The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-18 00:00:00

PORTSMOUTH, THURSDAY.

Her Majesty having signified her intention of taking
an airing on board the Royal yacht this morning, that
noble vessel was got ready and under weigh soon after 1
o'clock, and her Majesty and Prince Albert proceeded
on board in the royal barge, steered by Lord Adolphus
Fitzelarence. The roads at Cowes being now nearly
fully occupied by the royal yacht squadron craft, pre-
sented a most gay and enlivening scene as the royal
party proceeded on board. The royal yacht having
cleared the roads, put on more steam, and came up the
Solent in grand style, the royal standard floating from
the masthead. On approaching Ryde the loyal inha-
bitants of that place assembled on the pier, and paid
their respects to their Sovereign by repeatedly bowing,
removing their hats, and waving handkerchiefs. As the
yacht rounded Ryde and came in sight of the fleet at
Spithead, the flag-ship St. Vincent saluted with 21 guns,
which example was speedily followed by the Caledonia,
Queen, and Victory. The ships at Spithead seemed
quite unprepared for the appearance of the royal stan-
dard among them, for the St. Vincent had the seamen's
clothes hanging from her rigging to dry as the royal
yacht passed, and the others seemed equally taken by
surprise, for no yards were manned, nor did they other-
wise acknowledge the royal approach than by salute.
The royal yacht steamed on, apparently with the inten-
tion of proceeding round the island, as she kept very close
in shore, but when she had passed the Queen she altered
her course, and steered for the Nab light, to the eastward
of which she went, and then turned round to return as she
came. This being clearly distinguishable, there was evi-
dently a deal of bustle and activity on board the ships at
Spithead, who appeared determined to present a better ap-
pearance to the royal eye on returning; the seamen's cloth-
ing was taken in, and the ships then presented a more
sightly appearance. On the return of the royal yacht the
fleet did not salute, but all hoisted signals, and the vari-
ous points on both sides of the roadstead were decorated
with the royal standard and union jack ; and as the
noble craft passed the last man-of-war to the westward,
the guns on the platform battery fired a royal salute, and
the British ensign floated from the Victoria Pier and
Blockhouse Fort. Her Majesty and Prince Consort were
not visible upon the deck of the royal yacht at any period
of the short cruise. At about three o'clock the royal
yacht passed Hyde on her return to Cowes, where the
royal party disembarked about four o'clock, without
ceremony. Should the weather prove equally inviting
to-morrow, we believe it is her Majesty's intention to
take another trip on the other side of the island.
We believe Captain Sir Chartes Sullivan, late of the
Formidable, 84, on the Mediterranean station, and who
brought home the Queen recently from that station, will
be appointed Flag-Captain to Rear-Admiral Bowles, on
board the St. Vincent, in the approaching cruise, vice
Rowley, who will remain ashore to assist the Comman-
der-in-Chief (his gallant father) in conducting the duties
of this port.
The funeral of the two artillerymen who met such a
dreadful death on the King's Bastion on Monday took
place yesterday. They were interred in the burying
ground of St. Mary's, Portsmouth. The usual military
honours accompanied the ceremony, and the splendid
band of one of the regiments in quarters here played the
" Dead March in Saul" as the mournful procession
moved along, attended by a vast concourse of spectators.
The brother of Walker has been i❑ a state bordering on
insanity ever since the awful calamity, and the wife, or
rather the widow, has also become nearly bereft of
reason.

PROJECTED IMPROVEMENTS IN CHELSEA.—Last
Tuesday a Numerous meeting of the inhabitant rate-
payers of St. Luke's, Chelsea, was held in the vestry-
room, to consider the propriety of improving the road
and footways, and adopting measures to abolish Queen's-
elm and Royal Hospital-row turnpikes—the Rev. Charles
Kingsley, Rector, in the chair. Mr. Kruse, coal mer-
chant, stated that the meeting was held in compliance
with a requisition signed by 175 ratepayers. Not only
was the Government resolved upon building a street
from the new Houses of Parliament, but an embankment
of the Thames, fifty feet wide, would be also immediately
commenced. It was, therefore, the interest of the resi-
dents of St. Luke's to do all in their power to make
their district an object of attraction to visitors.—(Hear,
hear.) At the present moment the wretched state of the
roads and the want of footways rendered it almost im-
passable. In conclusion, he moved a resolution to the
following effect :—That the highway and lighting boards
be empowered to obtain an Act of Parliament for paving,
lighting, and otherwise repairing the parish of Chelsea
(exclusive of Hans Town), and for raising the necessary
sums for those purposes, and also for getting the turn-
pikes at Queen's-elm and Royal Hospital-row removed
beyond the limits of the parish. Mr. Jeffree, senior
churchwarden, seconded the motion, and said that the
improvements embraced nice miles of road and sixty
thousand square feet of footway, the estimated cost of
which was 30,0001., which could be repaid in a few years
at four per cent., and by a rate not exceeding one shilling.
Mr. Davis moved and Mr. Chambers seconded an
amendment, that a committee of forty ratepayers be ap-
pointed to consider the proposition and report thereon.
Upon the question being put, there appeared 30 hands
for the amendment and 88 for the original motion ;
majority for the latter, 58.

Sr. CLEMENT DANES.--110LEORN ESTATE.--Last
night a public vestry of the inhabitant rate-payers of St.
Clement Danes was held, in pursuance of an order of the
Court of Chancery, to nominate eight trustees and
twenty-four managers of the Holborn estate, to be sub-
mitted to the said court for its approbation. The Rector
presided. Mr. Steele read the opinion of Mr. Sergeant
Talfourd respecting the qualification of candidates for
those offices, from which it appeared that, if they pos-
sessed real property of the yearly value of 301., or were
rated to the relief of the poor on a rental of 501., and re-
tained in a house in the parish apartments for themselves,
in which they occasionally slept, that they were quali-
fied. Messrs. Dowling, Boobyer, Prout, Gannon, Stokes,
and other gentlemen having expressed opinions pro et con,
upon the propriety of the two offices being filled by the
same person, it was almost unamiously decided in the
negative. After which the nomination took place, which
included Messrs. Paul, jun., banker,Twining, jun., banker,
Prout, Boobyer, Chapman, Ommaney, Wood, Collier,
Waugh, Abbot, Dowling, &c. According to the
Master's report, the annual income of the Holborn estate
amounts to 3,9571. 10s., and there is also to the credit of
the estate 21,113/. Os. 2cl. sunk in Bank Three per Cent.
Annuities. This estate is for charitable purposes.
The reception of the Hon. F. Paul Methuen and
his bride at Corsham Court on Monday evening was
most gratifying to the feelings of the youthful couple.
The whole town was illuminated, and triumphal arches
erected, under which they passed, amid the joyful accla-
mations of the assembled thousands from all parts of the
country, who came to welcome back to the seat of his
ancestors the heir of the house of Methuen; and many
fervent prayers were offered up that he and his young
bride might for very many long years enjoy uninter-
rupted happiness and prosperity. The bells rung out a
merry peal, and nothing was wanting to testify the
heartfelt joy of the tenantry on this auspicious event.
When his feelings permitted him to speak, and the
cheering had somewhat subsided, Mr. Methuen expressed
his gratitude for tie reception he had met on his return
to the home of his childhood, and concluded by saying
that he hoped they might find him the same sort of man
as his father,