The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-09-12 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL gTANI)AAD

THE COURT.

HER MAJESTY'S MARINE EXCURSION

As we stated in our last, the arrival of her Majesty and
Prince Albert at Eu, in France, took place on Saturday
week. At eight the town was illuminated, after the
French style, not certainly with variegated lamps or bril-
liant stars of gaslight, but in a very efficient manner,—by
earthen pots, filled with grease and wicks of twisted flax.
Altogether the effect was good, and was increased by the
tower of the Church of the town being lit up in a similar
manner. The market-place and the main street were
filled till a late hour with soldiers, civilians, carts, car-
riages, omnibuses, horses, &c. On the following day
(Sunday) all at the Chateau d'Eu was in a state of per-
fect quietude.
On Monday all the inhabitants of, and all the visiters
at, Eu, were out of their beds at an early hour, making
preparations for their departure to the Forest, in which,
according to the announcement from the Chateau, a J.-WM
champetre was to be held.
The distance from Eu to that part of the Forest in
which the Royal party were to take their rural Ojeuner
may be about eight English miles : the road is exceed-
ingly hilly, and, shortly after leaving the town, winds
through a succession of woods, which form the Forest.
Some of the views from points of the road are very mag-
nificent, commanding an extensive range of undulating
country covered with corn, and thickly studded with trees
and forest scenery, but wanting water and deficient in the
spires and farm-houses by which such a landscape in Eng-
land would be diversified. In many places along this road
were assembled groups of peasantry to behold the Royal
cortege and obtain an opportunity of forming their own
notions of our gracious Queen Victoria. They were all
gratified in their wishes. The Royal party left the Cha-
teau d'Eu shortly after two o'clock, but did not go in a
direct route to the opening in the Forest in which the
tents were erected, because his Majesty Louis Philippe
was desirous of showing Queen Victoria the most pic-
turesque part of the Forest, and pointing out the im-
provements he had made.
The place on which the tents were fixed is called Le
Mont d' Orleans ; it is a small hill in the centre of a large
part of the woods, on which the ground is cleared, and
forms a small circular grass plat, from which the eye com-
mands a rural panoramic view of many miles in circum-
ference. On one side of this spot was placed the Royal
marquee, a long narrow tent, the front of which was open,
and in which a long oblong table was laid for the guests,
in a style of simplicity the very antithesis to the magnifi-
cence of the banquets at the Chateau. All was, however,
in good style, and in good keeping wi'h the sylvan scene.
The batterie de cuisine and the temporary offices were at
the back of this tent, at some distance, and concealed by
the foliage of the forest. In the front of the tent were
drawn up the military band of the Carabiniers • gen-
darmes guarded and cleared the avenues, and a detach-
ment of a regiment of the line may be said to have kept
the ground. There was, however, but little appearance of
military parade, and there could scarcely have been fewer
soldiers employed. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

At ten minutes to four o'clock a noble cavalcade of
horsemen entered the grass-plat. Amongst them were
Prince Albert, Prince Augustus of Saxe Coburg, the
Prince de Joinville, the Dukes D'Aumale and Montpen-
sier, and many other persons of high rank, with their at-
tendants, &c. The whole were in plain clothes. Prince
Albert rode a splendid white horse, and appeared in ex-
cellent health and spirits.
This illustrious group of horsemen bad scarcely dis-
mounted when the approach of the Royal carriages was
announced by the shouts and hurrahs of the spectators,
who lined the road, or cut, through the forest, called La
Route Clementine, by which the cortege entered the en-
closure. The cortege consisted of six carriages, char-a-
bane, four drawn by six horses each, and two by four
horses each. In the first were her Majesty Queen Vic-
toria and his Majesty Louis Philippe, who sat together on
the first seat. The Queen was dressed in a plain silk
dress, with a black mantle, or pelerine, and yellow drawn
silk bonnet; his Majesty in plain clothes, with a white
hat. On the second seat of this carriage were her Majesty
the Queen of the French and Madame Adelaide ; on the
third the Queen of the Belgians and the Duchess of Or-
leans, who was in deep mourning; and on the fourth the
Princesses Clementine and de Joinville.

On alighting his Majesty Louis Philippe handed our
gracious Sovereig❑ to her chair on his right hand, and
next to her Majesty sat the Queen of the French. On
the left of Louis Philippe sat the Duchess of Orleans,
the Queen of the Belgians, &c. The rest of the guests
were seated to the right and left of the King, according
to their respective ranks ; but there did not seem to be
much appearance of studied etiquette, the gentlemen
wearing their hats during the dejetiner, and the whole
having more the appearance of an actual fete champ6tre
than a repast of state, at which so many exalted person-
ages assisted.
The Royal party did rim concuuc ut tna s.hip
morc than Lwciay minutes, and during this time appeared
to enjoy themselves with the good feeling and familiarity
of old acquaintance. tier Majesty the Queen was in ex-
cellent health and spirits, and listened with apparent
pleasure to the conversation of the King of the French,
who, if appearances are to be relied upon, certainly took
great pains to make himself agreeable, and with no want
of complete success.
The deYegner being finished, the Royal party prome-
naded round the grass-plat, Queen Victoria supported on
the arm of his Majesty, the rest of the Queens and Princes
following them in pairs. The Queen of England entered
the small tent appropriated to the Count de Paris and the
Prince of Wurtemburg, and conversed with them for a
few minutes, patting them on the head, and enjoying their
good humour and childish delight.
All this time the bend was playing " God save th,.
Queen," and the spectators who were close to the Royal
party huzzaing and waving their hats.
Soon after four o'clock the whole party were again in
their carriages and on horseback, and returned amidst the
cheering of the assembly to the Chateau d'Eu. The din-
ner party in the evening was served as on the day prece-
ding, and the enjoyments of the day formed subjects of
conversation of which none appeared to be weary.
The Duchess of Orleans, who has on this occasion ap-
peared in public for the first time since her bereavement,
was an object of deep interest. Her presence at the pro-
menade and luncheon was in compliment to our beloved
Sovereign, who seems to have the power of charming all
who approach her. It appears that the Queen's kind and
endearing reception of the Count de Paris (and the other
grandchildren of his Majesty the King of the French)
made such an impression on the Duchess of Orleans, that
she broke through her resolve to remain secluded for yet
sonic time, and she joined the gipsying party.

Tuesday was fixed for a visit to the British squadron off

Treport, but the wind blew " fresh" from the north, and
caused so much " sea," that the visit was postponed. and
in lieu of it the churches of St. Laurent and of the Col-
lege (in which latter are the celebrated tombs of the Duke
of Guise and his Duchess) were visited.
The breakfast at the Chateau was marked by increasing
gaiety, and, if I may use so homely a phrase, friendship.
Among the innumerable works of art to be seen in this
gem of a Chateau are some splendid pieces of tapestry,
and specimens of the far-famed Porcelain de Sevres. Two
of the former—" The Death of Meleager," and " Death
of Calydon," were particularly admired by her Majesty