The Sun.
London, England, 1856-06-18 00:00:00

NEW ZEALAND.

The Seringapatam, Captain Gregory, from New
Zealand, arrived yesterday evening at Bristol.
Her advices are to the Bth of March. She brings
30 passengers, among whom are the Hon. Mr.
Martin, Chief Justice of the colony, and wife:
The greater part of the passengers intend to return
to the colony after a brief sojourn in the mother
country. The cargo consists almost entirely of
wool, the produce of the province, valued at
21,6731., chiefly for London.
Commercial affairs in the colony generally had
male a decided step towards improvement.
The exports of New Zealand for the first quar-
ter of the present year aro estimated considerably
to emceed. 50,000/. The inerea,,,e in the population
is steady, and quite as rapid as that of any neigh-
bouring province.

The political prospects aro equally satisfactory.
The impression made by the new Governor, Col.
Browne, is highly favourable, and the colonists
give him the benefit of their candid co-operation.
The prices current are—Flour, 34/. to 361. l;er
ton; brandy in bond, in active demand, 18s. to
20s. ; rum, West India, over proof, iu bond, 6.4.
to 7s. ; Geneva, selling readily at 30s. in bond ;
good port, much wanted, 1.0/. to 161. per quarter
cask ; in bottle, 40s. to 48s. ; good sherry re-
quired in bond, 9/. to 141. ; in bottle, 365. to 425.
Drapery depressed. Ironmongery in good demand,
and likely to continue,.
Freights to London Lid. per lb. for wool. Bank
premium of exchange on London 3 per cent. ; rate
of discount, not exceeding three months, 8, and
exceeding three months 10 per cent.

HER MAJESTY'S STATE BALL.

The Queen gave a State Ball last evening at Buck-
irtgean Palace te a very numerous party comprising the
Royal family, Royal foreign vi,iters, the whole of the
Diploetatic Corps, the Ministers and Officers of State,
the Ladies and Gentlemen of the Royal Household,
for iignere of distinction now in this country, and a large
party of the nobility and gentry. About 2,000 invita-
tions were issued.
The Ball and Concert-room, the Promenade-gallery,
the Approech-gallery, the new Ante-room, the State
Dining-room, Yellow Drawing-room, Saloon,
White
Drawing-room, Picture-gallery, and Green Drawler
room, were all opened for this reception ; and several of
the .uite were tastefully decorated with rare and beauti-
ful fliwering shrubs and plants, as were also the re-
cesses of the Grand Staircase,
The Foreign Ambassadors and Ministers, the Cabinet
Ministers!, the Officers of the Royal Household, and
those having the privilege of the entree, entered the
Palace by the Equerries' entrance in Pimlico. The
general company alighted at the Grand Hall, and began
to arrive soon after nine o'clock. The Hall was lined
by the Yeomen cf the Guard, under the command of
Captain Parker Rickford, the Ezon in waiting.
In front of the Palace a guard of honour of the Foot
Guards was stationed with the band of the regiment.
The Royal family alighted at the garden entrance to
the Palace. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of
Cambridge and the Princess Mary were attended by
Laiy Geraldine Somerset and Major Home Purves, and
were received by the Maids of Honour avid the Grooms
and Equerries in Waiting.
Hie Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge was at'
tended by his Equerry in Waiting.
Her Majesty the Q'ieen, his Royal Highness the
Prince Consort, her Royal Highness the Princess Royal,
with their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge
and the Princess Mary, the Regent of Baden, Prince
Frederick William of Prua,ia, and the Duke of Cant'
bridge, left the White Drawing-room, preceded by the
Great Officers of State. The Queen was attended by
the Duchess of Sutherland. Mistress of the Robes,_ the
Duchess of Athol], Lady in Waiting, the Hon. Lucy
Kerr. and the Hon. Mary Bulteel, Maids of Honour
in
Wa ting, and the Gentlemen in Waiting.
The Marquis of Breadalbane, K.T., Lord Chamber-
lain, and the other Officers of State conducted her Ma'
j-sty and the illustrious circle to the ball and concert
room, which her Majesty entered at 10 minutes before
10 o'clock. The company from the Picture Gallery and
the State saloons followed the Royal party.
M. Laurent's Quadrille Band played "God save the
Queen" on her Majesty's entrance, and directly after-
wards performed a quadrille from Verdi's new opera
eLa Traviata," by D'Albert. In this quadrille the
Queen opened the ball.
Her Majesty wore a dress of Indian muslin embroi-
dered in god sprigs, and a broad gold border of bouquets,
with bunches of red cactus, and green leaves
ornamented with diamonds .
The Queen's headdress was formed of red cactus, green
leaves and diamond-.
Tee Princess Royal worea rich blue glace dress covered
with blue and white net, trimmed with bunches of cherry
blossom. The body and sleeves trimmed to correspond'
Her Royal Highness's headdress was composed of
cherry blossom.
The Duchess of Cambridge wore a dress of white silk,
with a triple flounce of pointer d'Alencon, each flounce
edged with satin riband and white marabout fringe.
Teo corsage was trimmed to correspond, and the eta-
macher covered with large sapphires and diamonds'
The necklace was diamonds.
Her Revel Higlinees's headdress was formed of a pearl
tiara and lilac feathers.
The Princess Mary of Cambridge wore a white dresep
with graduated bouffants from the top to the bottom,
over;!a, rich white glace petticoat, trimmed all over with.
bunches of corn flowers ; the corsage and sleeves trimmer'
to match, with bouquets and diamond ornaments ; th(
stomacher and necklace diamonds.
The Princess's headdress was composed of corn floWeri.
and diamond stars.
After the first quadrille had been danced, a Welt°
"The Rose of England" (H. Laurent), dedicated to be
Majesty the Queen, was played.
" Le Corsaire," quadrille (Musard), " Stowansks,
waltz (Gungl), and " Trovatore," quadrille (H. Laurent)t
were performed by the Quadrille Band.

GRAND BALL AT THE HOTEL BE Mal

A ball was given on Monday night by the CRY'
Paris to the Emperor and the Empress, in honour
the baptism of the Prince Imperial, and was of the mot
rare magnificence. Their Majesties arrived at aboo
half-past ten from the Tuileries, which they bad reache
about an hour before from St. Cloud. The Irnperis
cortege consisted of eight close carriages, that convey
ing their Majesties being escorted by a party of th,
Cent Gerdes in full uniform. A vast crowd filled tt;
streets from the palace to the Hotel de Ville ; and 1
the vicinity of this latter building the mass of horns
beings was so dense that all movement was nearly l
possible. The reason of the affiux towards that syt
was, that the splendid illumination of the rnuniciPs
.
palace and of the simulated erection opposite thre
out a light as bright as day, and enabled tb
spectators to distinguish perfectly the occupant
'of the several carriages. The Emperor and Btl'
press were received at the bottom of the gra°
staircase by Baron Haussmann, Prefect of the &in!
and M. Delangle, President of the Munipal Corzine
sion, accompanied by the members of that body.
_sth
Imperial party then ascended to the Cour Louis XII"'
the Emperor giving his arm to the Grand Duchess'
Baden, and the Empress leaning on Prince Oscar.'
Sweden. Her Majesty was dressed in white gaze, Wit
palliates d'argent over white satin, and ornaments
with white camelias ; a smaller diadem of brilliants the
that worn on the day of the Imperial baptism graced 13'
Majesty's head, and a magnificent necklace of diamond
and emeralds sparkled on her neck. The EtnPer!,
wore the uniform of a general officer, with "'hi'
inexpressibles and silk stockings. The IroPert
party, on arriving at the first landing of the beautify.
horse-shoe staircase, paused for a few moments to 'IC
mire the gushing fountain and the female figures Pew
ing forth water from their urns. They turned roup
also to gaze on the admirable proportions and ezquo'l
ornamentation of the hall, as it lay spread out befog
them with golden trellis-work intertwined with via'
leaves, its marble pill ,rs and massifs of natural flow°
ail brought out so perfectly to view by the roultitud! '
tulip-shaped lampQ, which shed over every detail a 141
" soft as the moon-beams." Their Majesties then pr'
ceeded at once to the principal ball-room, the Gran
Galerie des Fetes, and took their places on chairs
state exactly opposite the Salle des Cariatides. Tl
hall then commenced, the Emperor dancing with
tb
Baroness Haussmann and the Empress with the Prefect
in order to mark fully their sense of the splendid 093:
tainments given at the Hotel de Ville. His Maje:'
also, in the course of the evening, waltzed with "..1
Princess Mathilde. It was remarked that on this oeos
sisn the space in front of the Imperial seats was keF
cle it to a vast extent, in order to render the bra'.
tittle oppressive to the Empress as possible. T,"^"
Majesties afterwards went through the rooms, and °-
„
arriving at the Prefect's apartments partook of refresh
!rents. Both seemed in high spirits, and conversed it
an animated manner with a number of the high person
ages present. There were three ball-rooms opeued,°.'
this grand occasion—that already mentioned ; asecono '1
the Salle due Trone ; and a third in the lare salvo ec!'
the Prefect's apartments. Buffets were disposed tr
every convenient part of the building, and on each
profusion of drag6es were placed to show that the fB,
was a baptismal one. The masses of natural fiow!"'_
arran2ed throughout the building were in such profust
as to excite astonishment ; and during the night t",.
beautiful csscades of the Salle St. Jean were as much 3t
object of admiration as the wondrous arrangements of t.hti
Cour Louis XIV. One o'clock struck before the ImPeel!
party thought of retiring; and when on their way to ta(
carriage entrance they arrived at the uppermost landings
of the horseshoe staircase, they seemed again so struck
with its manifold beauties that the Empress seated ker
•
ssrlf to enjoy the scene, and the other ladies following
the example, an extempore salon was thus in a movie°t
organised, the ladies being all seated, but the EinPerL'f:.
Prince Oscar, and the other gentlemen standing. Alve a a
about a quarter of an bout's delay, the Empress rose, ea
the Emperor led the Grand Duchess down the staircase'
the Empress following with Prince Oscar. Before lea°.
irg, both their Majesties expressed to Baron and Mtn
Haussmann their admiration of all thearrangements,
their high satisfaction at the splendour of the fete. Loll
cheers arose from the guests as their Majesties proceeded
to their carriage, and similar acclamations arose as they
drove Tile rront of the Hotel de Ville was lit LIP:.
the moment of departure with Bengal lights, and tm-
effect on the illuminated buildings was most charosieg'
Meanwhile dancing continued in the three ball-rooms
above with undiminished spirit, and many of the guests
remained until nearly four in the morning. •

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