The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-04 00:00:00

MGR WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

THIS DAY.—Morning, 911. 7m.—Afternoon, 511. 53in.
To-Mon ow.-Morning, 1011. 35111.—Afternoon, 11h. 20m.

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LONDON, irEDAESDIY, 31 11:(71 4, 1368.

St. James's Palace yesterday presented a brilliant
spectacle, and the first levee of the season inau-
gurated the Royal receptions of 1868 with suitable
splendour. It was largely attended, and 150 pre-
sentations made to the Prince of WALES, on behalf
of her ;MAJESTY, showed that the old traditional
etiquette has not, as some would have us believe,
gone altogether out of favour. Many circumstances
combined to render the occasion a cheerful and

auspicious one. The Prince of WALES is him-
self relieved from his protracted anxiety
respecting his august consort, the popular
Princess, who won all hearts on her arrival, and has
retained an unshaken hold on the affections and
sympathies of the people. Another ground for
rejoicing was the intimation that the Drawing
Rooms this year are to be held by her MAJESTY in
person, an intimation which will be received with
unfeigned satisfaction by all classes of the commu-
nity. On every account it is matter for rejoicing
that the QUEEN should reappear among her loyal sub-
jects, and break through the clouds of sorrow and
despondency which have so long weighed over her.
The fresh stimulus which her presence will give to
the gaieties and pleasures of the season is subject
for general congratulation. The higher circles have
missed the guiding influence of their natural leader,
while the depressed condition of trade has been felt
heavily by those to whom the Court splendours
are a dream. With fine and favourable
weather to give us good prospects for our
crops, and the QUEEN once more affording
encouragement to the thousand branches of in-
dustry which depend more or less upon Court pa-
tronage, we may hope that the season of 1868
may inaugurate better and brighter days than Eng-
land has seen for the last few years.

As Easter Monday draws nearer and nearer, the
question where the Volunteer Review is to take
place is frequently asked. The annual review has
now become a regular part of the holiday makers'
programme, and there are thousands who would
feel themselves very much ill-used if from any
cause it was postponed or abandoned. There can
be no doubt but that the review has been of great
service by maintaining the prestige of the military
amateurs, and by keeping alive the public interest
in their proceedings. It is more important as a
means of testing the Volunteers, of mustering them
in force, and showing from year to year
that they have not enrolled themselves merely
as a pastime or for the sake of displaying
a rifle and a uniform, but that they are prepared
to make those sacrifices and repeat those exertions
without which no one can be of much service to his
country. The great question as to the whereabouts
of the Easter Monday Review was yesterday dis-
cussed at a meeting of Volunteer commanding
officers, held at the rooms of the National Rifle
Association, in Pall-mall. There are many seaports
which would gladly be the favoured one, since the
distinction of being the scene of the annual display
brings solid advantages in the shape of visitors.
Three places, had been rivals in the opinion of
the committee—Dover, Brighton, and Portsmouth
and some gentlemen went down to examine_ the
several places and inquire into the suitability of the
ground, as well as into the sufficiency of the means
of transport and accommodation. The report of
this committee of inquiry was presented yesterday
by Lord RANELAGH to the meeting, and it appeared
that Portsmouth has been selected. Lord RANE-
LAGH said that they had decided upon recommending
Portsmouth, not only on account of its local advan-
tages, but because of the opportunity which it
would afford the Volunteers of manceuvring with
the regular troops, and of enabling a large number
of country corps to join who had not previously
been able to do so. We think this a wise decision
on the part ()lathe committee, since the Volunteers
will be introduced to a new sphere of duty, and one
which, in case of actual danger, they would very
likely be called upon to fill. Should the regular
army be required elsewhere, the garrisoning of
Portsmouth, and the protection of the dockyard and
arsenal would naturally devolve upon the Volunteers,
and the task would be one of great importance. Tt
is just as well in performing the mimic war to re-
hearse a part which the actors may actually have to
play in real life, and the decision has, therefore,
solid advantages to recommend it. There was
an effort made in favour of Brighton,
always a pleasant place of resort, cheap,
easy of access, and close to London. But Brighton
has had for the present its fair share of the display,
and it is well that the visit of the Volunteers should
not be too much a matter of course. The sight-
seers will have nothing to complain of, for the rail-
way fares will be very low, and arrangements will
be entered into to provide those who visit Ports-
mouth prior to the Review with the means of visit-
ing the Isle of Wight and other places at a rea-
sonable rate. So far, then, as the general public
is concerned, the change is consequently a
beneficial one, while in a military point of
view, as we have said, it has manifest
advantages. The Volunteers on their arrival will
rendezvous on the glacis of the town fortifications
of Portsea and Portsmouth, and afterwards march
past Southsea common. The after manceuvres will
be interesting enough. Portsdown hill and forts
will be supposed to be in possession of the enemy,
who has effected a landing on the Sussex coast, and
who, with a view of effecting the capture of the
dockyard and arsenal, has invested Ililsea. The
defenders thereupon arc to make a sortie over
pontoon and other bridges at three points, and the
subsequent battle is, of course, to terminate in the
defeat of the enemy and the relief of the town. If
the fine spring weather which has lately shone upon
us will favour the Volunteers, the Easter Monday
display of 1868 bids fair to rival any of its prede-
cessors.

Perhaps we have no right to be surprised at any-
thing that the Prussians do, but at the same time
we may be excused a little wonder at the very
barefaced course they are pursuing with•respect to
Hanover. For some time past a great deal of angry
feeling has been apparent, but still there was no
ground to suppose that Count BISMARCK would
fulfil his threats and act according to this fashion.
The last intelligence is to the effect that a Royal
decree has been issued at Berlin, which seques-
trates the private fortune of King GEORGE
of Hanover; and should this prove sub-
stantially correct, the world will have no
excuse for any longer mistaking:or misrepresenting
the real character of the Prussian Government. To
appropriate another person's property is always
held to be a monstrous thing, and since it is the
"private fortune" that is referred to, it is quite
evident that no political object is endangered by the
right o‘i ner possessing it. It is partly through
meanness, and partly through spite and malice,
that such an intention has been formed, and it is
worthy of reprobation accordingly. It is all of a
piece with the rest of Berlin diplomacy that no
notice of such a plan was allowed to appear in the
speech just delivered by the KING at the close of
the Prussian Chambers, and very significant
alio that the sinister scheme should have been kept
in the background until the Parliamentary Session
eras cpl,)cisictd. Every
i cs
must Ab7e whopretty all
aware
ai.tn
sPttillln3
time
that a straightforward course is the very last that
the statesmen of Berlin ever deem it advisable to
pursue; as for the Chambers, they are sent to the
right about so soon as it is neeessaryttoty indeedakeany
direct steps of any sort whatever, and they
emulate the position of the /lois Faneant of French
history. The unfortunate King GEORGE may have
been a little imprudent in his recent attempts to
keep up thQ contlectiez with his friends and allies,