The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-01 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, Dec. 30.
Her Majesty the Queen drove out yesterday
afternoon, accompanied by the Princess Louise.
The Hereditary Prince and Princess of Hohen-
zollern, Infanta of Portugal, arrived yesterday on
a visit to her Majesty, attended by Countess Renaud
and Baron de Branchitsch.

The Princess Helena and Prince Arthur, attended
by Lady Churchill, the Hon. Major-General Hood,
and Major Elphinstone, drove down to East Cowes
to meet the Prince and Princess, who crossed over
in the royal yacht Alberta, from Southampton, and
accompanied them to Osborne, where they were
received by the Queen.

The Prince and Princess dined with her Majesty
and the royal family in the evening.

DEC. 31.

The Queen and Princess Helena, with the Here-
ditary Prince and Princess of Hohenzollern, drove
out yesterday afternoon, attended by Major-General
the Hon. A. Hood.

In the evening the Hereditary Prince and Princess,
and Prince and Princess Leiningen, dined with her
Majesty and the royal family.
The ladies and gentlemen in attendance had the
honour of joining the royal circle after dinner.
Her Majesty, Princess Helena, Princess Louise,
and Prince Arthur attended Divine service at
Whippingham Church this morning, where the Rev.
G. Prothero officiated.

PRESENT FROM THE QUEEN TO HER GRANDSON.
Her Majesty has just presented to her royal
grandson, Prince Victor, a splendid baptismal gift.
This work of art has been nearly two years in hand ;
it was intended to have been presented on the first
anniversary of the young princes birth—the 10th of
March last—but the great amount of artistic labour
required for the completion caused the presentation
to be delayed until now. The work consists of a
statuette of the late Prince Consort in silver, and
stands 3 feet 2i inches in height. His royal high-
ness is in a standing position with gilt armour,
copied from the figure upon the tomb of the Earl of
Warwick in Warwick Cathedral. He is represented
as Christian in the " Pilgrim's Progress," and
around the plinth on which the figure stands is the
verse from Timothy, "I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."
Behind the figure, and resting upon the stump of an
oak, is the helmet of Christian.. The shield of the
prince rests against the stem, and near the tree are
the white lilies of purity, which are usually intro-
duced into the Pilgrim. Immediately beneath the
plinth, and in front of the entablature of the pedes-
tal, is the inscription :—" Given to Albert Victor
Christian Edward, on the occasion of his baptism,
by Victoria R., his grandmother and godmother, in
memory of Albert, his beloved grandfather." In the
panel below, and over the royal arms is the verse—.
My Rose of Love with tears I laid in earth, •
My Lily ! Purity, hath soared to Heaven ;
But faith still lives, and sees in this new birth
How both once more to cheer my soul are given.
On the panel on the side, over the Queen and
Prince Consort's arms, is the verse—
Fight the good fight He fought, and still, like him,
Cherish the flowers of Purity and Love ;
So shall He, when y earthly joys grow dim,
First greet them in cur Saviour's home above.
On a third panel, and over the arms of the Prince
and Princess of Wales, is the verse—
Walk as He walked, in faith and righteousness;
Strive as He strove, the weak and poor to aid.
Seek not thyself but other men to bless ;
So win, like him, a wreath that will not fade.
Beneath the front panel, over the figures "1864,"
are inscribed in large size letters the prince's names,
Albert Victor Christian Edward : and in an oblong
panel, " Born January the Bth, baptised March
10th." Looking to the front of the work a figure
of Hope stands at the right side, cue of Faith on the
left; and behind, or in the third niche, is a group
of Charity, each of oxydised silver. At the side
of each figure and group there are lilies in enamel.
Upon the frieze over the figure of Faith are the
works, " Walked as he walked—in Faith," the last
word being inscribed beneath the figure. In the
same manner, in connection with the figure of Hope,
are the words, " Strive as he strove in—Hope ;" and
over the group of Charity, also in enamel, are the
words, "Think as he thought in—Charity." Over
Faith there is a lily of purity ; over Hope the water
lily, having appropriate reference to the baptism of
the young prince; and over the group of Charity,
and resting upon the top of the niche, there is the
lily of the valley. The front panel contains in the
centre the royal arms of England, surmounted by the
erown. Theleft side, as you look at the panel, has
the arms of the late Prince Consort, and at the other
side the arms of the Prince of Wales. The mottoes
of each shield are thrown into flowing ribbons. The
entire treatment of this group is in a fanciful and
allegorical style. Just beneath the royal shield is a
white lily bending down over a broken rose, with,
upon the background (of the rose) the word " Frog-
more." To the right of the Prince of Wales's•
shield there is a figure of an infant boy looking up
at a full-blown rose, which stands erect upon a
perfect stem, with beside it a white lily, and imme-
diately over the baby figures a bunch of snowdrops,
emblematic of youth or spring. The entire group
is enriched by the rose, thistle, and shamrock, taste-
fully introduced to form a background. The ebony
(or black) moulding points to the death of the
prince, and the white stars symbolise the heaven in
which the Prince Consort now dwells. The arms
of the Queen in one shield, dexter ; and in a second
shield, sinister, are the arms of the late prince. The
panel is filled as the front one with a tasteful
arrangement of the rose, thistle, and shamrock.
The remaining panel is filled in the same manner,
but with, dexter, the Prince of Wales's arms, and
those of Denmark sinister. The design throughout
is medimval in character, and as a work of art re-
flects the highest credit upon Mr. E. H. Corbould,
by whom it was designed. The figures have been
beautifully modelled by Mr. W. Theed, and the
work has been executed in the highest style of art
by Messrs. Elkington and Co. Additional and
melancholy interest is imparted to the work front
the circumstance of the inscriptions having been
written by the Queen herself, who has watched with
mingled feelings of joy and sadness the progress to-
wards completion of this interesting .gift to her
grandson, The verses were written by Mrs. Pro-
thero, the wife of the rector at W hippingham, near
Osborne, in the Ise of Wight.—Observer.

The Special Commission to inquire into the re-
cent occurrences in Jamaica has been completed bi-
the appointment of Mr. John Blossett Mauls, the Recorder
of Leeds. Mr. Roundell will be the secretary to the com-
mission, and Colonel Walpole secretary to Sir Henry
Storks. Mr. Russell Gurney will go out by the mail
steamer which leaves Southampton to-morrow, and will
we believe, be accompanied, if possible, by Mr. Mauls.

GOVERNMENT INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES.—The
following additional post-offices will be open on and
after the Ist of January, 1866, for the receipt of proposals
for the insurance of lives or the purchase of Government
annuities, under the Act 27 and 28 Vict., cap. 43 ; and for
the receipt of the premiums becoming duo to the Postman'
ter-General, from time to time, under contracts for the in-
surance of lives or the purchase of Government annuities,
and for the payment of any sums which shall become par
able by the Postmaster-General, under the said contracts
—Fenny. Stratford (Bletchley Station), Matlock Bridge
(Matlock Bath), Narberth, Neston (Chester), Newcastle
Emlyn (Carmarthen), Olney (NewportPagnell), Penmaen-
mawr (Conway), Pudsey (Leeds), Pwlheli, Sedgefield
(Ferry-hill), Shipley (Leeds), Shipston-on-Stour, Sid-
mouth, Sittingbourne, Staveley (Chesterfield), Stilto
(Peterborough), Towyn (Shrewsbury), and Wavertne
(Liverpool).