The Sun.
London, England, 1861-09-12 00:00:00

Colonel Hort replied in the following terms :

"May it please your Royal Highness,—ln the name of
the officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers of the
36th regiment, I beg leave to return you our most sincere
thanks for the honour which you have conferred upon us
by presenting us with our new colours, and in speaking of
the regiment in so splendid a manner. Permit me to
assure you that it will ever be a proud recollection for
each one of us that we had the honour of belonging to
the brigade in which you commenced your military
career. I would beg to call your attention to the
medallion fixed on the staff of our old regimental colours.
It contains the remaining shreds of the standards which so
often led the regiment to victory under the great Duke of
Wellington. 'I his medallion will be transferred to the staff
of the new regimental colours ; and should our new colours
ever be unfurled, at our sovereign's command, in the pre-
sence of the enemy, I trust that the 36th of that day will
prove that they are worthy successors of the brave men who
fought under these noble relics of the Peninsular War. I
again beg to thank your Royal Highness for the honour you
have conferred upon us." _

The ensigns then raised the new colours and dis-
played them to the regiment, which saluted them
by presenting arms, the drums beating and the
bugles sounding, No 1 Company, which was com-
posed exclusively on this occasion of soldiers who
had been in the ranks when the old colours were
presented to the regiment in 1846, then formed in
close order and marched to the pile of arms in front
of the centre of the regiment, the band playing
the "British Grenadiers." The old colours were
saluted for the last time, receiving the honours
which had been paid to the new colours, and were
marched to the rear of the line under the escort of
No. 1 Company, the band striking up " Auld Lang
Syne." The regiment, having closed its ranks, broke
into open column and marched past in slow and
quick time. They again wheeled into line and ad-
vanced in review order, and gave the Royal salute.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, the
Lord Lieutenant, the Commander of the Forces,
and a large company, honoured Colonel Hort and
the officers of the regiment by taking luncheon with
them, after the presentation, in their quarters, two
large marquees having been pitched in aid of the
mess establishment. The usual loyal toasts having
been given the Prince of Wales left the luncheon-
table and visited the soldiers and their families in
their quarters, where they had been provided by
their officers with the good cheer necessary for the
celebration of the event. In the evening the' ser-
geants of the 36th entertained the sergeants of the
Grenadier Guards at dinner, and thus the two
branches of the brigade hospitably closed the period
of the Prince of Wales's training at the Curragh.
The presence of the Channel fleet in Belfast
Lough has excited a furore among the sight-seers
of that place. The crowds which thronged the
steamers that ran on Monday between the quays
and the Royal Squadron exceeded in number, says
the Whig, anything ever witnessed at this har-
I bour

"All sorts and conditions of men, from the mayor to the
mudlark, were up for the day's sight-seeing. Men, women,
and children, the sturdy lads and lasses from the rural dis-
tricts, the operatives of factories, and a large number of
artisans, jostled together, as it were, in one dense mass at
each run of the different steamers, and, for the nonce,
grades had scarcely an existence. During the day some
tens of thousands must have been conveyed up and down the
Channel."

At half-past 11 o'clock the Town Council, accom-
panied by the ladies of their respective families and
some friends, went down in the Adela to visit Rear-
Admiral Smart on board the Revenge, and were
very courteously received. Mr. Mullen, senior
alderman, in the absence of the Mayor, welcomed
him in the name of the corporation, invited him and
the officers of the fleet to lunch at Belfast, and of-
fered to place a steamer at their disposal. One of
the ladies, Miss IT Gee, was introduced to the Admi-
ral, and presented him with a handsome bouquet.
Another party invited the Admiral and the officers
to a ball this evening. The imitations were all
politely accepted, and the parties retired well pleased
with their visit, having first steamed round the
ships. The multitude continued to pour down from
Belfast till a late hour. Some accidents occurred
in the crowding. A lady from Bangor-castle fell
from the bridge of one of the steamers upon the deck
with great force. One of her legs was broken, and
the other badly sprained. Dr. Corry attended to
her promptly, and she is said to be progressing
favourably. A young man fell overboard, but was
picked up in time to save his life by a coloured sea-
man belonging to the Revenge, who leaped in and

rescued him. The report says—" From the way in

which the passengers push and pull one another in
endeavouring to secure a seat on the steamers it is
almost a miracle that more have not been precipi-
tated into the water."