The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-02 00:00:00

The Brest Squadron at Biarritz

(From the Times Correspondent)
BIARRITZ, Sept. 27.
On Friday afternoon it was given Out that four
or five ships of war of the Brest squadron would
anchor next morning in the waters of Biarritz, and
be inspected by the Emperor. So unusual an occur-
rence excited intense interest ; and though the no-
tice was short, this place was crowded at an early
hour on Saturday morning. On Saturday morning
the sun wasscorching; a hot south wind was blowing
fiercely; the Gulf of Gascony was greatly agitated,
and the surge was breaking so heavily as to make it
unsafe for vessels on a coast where there are few or
no ports of refuge. The ships, one of which was said
to have damaged her bowsprit, had to put in to the
island of Aix, at the mouth of the Charente, and to
the general disappointment it was announced that
the arrival of the Brest squadron here was post-
poned until the weather should clrange. On Sun-
day the wind blew with more violence, the rain
rushed down:in torrents, and the roar of the breakers
from Cape Breton to Socoa was heard far into the
interior. On Monday there was but little change for
the better, and the cold was like that of the month
of November. As the evening came on the weather
cleared somewhat ; the clouds got loose from each
other, and seemed about to break up ; but the sun
went down behind Cape Machichaco with a red and
angry glare that boded no good. On Tuesday the
wind lulled somewhat, but the breakers were still
heavy, the rain came down without ceasing, and we
began to give up all chance of the novel and excit-
ing spectacle every one longed to witness. As night
came on, however, the wind shifted and gradually
fell ; the sea became smooth, the rain ceased, and
by midnight the moon had all the heavens to itself.
The sun rose yesterday morning in a calm sky;
and as it was spread about that during the night
orders were despatched to Aix or Re that the squa-
dron might now safely approach the coast, the
crowds that had come in by the pleasure trains from
Bordeaux and Toulouse were at length destined to
be gratified by a site so new to many of them.
There was now a complete lull. As the morning
advanced there was hardly a breath to ripple the
broad bosom of the Adour ; and the mist that
covered the summit of the Pyrenees melted away,
and left their outline perfectly distinct. The signal
tower of the Atalaya, the bold headland of Biarritz,
announced that the ships were in sight, and in a
moment the whole country for miles round was up.
All business in Bayonne was suspended, offices'were
closed, shops shut up, streets deserted, vehicles of
every size and form were put in requisition, and
horsemen and pedestrians thronged the road to
Bayonne on one side, and Guetary, St. Jean de
Luz, and Socoa on the other ; and in a few hours
the heights and slopes and rocks of this most
picturesque of all places were crowned with spec-
tators. The day was most propitious for all. A
veil of thin fleecy cloud spread over the sky just
enough to deaden the heat of the sun, and the
merest breath of wind kept the surface of the
gulf in a perpetual ripple. The • ships rapidly
approached, and exactly at ten o'clock four iron-
clads, the Magenta, the frigates Heroine,
Flandre, and Magnanime, and the steam corvette,
Forbin cast anchor at regular distances some hun-
dred fathoms in front of the Imperial residence. A
little before 11 they saluted the tricolour which
floated from its roof, not at the same .time, but one
after the other and by
single guns.
The Rear-Admiral Baron de la Ronciere le Noury
soon came on shore, accompanied by his officers, and
proceeded to the Residence. It was arranged that
the Emperor with his party should visit the ships at
2 o'clock. At half-past 1 the Admiral's barge, with
eight oars, his flag at the stern, and a large golden
eagle rising from the stem, left the Magenta, rowed
to the shore, and took its station under the huge
rock from which descends a wooden staircase to the
water's edge. A few persons had been invited to
accompany the Emperor to the ships ; among these
were Marshal O'Donnell -and, I believe, Don En-
rique, brother of the King of Spain, who has been
here for the last few weeks. They reached the place
of embarkation in a smallopen carriage--O'Donnell
in a field-marshal's uniform, with the star and
riband of the Legion of honour, out of compliment
to the Sovereign of France, and the prince in plain
clothes. Precisely at 2 o'clock the Emperor and
Empress left the Palace, followed by their attend-
ants, alighted from their carriage at the end of the

lawn, and proceeded ou foot along the winding path,
which was thronged with people to the beach. The
Emperor, who wore his usual uniform of General of
Division, with the Star and Riband of the Legion of
Honour, walked through the crowd at his usual
pace, raising his hat in return to the salutations
which greeted him and the Empress, who was lean-
ing on his arm. He looked by no means so pale and
tired as on his arrival from Paris, having evi-
dently greatly gained by the change of air. His
appearance on the whole has much improved for the
last few days, and I had heard on good authority
an hour or two before that his health is much
improved. It was remarked, however, that his
features wore an expression of sadness, which is not
to be wondered at, as he had shortly before got
the news of the death of another of his oldest and
most devoted friends, who was also his principal
chamberlain, Count Baciocchi. When they reached
the foot of the stairs they were received by the Ad-
miral and his officers, and followed by O'Donnell,
whose lofty stature was remarked among the crowd,
by Prince Henry, and two or three other personages.
As the Emperor approached the sailors threw up
their oars, and gave him and the Empress their hear-
tiest cheers. The barge pushed off, followed by the
, pinnaces belonging to the other ships, and by a crowd
of boats that had been rowing about all the morn-
ing. On reaching the Magenta the Emperor and
Empress were received by a salute from all the ships
and by cheering from the men, who manned the
yards, while the Admiral's band struck up, " Par-
tant pour la Syrie." The Emperor remained on board
the Magenta about an hour ; the officers were pre-
sented to him and the Empress, and received most
courteously. Ile then proceeded to the other ships,
on board one or two of which experiments in gun-
nery were made, and those on shore could see the
mass of water thrown up at a great distance by the
projectiles. It was 5 o'clock when the party left the
squadron under the same salute as when they ar-
rived, and received as they landed amid the greet-
ings of the spectators that thronged the beach and
the heights. The evening was most beautiful, and
many who had come on foot from a distance, having
brought their provisions with them, sat down on
the grassy slopes to eat their dinner.
Great things had been said about the illumina-
tions that were to take place on board the ships,
and even of a sham combat at midnight, and it was
not extraordinary that such a spectacle attracted
the thousands that continued to pour into Biarritz
long after sunset. Though there was much exagge-
ration in these rumours, yet the curious were not
destined to total disappointment. Otte or two of
the ships displayed electric lights and threw up
rockets, and from 10 till 11 o'clock fired salutes,
which, as the night was fine, were heard at a consi-
derable distance. As there was nothing more to be
seen, the crowds that thronged the streets began to
move off, and until 1 in the morning the roads to
Anglet and Bayonne were covered with vehicles,
horsemen, and foot passengers. During the night
the wind rose again, and the surge began to break
heavily. The Admiral had dined at the Imperial
residence, and the tide broke so strong on the beach
as to make it imprudent to bring in the pinnace to
the usual place of embarkation. He had conse-
quently to go further down on the coast—l believe,
as far as St. Jean de Luz—to get on board. The
squadron left at 6 o'clock this morning on their
return to Brest, or to continue their cruise. It is
expected that next summer there will be a naval
display of a similar kind, perhaps on a larger scale,
in these waters.
The few days of unfavourable weather had driven
away numbers, who thought that the winter had
actually set in. The wind, rain, amd cold, however,
have now passed away. Summer has again returned,
as lovely as before. The places aie. those that have
gone have been quickly filled up by new arrivals,
and more are expected every day The visit of the
Brest squadron will be long reoembered in the
annals of this most delightful batlNg-place.

HER MAJESTY.

BALMORAL, Sept. 29.
The Queen went out in the morning with Prin-
cess LOuise, and drove iu the afternoon with
Princess Christian to Alt-na-Guithasach.

Princess Louise rode in the afternoon, attended
by the lion. Miss Cathcart.

Prince Christian and Prince Arthur went out

deer-stalking.

THE T iIEATRE 3.

DRURY LANE THEATRE.

" Macbeth" was performed last night for the first
time this season and drew an overflowing house. The
great novelty in the cast was that of Lady Macbeth,
which was represented by Miss Amy Sedgwick, a
lady whom we had hitherto looked upon as a come-
dienne. That Miss Sedgwick had a difficult task to
perform will be at once admitted, but we can
honestly say she acquitted herself with the greatest
credit. It would be wrong to say that the robes
of the tragedy queen suits her as well as those of
comedy, but her performance last evening showed
that she had carefully and minutely studied
the part of Lady Macbeth ; and in her re-
presentation of it the shortcomings were
not to be attributed to want of appreciation, but to
a lack of physical power. In the more subdued
passages of the part she achieved her greatest
triumphs ; but there was a lack of dignity, more
especially in the banquet scene, which showed that
tragedy was not her forte. Judged as a whole,
however, her performance must be pronounced a
good and even one, but during the whole of the five
acts it never once rose to grandeur. Mr. Phelps's
Macbeth is too well known and appreciated to need
the slightest remark ; but we must not conclude our
brief notice of the tragedy without awarding the
highest praise to Mr. Swinbourne, whose embodi-
ment of Macduff was all that could be desired. The
whole-of Locke's music was given with great effect
by Mr. Drayton, Miss Jenny Bauer, Miss R. Isaacs,
and a full chorus, whilst the mounting of the tragedy
was quite worthy the fame of " Old Drury."
Mr. Barry Sullivan alternates the character of
Macbeth with Mr. Phelps during the rest of the
week.

HAYMARKET.
Mr. Buckstone commenced his season last evening,
on which occasion his numerous friends mustered in
full force,. and gave the popular actor and manager
a warm and genial reception. The first piece was
Colman's comedy " The Heir at Law," and after a
lapse of seventy years the roystering old comedy is
still very well and amusingly acted, Mr. Chippen-
dale being a good representative of the vulgar
tradesman transformed into a lord. Mr. W. Far-
ren was a lively Dick Dowlas, Mr. Compton a
most sententious and priggish Doctor Pangloss, and
Mr. Buckstone agenuinely comic Zekiel Homespun.
Mrs. Chippendale is a very buxom Lady Duberley,
and Miss Nelly Moore a charmingly simple and
sprightly Cicely Homespun. After the comedy
Miss Christine and a Miss Agnes Healey appeared
in a ballet divertissement, in which they gained much
deserved applause in two polketta dances. The
capital farce of " His First Champagne" concluded
the entertainments, which were enjoyed to the ut-
most by a full and crowded house.

Mr. and Mrs. C. Matthews, we perceive, are an-
nounced for Thursday evening.

PRINCESS'S.

To the great attraction of the " Huguenot Cap-
tain" the lively drama of "The Triple Alliance" has
now been added, Mr. George Vining performing his
original part of Don Estevan with great spirit and
effect. The revival was hailed with the greatest
satisfaction by a very crowded audience. It may,
perhaps, be as well to state that the performances at
this theatre now commence at seven o'clock instead
of eight as heretofore.