The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-23 00:00:00

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Crobt

HER MAJESTY, &c.

OSBORNE, Jul? 22.
The Queen and the royal family walked out this
morning.

Her Imperial Majesty the Empress of the French
is expected to arrive at Osborne to-day on a private
visit to the Queen.

DEPARTURE OF THE SULTAN.

(TIIIS DAY.)

His Imperial Majesty quitted London this
morning, via the South-Eastern Railway for
Dover, en route to Brussels. his Majesty arrived
at the Charing-crass station shortly before eleven,
where some hasty but very effective preparations
had been made to receive the illustrious visitor. The
departure platform was made gay with flowers and
scarlet carpeting, and wreaths of laurel were en-
twined around the large and massive lamp standards
that ornament the station. A large number of ladies
occupied a large gallery erected for the occasion ;
in addition to which a large number attended in
their carriages on the roadway at the side of the
station. Altogether the sight was not as imposing
as that which his Majesty met with on his arrival in
London, it was striking enough to convey to his
Majesty the pleasurable feelings his brief so-
journ in the metropolis had produced. Their
Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the
Duke of Cambridge accompanied the Sultan,
and on the Royal party alighting from
her Majesty's carriages they entered the elegant
saloon carriage of the South-Eastern Railway Com-
pany, and the'suite of his Majesty having taken
their places the train quitted the station amidst the
utmost demonstrations of respect.
Amongst the officials of the company present to
receive his Majesty were Mr. Eborall, Mr. Knight,
Mr. Cockburn, and Mr. Richardson ; and the ad-
mirable manner in which the whole of the proceed-
ings were conducted entitle them to the highest
praise.

THE SULTAN A 7 711 E HORTICULTURAL

GARDENS.

Yesterday evening, after being entertained at a
magnificent banquet, followed by a concert, at
Stafford House, his Imperial Majesty the Sultan
honoured the President and Vice• Presidents of the
Horticultural Society with a visit to their beautiful
gardens. This was a special night fete given sclely
in honour of his Majesty. It was originally fixed to
take place to-morrow. Almost at the last moment,
however, the date was anticipated by two days, and,
as is usually the case with such sudden antedated
festivities, they suffered somewhat in the great pre-
parations for the ceremony. It was only, however,
those who knew what was intended to be done on
Wednesday that could at all judge to what extent
the fete of last night fell short of what it would
have been had the original day bee; adhered to.
To the mass of visitors everything looked wonder-
fully beautiful, and really was so, and it is difficult
to overpraise the zeal and industry that have been
displayed by all connected with the gardens in
transforming them to the aspect they presented last
night at so short a notice. Not until Sunday after-
noon did his Majesty intimate that he would be un-
able to come on Wednesday, but would honour the
gardens with his presence after leaving Stafford
House. On Monday, therefore, everything had to
be done, and was done, too, effectively and well.
The conservatory was cleared along its centre, and
the rarest plants which could be got from Chiswick
or the nurseries of Messrs. Veitch and Sons were
brought up in haste to add to the attractions of
what was already one of the most beautiful conser-
vatories in London. Carpets were laid, passages
railed off with silk ropes, and a dais with Royal
chairs erected at the opening on the northern side
between the flights of steps leading to the gallery.
On the left side of this gallery a spacious tempo-
rary room, draped with fl.tga and exquisitely
adorned with flowers, had been hastily run up for
the use of his Imperial Majesty and the most
illustrious of the guests who came with him, and

in this a most sumptuous supper had been pro-
vided by the orders of the Duke of Buccleuch, the
President of the Society. A corresponding enclo-
sure was made on the right gallery for the use of the
members of the suite. These preparations, however,
were as nothing compared to those which were made
in the garden. All the coloured lamps which could
be procured at so short a notice, and all the coloured
Chinese lanterns that could be bought or made,
were sent in from every direction. These marked
the rims of the parterres, lit up the statues and
vases, and hung in intricate festoons of coloured
lights. At 9 o'clock, when all these were lit, the
effect was wonderfully beautiful, and the early visi-
tors were rewarded for their punctuality by seeing
the garden under the most striking aspect it has
ever worn, and which those who came later, after
the inevitable rain had done its work on the illumi-
nation, missed altogether.
The hour fixed for the arrival of visitors, of whom
about 1,000 had been invited, was 9 o'clock ; before

that time every place was occupied, and the conser-
vatory, brightly lit up and thronged with ladies, Pre-
sented a most brilliant appearance. In its way it
was one of the most perfect pictures of a semi-rural
night fete that could well be conceived. Had lila
Imperial Majesty come at the hour he was expected
he would have seen all the preparations made in his
honour to perfection. As it was, .he did not arrive
until 12, and not until after a tremendous shower
had drowned half the lamps. His Majesty came in
State, attended by an escort of the Life Guards.
Accompanying him in the same cortege were the
Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, and his
chief Ministers of State. Her Royal Highness the
Princess Mary Adelaide, with his Serene Highness
the Prince of Teck, arrived shortly before his Ma-
jesty, as did also their Highnesses the Prince and
Princess d'Aosta, who were attended by his Excel-
lency the Italian Minister, the Marquis D'Azeglio.
The Sultan was received on alighting at the
Prince's entrance by the Duke of Buccleuch and
the chief members of the Horticultural Society.
His Majesty wore a plain, blue frock-coat without
embroidery of any kind, and a plain fez. The other
members of the suite were similarly attired. The
Sultan passed at once along the corridors into the
conservatory, where every one rose to receive Wl'
but of course there was no cheering nor any marks
of welcome beyond deep reverence. The dais being
situated midway down the conservatory, his Ma;
jesty turned off short and went to his chair e'
State, having only traversed half the length of the
building. Looks of disappointment from those 3v4,
the northern end, who, of course, had not seen Wel'
were general ; and the Sultan was the first to notice
this, and at once came down from the dais o'l
walked up the hall and back again that all taigb'4,
see him. After this the conservatory doors were
opened and 150 men of the Household Brigauee
stationed along the terraces, and at intervals in lin
near the principal arcades, lit at the signal of
bugle call the monstrous port fires or signal lights;
two of which each man carried. The effect Wt
wonderfully beautiful, and the glare of the ligT.o
threw quite into the shade the pale flicker oftijno
illumination. It was not, however, so effective,i'e
the same device used at the Crystal Palace on
night of the Sultan's fete, and which so pleased
Majesty that it was at his special request an tb,
tempt was made to repeat it last night. After ~e
fires had burnt out, which was not for
.s°t`yo
minutes, the Sultan retired to his own room 13 e,
gallery, and as it was then past 12 there was a getter
ral dispersion of the company. His Majesty, of
about an hour's stay, quitted the gardens, aeeeiar
panted by the same marks of ceremony and poPu
L welcome amid which he had entered.

er.;ROYAL GALLERY OF ILLUSTRATION.—
we tinclstand that Mr. German Reed has decided on bringingbb;
season to a close on Monday, the sth of August,
"
there will be a benefit for himself, Mrs. Reed, en
John Parry. All who have enjoyed the present sfilejl.t is
entertainment of a "Dream in Venice," got up as r
with splendid dresses, must wish success to the ro3ng
to)3s-
Wi
on the occasion, and we trust a crowded audience in
tify to his enterprise and liberality. To the ``Preri Uo
Venice" (for the 140th time) and " Merry Makiegr"
added other attrutiou on the obNing night.