The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-27 00:00:00

The " Excellents " Ball.

The ball given at Portsmouth on Tuesday even-
ing on board the line-of-battle ship Calcutta, by the
officers of her Majesty's ship Excellent, as a farewell
entertainment to Capt. Astley Cooper Key, C. 8.,
on his resigning the command of the Excellent for
the more onerous post of Director-General of Naval
Ordnance, to which he has been recently appointed
by the Admiralty, proved to be the most brilliant
affair of the kind ever witnessed at Portsmouth,
eclipsing even by its magnificence and the perfec-
tion of the general arrangements the famous
" Turkish" and " Duke of Wellington" balls, which
have always been looked back upon as the brightest
and most successful of naval fetes.

The Calcutta lay alongside the Great South Jetty
of the dockyard, a covered way giving access to the
ship from the jetty, and carriages setting down the
guests as they arrived at the end of this covered
way, under a capacious archway. The guests en-
tered the ship through a decorated archway (the
great port through which monster ordnance are
received on board for trial), and, passing through
the " entrance-hall," which occupied the centre of
the port side of the deck and was gaily decorated
with arms, flags, and flowers, gleaming with light,
and everywhere exhibiting in golden letters the
word " Welcome," ascended to the ballroom by the
grand staircase through the main deck, where they
were received by Commander Arthur, the captain
of the Excellent pro tem., pending the arrival of her
newly appointed captain in England from the
Pacific. The upper deck of the ship formed the
ballroom, as is the custom, but the transformation
of the upper deck of the Calcutta into the magnifi-
cent saloon in which some 650 guests found them-
selves on Tuesday evening was a marvel. The entire
length of the ship was covered in with a lofty arch
of colours, formed of the standards of all nations
falling in graceful flutings, and draping the walls of
the saloon. From the poop of the ship to the fore-
castle was the space apportioned for dancing, the
forecastle being transformed into an orchestra, and
occupied by the splendid band of the Royal Marino
Artillery, while the poop was turned into a pro-
menade luxuriously fitted with lounges, and offer-
ing a capital 'vantage ground from which could
be seen the whole of the panorama below. Along
the centre of the roof on a purple scroll of
silk was inscribed in golden capitals, " Our
Queen, God bless her." At one end of the saloon,
and between the stairs ascending to the poop,
were exhibited the adopted coat of arms and
motto of the Excellent, represented by Britannia,
with trident, helmet, and shield, leaning on a 600-
pounder and watching seaward, the legend on the
scroll below being "Si vis pacem, para bellum."
Framed in trophies of arms, evergreens, and flags,
more trophies of arms and of flags were mixed up
with glistening mirrors, and scores of battle lan-
terns. The effect produced by other decorations and
inscribed scrolls also deserved and received their
share of admiration. The walls of the saloon were
hung with trophies of arms, ancient and modern,
and festooned with flowers and evergreens with con-
summate taste. The orchestra was supported by a
line of figures wearing the pike helm and corslet of
olden times, and pointing with their pikes to a
crimson scroll extended over their heads bearing the
words, The Excellent expects that every man this
night will do his duty." Down the centre of the
salon, where once had been hatchways leading down
to the deck below, now stood softly covered couches
and seats, while the masts of the ship had become
each a trophy of ancient armour, flags, and rings
of illuminated battle-lanterns, reaching from the
floor to the roof, 50ft. overhead.
The main deck of the ship, which was the one
immediately under the dancing saloon, was con-
verted into a promenade, brilliantly illuminated,
tastefully decorated with ancient armour, flowers,
and evergreens, and all the spaces between the
Armstrong guns mounted in the ports draped with
flags and fitted as lounging divans. The supper
tables were laid out on the deck below, and were
loaded with every delicacy.
Captain Herbert, of the Royal Sovereign, with
Lieutenants Fisher, Sheepshanks, Robinson,
M'Hardy, Church, Ransom, Price, Lavin, Gyel
Chute, Sandys, Hayter, and Gordon, with the
Rev. Grimes, all belonging to the Ex-
cellent, acted as stewards, received the guests,
and introduced them to their representative
host, Commander W. Arthur. On the entrance of
the principal guest of the evening, Captain Astley C.
Key, C. 8., accompanied by Mrs. Key, the band in the
orchestra struck up " Auld Lang Syne," and old
friends and brother officers pressed round to receive
him with welcome and congratulation. Upwards of
800 guests were invited, and of these, as we have
said, 650 were present. The list of names included
Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley, K.C.8., and
Lady Pasley, and Lieutenant-General Sir George
Buller, K.C.8., and Lady Buller, the Naval and
Military Commanders-in-Chief at Portsmouth, ac-
companied by their respective staffs ; Rear-Admiral
Superintendent G. G. Wellesley and Mrs. Wellesley
the captains and officers of ships in commission, the
Colonels Commandants of the Royal Artillery-I
Royal Engineers, Royal Marine Artillery, Royal
Marine Light Infantry, and of regiments in garri-
son at Portsmouth and Gosport, with officers ; the
principal heads of departments in the ports and gar-
rison, his Worship the Mayor of Portsmouth, 1‘111•
and the Misses Wells, Lord and Lady Trimlestoey
Sir Reginald Barnevvell, and the Lion. Miss Barge"
well, the Countess of Limerick, Lady Alice pert',
Lady Lees, Lady Emily Fitzmaurice, Admiral Sir
Charles Talbot, K.C.8., and Lady Anna
Talbot,
Lady Campbell and the Misses Campbell, and Ad-
miral Robinson ; Captain Kanerzewski and the
officers of the Imperial Russian screw corvette
Griden ; Rear-Admiral Chads and the Misses Chads'
Count de la Touche ; General Sir George, LadY'
and Miss Wemyss ; Rear-Admiral Sir A. Clifford ;
Hon. Mrs. Ward ; Major and Mrs. Balton ; LadY
C. Kipton ; Lady and Miss Somerset ; Lieutenaat-
Colonel Digby, Colonels Vesey and Longdell'
R.A., &c.
The company began to assemble on board shortly
after 9 p.m., but daylight had long broke before
the last guest had departed. Her Majesty's padjle
steamer Sprightly, Commander George Allan, Nv3o
placed at the disposal of the invited guests to the
ball from the Isle of Wight. His Royal Highne°
Captain the Duke of Edinburgh, R.N., was Pre"
vented accepting the invitation sent to him by tilt°
committee owing to his absence in Scotland.
Notwithstanding the large numbers present there
was no instance of any crush from the time of
first assembling of the company to their dispersiaz!i
There was always abundance of room on the floor
the saloon for the dancers and also at the supper
and refreshment tables,—two important features is
a naval ball which have so often turned out cos''
plete failures.

Lord and Lady Templemore have, during tbv°
past week, had a gathering at Dunbrody Park, eo.„.uljilL°
Wexford, to celebrate the birthday of their son, the ILO-.
Arthur Henry Chichester. The Marchioness of Nir3ter.
ford, the Hon. Capt. Chichester, and a select party
sembled on the occasion.
OLYMPIC THEATRE.—This vu
the evening Cchursa3lo)
the Olympic Theatre will re-open for the regular s'33,sLio
under the solo management of Mr. Horace Wigan. „dr.
principal piece in the programme is a now drama
Toni Taylor, entitled the " White Boy," in which
principal female character will bo kustaiued by the ele
brated Liverpool actress, Miss Milly Palmer, who 1115.(1°
successful debut at the Strand seine years ago.