The Portland daily press., 1866-12-31
Interesting, Sketch.
noyu,,y "a. aa Evening Dinner.

way, whilst III London few years ago, 10 VIII
ness Queen Victoria with her family and for
eign guests at one of her court dinners in
Buckingham Palace and as the scene was
somewhat novel to a Yankee, perhaps the
readers of the Press may excuse us if we give
them description of it.
Our opportunity for witnessing this feast OF
royalty was quite accidental, but ON the whole
singularly fortunate. 1t was not obtained Dy
suit at Court The American Minister hau' III
deed, by official cards, introduced US 70 'rio
privileged seats of the Houses OF LoroS and
Commons in Parliament; he had also kindly
furnished MS with tickets to the British Mu-
seum. the old Tower of London, the Bank of
England, and other important places in the
city, and even 10 the Queens homs residence
at Windsor Castle, but he had no authority to
introduce friend to anything beyond the pub
lie apartments of Buckingham Palace-her
Majesty's metropolitan abode-certainly not
to her cook-rooms, her dining hail. nor her
music gallery For this opportunity we hap
pened to be indebted to a very humble, but
more available functionary, moving in the
sanctuary of the inner court This indeed was
one no higher in rank than an entered apprer-
tice in the culinary establishment of the
Queen, to whose attentions we had been COM
mended by an intimate personal friend of his
master, in the city. By authority Of the Min
listers card, which introduced us to the public
apartments of Buckingham Palace, this polite
and affable young man, estimating the curiosi-
ty Of Yankee visitor, conducted us not only
into the spacious gardens of the establishment,
the royal news and Fairgrounds, and showed
41,o Al
young princes and princesses, and into the re-
ception rooms, the dancing hall and Throne
Room of the Palace; but he took us also into
the kitchens where dinner was being prepared
for her Majesty, the dining hall where the ia
bles were spread, and the Music Gallery, from
which a full view of the royal party at its
grand entertainment could be commanded.
The culinary department is in the basement
of one of the quadrangles of the Palace. This
consists Of several kitchens, all finished in
the most costly manner, with pressed oaken
work, and kept in the neatest manner Con-
nected with each kitchen is a spacious alcoye,
or Office, which is the headquarters of the
chief cook who presides over the operations of
that kitchen; and he has his apprentices sub
ject to his instruction and obedient to his or
ders. There are some fifty of these profession
al cooks Of all grades, belonging to the general
department, each corps being confined to its
respective kitehen-one for meats, one for
bread, one for raw fruits, another for cut flow
ers, &c.
In the first l1itchen-that for meats--we no
ticed the method for keeping the dishes warm,
which commended itself to our ideas as a very
natural and successful one. In the center was
a large steel table, polished like a mirror the
huge legs of which were tubular and conduct
ed columns of hot steam into chamber be-
meath the steel board on which the dishes, after
having been cooked, were kept warm till or
ders should come for their transferrence to the
dining hall, In another kitchen, amongst 9TH
er delicacies prepared for the royal palate, we
noticed beautiful basket of boiled quails'
eggs. They were small and speckled, and de-
signed for the dainty stomachs OF the young
heirs to the Throne Everything throughout
this subterranean establishment was conduct
ed with as much order as pertains to a militia
ry camp. There was place tor everything,
and everything was inits place. Each had his
duty to perform, and that duty in no manner
interfered with another. One of the kitchens,
if we can call it such, was appropriated to la
dies, who were employed in preparing flowers
with which to decorate the tables OF the din
ing hall above. They appeared to be skilled in
the art of combining the eolors SO as to make
them appear to the highest floral advantage
But the hour of p. M.-the royal hour for
dinner-was approaching; and without larry
ing longer to inspect the means by which
monarchs do live, our attentive guide conduct
ed us up into the great dining hall of the Pal
ace. This was of oblong form, hung with the
richest purple drapery, ornamented with his
torical designs in needle work, with splendid
paintings by the first artists Of the world, and
statues of departed monarchs and heroes and
scholars, all illuminated by artificial lights
equalling the brillancy Of MONDAY. AT the
end, opposite the grand entrance, was an or
chestra for the royal Band, In the centre of
the hall was dining table covered with gold
plate. We saw the same articles few days
before at the gold room in the Tower; and
they were brought into use at the present time
in consequence of an entertainment to be
given to certain dignitaries from the Continent
that were to dine with her Majesty that even
ing. The side-boards were very extensive to
whichservants in livery brought the various
viands from the culinary department below
This being done, signal was given, at which
all on duty in the hall retired (oursef amongst
the number,) and higher class of servants
entered and took their places, each clad in
scarlet cloth trimmed with gold lace, the royal
livery. This arrangement foretold that mon
archy was near; and our guide took us up
several labyrinthine passages and flights of
winding stairs, where we felt quite lost, till
suddenly we found ourself in the orchestra in
full view of the hall and of what was soon to
appear in it. On the seats in our front were
perhaps twenty accomplished performers,
full royal band, each with his instrument of
music in hand, or at command near his person.
1t would not suit the dignity OF royalty to
allow even the members of the royal band, or
the spectators who occupied the privileged
seats in their gallery, to have a fail view of
Majesty in person; and so screen of very
hne gauzy wire, baptized in purple, was sus-
pended i'll front OF the orchestra, making a
sight of royalty rather misty yet not an in
distinct one.
Soon, at gwen signal, the massive doors of
the hall ION golden hinges turning" slowly
opened to the right and left, and the lord cham
berlan or herald appeared announcing the
presence of the Queen, and leading the royal
party to the feast. Instantly, as the Queen APP
peared in the door, the band broke forth in its
concord of sweet sounds" to the national air,
God save the Queen@ and her Majesty, resting
on the arm of her royal consort, Prince Albert,
approached towards the head of the table, fol-
lowed by their children in pairs, and then by
the foreign guests and the members of her
household. There were about twenty in all
The party gathered reverently around the ia
b and stood till the last notes of the national
cir died away, when her Majesty private chap
lain, dressed in robe and lawn, with book in
hand, read the Service suitable to the occasion:
and the persons severally became seated Then
s.c..-.,.tc I.o..nL.