The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-01-28 00:00:00

THE BANQUET.

The neit attraction of the day to the visitors of Windsor
was the arrangement of the gold and silver plate at the ban-
quet to be given in the evening in St. George's-hall, by her
Majesty, to her royal and distinguished guests.

_
The following is a description of the plate, which is valued
at between £1,500,000 and £2,000,000, with the manner in
which it was displayed in the hall :—At each and of the hall
buffets had been erected, covered with crimson, and encased
in light Gothic screens. On these buffets the finest gold
shields, salvers, vases, tankards, and cups of the royal col-
lection were displayed among candelabra and sconces of silver
gilt, fitted with wax lights. The table for the banquet, which
was laid between these buffets, had a succession of gold can-
delabia and epergnes, reaching from one extremity to the
other, together with a great variety of vases and other orna-
ments of gild plate. The candelabra, which were of large
size, contained wax lights: that in the middle of the table,
opposite to the Queen's seat, was larger than any other, and
is known as the St. George candelabrum, the upper division
containing the combat of St. George with the dragon, in full
relief. The lower division has four figures, in full relief,
supporting shields, bearing the arms of England, Scotland,
and Ireland, and the Prince of Wales's plume. Near this
candelabrum were two others, one on either side, having a
representation of the garden of the Hesperides. The epergnes
were embellished with sculptured subjects, many of them from
Flaxman's designs, and all of the most superior execution ;
dancing nymphs, piping fawns, and several allegorical marine
pieces were amongst the number.
Covers were laid for 140 persons, and the tables absolutely
groaned under the weight of the gilt silver plates deposited
upon them. For each guest a servant in the royal state livery
was in waiting, and even before the guests appeared the scene
in the hall was full of animation and splendour. When the
dinner was served, and the various viands were placed on the
side-tables, under the care of experienced carvers, a flourish
of trumpets gave notice of her Majesty's approach. At 20
minutes to eight o'clock her Majesty entered the hall, led in
by the King of Prussia. The band immediately struck up
the national anthem, and continued playing it till her Ma-
jesty and the royal personages who are now her guests were
seated. Her Majesty, who wore a splendid tiara of diamonds,
which sparkled like stars, and which were surmounted by a
snow-white plume of feathers, was followed by her royal un-
cles and other noblemen. She took her seat between the
King of Prussia and the Duke of Sussex ; opposite to her
was Prince Albert, whp sat between the Dukes of Cambridge
and Wellington. 'Li
A short time before' the dinner was concluded' the bag-
pipes of the 72nd regiment played a cheerful tune, and at the
conclusion of it two of the:pipers marched round the room,
;flaying one of their national melodies. At a quarter before
nine o'clock dinner was over, grace said, the cloth removed,
and a magnificent dessert, containing every delicacy both in
and out of season, was placed upon the table. Several pieces
of most exquisitely prepared confectionary, modelled under
the direction of Mr.:Mavvditt, were then served up, and
from the profusion of flowers with which they were decorated,
it seemed as if a gay parterre had suddenly sprung up among
the other gay illusions of the scene. The wine sparkled ou
the board. The \Lord Steward then announced as a toast,
" His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales." The company
then rose and drank it standing, her Majesty and the Prince
standing at the same time, and bowing their thanks. The
bands then played " Ruiz Britannia." A few minutes
elapsed, and the Lord Steward anuo,unced the next toast—
" The King of Prussia." The company thmj rose, the King
of Prussia standing at the same time and bowing thanks.
The Duke of Sussex stood awhile after the other guests were
seated, and we could not help suspecting that his Royal
Highness was inclined, in spite of court etiquette, to favour
the company with a speech. At last he, too, sat down, and
the wine proceeded, the band playing the Prussian national
anthem, " Yaterland."

The Lord Yoteward gave, as the next toast, " Her Majesty
the Queen," Apin all stood, her Majesty among the num-
ber, returning her thanks by the most graceful and animated
bows. The band played ,` God save the Queen."
The next toast was, His Hgy zl Highness Prince Albert,"
when the same ceremony was redvated by all present. The
band played the " Coburg March" in exquisite style, the
bugle notes being most skilfully introduced.
At a quarter to ten o'clock her Majesty rose from
and this was a signal for the ladies of her company to do the
Same. Her Majesty waited till they were grouped around
her, and then returned to the grand reception-room. His
Royal Highness the Prince Albert then took the chair which
her Majesty had vacated, between the King of Prussia and
the Duke of Sussex, and the wine circulated freely for a short

period,

LONDON MONEY MARKET AND TRADE REPORT.

WEDNESDAY EVENING.—The funds h.ave been quiet and
firm to-day, with little business. There is I;IP Wnt of cash,
and the investments by the public, in the absence of paler
operations, were just sufficient to support prices. Consols
for money closed 891, buyers ; Ditto for the Account, 808 to
; Exchequer Bills, 17s. to 19s. premium ; Bank Stock, 1671
to 168 ; India Stock, 247 to 248 ' • Three per Cents Reduced,
P; to i ; Three and a Half per Cents Reduced, 991; Long
Annuities !expiring Jan. 5, 1860), 12 11-16 to 8 ; and India
Bonds, 10 to 12 vemium.
The Foreign Sekur4A-:e.s were but little attended to ; the few
purchases in Spanish iccre;.,-se,c,l the value of that security.
and the Actives left off at 25f to ; leaican, 201 to 30;
Danish, 801 to 811; Colombian, 22 to f; sraLilian, 64 to
65 ; Portuguese Five per Cents, 33; to 34; fiittp; Th;,ce per
Cents, 20 to 1; Dutch Two and a Half per Cents, 51i to -1,-;
Ditto, Five per Cents, 101 to 1.
In shares Cheltenham and Great Western were done at 14
to ' et

Great North of England, at SO; Great Western,
,863; Liverpool and Manchester, at 199; Brighton, at NI
Blacksvall, at 11-k ; Birmingham, at 169 ; Ditto, new, 281 ,
South Western, at 59 ; Croydon Trunk, at 12 ; Manchester
and Leeds., stew, at 31k; Midland Counties, at SO; Northern
and eastern, a; ; York and North Midland, at 921 ;
Colonial, at 26k to 2.7; National Provincial Bank of Eng-
land, at 35 ex div. ; and Ditto, uew, at 10 ex div.
TEA.—The sales adjourned trop Monday, closed to-day ;
8,869 packages passed, of which 404,t,5,9,00 packages were
sold without alteration in prices; 179 paeliagi„.--,of Assam tea
were included, which sold at the following prices ...--Aohe4,
1s . 94d. to ls. 10id. ' • Congou, 3s. 4d. to 3s. sd. • Campo,
2s. 2.1 d. to 3s. Old.; Souchong, 2s. 3d. to 4s. 3d. ; gouchong,
2s. Old. to 45.; Hyson, 3s. 6d. to 3s. 6id.; and young Hyson,
2s. Ild. to 2s. 3d. Company's Congous are ls. 101 d. per
)b, cash.