The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-23 00:00:00

TIIE CORONATION AT KONIGSBEBG.

(From the Special Correspondent of the Times.)
KONIGSBERG, OCT. 18-19.

The spacious quadrangle formed by the four sides
of the Royal Palace at Konigsberg presented a
striking spectacle when seen this morning, for the
first time, completely prepared for the ceremony of
the coronation. It was not ready until the last
moment. I visited it yesterday afternoon, and
workmen were engaged in its decoration, and pro-
bably they continued so until far on in the night.
The result of their labours was highly satisfactory.
The quadrangle is somewhat more than 300 feet
long by about half that breadth. The surrounding
buildings are irregular, but far from unpicturesque.
One side and a round corner tower date, as I pro-
bably mentioned in a former letter, from the Teu-
tonic Knights; at another corner is a church tower
of more recent date ; no two of the four sides are
alike, and two of them, taken as detached buildings,
' would probably be considered decidedly ugly and
ungraceful. But, like those faces one often sees
which please as a whole, but will not bear analysis,
the palace, taken altogether, is interesting and
attractive to look upon. It has, so to say, a sugges-
tive physiognomy and a savour of feudal times. It
is long since it saw itself so gorgeously arrayed and
tricked out as upon this eventful 18th of October.
At what may be termed the upper end of the build-
ing, since it•is there the Royal family dwell, a lofty
platform had been erected, carpeted and draped,
extending right and left from a large portal high
up in the centre of the palace. The portal itself
had rich crimson velvet curtains, with crowns and
eagles embroidered upon them; in front of it the
roof of the platform rose into a lofty arch, flanked
by the Prussian and Hohenzollern banners, and sur-
mounted in the centre by a golden eagle, crowned,
standing on a globe, which, as well as a laurel
wreath that hung around it, was also of gold.
From the platform descended the broad flight of
steps before mentioned, the freitreppe, of open-air
staircase, as it here is called, which extended some
40 feet forward into the courtyard. At its foot
began the covered way. This was 250 feet long in
a straight line ; then it made an abrupt elbow to
the left, and another short one to the right, lead-
ing directly to the door by which the King was
to enter the church. The covered way was 12
feet broad ; its roof, of crimson velvet, with
gold-embroidered festoons hanging down about a
foot on either side, was supported by a gilt
balustrade, the pillars of which rose in lance-
points above, and was lined with white muslin,
quilted into divisions lengthwise by red silken
cords, between which the muslin puffed out.
Over the front of the balconies, and of the galleries

for spectators temporarily erected, were extended
white draperies with black stripes along their lower
edge (the Prussian colours), and similar draperies
ran along the wall below the windows on the second
floor. Crimson velvet hangings, gold-bound, were
laid at intervals over the draperies of the balconies.
Commencing from either side of the richly deco-
rated platform and portico, which was one mass of
velvet with goltt adornments, and which may with
propriety be called, for the convenience of a name,
the coronation platform, tall flag-poles, 40 in num-
ber, were planted around the court. There were
three on each side of the platform, 14 along each
side of the quadrangle, and six at the lower end,
which includes the church and Muscovite Saloon.
There were the banners of the different provinces
and districts of Prussia. These were of various
colours and of much variety of device. There were
the usual eccentric heraldic animals, unparalleled
in menageries and peculiar in attitude—red lions
with brazen paws standing upon their hind legs, and
pink ones with blue crowns, and the like grotesque-
looking monsters. One flag was a three of hearts,
and another was a chess-board; on a third a beau-
tiful scarlet bull squinted horribly, evidently from
intense terror at something which met his view on
the other side of the quadrangle ; on a fourth a
golden stag stood stately at bay on the summit of
the green hills of Sigmaringen. In the centre of
the lower side of the palace, against the wall of the
church, two statues had been placed on pedestals at

a considerable elevation from the ground ; they were
those of Frederick I. of Prussia and of that famous
Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, Albert by
name, the founder of the Konigsberg university,
who, having espoused the doctrines of Luther, cast
from him the vows of his order, and raised Prussia,

of which he was margrave, into a temporal duchy.
This, I think completes the enumeration of the
adornments of the palace court, the main area of
which, on either side of the covered way, was di-
vided by barriers into five distinct portions.

As may be supposed, Konigsberg was up early
this morning, and its first look was at the sky.
Heavy, lowering clouds, seemingly full of water,
were visible as soon as day broke ; before 8 o'clock
drops of rain fell, things looked very unsatis-
factory, and sightseers began to despond. But the
Royal luck prevailed; instead of pouring themselves
out upon poor Konigsberg, the clouds most oblig-
ingly broko and dispersed ; by 9 o'clock people's
spirits were much on the rise ; and by 10 there was
a bright sunshine and a settled fine day, rather cold
for out-of.door standing and a trifle breezy, but
brilliant and beautiful for the peason and the lati-

tude. By 9 o'clock the c bagel began to fill; the
arrangements were good, too many tickets had not
been issued, and ingrc +ss waf; tolerably easy, consi-
dering the crowd—gu Lilds, troops, officials of all
kinds, and mere specti 'tors —that already writhed
and heaved in the pala cc c ourt. The reigning Duke
of Saxe-Weimar, the Rr.ssian Grand Duke, and
several others, were- there in the crimson velvet
cloak and jewelled co liar of the order of the Black
Eagle. There was a great desire to make out the
different Ambassadors t, and the English and French
Envoys seemed object s of particular interest. Most
of the members of the t two Chambers were in uni-
form, as were, of cog rse, all the numerous diplo-
matists and a large pc irtion of the spectators ; and
the profusion of bright colours, stars and chains and
crosses, and gold and silver lace and embroidery
formed, as you may suppose, a very brilliant ensem-
ble. All this, how ever, was but the setting of the
jewel—the frame of the picture. At about half-past
10 music and cheers in the quadrangle announced
that the King and Queen were leaving the Royal
apartments. A band of picked musicians from
various- regiments, which was stationed in an ele-
vated orchestra contrived outside the windows of
the Muscovite-hall, played a march which Meyer-
beer hail composed, by the King's command,
expressly for the coronation. Before this
moment, the clergy, who mustered in consider-
able force, had left the church to receive and wel-
come their Majesties. The procession entered by a
door close to the south-east corner of the building, I
of more than one-third of which it 'therefore
had to make the circuit before reaching the space
reserved for its members. Two magnificent_ blue
heralds, with strange devices on their embrOidered
tabards, with a profusion of plumes in their hats,
and with gold crowns upon their velvet-covered
batons, led the way, and were closely followed
by a score of pages, dapper youths, with pert
smooth faces, attired in scarlet coats, embroi-
dered cravats, knee-breeches, and silk stockings.
Then came, two and two, a long string of courtiers,
chamberlains with key on hip, masters of the
ceremonies, and other palace functionaries in gilt
garments, whose appearance did the utmost credit
to their tailors, but on whom it would be of little
interest to dwell in detail. In a former letter I gave
you a general sketch of the order of the procession,
and as a mere list of names of the persons compos-
ing it would be tedious to English readers, while a
minute account of their costumes is altogether bel
yond my competency, I shall confine myself to those
members and points of the pageant by which my at-
tention was chiefly attracted. The Ministers were
followed by the bearers of the regalia. The Prus-
sian Crown is a very handsome one. Its form is
simple, and, so far as I could discorn, it does not
contain so great a variety of jewels as some that
I have seen, but the general effect is very good.
From the circlet, or jewelled band that clasps the
brow, eight narrower bands curve over the crim-
son-velvet cap, converging to a central point where
there is an ornament of which one of the principal
features seemed to me to be a remarkably fine
sapphire. The Queen's crown is of a similar model,
but of lighfer make, and the central jewel at the
apex is an emerald of great beauty. The Chief
Marshal, with his staff of office, entered the church
immediately behind the King's crown, which was
carried by Prince Radziwill, and then came William
1., his general's uniform covered with the mantle
of the Order of the Black Eagle, his plumed helm
in his hand. His Majesty looked well, and he
walked with his usual firm military step and air of
becoming dignity ; but to those who are accustomed
to see him, his countenance betrayed that he was
labouring under strong emotion. Behind him came
Count Redern and Baron Schleinitz, and a number
of Generals and Aides-de-Camp ; and then the State
banner, borne by General Wrangel. The Crown
Prince followed, also in the mantle of a Knight of
the Black Eagle. His very agreeable countenance,
which by this time must be pretty familiar to
people in England, wore an expression of gravity,
but I did not detect upon it any of the emotion
manifest on that of his father. More courtiers and
officers trooped by, and there was a break in the
procession, which lasted, however, but a very short
time, after which a fresh detachment of red-
jerkined pages appeared, chamberlains, the Queen's
mantle, crown, and sceptre borne on cushions, and
then the Queen herself, in a white silk dress
trimmed with ermine, the Countesses of Branden-
burg, Schwerin, Bruhl, and Kospoth bearing her
train, and then other ladies of her household walk-
ing beside it. Her Majesty, as lately mentioned, is
not looking her best just now, and to-day, partly
perhaps from agitation, and partly from the cold
encountered in crossing the bleak quadrangle, she
was extremely pale, and almost haggard. I suppose
coronations, like weddings, are festivals on which
ladies (and sometimes gentlemen too) are invariably
agitated as well as pleased. Princess Victoria, who
came after her mother-in-law, was rather pale also,
and very serious indeed, although last night, at the
ball given by the city of Konigsberg, she looked as
cheerful as sunshine, and not at all attristee by the
impending horrors of the coronation. The other
Princesses of the blood came after her, with their
ladies bearing their trains, and this was decidedly
the most pleasing part of the procession to look at.
I do not mean to say that all the links of the chain
of ladies headed by the Queen, and terminating with
the train-bearers of the junior Princess, were equally
or perfectly beautiful; but I certainly shall not
specify those which were not, and I can positively
affirm that the effect of the whole group was very
charming. As for the dresses and diamonds, would
that some more capable chronicler were here to tell
of their elegance and lustre ! I can only say thqt
the trains were of the most beautiful colours, the
headdresses magnificent; such artificial flowers !
a deal better than real ones ; the jewels of blinding
brillancy. The Princess Royal was in white, the
train of a golden colour ; she wore a diadem of
brilliants, eight cruciform fleurons springing from
the circlet. When all were in their places, the
picture presented was certainly well worth a view.
The King and Queen stood at the foot of the
two pillars in front of their thrones, under the
two canopies already described, facing the altar and
were naturally by far the most prominent figures in
the tableau. The other figures that struck the eye
as standing out from the surrounding throng were,
on the King's right hand, rather behind him and
one step lower, the Crown Prince. Rather more to
the front, also on the King's right, but further from
him, and standing on the floor oßfedtehren
achurch,nd thewl‘eirie.
the High Chamberlain,
Count
nister of the Royal Household, floor,Ba ronwSascheeinneirtazl.
On his Majesty's left, also on the
Wrangel, in charge of the State banner ; and further
to the left, on a line of stools, were placed the
cushions of silver and gold cloth on which lay the
regalia. Behind these stood the Princes of the blood.
On the Queen's right stood the Crown Princess,
and on her right the other Princesses. The whole
body of the church,with the exception of a limited
space just in front of the altar—where two reading
desks stood, and room was left for the necessary
robing and ceremonies that were to ensue—was now
full, and the effect was far superior to any idea that
can be given of it by such inadequate materials as
pen and ink. In the centre was the tall, command-
ing figure of the King, which seemed yet taller and,
more stately by reason of the ample mantle that
trailed upon the ground behind him. He appeared
to stand in a golden circle, represented by the glit-
tering embroideries and richly-laced coats of the
Ministers and others around him. Several Knights
of the Black Eagle, grouped not far to his right,
formed a patch of the most vivid blood-red, the
colour of their cloaks. The Princes, Ambassadors,
and others in the Royal gallery were all standing,
showing the utmost variety of colour and costumei
and broad ribands of all the Orders in Europe.i The
Duke of Saxe
Queen of Prussia), Princes of the blrd
Portugal,
-Weimar (younger brother of theeßelgium,
Aus-
tria, Russia, Holland, Bavaria,

vt.
Nlt.
Saxony; Lord Clarendon, the Brl kei
with.Si fArormte'rGtheeece Liturgy n nd aa
traordinary, with the blue riband arto-40 4?‘
the Duke of Magenta, laced upon evKly
and with the broad ribhnd of the Lekion of
of the Palace church
Honour; General Dello„Rocca from Italy, Baron
y
General.
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the altar and laid those regalia upon it, on
their
respective cushions, and then returned to their
places. The bearers of the S word of State and of
the Great Seal stationed themselves on the left of
the altar. The psalm over, the King rose from his
throne, and while trumpets and kettledrums Were
sounding and beating without, he approached the
altar, ushered towards it by the High Marshal, and
followed by the Crown Prince, by the State banner,
and by several officers of the household. The music
was hushed, his Majesty knelt on the steps of the
altar and offered up a silent prayer. On rising
again to his feet the Crown Prince approached him
and took off his Black Eagle mantle and callar, and
then the officers of the Court placed upon the King's
shoulders the coronation mantle, an enormous ex-
panse of ermine-lined velvet. Handing his military
helm to his aide-decamp the King approached the
altar, took up the crown in both hands, and placed it
on his head, pressing it down a little, as though
adjusting and fixing it firmly. He then took up the
sceptre and globe, and turning towards the specta-
tors held the latter out at arm's length and waved
it' ',!c or thrice. Laying down the globe, and
passing the sceptre from the right hand to the left,
he grasped the Sword of State, and stood fel. a few
moments thus armed in front of the altar. While
all this pantomime went on the clereprayed. The
King returned the sword to the Ober Birggrave,.of
the kingdoin of Prussia, M. von BrunneckViand
still holding the sceptre, waited, • near the altar,
the high officers of the Court taking .up
the train of his- mantle. The Queen then
arose, descended from her throne, and in her turn
knelt down and prayed. Her coronation mantle
was put on, and then Count von der Groben pre-
sented, on a cushion, her crown to the King, who
placed it on her Majesty's head. As there was no
hold for it there—it being placed, as usual, on the
flat part of the
.head—the ladies of the Queen's
suite were at once busy in securing it, which they
did very effectually, as it seemed, although the
means employed were not visible on the
,gallery.
Their Majesties then knelt together on the altar,
and one of the officiating clergymen uttered a bene-
diction upon them, calling upon all present to join
him in saying " Amen," which they accordingly
did. The Crown Prince and Princess and the
other Princesses in turn approached their Majesties
when they went back to their thrones, made their
obeisance, and kissed their hands, whereupon the
King and Queen embraced and kissed them. There
was a considerable attrendissement on the part of
some of the members of the family—the King did
not conceal his emotion, and the Princess Royal's
eyes were very red when she came out of church.
The ceremony was now at an end as far as the
church went, and those who had witnessed it hur-
ried out by the side entrances to seek places in the
galleries in the court, for which all who had cards
of admission to the church were also provided with
tickets.

In memory of yesterday a new order i‘s founded—
that of the Crown. The first class of it has been
bestowed upon the Minister of War, Von Roon,
upon Baron Schleinitz, and; upon the Chancellor,
Dr. Von Zander.

A dinner was given yesterday by the King to
810 guests in the great Muscovite Saloon. The
King and Queen were loudly cheered. Before the
guests left, chamberlains went round and presented
every one with a large silver medal commemorative
of the coronation. To the guests at the Royal table
gold ones had been distributed. A grand concert is
to be given to-night in the Muscovite Saloon, at
which it is said that 5,000 persons will be present.
Last night there was a subscription ball " for the
benefit of the German fleet." To-night there is a
masked ball. The Konigsbergers are determined
to make the most of the occasion.

THE CHINA, CALCUTTA, AND AUS-

TRALIAY JILIILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, OCT. 22.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam-
ship Indus, Captain VToodgates, with the heavy
portion of the Calcutta, China and Australian mails
arrived this afternoon. She brings 63 passengers,
48 packages specie,value £182,799 ; precious stones,
value 3,914 rupees ; and 1,296 packages general
cargo.

The Indus sailed from Alexandria on the 9th,
Malta 12th, and Gibraltar the 17th inst. On the
10th she exchanged signals with the company's
steamer Ellora, standing S. and E., also the Valetta,
steering the same course ; 13th, passed the com-
pany's steamer Pera, steering S. and E.; 18th,
exchanged signals with the steamer Chester, and on
the 20th with the company's steamer Alhambra,
standing S.W.
The French transport steamers El Dorado, Ulloa,
and Mayene, a Turkish gun-boat, and the Egyptian
fleet were lying in the harbour of Alexandria ; at
Malta, her Majesty's ship Hannibal; at Gibraltar
her Majesty's ships Orion, Trident, Scourge, and
gun-boats Procris, Cockatrice, and Assurance.
The Madrid papers state that Prince Muley-
Abbas and his suite continue to be objects of general
attention in Madrid. The members of the diplo-
matic body and the leading persons had called upon
the prince. Up to the 10th the Spanish Govern-
ment had received no information as to the propo-
sitions which Muley-Abbas was to submit on the
part of the Sultan, and could not tell whether the
evacuation of Tetuan would form the subject of the
conference between the Prince and Senor Calderon
Collantes.

The rivers Ana and Galligam had inundated the
lower part of the city of Gerona; the water in some
places had reached the first story of the houses, and
the destruction of property had been immense. It
was feared that the inundation had been general
throughout the province.
General Pardes arrived at Cadiz on the 7th inst.
from Madrid, to assume the military command of
the city and garrison. General Rebagliato was to
leave Cadiz on the 10th for the Canary Islands.
M oufl etyh -eAcbitbya s
ofValencia has
for charitable given 5,000 fr. to the authori-
ties
establish-
ments.

The following British ships had arrived out at
Gibraltar since the date of the last mail :—Brig
Marmion, 20 days from Liverpool ; steamer Brenda,
8 days from London ; H.M.'s steam sloop Pelican,
14 days from Portsmouth ; steamer Pera, 4 days 36
hours from Southampton; steamer Meander,
days from Liverpool ; steamer Peninsula, 7 days
from London ; .brigantine Mary Sproat, 24 days
from Swansea; and steamer Sicilian, 7 days from
Liverpool.
Gibraltar exchanges were quoted—London, 90

days' date, 49i ; Paris, 5.26; Marseilles, 5.27 ;
Genoa, 5.28 ; Brussels, 5.30 ; Madrid, 8 days' sight,
par; Cadiz, a dis. ; Malaga, par; Seville, pars;
Alicanti, dis. ; Valencia, prem.; Barcelona,
prem. ; Spanish pillared dollars, Ferdinand, 2 per
cent. prem.—no demand ; do. Carolus, 22 per cent.
prem.—in demand ; Silver, Five-franc piece, 3 per
cent. prem. ; Mexican Dollars, 3 per cent. prem.
Freights to London and out•ports in the United
Kingdom, 255. to 30s. per ton steamer, and 10 per
cent. Gulf of Mexico and Havana; Brazil and River
Plate, 12 dole. per ton and 10 per cent.

e ap SHEERNESSLDum urg
niet
ill.nl
thel.‘ V AchYa.;--;),
At a meeting
tors were authorised, under the company's " In-
the directors
croase of Capital Act, 1861," to raise £30,000 in 3,000 shares
of £lO each, to bear interest at the rate of 5.,5 10s. per cent.
:s t e ANDr
da y (
per annum for the purpose of paying old liabilities of the
undertaking, and completing certain works. The amount
SITTII/C. GB
hCTIT(;,IsyI
of preference capital will take interest before the ordinary
share capital,

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA,
COVENT GARDEN.
Under the management of Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. Wm.
Harrison, Sole Lessees.
Will OPEN for the Sixth Operatic Season on THURSDAY,
Oct. 21, 1861, when will be produced (first time) an entirely
New Grand Opera, in Four Acts, by Howard Glover, to be
entitled RUT BLAS.
The Box-office open from Ten to Five daily. No charge for
backing, or fees to Box-keepers.
9taze-Manager, Mr. Leigh Murray. Acting-Manager, Mr.
Edward Murray.

RoYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Manazer—ifr. Edmund Falconer.

TEAS EVENING, MY AUNT'S HUSBAND.
Atter which, at Eight o'clock, the new and success-
lal comedy of WOMAN; or, Love against the World.
(Ai racters by Messrs. Walter Lacy, Addison, Herman Vezin,
Bruton, Mrs. Bowers, Miss Murray, and Miss Lydia Thomp-
110ri- _ _

-4-.) conclude with AN UNPROTECTED FEMALE, In
which ➢iiss Lydia Thompson will danee a New Volunteer
Quick Step.

...
-Prices as usual. Doors open athalf-past 8, to commence at
7 Box-office open daily from 11 till 5.

uEA TRE•RO Y AL, HAYMARKET.
Lessee, Fir. J. B. Buckstone-
TYTTP EVENING, the pertormanoes will commence with
THE WOLF AND THE LAMB.
Alter which, a new Comedy, entitled T HESS OFT SEX
Mr. C. Mathews, Mr. Buckstone, Mr. Compton, r. E.Villiers
Mrs. Charles Mathews, Mrs. Wilkins, &O.
With PAUL PRY MARRIED AND SETTLED. Paul
Pry (in a new position), Mr. C. Mathews.
To conclude with SHOCKING EVENTS.
Commence a 7.

0Y A L PRINCE S S'S THEATRE.-
Lessee and Manager. Mr. A. Harris.
THIS EVENING, THE RENDEZVOUS.
After which, at Eight o'clock, Shakespeare's tragedy of
OTHELLO, with new scenery, dresses, and appointments.
Othello, Mr. Fechter.

" .EATRE-f-t0 YAL, ADELPHL-
NSoIe Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster.
Open for the Winter Season.
THIS EVENING, MUSIC HATA CHARMS. Messrs.
D. Fisher, Romer, Warde, Misses B. Kelly and Laidlaw.
Atter which (258th time), THE COLLEEN BAWN. Mr,
n. twucicault, D.-Fisher, Ellington Emery,
Stephenson,
L, .1. Smith, Romer. Howard, Ward ; Mrs. Bonelcault, Miss
w„oigar, Mrs. Billington, and Mrs. H. Lewis.
Toconclude with LOVE AND HUNGER. Messrs. Fisher,
Emery, C. J. Smith, Mrs. H. Marston, and Miss K. Kelly.
Doors onen at half-past 6—Commence at 7.

dr IANTERBURY HALL CONCERTS,
AND FINE ARTS GALLERY.
31 r. SAM CO WEL L every evening at Nine and a quarter
to Eleven.

Also, Grand Selections from

TROVATORR, TRAVTATA, NORMA, MARTHA, and