The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-06 00:00:00

HER, MAJESTY'S VISIT TO
LEEDS.

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)

This morning her Majesty quitted Osborne for

Leeds.

On arriving at the Royal Clarence Victualling-
yard, Gosport, a special train, under the charge of
the directors of the South-Western Railway, was
in readiness to receive her Majesty.
The train arrived at the Falcon junction on the
South-Western Railway at 11.50 a.m. After
changing engines here, the Royal party proceeded
over the Richmond branch of this railway to the
Kew junction, arriving at Kew at 12.10 p.m. The
directors and officers of the North and South-
Western Junction Railway here took charge of the
royal train. Crossing the Thames at this point,
the Queen passed the following stations in succes-
sion :—Acton, Willesden, Kilburn, and Camden-
road, and arrived at the King's-cross goods station
at 12.45 p.m.

After a short delay, the officials of the Great
Northern Railway took charge of the royal train,
and the illustrious party proceeded northward.
It is expected that her Majesty will arrive at
Leeds at about a quarter past six this evening—
the journey of 2921 miles thus occupying about
seven hour% and a-half.

LEEDS, SEPT. 4.
Her Majesty's visit to Leeds is the one universal
topic here that never flags or tires. It seems the
be-all and end-all of everything done or doing. It
is the reason why you cannot get a cab without an
hour's search ; and why, when you. do, unhappily
the driver shows his loyalty and keen appreciation
of the occasion by charging ss. for each stoppage
he makes. It is the reason why dinner is late at
the hotel, the attendance a fiction, and. why your
bell there commands, on the whole, infinitely less
attention than the muffin man's. It is for this that
the military are arriving, the streets are full, police
abound, and above all, that no beds are to be had,
except at such a figure as it once paid would keep
a man—the victim of economical' remorse—without
a wink of sleep all night. All the good hotels are
full, and those who come late will have a long
drive ere they find a landlord ready to take
them in, though they will then probably, if all
tales are true, also discover that, the taking-in
process by no means terminates with their entry.
The decorations promise to be both rich and
varied—we say . " promise to be," for it is quite
impossible to judge of them at present. In
these " town toilets ' there is but one step between
dilapidation and decoration, and that is taken in an
hour. Thus at night you stumble vaguely in and
out of holes, among scaffold-poles, and over up-turned
pavement, wondering in your own mind if it is in-
tended that the Queen shall behold such ruin,—
when lo ! in the meaning, the pavement is set, the
poles are hidden, and the obstruction become an
ornament in the shape of a battlemented gateway,
on to which `the workmen are nailing grim towers,
round keeps, and massive donjons. There are plenty
of these arches, and though, as a general rule, a.
triumphal arch and a triumph of art are widely
dissimilar things, they are perhaps more nearly re-
lated here than usual. Indeed, a decorative mania
has seized the town, and is spreading rapidly through
lane and suburb. Even glovers and hatters sell gar-
lands and cyphers,evergreens seem to have superseded
fruit and vegetables of all other kinds, haberdashers
and. general outfitters do a smart trade in banners
and flaunting draperies, and shirts and neckties are
put aside till the demand for "V. R.'s " and
festoons is over. Und-2r such circumstances, of
course, gas-fitters are masters of the situation,
though where all the gas for the illuminations is to
come from, unless they send it down from London in
balloons, it is hard to imagine. Everybody here,
however,, seems to believe that it will be forthcom-
ing at the proper time, and everything goes on, and
pipes and mains of all sizes beset the pedestrian's
path like snares, and compass his overthrow in dark
and. unexpected turnings. Both sides of the main
street leading from the central station towards the
Briggate are planted thickly with Venetiaa banners,
up the poles of all of which run branch gaslights.
The effect of these will be very fine, and the whole
aspect of the town is certain to be striking and
rich. Those who know Leeds well also know that
much must have been done ere its rows of factories
and blackened houses could ever be bedizened into
this. Probably, of all the important towns in'
the united kingdom, there are few, if any,
which less assist the decorative efforts of its
inhabitants than Leeds. It is the fashion to

speak of the smoke of. London • but your true
Londoner—your genuine metropolitan—knows as
little .of smoke as he does of yachting. Except
in the "black country" round Birmingham,
or in Bradford, Leeds, or Sheffield, true smoke is
not to be found, and even the sooty mixture which
one inhales at Manchester is but a poor imitation
after all. Among really smoky towns Leeds has
held an eminent position for some years past, and
this distinction has not been without its effect upon
edifices of every kind. Therefore, when we say
that Leeds will wear a festive and a brilliant aspect
on Monday and Tuesday next we give to the exer-
tions of its inhabitants such praise as only those
acquainted with the town can appreciate.
The Leeds Town-hall is situated in the centre of
the town ; the architect is MT.e_Cuthbert Brodich,
of Leeds, and the foundation stone was laid in
August, 1853, by the then mayor, Mr. J. H. Shaw.
The whole structure is of the Roman Corinthan
order. It stands on a spacious elevated platform,
surrounded by Corinthan columns of noble propor-
tions and supporting an enriched entablature about
70 feet from the ground. The south facade (the
chief one) has a deeply recessed portico of 10
columns, with a flight of 19 steps, 135 feet in length,
leading up to it. Pedestals at each corner are
placed for groups of statuary, and the spaces between
the columns at the sides of the building are divided
into two ranges of semicircular-headed windows.
From the centre, over the south portico, a noble
tower with chimes and illuminated clock will rise
230 feet from the ground. The hall itself is one of
the largest and finest of its kind in the kingdom.
Its roof is almost as handsome and its architectural
features far more grand and imposing than those of
St. James's Hall, while, for proportions, only St.
George's Hall in Liverpool, or Westminster Hall in
London, will serve as examples. It is 162 feet long by
72 feet wide and 75 feet high. Its ceiling is arched,
divided with five bays or compartments by massive
stone ribs which are upheld by lofty columns
painted to resemble Rosso Antico. Ten large bay
windows by day and 10 of the richest crystal chan-
deliers by night illuminate the whole interior of the
building without that glare which is now a gene-
ral fault in our modern public edifices. At the
same time it by no means errs on the side of dark-
ness, as is the case with all the entrances to the
noble hall at Liverpool. The style of decoration
throughout the building inside is very rich, though
by no means too brilliant or gaudy. The north
end of the hall is occupied by the great organ, of
which, as the best specimen of musical architecture
—if we may so term it—we have seen, we shall
have much more to say by and bye. At the south
end is a rich glass screen separating the hall from
the vestibule under the chief entrance. The vesti-
bule is, in fact, the base of the tower. It is 70 feet
high by 48 feet square. The floor is covered with such
a richly tesselated pavement as proclaims at once
the workmanship of_ Minton. - It is of the same
pattern as the one that firm has niade for the Senate-
house at -Washington. In the centre of this vesti-
bule stands the Mayor's princely gift to the hall
and town,—Noble's great statue of her Majesty.
It stands under the dome of the vestibule on a
pedestal of richly polished
a monumentshedgranite, formshaantdtwe
trust
alto-
gether so appropriate
the threats to removerirtieidntointthoe
effect.eent centre of the thcoeunhaelill
ca
itself may never be
meeting of the corporation was held this afternoon,
when the Mayor of Leeds, Mr. Peter Fairbairn, for-
mally made over by deed of gift this splendid statue
to the borough. This ceremony, though of almost a
strictly private nature and lasting on ly a few minutes,
was of the most enthusiastic kind, and showed at
once both the value the Leeds Corporation attached
to the gift and the earnest and kindly sentiments
they entertained towards the giver. The figure
is, as we have said, Mr. Noble's work, and one of
the most successful of all the many statues which
he has executed of her Majesty. It is of heroic
size, the attitude is commanding and queenly,
though in portraying this the artist has by no
means overlooked that expression of gracious amia-
bility and kindness with which all are so familiar
in the illustrious original. In the left hand is a
sceptre—the right holds easily a roll of papers—
while the drapery, so, difficult a subject to treat
with real propriety and effect, is rendered with all
that simple care which makes her Majesty's statue
at Salford so much admired.
Such, in brief, are the general features of the new
hall. Outside it is surrounded with a tolerably
open space, which, however, w ill bear improving
with regard to the character of its buildings. In
the space in front is a bronze statue of the Duke
of Wellington—an unfortunate effort by Maro-
chetti. This figure is not only unlike the. Duke,
but certainly unlike the generality of well-formed
human beings.
At Leeds, the mayor and corporation will be in
attendance to receive her Majesty, after which his
worship will conduct the Royal party to his resi-
dtnce.

The Queen will be receiyed on her arriyaLby the

mayor and corporation. The station will be kept by
a guard of honour composed of the 22d Infantry.
The mayor and corporation; who will be in atten-
dance, will robe in one of the first-class waiting
rooms, and on the arrival of the Itoyal train they
will come forward to receive her Majesty. A
Royal salute will be fired, after which the mayor
will attend her Majesty to her carriage, alil(!,
then, accompanied by the Mayoress, precede
his distinguished guests to Woodsley 11°11se'
to receive them on their arrival. Should the
weather be favourable, there is no doubt the
Queen will drive up to Woodsley House in an °Pcii
carriage. We may mention here that the RePT
carriages, With 24 horses, are expected in Leeds ta"
day, and that Mrs. Young has received instructions
to prepare for their reception.
As already stated, the 22d Regiment will form
the guard of honour on the arrival of her MojestP
as well as during her stay. in 'Leeds, and provision
has been made for encamping the guard in the rear
of Woodsley House. Four companies of the regi-
ment, with the band and colours, are ordered to
Leeds from Manchester, and it is expected that the
principal officers will accompany the regiment.. The
18th Light Dragoons, under the command of Lieut.;
Col. Knox, and the Yorkshire Hussars, commanded
by Lieut.-Col. Beckett, will form the escort; an
the 2d West York Yeomanry, under Lieut.-Colone!
Pollard, will also be in attendance. The royal
salute will be fired by a battery of Royal Artillery
under the command of Lieut.-Col. Kennedy. Th,°
military authorities in command will be Vent--
Gen. Sir Harry Smith, K.C.B. ; Col. Wilbraham,'
Assist.-Adjt.-General ; and Lieut.-Col. ShadiVeh'
Assist.-Quartermaster-General.
The royal procession will leave Woodsley House
at ten on Tuesday morning, and is to arrive at the
south front of the Town Hall at half-past 11. The
Queen will enter the large hall by the vestibuif?
• and as she proceeds up the centre to the throne, it
is probable the National Anthem will be played °n
~
the organ. Prayer will then be offered up by Ow
Bishop of Ripon, by whom a form for the occasion
has been prepared. He will be assisted in the ser-
vice by the Rev. Dr. Hook, the vicar. Her Majesty
will next declare the hall opened, and the National
Anthem will then be sung. Subsequently the,,
Hallelujah Chorus will be given, after which he
Majesty will be conducted over the building by Of
mayor and the movers and seconders of the au'
dresses, who will attend her to the mayor's roost
where the Royal party will partake of lunchent
Her Majesty, it •is expected, will return throng",
the large hall, and depart from the princilt
entrance, about a quarter past one. She will ,
accompanied by the mayor, the movers and sec°f;
ders of the addresses, and the town-clerk, to
th
Wellington station, the other members of Wl'
Council having previously left the hall and drivel"
there.
In addition to the addresses from the corporation,
addresses will also be presented to her Majesty b
the magistrates, the Sunday school teachers, an
the members of the united friendly societies. or
Ni
ay the departure of her Majesty, the Nil,
will entertain the principal visitors present at
inauguration, as well as the members of the eeD,
poration and the borough justices, in the large halo
The banquet is fixed for four o'clock, and 15 teo.
~
over by eight ; and for the convenience of a
Majesty during her visit to Leeds, the British an
Irish Magnetic Telegraph Company have sPeeie
fixed a line of wire from Woodsley House toe„S'
borough Hotel, where her Majesty's chief atte-i;
clouts will be located during the Queen's gal

Leeds.
de
The different railway companies have me
arrangements for working special trains fronoc4
parts of Yorkshire, and it is intended to despatm
the trains to and from the principal towns jo,tnt
immediate district as rapidly as possible consist
with public safety.