The Sun.
London, England, 1842-10-21 00:00:00

GRAND FETE at RAVENSWORIIII
CASTLE.
(From the Newcastle Chronicle.)
Wednesday last being the day appointed for cele-
brating. the coming of age of Mr. Henry Georati
Liddell, eldest son of the Hon. Henry Liddell,
and grandson of Lord Ravensworth, one of the most;
princely and splendid fetes ever witnessed in this.
district, was given at Ravenswerth Castle, in honour
of the event.
A short time before three o'clock the company
began to arrive, and from that time until nearly five,
they continued to do so in close succession, and at.
that period there could not be less than five hundred
assembled beneath the festive roof of Ravensworth
Castle. About half-past four o'clock, her Royal
Highness the Duchess of Gloucester, who at present
is residing at the Castle, was conducted into the gale
lery by Lord Ravensworth. Almost immediately
after, the Archduke Frederick of Austria and suite
arrived, and having been in the most courteous man-
ner received at the entrance door by Lord Ravens-
worth, the Hon. H. T. Liddell, &c., he was con-
ducted to the gallery.
the
htohlee
oefomthpeatniymes,atthdeoewxncetlloendtinannerd,
eanffid.
durSionogn
lava in ufdent lroefn
tt,he
nn6dls:lallveegimdseelit vird.werepopular
edppullascranodn tiusen-
livening airs. Towards the conclusion of the repast
Lord Ravensworth called for a bumper toast, and:
proposed the health of her Majesty, which was drunk
with three times three cheers and great applause.
That was followed bythe healths of the Queen Dowager,
Prinee Albert, the Prince of Wales, and Princess
Royal, the Duchess of- eeloucestel, and other mem-
bers of the Royal Family, were all drunk with
hearty cheers; after which the noble host requested
the company to fill . another bumper, and called upon
the Marquis of Normanby to propose a toast.
The Marquis of NORMANBY then rose and spoke
as follows have been requested by our noble host
to propose to you the next toast. If I readily accede
to this request, I am at the same time perfectly aware
that no one more strongly feels than Lord Ravens-
worth, therefore no one could more aplropriately ex-
press the unexpected grace, the peculiar honour, con-
ferred on the family festivities by the presence of an
illustrious foreigner. But, though his imperial High-
ness the Archduke Frederipk of Austria is for the first
time personally known to us, his name is already
familiar to English ears as connected with the gallant
profession of which he is a member; and from the
situation which I had the honour to hold in the coun-
cils of my Sovereign at the time his Imperial High-
ness was engaged in active service in the East, some
circumstances connected with his name were strongly
impressed upon my mind and that of my colleagues,
which, for the cultivation of that spirit of cordiality
we all trust may long continue between the countries
of England and Austria, I think it desirable should
not pass unnoticed at this the first very numerous re-
union—though private in its character--at which since
his arrival in England his Imperial Highness has had
occasion to be present. It is to all of us matter of
no very distant historical recollection with what in-
tense anxiety were formerly watched the gallant
efforts of the Austrian legions, then engaged as our
intimate allies in the deadly struggle which con-
Imbed Europe. It is happily not necessary to revert
to these dark times further than to say that the long-
enduring memory of the gallant deeds of the distin-
guished commander of those legions must be pecu-
liarly dear to his Imperial Highness. But it remained
for the Archduke Frederick, in the bright promise or
his opening career, to be the first of his family to.
meet their ancient allies on terms of cordial and
efficient co operation on that eleinent which English-
men are accustomed to consider (perhaps somewhat
presumptuously) peculiarly their national province.
At that time I happened to be in a situation to see the
official and confidential reports of the great naval
commanders then employed there in our 'service, and
with whom his Imperial Highness acted ; and I en-
tertain a lively recollection of the testimony borne by
them to the professional skill, the chivalroas zeal,
tempered with a high sense of discipline, shown by
his Imperial Highness. One trait of his Imperial
Highness, as connected with these transactions, I can-
not refrain from communicating to those who may
not have heard it, and recalling to the recollection of . •
those who may. Our gracious Sovereign, with that
generous desire to distinguish merit, which is with her
as an innate sense of duty, readily proposed to offer to
his Imperial Highness that decoration which is with.
us the mark of high and active public service. His
Imperial Highness, with
,a grace which far exceeded
that of unqualified acceptance, professed his desire
only to accept that grade of the order which would
be bestowed upon officers of the same standing in our
service. Thus showing that in the natural excitement
of successful youth, and in spite of the supposed self-
estimation of exalted rank, modesty is still the never-
failing accompaniment of real merit. Having thus
attempted to do but fair justice to that portion of his
Imperial Highness's career which came within my
own knowledge, I may be permitted, perhaps, in con-
nection with the toast which I shall have the honour
to propose, to express the great gratification that all
connected with this house must feel, that in the course
of the tour in which he is so creditably engaged, to
examine our institutions, and to study our social cha-
racter, his Imperial Highness should have been pre-
sent upon an occasion like this, so peculiar to our na-
tional habits. Of those who now stand to this house
in the same situation as myself, as I am the earliest
connected with it by ties of affection, I would ven-
ture to assure his Imperial Highness, that as it is
almost unequalled in numbers, so May it likewise
challenge rivalry in family love and union. He has
sees this day those who had become the ornament,
and the charm, and the comfort of the homes
of their adoption, re-assembled at that of
their ' infancy with unaltered feelings and
undiminished interest to hail the celebration of the
reward of parents' anxious care; in the opening pro-
mise of one who is to continue in his person the re-
spect and attachment which the family name has so
long commanded and secured. It would, indeed, be
en unpardonable omission on my part if I did not call
the attention of his Imperial Highness to the kind
footing upon which we have been favoured with the
presence of an Illustrious daughter of our own Royal
line, who, during the whole of her life has, by the
practice of every feminine virtue, ensured the universal
respect of the country, and by the charm of her man-
ners has added a grace to every society which she
honours with her presence. I will not venture to ex-
press in her Royal Highness's presence how much the
affectionate interest she has ever shown towards this
family has added warmth to the feelings of devoted
attachment which they all entertain towards her
Royal Highness. The observant eye of his Imperial
Highness will, I feel confident in anything which may
strike his eye as new, not see cause to regret his pre-
sence' here this day ; and on the part of my father-in-
law and the family, with a deep and endearing sense
of the honour he bias vouchsafed to us, I propose "The
health of his Imperial Highness the Archduke Frede-
rick of Auetria."--e(Cheers.) •
The toast having been drunk amidst loud and en-
thusiastic cheering, his Imperial Highness being un-
able to . speak fluently in English, desired Lord
Ravensworth to acknowledge the compliment which
had been paid him, and his Lordship did so in happi
and appropriate terms. The Noble President next
proposed the health of Mr. Henry
met
tGoeeoeilegeberdeLi,ddtined,
whose majority they were then
d
expressed his gratification at his having honoured
by the company of so many noble
with been
istinreai e
enthu-
siasm. '
The toast was drunk
g
n of Lord and Lady
Ravensworth thanks, and con-
eluded by proposing the health
SiaSM. Mr. 11. G. Liddell returned uished
personages.
with rapturous ap-
Ravensworth, which was received Gloucester anci suite then
deserted for the
plause. The Duchess of
retired, and the tables
most delightful promenade.
gallery, which formed a •
The Grand Duke
afterwards served up at
saloon. Coffee Sand tea were
ir
of Austria and suite retired to the
oifvere soon
His Imperial Highness
gallery. the ga .
rrallery about eight o'clock, and the
the east end of
repaired Duchess of Gloucester
ndthferebm
Newcastle
entered soon afterwards. The
had
Imperil
hialleady Prudhoe.
be
dancing. with ethneelligloagne. d
for
s
his
his
his I
quadrille The ball was opened with a quadrille,
the evening.
11. G. Liddell •
ellempeeeliallo:::nelslsis Imperial Highness and suite
Country Highness and
the Hon. Miss Liddell again leading off, to the tune of
after ten o'clock, and before twelve many
adnadnlefrs.
followed,l.
of the company had taken their departure, but dancing
was continued with unabated •'t
spin a late hour.
Thus concluded this splendid fete, which afforded
left shortly
the highest gratification to all who had the honour of
attending it.

There is
a merchant ves-steclirrof-a
A ROYAL Y
adst tohmeeprheusielndtlmionmgenint
Greenock harbour, closevetroythhaenCustom-house,y which
in its time has played many parts. At one period it
was a favourite pleasure yacht of that most extraor-
dinary man, Napoleon Buonaparte. Finding there
was need for all the vessels that could be procured to
keep up the demand, the French converted the yacht
of the " Grande Empereur" into a 10:gun brig;
but, as a matter very much of course, it was soon
captured by the British. After various ups-and-
downs, it is now quietly engaged on the peace estab-
lishment, and sails under the modest title of the
muruil."Duncan is the commander.
—Glasgow Constitutional.
Thomas, of which Captain.
gOlDrcril. 16.—A letter from Antwerp, of
" SBiEcutrsasEnszsl,
the 15th of October, says—" The British Queen, Bel-
gian steamer, arrived at New York on the 28th of
September. On its arrival it had to pay a tonnage
duty, amounting to B,ooof. or 9,000 f. Besides this,
the import duty on coals is not to be returned when
it leaves, and under this head there will be a loss of
400 f. or 500 f. These facts are serious, and so unfore-
seen and injurious that we cannot too earnestly call
the attention of the Government to them. The Bel-
i
gian ship Mercator has likewise had to bear this an-
mat flCTese of
the tonnage &dim