The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-18 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, JAkiJA:II-Y 18, 1842.

GRAND BALL at the TUILERIES.:

As early as seven o'clock on Wednesday evening
the Rue de Rivoli was crowded with equipages of
every species, and with a dense body of spectators to
see the company going to the grand ball, given at the
Palace of the Tuileries. At this splendid entertain-
ment, to which between 4,000 and 500 persons were
invited, courtiers and citizens danced together in the
same quadrille, and prolonged their enjoyments
six in the morning. All the extensive galleries and
saloons of the royal residence were most brilliantly il-
luminated, and resounded with gay and spirit-stirring
music, under the direction of Tolbecq, who is second
only to Strauss. The orchestras, of .50 performers in
each, were in the Hall of the Marshals and in the Ga-
lerie de la Pais. Their Majesties entered at, eight
o'clock. The King, the Prince Royal, and the Duke
do Nemours wore the uniform of Lieutenant-General,
and the Duke d'Aumale that of Colonel of his regiment,
the 17th Light Infantry. Their Majesties, the Prince,
and Princesses, stopped in the throne-room,,,and com-
plimented the members of the Corps Diplomatique.
On perceiving M. Kisseleff, the Russian Charge d'Af-
faires, who appeared to be completely recovered from
his late indisposition, the King addressed him, rind re-
maineu a few minutes in conversation with him. Their
Majesties then moved towards the ball-rooms, stopping
at almost every step to receive the respects of the nu-
merous personages who pressed around them. The
Queen took Ler seat in the Hall of the Marshals, the
most sumptuous and extensive of-the Palace. On one
of the first benches was the Queen, who wore a parure
of sapphires and diamonds, which spread from her head
dress to the bottom of her robe, which was of white
satin, sprigged with gold. On her Majesty's left hand
was Queen Maria Christina of Spain, who wore a rich
dress of red velvet open in front, and ornaments of
beautiful cameos set in diamonds. Her Spanish Ma-
jesty displayed several orders, with a star of brilliants of
the first water. The Duchess of Orleans was on the
right of the Queen,"wearing a B,uperb set of rubies and
diamonds, on a dress of white tulle, garnished with wild
roses. The Duchess de Nemours was distinguished by
her emerald and diamond ornaments, and a dress of iose-
coloured satin. Being enceinte, her Royal Highness
did not dance. The Princess Clementine was dressed
in the same coloured robe, and similar jewels, but in
more simple style. Madame Adelaide was, dressed
with great splendour. The Princess de Wagram sat
next to Queen Maria Christina. Behind the Roy al
bench were the 'ladies of the Ambassadors and Foreign
Ministers. Among those most distinguished for the
splendour and taste of their attire, were Lady Cowley,
the Duchess de Serra Capriole, the Marquise de Brig-
nole, and the Marquise de Torreno, Lady of Honour
to tbe Queen of Spain, and Madame de Kisseleff, aunt
of the Russian Charge d'Affaires. The ladies' toilettes
were more rich, and the profusioe of jewels much greater
than we remember to have seen at any former court-
ball since 1830. The whole of the Corps Diplomatique
were present. Reschid Pacha was the object of much
attention. There were not perhaps as many foreigners
of distinction at this as at the court-ball of list
year., Several ladies were presented by Lady Cowley.
The first Contre-dance was composed of the Duchess of
Orleans and the Prince de Wagrani, Princess Cle-
mentine and a Colonel of the National Guard, the -
Duke d'Aurnale and Mlle. Lobau, with other distin-
guished couples. In the second, the Princess Cle-
mentine danced with a Colonel of Light Infantry.. In
the Hall of the Marshals there was one quadrille of an
immense number of dancers, and there were three other
sets in the Galerie Louis-Philippe, where their Ma-
jesties at a later hour of the evening made their ap-
pearance. In -,the other saloons the company were
able to walk about without being too much crowded.
The richness and variety of the numerous uniforms
were very striking. All the gentlemen, not military or
naval, were in full costume, except the ,Deputies, who
were mostly in black ; many of them wore the insignia
of various orders. The foreigners, among whoM the
English were incontestably the most numerous and
observant, were remarkable for, the eclat and splendour,
and in many instances the singularity, of their uniforms.
The new uniform recently adopted by the French in-
fantry officers demands our notice. It is certainly well
suited for the parade and the field, but for appearance
at Court and dancing with Princesses as several
cfficers did on Wednesday night, nothing can be more
inconvenient, more inelegant, than these frocks of dark
blue cloth, falling below the, knees, with very full trou-
sers and large.boots. Economy is carried too far when
it is at variance with consistency. We saw several gen-
tlemen with the order of Jerusalem glittering on their
breasts, which, whether from their having been led into
Palestine by the late events in the East, or from their
having travelled thither with other motives, they had
received from the Reverend the Guardian of the Holy
City. It was with regret we observed Some persons
who, though annually invited, have not yet learned that
there is a certain respect and propriety of conduct to
be adopted not only in the immediate presence of
Princes, but at all times when within the walls of a pa-
lace. Wednesday evening was rendered scandalous by
the renewal of a positive battle between the servants
posted at the doors of the room appropriated to the
supper of the Queen and the ladies, and a crowd of per-
sons that cannot be called gentlemen, but who, with
shouts and cries, and even. with their hats on their
heads, that their arms might be more at liberty, tried
to force their way in. After all, in no Court of Eu-
iope can there be a finer spectacle than was exhibited
in this room, where upwards of 1,500 ladies were
seated, and served with every possible delicacy of the
season. The supper for ladies was served at midnight.
Supper for gentlemen continued long after the dances
were concluded, and the hall of the theatre in which it
was served was filled three successive times by the
guests. Two hundred maitres d'hotel and five hundred
footmen waited on the company. The King, who
looked remarkably well, retired at half-past ten, but the,
Queen and the rest of the Royal family remained til
near two.

The election for the vacant Professorship of
Poetry in the University of Oxford has been postponed
to Thursday, the 27th instant, as the Royal christening
is to take place on the day originally named.
FATHER MATHEW.—A MIRACLE.—The
following extraordinary statement is from the Limerick
Chronicle, a paper of Orange principles, and therefore
not at all likely to disseMinate anything of this sort for
an object:— "The Rev. Mr. Mathew arrived in this-city
last evening by the Cork mail,..en route to LOtighrea, and
put up at Moore's hotel. ImmeiliAtely after his arrival
became known, hundreds of persons . visited him at
the hotel, where he administered the pledge. One eir-;
cumstance which came within public observation we may
mention here, as illustrative-of the effects of breaking
the temperance pledge :—A man named Moyneham,
a teetotaller, who worked at the Butter Weigh-
house, got drunk on Christmas-eve, and !mkt day be-
came paralyzed, his left arm, side, and thigh, being per-
fectly inanimate. He was removed to Barrington's
Hospital, and remained there under the care of the
surgeons, without improvement, until last evening, when
his friends, having heard of Father Mathew's arrival in
town, went to the hospital and brought him out of his
bed on a man's back to where the Rev. Mr. Mathew was
staying : a crowd had collected round the door, when the
unhappy invalid was brought into his presence, and the Rev.
Gentleman administered to him the pledge again in a
kind and impressive manner, and the man instantly stood
up, was assisted- by hiS friends to dreSs; and, to the
astonishment of all, walked up William-street to his
home, followed by a crowd of people." (I)
SUDDEN DEATHS.—As Mr. James Pitts, fish-
ehrrier from Selsey to Brighton, was in the act of clean-
ing his horse on Wednesday, at Selsey, he fell down and
almost immediately expired. Mr. George Tier, carrier
from Chichester to Portsmouth, while entering the village
of Emsworth, on Tuesday evening, fell from the cart
and was taken up dead. On Wednesday morning as
Mr. Collins, of Bosham, near Chichester, was sitting at
breafast, he fell from his chair and expired immediately.
—Sussex Express.

RATS.—Within the last fortnight the houses
in the vicinity of Somerset-house have been absolutely
overwhelmed with colonies of rats, which latter set all
human attempts to dislodge them at defiince. Notwith-
standing the late autumnal floods tended to destroy
myriads of these noxious animals, the surviving stock
has so increased in numbers since the above period, that
they have become quite a formidable nuisance. Only a
few mornings since a lad, in the employ of Mr. gritliths,
in the Strand, opposite Somerset-house, on his intro-
ducing his hand into a small compartment where some
guinea pigs were domiciled, was seized by a rat, which
inflicted upon him a very serious wound. The rats have
also destroyed several of the above little animals within
the last few days. In Duke-street, Adelphi, the flooring
boards of the kitchens are completely burrowed under-
neath by these destructive_ vermin, which walk about
the house with the utmost audacity, and, indeed, in
several instances, the foundations of the walls are so
undermined by these vermin, that they have sunk into
the earth upwards of a foot and a half in some places.
Extract of a letter from St. Petersburgh, 17th
ult., in the Courrier de la Gironde Our importers
have become discouraged by an increase of the customs'
duties on wines and many other articles. As early as
January next they will levy 7 silver roubles (28f.) in
addition upon ever cask, which will then pay 48 roubles
(190 f.) instead of 41 roubles (165 f.) Champagne will
pay an increased duty of 10 silver kopecks (40c.) a bot-
tle. Prunes will pay 1 rouble 85k. (7f. 40c., the puel of
16 kilogrammes, instead of 1 rouble 70k. (6t. 80c.)
These new burthens upon our tariffs leave us little hope
for our next year's commerce."

EXTENSIVE " CONFLAGRATION.--....We regret
to announce the complete destruction, by fire, of fir.
Duffield's extensive provision stores, in. James's-street.
The fire broke out last night between ten and eleven
o'clock, and, at the time we went to press, presented a
fihfet bynni feet
il nlii
full
ug n
iil facingblaze, length, is about
James's-street
presented
grand
stories in:
raria ap-
pearance. The store was full of hams and otker rte,...
most alarming aspect—the whole range fronting the
street being one mass of flame. The fire seems to have
commenced in the rear part of the store, and quickly
-
extended over the whole of this extensive and valuable
building, notwithStanding the exertions of the different
and three '
fire-engines which were speedily, brought to the spot..
aT
heighthh Itli That
; dpartre
and,d . ° f
and thew
.sions ; but as to the pecuniary extent of.he ilevaitafon
we have no means of knowing at present:.l..We httiVnot
learned whether the property wa§. irl.§4red,---;Pelfost
- , . News Letter. - _ . _... -