The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-13 00:00:00

THE BELGIAN RECEPTION.

The Belgian Volunteers this morning proceeded
to Wimbledon, of course to receive another enthusi-
astic reception. This fete may be looked upon as
one of the most important in the programme, as
the whole of the visitors will be welcomed by his
Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and a brilliant
staff, after which there will be a general distribu-
tion ofw welcome
medalsom e
visit to theto E
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to commemorate
their

The quadrangle, Somerset-house, was again the
place appointed for the general muster of the Vo-
lunteers, and prior to the departure the military
bands performed a variety of music, which acted as
a sort of counterpoise to the unpropitious state of
the weather in the early part of the morning, which
foreboded a thorough wet day. However, just
prior to their departure, the rain ceased, and then
again the spirits of those about to take part in the
interesting proceedings rose to that state of jovial
hilarity which has so distinguished them since their
arrival in England.

At eleven o'clock the order was given to fall in
and shortly afterwards the whole force moved for•
ward.

The attendance of the public in front of Somerse

House was quite as great as yesterday. Every win-
dow of the houses facing was filled with ccmpany,
and the cheering that greeted the head of the Bel-
gian column as it emerged into the Strand was en-
thusiastic in the extreme. Hats and handkerchiefs
were waved, and every demonstration of goodwill
was made by the thousands who had assembled to
witness their departure. The Chasseurs marched at
the head, followed by the Volunteers, the Artillery,
and the Civic Guard, and the scene altogether was
one of the most animated description.

TILE DEJEU.NER AT THE GUILDHALL.
The de:join& given by the Lord Mayor and Cor-
poration of the City of London to our Belgian
visitors involved the solution of a somewhat difficult
problem. The accommodation afforded by the
Guildhall, ample as it is on ordinary occasions,
hardly sufficed for the wants of so numerous a com-
pany, and as it was found impossible to crowd
upwards of 3,000 guests in the great hall, which is
barely capable of seating half that number, tables
were laid in the vestibule, the Architect's Court, the
Town Clerk's Court, the Coopers' Hall, and other
parts of the building;, and by dint of a little squeez-
ing here, and a little management there, the space
was so well economised that in the end sufficient
room was found for this immense assemblage.

The LORD MAYOR, in proposing "The Health of
her Majesty the Queen," remarked that the English
people were governed by a Queen of whom they
were justly proud, and whom they regarded as the
model of a constitutional Sovereign. Ile believed
that in no company in the world would this toast
meet with a more cordial reception than in a com-
pany composed of Englishmen and Belgians. (Loud
cheers.) Second only to their loyalty to their own
o nugut, rank. me
Belgian people for the Queen of England. (Cheers.)
Therefore he asked the assembled company to unite
in wishing long life, health, and happiness to her
most gracious Majesty the Queen.
The toast was received with loud and continued
cheers, and when the band in the gallery began to
play the English National Anthem, the Belgians
took up the air and sang " God save the Queen"
with unmistakable enthusiasm.
The LORD MAYOR then gave " The Prince and
Princess of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family"
(Cheers.) The whole of the Royal family of this
country were born and bred in England, and the
English people regarded them as part of themselves.
The Prince of Wales was beloved for his uniform
urbanity and kindliness of disposition, and his illus-
trious Princess bad deservedly gained the affections
of the English people. (Cheers.)
" God bless the Prince of Wales" was then played
by the band amid the hearty plaudits of the Belgian
volunteers. . . _

The LORD MAYOR said he had now to propose a
toast which he was sure would be received by all
Englishmen present as heartily as by their Belgian
friends. The toast was, " The Health of the King
and Queen of the Belgians." (Loud cheers.) In
proposing this toast it was impossible to overlook
the many amiable qualities of his Majesty King
Leopold, or to forget the intimate relationship ex-
isting between the throne of Belgium and that of
England.
The toast was received with loud acclamations
from
,i B
meverarbyapncarotnon.
of the and was followed by
the
The Belgian CHARGE D'AFFAIRES briefly thanked
the Lord Mayor and the company on behalf of
their Majesties for the manner in which the toast
had been received.

The LORD MAYOR proposed as the next toast
" The Army, Navy, and Volunteers." (Cheers.)
The toast was responded to by General the Hon.
Sir E. OUST on behalf of
.the army, and by Colonel
ERSKINE on the part of the Volunteers.
The LORD MAYOR next proposed, amid enthu-
siastic cheers, " The Health of the Garde Civique
of Belgium and our other Belgian Visitors." Re-
membering, as he did, the magnificent, cordial, and
almost affectionate reception accorded on previous
occasions by the Belgian people to the English
Volunteers, he asked his English brethren, in re-
ceiving this toast, to give the heartiest welcome they
were able to their Belgian visitors. (Loud and
continued cheering.)
Colonel GREGOIRE, the commandant of the Bel-
gian volunteers, rose amid hearty plaudits to ac-
knowledge the toast. The
following is a translation
of his speech, which was delivered in French :—This
splendid and cordial greeting touches us deeply, and
I am happy to be permitted on the part of my coin-
panions in arms to express to you our liveliest grati-
tude for the very friendly and generous sentiments
which have animated you in preparing
for us such a
truly fraternal reception. (Cheers.) We indeed
rejoice to meet you, and our joy is heightened by
the fact that we now step upon the ground of your
great free, brave old England. (Loud cheers.) I
thank you, my Lord Mayor and gentlemen, for the
great honour the corporation and the city of Lon-
don have done to our Sovereign, Leopold the Second,
and the Belgian people. (Enthusiastic cheering.)
Colonel Gregoire concluded by proposing the health
of the Lord Mayor. (Cheers.)
The LORD MAYOR briefly responded, and then
proposed " The Municpialities of *Belgium." The
toast was acknowledged by the Burgomaster of
Ostend.

TREASURE TROVE.--A large number of bronze
coins of 1190 (Richard I.) have been dug up in earthen
jars by navvies engaged in the sewer works at Charlton,
sent. A large number of the coins have been purchased
from the navvies by Colonel Atchison, of 80, Victoria-road,
Charlton, and will be forwarded to Government as trea-
sure trove. A large number of shells have been dug up,
showing that Charlton, which is situated on au eminence
a couple of miles from the Thames, was at one time under
water. The shells referred to are in, the possession of Sir
Thomag Itaryon, Tiason, Bart. --