The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-26 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

Yesterday was the birthday of her Royal Highness the
buchess of Gloucester, the Qdeen, attended by Lady Caroline
Cocks, arrived at Gloucester House in an open carriage, to
pay a visit of congratulation to her royal relative. Colonel
Arbuthnot, Equerry in Waiting, attended her Majesty on
horseback. His Royal Highness Prince Albert also visited
the Royal Duchess.
The Queen Dowager, (attended by the Hon. Mks Mitchell),
her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, their Royal High-
ness the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, their Royal High-
nesses the Hereditary Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of
Mecklenburg Strclitz, visited the Duchess of Gloucester
during the day, to congratulate her Royal Highness on the
auspicious return of her natal day, and her return to a state
of convalescence from the effect of her recent cold.

His Serene Highness Prince Ernest of Hesse Phillipstahl
paid a visit to her Royal Highness.
Many of the nobility and gentry called yesterday at
Gloucester House, and entered their names fur her Royal
Highness.
In the evening the Duchess of Gloucester dined with their
Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and
the Hereditary Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Meeklen-
burgh Strelitz, at Cambridge House.
Her Majesty the Queen Dowager (attended by the Hon.
Miss Mitchell), and her Royal Highness the Duchess of
Kent, visited the Queen yesterday.
The Marchioness of Douglas (nee Princess Mary of Baden)
visited her Majesty at Buckingham Palace yesterday.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert presided yesterday
afternoon at a meeting of the Commission fur promoting and
encouraging the Fine Arts in the re-building the Palace at
Westminster.

The meeting was held at a quarter before three o'clock in
one of the Committee-rooms of the House of Commons. The
Commissioners present were Lord Ashburton, Viscount Pal-
merston, Viscount Mahon, Sr Robert Harry Inglis, Mr.
Benjamin Hawes, M.P., Mr. Henry Hallam, and Mr.
Thomas Wyse.
After the meeting, Prince Albert, accompanied by the
other Commissioners, and attended by Mr. Eastlake, the
Secretary to the Commission, inspected the state of the
works in the new Palace. _ _ _

At a quarter-past five o'clock Prince Albert, attended by
Colonel Bouverie, took his departure for Buckingham
Palace.

The Duke of Cambridge visited her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Kent yesterday.
Mr. T. L. Ingram, Colonial Secretary of the Gambia, had
an interview with Lord Stanley yesterday, at the Colonial-
office.

The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England had a meet-
ing yesterday afternoon, at the office in Whitehall-place.
There were present the Bishops of Bangor, Ely, Hereford,
and Lichfield, and the Earl of Besborough.
The Queen gave a State Ball yesterday evening, at Buck-
ingham Palace. The ball, the first of the season, was at-
tended by upwards of one thousand of the Nobility and Gen-
try—the ladies appearing in new dresses. The members of

the Diplomatic CLl:ps wearing their different costumes. The
members of State and members of the Administration, and
the officers of the Household wearing their full dress official
costumes. The officers of the Army and Navy habited in
their Uniforms; and the members of the Orders of Knight-
hood displaying their respective insignia.
Soon after nine o'clock the company began to arrive at the
Palace, alighting at the principal portico, leading to the
grand hall, which was lined by the Yeomen Guard, in their
coronation costume, commanded by Captain Kincaid, the
Exon in Waiting. The Yeomen Guard were also on duty
on the grand staircase and in the ante-room. Sir George
Houlton, the Ensign, and Mr. Ellerthorp, Adjutant, were in
attendance. The hall and staircase were tastefully deco-
rated with choice and fragrant flowers. The band of the Ist,
or Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards, was stationed in the
Hall, and performed a number of peices during the evening.
A Guard of Honour of the Foot Guards was on duty in
front of the Palace.

Their Serene Highnesses Prince Ernest of Hesse Philippstahl
and Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar arrived at half-past
nine o'clock.

Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess Stephanie of
Baden, attended by Baroness de Strumfeder, and Baron Roth
de Schreckenstein, arrived shortly afterwards.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent was attended by
Lady Anna Maria Dawson, the Countess Wratislaw, and
Colonel Sir George Couper.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cam-
bridge, and the Hereditary Grand Duke and Grand Duchess
of Mecklenburgh Strelitz were attended by Baron Kr.ese-
beck and Mr. Edmond Mildmay.
The Royal Family were received by Lady Caroline Somers
Cocks and the Hon. Miss Devereux, Maids of Honour in Wait-
ing; Sir Frederick Stovin, Groom in Waiting; Captain
Francis Seymour, Groom in Waiting to Prince Albert;
Colonel Arbuthnot, Equerry in Waiting; and Colonel Bou-
verie, Equerry to Prince Albert.
The Duke de Broglie accompanied the French Ambassador
and the Countess de St. Aulaire.

Among the earlier arrivals were the Earl and Countess of
Shrewsbury, Lord Chief Justice Tindal, the Lord Chancellor
and Lady Lyndhurst, the Duke of Wellington, Viscount
Beresford, the Marchioness of Clanricarde, Earl Howe, Lady
Georgiana Curzon, Earl and Countess of Zetland, Lord and
Lady Cottenham, Earl and Countess of Haddington, Earl of
Clarendon, the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress, Viscount
Gage, Marquis and Marchioness of Normanby, Duke of Buck-
ingham and Chandos, Duke of Richmond and Lady C. Gor-
don Lennox, Marquis and Marchioness of Ailesbury, Marquis
of Salisbury, Viscount Combermere, Earl of Ellenborough,
the Lord Chief Baron and the Misses Pollock, the Earl and
Countess of Rosebery, Admiral Sir R. Stopford, Earl and
Countess of Listowell, Lord and Lady Ponsonbv, Lord
Forester, Hon. Sir Edward and Lady Butler, Viscount
Jocelyn, Lord and Lady M. Alford, Mr. and Mrs. Cardwell,
Earl of Mansfield, Marquis of Northampton, Lord Monteagle,
Sir Thomas Fremantle, Marquis of Lansdowne, Earl and
Countess of Shelburne, Marquis of Douglas, Lord Ashley,
Earl of Clare, Mr. J. W. Hogg (Chairman of the East India
Company), Mrs. and Miss Hogg, Viscount Castlereagh,
Viscount Howick, Earl of Devon, Right Hon. W. E. and
Mrs. Gladstone, Lord C. Manners, Sir J Graham, Lord
Denman and the Hon. Misses Denman, Sir H. and Lady
Douglas, Earl of Besborough, Hon. C. E. and Mrs. Law,
sir J. Hobhoase, Viscount and Lady S. Ingestre, Marquis
and Marchioness of Blandford, Marquis Camden, Earl of
Ripon, Viscount Goderich, Sir Charles Napier, Admiral Sir
Edward Codrington, Lord and Lady Stanley, Vice-Chancellor
and Miss Wigram, Mr. Babbage, 'Lord and Lady Kinnaird,
Earl of Aberdeen, Viscount and Lady Frances Sandon, Earl
Talbot, Marquis and Marchioness of Londonderry' the
Duchess of Sutherland, Marchioness of Lorne, Earl and
Countess of Lincoln, Earl of Bandon, Earl and Countess
of Kinnoull, Sir Augustus Clifford and the Misses Clifford,
Earl of Auckland, Lord and Lady Langdale, Viscount Dup •
plin, Sir Edward Cust, Viscount and Viscountess Palmer-
ston, Admiral Sir George Cockburn, Lord W. Lennox, Lord
Alfred Paget, Lord Ashburton, the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, the Duke of Montrose, Lord and Lady Beauvale,
the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort, Viscountess Forbes and
Mr. Vaughan, Lord Saltoun, Earl and Countess of Ennis-
killen, Earl of Shaftesbury, Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, the
Marquis and Marchioness of Breadalbane, the Solicitor-General
and Lady Thesiger, the Baron and Baroness L. de Roths-
child, General the Hon. Sir W. and Lady Lumley. The
Marquis of Lorne and Captain the Hon. James Murray wore
the Highland costume. The Duke of Norfolk carried his
gold baton of office as Earl Marshal of England. The Duke
of Buccleuch appeared in his uniform as Captain of the
Royal Scottish Archers.
The Foreign Ambassadors, Ministers, and Charges
d'Affaires and their Ladies, the Secretaries and Attaches of
the aifterent Embassies and Legations, and all the principal
foreigners of Cistinction in town, were present.
The Royal Family were conducted to the yellow drawing-
room, where the Queen and Prince Albert received their
, illustrious guests.
The general company, after ascending the grand stair-
cazr.e, pa-sed into the green drawing-room, the picture-gallery,
and the saloon. The alcove at the south end of the gallery
was filled with a variety of plants in flower, tastefully
grouped, and the recesses in the other rooms were also simi-
larly ornamented.
At, ten o'clock the Queen and Prince Albert left the yellow
drx,ving-room, preceded by the Lord Chamberlain, the Lord
Steward, and :he Vice-Co:in-lbw:lain, and followed by their
Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Kent, the Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge, the Hereditary Grand Duke and
Duchess of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, and the Grand Duchess
Stephanie of Baden, the Duchess of Buccleuch, Mistress of
the Robes ; Viscountess Jocelyn, Lady in Waiting ; and
Viscount Sydney, Lord in Waiting, being in attendance on
the Queen.
The royal party passed through the saloon into the ball-
"'• .

room, which was most brilliantly illuminated by a magnifi-
cent lustre of cut-glass in the centre, six smaller lustres of
cut-glass, and numerous waxlights in branches. , The quad-
rille band, stationed in an elevated orchestra at the south
end of the room, played '• God Save the Queen" on the en-
trance of her Majesty and the Prince.
A qualrille was shortly formed, and the Queen opened
the ball with the Hereditary Grand Duke of ➢iecklenburgh
Strelitz.

The throne-room was also prepared for dancing, an or-
chestra
for a quadrille band, semi-circular in form, being
fitted up within the throne alcove, the front of the or- I
chestra being hung with festooned draperies of crimson
velvet and gold, corresponding with the splendid furniture
of the apartment. This room was also most brilliantly il-
luminated.
Dancing commenced in this room, where Weippert's band
were in attendance. In the course of the night the following
quadrilles, waltzes, and polka were danced :—" The Castle
of Aymon," " The Pleiades," and " The Beauties of England,"
quadrilles. The Al hack's Tanze, the Lyra and the Bruder
Lustigs, waltzes, and the Palace Polka.
In both ball-rooms elevated seats, for her Majesty and her
illustrious visitors, were prepared at the sides of each, and
were occupied by the Royal Family. The green drawing-
room was used as a refreshment-room during the night.
Supper was served in the drawing- room on a long range of
tables extending round the apartment. The plateau was
ornamented with a variety of articles of gold plate, including
a number of vases (modelled from the Warwick Vase), which
were filled with exotics in flower. Cherry-trees bearing fruit
from the royal gardens were placed at each extremity of the
tables; the buffet at the south end of the room contained a
great variety of articles of gold plate, consisting of shields,
salvers, vases, tankards and cups, the centre group being
formed by the " Armada Urn," the " Shield of Achilles,"
the " Neptune Epergne," and a very beautiful cup, carved
in ivory, the work of Cellini. The buffet was lighted by
candelabra and sconces of silver gilt, tilled with waxlights,
which were interspersed with the other articles, the whole
reflected in a magnificent mirror at the back.

WILL OF ROBERT SMITH, ESQ.—Pr°bate of the
will and codicil of the late Robert Smith, of Savile-row, St.
James's, Westminster, and of Cheam, in the county of
Surrey, Esq., was granted, on the 22d inst. to the Right
Hon. Robert Vernon Smith, M.P., the sole executor, the
eldest son and only surviving child of the testator, by his
marriage with Caroline Vernon, the daughter of Richard
Vernon and Evelyn, Countess of Upper Ossory. The personal
estate is sworn under 180,0001. By his will, dated June 8,
1843, he has left annuities to Mrs. Olier, the widow of his
uncle Christopher, and to Emma Olier, their daughter, and
to Mrs. Olier, his mother's sister, amounting altogether to
230/. per annum, and an annuity of 2001. a year to Mrs.
Mackenzie, now in Florence. Bequeaths to C. G. Beauclerk,
Esq., a legacy of 1.0001. To James Brown, his gardener, he
leaves 801. The will is witnessed by Mr. Mylne, the engineer,
and Mr. Inglis, the secretary to the New River Company.
The deceased died at Savile-row, on the Bth of March last,
only a fortnight after his brother, the Rev. Sydney Smith.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge, the Grand Duke and Duchess of Mecklenburg
Strelitz, and the Princess Marv, yesterday visited the exhi-
bition of the Old Society of Painters in Water Colours, in
Eact.
IMPORTATION OF DUTCH CATTLE. &c.—The im-
portation of cattle and provisions from Holland this week
has been rather extensive. The Batavier brought 50 head
of horned beasts, and the Columbine about 40 head, the
whole of which on being landed were subjected to the usual
examination as to their soundness and freedom from disease,
and a favourable opinion being given by the otllcer appointed
for the purpose, they were cleared immediately. These two.
vessels had also Intween them about 1,400 packages of Dutch
butter and nearly as many packages of cheese, besides a
quantity of eggs, vegetablesl and other edibleq for consum,
•
tiollin this country.