The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-25 00:00:00

N. 6•*"
tart Cr g r

The Royal Visit to Dunrobin.

The preparations of the Duke and Duchess of
Sutherland for the expected arrival of the Prince
and Princess of Wales at Dunrobin on Monday are
being actively prosecuted at Golspie. The visit
being of a semi-private nature it is not proposed
that any very public demonstration should take place
on the arrival ; and at the Castle no signs are visible
as yet of any special decorations being in prepara-
tion, and none, we believe, are contemplated. Dun-
robin unadorned is adorned the most, and any
attempt to add to the chary of the magnificent
grounds, or set off the beauty of the most imposing
castle in the north of Scotland, would be as Quixotic
as to paint the lily. The Castle, indeed, is itself a
preparation for a royal visit—a visit which has never
been made—having been greatly added to and
beautified in 1844-5, in anticipation of a short resi-
dence by Queen Victoria.
In Golspie, however, which is not remarkable for
the number or imposing character of its public build-
ings, it was felt that something might be done.
Accordingly, in the centre of the village a stately
triumphal arch—to which, if any objection at
all may be offered, it is that it will throw
the modest buildings surrounding it somewhat
into the shade—is being erected, on which devices
and an inscription welcoming. the royal party to
Dunrobin will be placed. It is expected that
the arrival will take place shortly after half-
past seven o'clock, and as, of course, daylight will
have gone an hour earlier, the arch will be bril-
liantly illuminated by something like 150 lights.
The arch is built of larches, and it will be dressed
with heather. The leading shops and houses will
be illuminated ; and an immense bonfire is being
built on Ben-a-bragbie, a high hill overlooking the
village, on which a monument to the grandfather
of the present duke, placed at a height of 1,282
feet above the level of the sea, and rising itself 100
feet more, forms a landmark distinguishable from
any part of Sutherland, Ross, or Caithness within
a circuit of 20 or 30 miles.

As various points along the coach route from.
Bonarbridge to Golspie similar decorations and
manifestations of loyal welcome are being got for-
ward. At the Ardgay Station of the Highland Rail-
way, wh;ch at present forms the terminus of the _
company's line, about half a mile on the south side , .t
of Bonar-bridge, a series of handsome arches, dressed •
with evergreens and heather, have been erected,
spanning the road leading from the station. Over
the central arch there is placed a motto, in bold
letters formed of rowan berries, bidding the prince
and princess appropriate " Welcome to the North,"
which is surmounted by the crown, the Prince of
Wales's cross, and other decorations. On the oppo-
site side of the handsome bridge which here crosses
the mouth of the Oykel, connects the two coun-
ties of Ross and Sutherland, and gives its name to the
village of Bonar, a corresponding series of arches
five in number are being erected, on which the motto,
worked in roses, will be equally appropriate—" Wel- •
come to Sutherland." These fine arches are being
erected by Mr. Chirnside, of Skibo, on the march
of whose lands they are placed. At the Clashmore
Inn, about 11 miles down the north side of the
Dornoch .Firth, on the march of the estates of
Skibo and Sutherland, which it is expected will be
reached about six o'clock, the royal journey will be
broken for a few minutes, in order to permit a
change of horses. The front of the inn is deco
rated with festoons of heather in bloom, which,
besides being a pretty substitute for evergreens,
has the further meritorious quality of being a
na-
tional emblem. Should darkness come on, as is
most likely, before the cortege appears, arrangements
have been made to have the house, and the green
in front of it, as well as both sides of the road for
some distance illuminated with lamps. The entry
of their royal highnesses on the Duke of Suther
land's estates will be welcomed by the Doruoch
Company of Volunteers, who are under orders to
be on the ground shortly before six o'clock. From
Clashmore to Dunrobin there will be no break in
the royal journey.
In many respects the royal visit, though sudden,
is beautifully timed. The coming week will by
quite a carnival in Golspie. Tuesday is the half-
-9 r i
- vh,.-autherland tenantry ; and t -
had for some time been intended to inaugurate on
that day the statue of the late duke,
which the
tenantry propose to erect to his memory. On the
supposed failure of the arrangement which was to
bring the prince and princess to Dunrobin, the WO ,
was for the time abandoned, and the sculptor, it is
feared, bad slackened his efforts to finish the work'
A telegram was despatched on Tuesday to London/
ordering the statue to be sent on at once with-
out fail, but up to Saturday morning it ha'
not arrived at Bonar-bridge. It is still expected in
time to make the inauguration possible on Tuesday'
but it is almost beyond question that it will be
in
situ before the prince leaves Dunrobin. On Wed:.
nesday and Thursday the rifle shooting, which 11'''
been advanced from Thursday, and Friday, the date;
originally fixed, in order to suit the convenience
their royal highnesses, takes place ; and on. Friday
there will be a grand review of the Sutherlandshire
Volunteers. Balls will also take place on Thursetie,
and Friday nights, one of which, it is hoped, the
prince and princess will grace with their presenct
Dinners also take place on two days of the wee"
and it is thought possible the Prince of Wales Dial,
accompany. the Duke of Sutherland in his annual
visit to the tenantry meeting on Tuesday.
There is alnady a large company of ladles and
gentlemen staying at the Castle. At present tl':
most distinguished visitor is his Royal Highness til
e_
Duke of Edinburgh, who arrived off Dunrobin he
tween one and two o'clock on Friday morning, fte3l
a very pleasant voyage of about six hours frv,la,
bY
bic
Kessock-roads, where he was received on Thursday
night on board the duke's yacht, the Undine, is
grace. Prince Alfred, like a good sailor as lie
enjoyed the voyage, and was able on the awne dap
to join a party of sportsmen in partridge Ehootiut
and make a fair bag. On Saturday his royal in„
ness was engaged in deer-stalking. In the even
he dined with the duke and duchess.—Scotsinan•

THE GREAT EASTERN.—Yesterday, in real3°lls
!
to an invitation from Capt. Anderson, the inealber;
of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce and a number
friends paid a visit to the Great Eastern, °`
r,--
mains at anchor in the Mersey. Much interest Nvas Lnd
fested by the numerous party of gentlemen, who o%aln,,inthe
the apparatus used in paying out the cable of 1866, an ':
appliances for grappling and hauling cable a 18".
up the
for a
The ferry boats also convey large numbers of people
sail round " the big ship,"
LIVERPOOL WATER SUPPLY.—The heavy to3i,ii
tne
of the past fortnight have added very largely _
Bieck of water in the Rivington reservoirs. At the I°l4l
nightly meeting of the water committee of the LiverPlo
Town Council yesterday it was stated that during the t''.
...
weeks just ended the stock of water at Rivington ha 'hno
creased by 652,000,000 gallons, which stills re-
whole of the stock in the reservoirs at the same period r„.„
which is more 010 it,.st
year, when the total quantity was reported to be 503,000,00 v
_.

gallons. - _
THE LONDON SUNDAY-SCHOOLS LIFEBOAT. -4,13°
formal presentation of the London Sunday-schools 14'e.-
be
at, the "Robert Raikes," to the National Lifeboat Insti-
tution will take place this evening at the A,ricultural }Dill,
Islington.ch Mr. Alderman Lusk, m.r , will °coo' the
air on the occasion, and Mr. Richard. Lewis, the so
tary of the Lifeboat Institution, will receive the boat 1)13
behalf of the committee, and will deliver an address on
the
lifeboat and its work, illustrated by models, diagrams, ‘3°.
THE LATE EARL OF CARLISLE.—About fifteen
months ago a movement was started in Malton for the
erection of a permanent memorial of the Earl of
on some part of the Castle Howard estate. Th© Salton
proposal was subsequently merged in that a a countci
meeting held at York, at which Lord Houghton propose
and carried the erection of an art memorial—a Corinthigi
column, shortly to be bo founded on Buliner gill-top:.
near Malton. The character of the late earl being ft
excellence that of the philanthropist, many of his friesno!
were desirous of erecting what they deemed to be a 0°1:
fitting memorial of the benevolent nobleman; and i?c'ittr"
that the subscriptions are obtained for the county /Alb.
the Archbishop of York and those associated with . i_so
Carlisle
Grace have set about raising £5OO to erect a Carlisle
Chapel at the Castle Howard Reformatory School, foe.
miles from Malton. The late earl was the president t_;.Leacia
greatest friend of this institution, which hitherto has 1‘:,,,
no chapel accommodation. About 20 donors haire.alree hay
subscribed one-half the amount required,