The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-26 00:00:00

A grand ball was given at the palace last night. The
usual persons were invited.

The French Ambassador gives a ball to-morrow
night, at which it is believed her Majesty will be present.
It appears that presents are showered by the bushel,
on the active but inferior agents of the Montpensier
marriage, by M. Bresson. Musical boxes, watch-chains,
shirt-buttons, are sent about in grettt profusion. Louis
Philippe, and his man-of-all-work in Madrid, mu, t
have a curious idea of the Spanish character. They
look upon Spain as navigators do—some unknown and
savage land, whose inhabitants it is necessary to soothe
by presents of glass beads, painted feathers, bits of
looking-glass, &c.
The invitations to yesterday's bull-fight came from
the palace. To-morrow they proceed from the Ayun-
tiamento ; and the last is entirely open to the public.—
Times. M.

OPENING THE PORTS.
SCARCITY AND DEARTH OF FOOD.

The Provost of Pollokshaws has received the follow-
ing letter, acknowledging the receipt of the memorial
of the inhabitants of that burgh to Lord John Russell,
praying for the opening of the ports, and prohibition of
distillation from grain :

....
" Downing-street, Oct 16, 1846.
" Sir,--I am desired by Lord John Russell to acknow-
ledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th ult., and of
the memorial of the inhabitants of Pollokshaws which
accompanied it.

" Lord John Russell is deeply sensible of the calamity
which now presses so severely on the poorer classes of
the United Kingdom, owing to the almost total failure
of the potato crop ; but he trusts that the measures
which the Government will adopt, and the exertions of
proprietors on their own estates, will tend very greatly
to mitigate the distress.
" I have also been instructed to inform you, that it
is not the intention of the Government to prohibit the
distillation from grain.—I have the honour to be, Sir,
your obedient servant.

(Signed) " R. W. GREY,
" William Hector, Esq., Provost of Pollokshaws."
.Glasgow Argus.

MADAME D'ARBLAY'S DIARY AND LETTERS.
V(.—Besides the royal, noble, and distinguished
personages lately alluded to as figuring in the sixth
volume of this interesting work, will be fi)und the follow-
ing:—Napoleon, when First Consul ; the Duchesses of
Kent and Cumberland, the Duke of Wellington, Lords
Harrington, Melbourne, Walsingham, Chesterfield,
Howe, St. Vincent, Beaulieu and Aylesbury; Ladies
Albinia Cumberland, Henry Fitzgerald, Augusta Low-
ther, Melbourne, Hates, Charlotte Bruce, Courtown,
Charlotte Bellasys, Inchequin, and Templetown; the
Bishops of Exeter and Salisbury; Pitt, Fox, Canning,
Erskine, Burke, Wyndham, Sheridan, Warren Hastings,
Wilberforce, Dundas, Frederic and Dudley North; Sir
Sydney Smith and Sir Lucas Pepys; Generals Burrard,
"forecourt and Manners; Drs. Herschell, Fisher, James,
Aikin, and Professor Young ; Samuel Rogers and Wil-
liam Mason; Mesdames Hannah Moore, Barbauld, Crewe,
Boscawen, Darner, Chapone, Ord, Garrick, Siddons,
Pope, Miss Betterton, &c.
FLOODING AT BUCKINGIIAM-PALACE.—At the
Westminster Court of Sewers, on Friday, Mr. Blore, the
architect employed to carry into effect the improvements
and alterations in Buckingham Palaee, attended the
Court, at the instance of the Commissioners of Woods
and Forests, to represent to the Commissioners of
Sewers that, during the late heavy rains, the King's
Scholar's Pond Sewer, the only one for the service of
Buckingham Palace, was so completely charged with
water to the crown of the arch, that all the water pass-
ing from the Palace was returned to it, causing the
greatest inconvenience by the inundation, and impeding
the works now in progress. lie was, therefore, instructed
by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests to apply
for leave to lay down an independent drain below
the present one to be available in case of a recurrence of
the heavy rains, so that by the opening of the floodgates
the excess of surface water may be discharged into the
ornamental water in St. James's-park. By the adop•
torn of this course, in times of heavy rains, a drain-
age of four feet lower than that possessed by the pre-
sent means would be effected. The Chairman remarked
that this was a special court, and that it was unusual
to take any other business than that of which notice
had been given. Mr. Blore urged the necessity of im-
mediate proceeding, as the operations of the works
had been very considerably interrupted. After a
discussion, in which several Hon. Commissioners took
part, the application of Mr. Blore was granted. A re-
port was received from the surveyor, on the state of the
sewage in Grosvenor-square, North Andley-street, and
Brook-street. The report was received, and new works
were ordered to be done, the estimated cost of which
amounts to 3,7361. In the course of the reading of the
above-named report, it was stated that the sewers in
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was hailed with shouts of applause from at least 30,000
spectators.
The cavaliers then took their stations on horseback
the stall was opened, and a brave bull leaped forth. He
bounded in la the first exultation of freedom, and made
the circuit of the square in a few minutes. He then
stopped for a space in the centre ; tossed his head, and
surveyed—with an eye in which terror and rage were
mingled—the surrounding multitude, whose mad shouts
rose higher every moment at the gallant bearing of the
noble brute.
The rigidness of etiquette melted away like frostwork
beiore the sun the moment the animal appeared. The
alguazils, who were stationed in front of her Majesty's
box with their faces turned to her, forgot their respect,
scampered away, and, in their haste, were unconscious
that they not unrarely exhibited not the front part of
their persons, even under the very eyes of royalty. The
ring was cleared in a moment, and the ground was left
alone to the bull and his antagonists.
The cavliers—whose only arm, I should have said,
was a short light spear with a steel point about five or
six inches long—did not quail. Their spurs were
dashed into the horse's flanks, and they bounded into
the centre of the square. The ardour was equal, but
the glory was not so. They poised their lances, and
attempted to dash them at the bull. One was thrown
from his horse at the very first encounter, and another
fell under the animal. They were both obliged to re-
tire from the arena, having received contusions from
the fall, of too severe a character to allow their remain-
ing any longer. Two cavaliers only remained at their
post, D. Antonio Romero, Lieutenant of the Maria
Christina Regiment, whose padrino was the Duke of
Abrantes; his assistants were the Chiclaneros and Labi,
two eminent toreros; the other, Cabanas, the godson of
the Duke of Osuna, a young man twenty-five years of
age, an officer in the Halberdiers. Well and bravely
did these two champions do their work. The last-men-
tioned planted with great skill and force three lances in
the bull; the last blow was mortal; bat, at the moment
it was given, his horse got frightened, became com-
pletely unmanageable, and, at length, flung his rider,
who was compelled to retire from the arena, and was
carried off in the arms of the attendants. His wounds
are of a serious character.
Romero was now left alone of the four cavaliers, and,
in truth, he was the hero of the day. His lances were
most beautifully aimed, and most accurately planted ;
his management of his beautiful and fiery charger was
so consummate, his bearing so graceful, his coolness in
encountering the furious animal before him, so perfect,
and so unusual in a mere amateur, as to excite the most
frantic enthusiasm amongst the concourse. Nothing
could give you a just idea of the prolonged shouting of
the vast multitude. Four bulls fell by his hand—two of
which were, however, to be relieved from the death agony
by the cachete, or knife used for that purpose. The fourth,
before receiving the deathblow, made a rush at him, and
placing his horns low under the horse's belly, actually lifted
into the air the noble animal and his rider. The cavalier fell
under the horse, into whose entrails the horns had en-
tered, and both rolled together on the ground. A shout
of terror at the danger of the cavalier, and of applause
at the brave act of she bull, rent the air. It was for a
moment believed that Romero was either killed or dan-
gerously hurt, but tranquillity was at once restored,
when, in a minute or two, both horse and rider rose
from the ground, the rider seated as firmly in his sad-
dle as if he had never been disturbed from it. Another
shout hailed this new proof of excellent horsemanship.
But the cry of admiration was beyond all description,
when the next moment the spectators beheld the bull
fall dead, in the very act of preparing for another
bound. This attack on the horse had only been a
desperate effort of expiring strength, and was made
at the very moment he received the last lance of the
cavalier.
This was the last display made by the calleros en
plaza. Romero retired with some slight bruises, and
was again and again saluted with the waving of hand-
kerchiefs from the balconies, and the shouts of the mul-
titude.
The professional bull-fighters then continued the
combat. Montes, notwithstanding his recent wound,
never conducted himself better than yesterday. His
play of skill with the sixth bull was most artist-like and
beautiful. The others lost nothing of their reputation.
Eleven bulls were killed, and the usual proportion of
horses. The spectacle ended at six o'clock, when the
Queen and royal family quitted their balcony.
It may be necessary to say that the horses mounted by
the caballeros were of the best kind, and it is said were
given by the Queen for the occasion. The animals em-
ployed in ordinary bull-fights are of the worst possible
description. The duty of the professional bull-fighters,
while the caballeros were engaged, was to attract the
attention of the bulls, and assist them when hard pressed.
They did their duty well. The balconies of the houses
were hung with splendid tapestry of various colours ;
and with the immense multitude—not less than 30,000
were present—state carriages and retainers of the gran-
dees, picturesque costume of the attendants, alguazils,
halberdiers, pages, esquires—all presented a spectacle of
a rare and most exciting character.
The last time such a display was made was at the
ceremony of the Jura, or the taking the oath of allegi-
ance to the Princess of Asturias, now Isabella 11.
The Queen and her sister looked well yesterday.
When her Majesty and her husband presented them-
selves in front of the balcony, many vivas were heard
and handkerchiefs waved. When the Duke de Mont-
pensier and his wife showed themselves, not a viva was
uttered, nor a salute returned. The son of Louis
Philippe must know from yesterday's experience that
Spaniards, when they are well pleased, can be as noisily
enthusiastic as other people. It excites compassion to
witness the desperate efforts of this poor young man to
catch a stray salute, but in vain.
The fact of the papers and letters from Portugal not
having reached here, renders the supposition probable
that the districts near the Spanish frontier are in in
surrection.