The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-07 00:00:00

RAILWAYS-FOR CASK.

tr. c. fr C.
Orleans 1,450 Western
Northern
Lyons and Med 926 25 New Ditto
New Ditto 902 50 Grand Central
Geneva
Midi

VIIII OF THE :EMPEROR AND
_EMPRESS OP' THE FRENCH.

Yesterday mot ning, at a much ea'lier hour than
was generally an by the public at larl e, the
Emperor and Feupre.ss of the French arrived at Os-'
borne. The visit is beyond all doubt a strictly pri-
vate one, and such pr,-cautions have been taken to
insure its being kept so, that literally nothing what-
ever is known of the intended movements of the
Imperial visitors, and but for the • Reyel saluting
this morning very few would have known that they
had come at all. Osborne presents unrivalled face.
'Wes for such strict iteclu-ions, not the nominal
seclusion of Emperors, but the untlistur ed quiet
of a private family. The illustrious individuals,
whoever they may be, arrive and step out of their
yachts aimed:, at the door of O.borue house, depart-
ing in the same quiet an.' perf-ctly unrestricted
manner. Such a chef d'oeuvre ef privacy was the
visit of the Grand Duke Constantine that 'to this
hour a respectable minority believe he never came
at all. The same opinion cannot obtain with re-
gard to the Emperor and Empress, though previ'us
precantfmns have 13- en redoubled to ket-p all relat-
ing to their movem nts strictly secret. A most
vigilant surveillance • is kept up in the neighbour-
hood of Osborne, and, indeed, a'l over the island,
by a strong force of the Raiff) specially brought
down from London for the purpose, assisted in
their labours by some members of till French
police. B mats have been appoitit-d to keep guard
off the beach at Osborne, and to allow 'no shore
or strange boat under any pret?nce whatever
to approach it; so that, in the present instance,
the Imperial visitors may congratulate themselves
in having, indeed, effected a really private visit to
the Queen on the ordinary cordial t-rms on which
one family of rank may entertain another.
This intention will be most rigilly carried into
effect ,hroughout the brief period during which
the illustrious guests are expected to remain.
To supply the unusual number of boats required
to row guard some of the launches and pinnacas of
the men of war in harbour were taken, and Master
Commander G. All. n's vessel the Sprightly,
christened on the old/ice/Ls a tzonlucendo principle/
one of the dulleA and, ugliest tubs in port, was
yesterday promoted to tow them to Spithead.
At 6 o'clock yesterday morning all over the house
front, rich terrace gardens, and sloping woods of
Osborne not a soul was visible. Soon afterwardß,
however, the si4nal tower was occupied, and a
telescope kept eoetinually pointed towards the fleet
at Spithead, which was again in c .mmunication.
with the Alban steamer, pos e I far out t i sea. By
and by a pony carriage came down to the landing-
place, followed at long intervals by another and
another, with grooms, led horses, and outriders,
till the Royal cortege in attendance was complete.
At 7 o'clock the Refine Hortense was signalled as in
sit,ht, yet it made but slow progress, for it was a
quarter past 8 o'clock before she had arrived within
saluting dietance of the squadron. The Queen's
yacht has often gone over the same course in one
quarter of the time.

- The fle t and—town bat'eries saluted and the
vessels manned yards at a quarter past 8 o'clock.
The wind, though very light, was in a contrary
direction and not a sound or echo of the tremen-
dous reverberation which the guns must have
created reac'iel Osb erne. The broad angry darts
of flames from the huge vessels' sides could, of
course, be distinctly seen, and so also the massive
fo'ds of smoke, which seemed gradually to rise like
mountains from the sea till the while pile of masts
and spars was hidden. But there was no echo,
however faint, and the whole evolution might have
been a vivid painting or dissolving view for any-
thing which sound could tellto the contrary. •
A few minutes bef re the salute was fired his
Royal Highness the Prince Cons r', in plain walk-
ing dress, accoinpsnied by Prince Alfred, in the
Highland costume, came down to the landing-place.
Alter a short time liter Majesty, aocom, auied by the
Royal Princesses, also drove down and joined his
Highness on the beach. Here the Royal_ party
waited for some time, for the progress of the Reine
Hor euse was unusually slow.
She is a screw, low in the water, but without any
of the slim appearance which most even of our
trading screws present. Crowds wore assembled on.
Ry de Pierto see her pass, and a whole fleet of yachts
and pleasure boats—nearly a hundred in number--
spread their white sails, a id seemed as if about to
follow her like a crowd of butterflies skimming and
dancing over the glistening waters; but none re .11y
made t.ite attempt, for the Admiialty orders had
been published, and were strictly adhered to, and
not any but the vessels of war on duty were allowed
to approach within nearly two wiles (if the landing
place at Osborne. As the Reine Hortense dropped
slowly down at half-speed the Imperial visitors
could be distinctly seen standing on the quarter-
deck, which was decorated with exquisite taste, and
covered with small conical parterres of, clustering
flowers, so as to make it resemble a small summer
garden rather thin the deck of a st-amer. The
Emprem was attired in the plainest description of
tray ening dress, and leant upon the arm of Ste
Majesty, who also wore a simple walking costume
without order or decora ion of any kind. Staudiug
with teeir Majesties were the Count and Countess
Walow,ki, the Princess Esslin„,ot and General the
Baron Roland, Chief of the Staff. When the yacht
had approached within about a mile of Osb.)rne,
Prince Albert and P; nice Alfred entered the Royal
barge. The men-of-war boats formed in double
lines on each ado of it, and the Fairy and E fin.
Royal yachts steamed close outside all. This little
water processiou was herded by the Royal barge,
in the stern of which was a large silk banner,
emblazoned with the arms of Zer Majesty and
the Pram:: Consort.

Her Royal Highness immediately went on board
the Reins Hortense and warmly welcomed the
Imperial gusts. Afcr a del iy of a few moments
the Pt-m.,e Consort conduct d ihe Empress down
into ,he Royal bsrg-, in which the Emperor also
took his sent, followed by the fur members of his
suite we hayJ m- ntioned. The R..yal barge, both
in going and returning from the yacht, was steerel
by Captain the Hon. Joseph Denman, the Cum-
mod.cxe of the Yctoria, and Alb,rt, and in a feW
minutes was at the landing-place at 0-b.me. The
Emperor was the first to cLsembark, and the most
cordial greetings apparently passed betwi en him
and her-Majesty, and also between her Mjesty
and the Empress. Tho latter gave a most affec-
_ • .

tionate reception to the Princes; Royal. Almost
immediately after lindlig the Empress and Ler
Majesty and tt e Emperor and Prince Albert

tered their pony carriage and drove at once to the
house.

Captain the Hon. Joseph Denman entertained all
the oflio‘rs of the Remue Hon( n,te atid the two

French war steamers which escorted her (La Giro
and Pelican) ,o.r. a mlguificent banquet the same

evening.
in order to set at rest the numerous rumours
whit-h are at present current as to its tieing th, in-
tention of the Imperial visitors to visit the Man-
.

chester Exhibitiona, we can state most positively
that notbing whatever in relation to the intended

movements of the Court his been allowed to trans-

pire as yet beyond the mere fact that, except for
short excursions in the Royal yachts, neither the
Emperor or E: press are lik ty to quit the island.
It is consideied by these who have the best oppor-
tunities of obtaining correct information on these
matt.-rs, that it is just probable the Emperor may
pay a private visit to the dockyard, and also to the
James Baines, on Saturday morning, before her
sailing with the troops for India. Beyond this and

the faet that there is be an early soiree dansante

at Osborne-house on Saturday nothing is known.

There seems little doubt thaf the visit will termi-
nate on Monday next.