The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-11 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

The Queen and Prince Albert walked in the pleasure-
grounds of Osborne House on Tuesday afternoon.
Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, Prince Al-
fred, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice, took airings
in the vicinity of Osborne House on Tuesday afternoon.
His Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar
arrived at Osbor,e House on a visit to the Queen on Tues-
day, and dined with her Majesty and her Royal Consort.
The unfavourable state of the weather yesterday morning
prevented her Majesty and the Royal Family from taking
their accustomed walks in the pleasure-grounds and on the
beach.
The Duke of Cambridge gave a grand dinner yesterday at
Cambridge House, to toe Noble Directors of the Concert of
Ancient Music, and a select party. His Royal Highness being
the Director for the evening. Among the company were the
Chevalier Bunsen, Prussian Minister, wit' Madame Bunsen,
Baron de Beust, Saxon Minister, and Baroness de Beust; the
Duke of Weliingt n, the Countess of Jersey, the Countess of
Mansfield, and Lady Caroline Murray, Baron Brenner, Count
and Countess Keglowitz, Sir Andrew Bernand, Rev. Evan
Nepean, Sir Henry R. Bishop, and Major Stephens.
In the evening their Royal Highnesses the Duke an.l
Duchess of Cambridge, accompanied by the Duke of Wel-
lington and their other distinguished guests, and attended by
Lady Augusta Cadogan and Baron Knesebeck. went to the
Hanover-square Rooms, to honour toe iierformance of the
Ancient Concert with their presence. Her Royal Highness
the Princess Mary accomp inied the Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge.
A deputation on the subject of'Chlery. i AamdV.
pae s.n,t
nntdieirna.
,eimecwi
otr, rwha,Eitti ieho,nE,Mr.
in-
cl 1.1
Greyudiri
yesterday,g,
rll,lar.ndH r.tyhAt
at
e Colonial-office.
A deputation, consiling of Sir Roderick J. Murchison,
F.R.S., President of the British Association for the Advance-
mentwaited on Lord
F.R.S,,
nce in of Science, the Bishop of Norwich, F.R.S., President
I eF.
of the Linnsam Society, Sir Philip de Grey Egerton, Bart.,
John
Downing-
street, to present a memorial to his Lordship from 1r embers
of various scientific societies, suggesting that steps may be
taken to secure a due representation of natural science in the
hPn" ;Rs Russell S
yesterday, and
Processor
at ssohris Owen,official
residence
Board of Trustees of the British Museum.
The Rev. A Short had an interview yesterday with Earl
Grey.
Sir Charles Adam had an interview with the Right Hon.
Edward Strait yesterday, at the office of the Commissioners
of Railways, in Great George-street.

THE BALEARIC ISLANDS.
TO TILE EDIIOtt OF Thi SUN. •
S
gthpoiele
pr 7 of tnttime when might, not right, is
the Europe,,
and the possessions in
tiP Mediterranean will necessarily become the object of
e,:ecestat:on amongst rival powers, it may not be in-
opportune to recal attention to the history of the al-
learic Islands, which have so repeatedly changed their
Protectorate since the fatal ambition of Louis XIV. in
iireaking the Austrian line of succession in Spain, by
widen meal's he destroyed the balance of 'ewer in
Europe, evaerated all Italy, and sapped the foundation
of nationally on the European continent.
The Isles of Majorca, Minorca, and tics, which the
right of conquest alternately assigned to France, Span,
and England, during the last century, were erected first
into a sovereignty under James II of Art agon, the first
King of Majorca, Count of Roussillon, and Lord of
Metepellier. Ile died in 1312, the 14th May, and was
succeeded by his grandson, James 111. of Arragon, King
o :tlajorea, &c., who sold the county of Raussil:on
and the town anti castle of Moltpellier to Ptiitip of
Va-
iois King of France. for 120,000 gold crowns in money.
His daugnter, Isabelle, or Elizabeth, of Arrazon, sole
heiress to .he Balearic Islands, married, the 4th of Sep
tenaber, 1358, John Paleologue If., Marquis of Mont.
frrrat, and their successors, male and female, reigned
in Montferrat, and as sovereigns of Majorca, bearing
also the titles of King of Jerusalem and Cyprus.
The Princess Margaret Paleoloque Montferrat, last
of the Pateulogues Montferrat, inherited, on the extinc-
tion of the trial: branch of this family, all the posses
sions and prerogatives of her ancestors, and brought
them as a dowry on her marriage with Frederick of
Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua in 151.
The Empe, or Maximilian 11. erected the marquesate
of Montserrat into a sovereign duchy in 1573, the Bth of
September, in favour of their son, William I. of G•ln-
z tga, Duke of Mantua and Montferrat, and di creed
that these duchies should be inseparable in
the house of Gonzsga. He confirmed William,
Duke of Mantua, &c. Sec., and his successors.
by a diploma of the same (five, "in all their titles, d•g-
.succeAsions, rights, privileges as Soy& eiyns, and as
Kings of Majorca, Jerusalem, Thessaly, and Cyprus,
and Vicar perpetual of Italy," which had been suc-
cessively confirmed by his predecessors the Emperors
Charles IV., Sigismond, Frederick, Maximilian,
Charles V., and Ferdinand, to the Marquisses of Mont-
ferret of the Royal Houses of Saxony, of Paleoloque,
and of Gonsaga.
During the war of succession in Spain, and since that
period, the ambitious policy of Louis XIV. hurled all
the Sovereign Princes of Mantua, Castiglione, Mi-
randola, and the other States of Lombardy, from their
thrones, and the Balearic Islands have alike become the
sport of fortune.
The present views of the French Cabinet relative to
these possessions, if intended, as formerly' in the reign of
Laois XIV., to be a preliminary step to the establish
Went of a new dynasty on the throne of Spain, might
lawfully be opposed by me, in virtue of my hereditary
right to dispose of these islands acc-xding to my will, a,
sole, direct, and legitimate heir of Frederick Duke of
Mantua and Margaret Paleoloque. Mentlerrat, and of
Francois of Gonzaga, Mantua, Castiglione, Duke of Sol
ferino, my great grandfather, who, us one of the pre-
tendants to the throne of Austria on the extinctioe of the
mile branch of Hap-burg. in 1740, claimsd his rights to
din empire of Austria, and to the sovereignties of his an•
cestors in Italy. (Vid, vol. i. p. 273, of the treaties of
peace of Koch, by Schoen.)
These historical details are copied from authentic do-
cuments and manuscripts belonging to my family, and
cannot fail to be most precious whenever hereditary
rghts and the laws of nations resume their away in
Europe.
Accept, Sir, the assurance of my high consideration,
ALEXANDRE,
Prince de Gormaga-Mantua-Castiglione,
Due de Mantua.
London, March 9, 1847.

Tint CITY GAUGE DUES.—The ()niers and Clerk
Committee of the Corporation of London have resolved that
the City gauge dues of 4 pence per to:4 of 210 gallons upon
wines imported into this port of London be discontinued, and
have given directions to the proper °Rice at the Cli5IOEl
liuese accordingly.