans of daily pas-
sengers who would go to the Park, the Polytechnic,
and other attractions thereabouts, which would pay well
for its construction, but who never will be tempted to
go so far out of their way as to travel by the Birming-
ham and East India Dock Junction Railway.