Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-01-27
II. r. Fl.
PRINCE ARTHUR.
Dinner at the White HOase-Sight
Seeing In the Federal Metropolis.

Dinner at the white HOase-Slght
Seeing In the Federal Metropolis.
The third state dinner at the Executive Man
sion last evening was an elegant affair, and in
honor of Prince Arthur the dining room was
elegantly and deliberately decorated with flags,
wreatks and everSTeens. On the north side Of
the room two English flags were festooned over
q full length portrait in oil (by Kellogg of her
Majesty Queen Victoria, which picture was in
full view of sae Prince as he sat at table.
Around the walls the flags Of Great Brit
ain and che United States were fes-
tooned and fastened with ,wrcaths of flowers.
The guests were seated at * O'Clock, as fol-
lows :-CeNtre of the right side Of the table,
Mrs. Grant; on her right Prince Arthur, and
next on his right Mrs. Thornton; on Mrs. Grants
left Senator Williams, ard on his left Mrs. Orth
and Gov. Stearns; next were Senator Bayard,
Miss Stearns, Hon. Noah Davis, Mrs. Buckley,
Hon. 5. Archer and Hon. q. w. Woodward;
next Mrs Thornton were Secretary Fish, Mrs.
Potter, Hon. John A. Logan, Mrs. Stearns and
Hon. c. w. Buckley. The centre seat of the
right side was occupied by the President. On
his right was Mrs. Fish, on the left Mrs. Senator
Williams; next to Mrs. Fish sat Minister Thorn
ten, then Mrs. Davis, Senator Abbott, Mrs. Lo-
gan, Hon. G. NJ. Adams and Mrs. Smith; next
10 Mrs. Williams sat Senator Anthony, then
Mrs Winans, Col. Elphinstone, Mrs. Paine, Hon.
G. n. Potter, Miss Nellie Grant and Hon. j. j.
WinanR. This completed the list of thirty-six.
Mrs. Grant was attired in a white satin dress,
cut low neck and short sleeves, richly and hea-
Willy trimmed with point lace. Miss Nellie
Grant wore blue silk with white lace over
skirt, puffed. Mrs. Thornton had on lavender
silk, with an elegant white lace shawl. The
table was decorated with a gold and mirror
bOttomed plateau, in the centre of which was a
handsome silyer-mounted vase, on top Of which
was handsome crown made of choice flowers,
after the pattern Of the crown; on either side
Of this were;two gold vases filled with roses, ia
pOnica, and other flowers. A handsome flower
basket was at each end of the plateau. Gold
and silver dishes, knives and forks, and hand
some confeotion and fruit designs, together with
a small bouquet at each plate, completed the
decorations Of the table. After dinner Prince
Arthur, Mt. and Mrs. Thornton, and Col. El-
phinstone drove to the National Theatre, where
they occupied private box during the last two
acts of the Opera civilian Tell.'
TAXING A BIRD's-EyR VIEW OF WASHINGTON
About hslf-past IL O'Clock this morning, the
Prince, in company with his suite and Mr..
Fame, Of the British Legation, took a drive
around the northern boundary Of the city, stop
ping during the ride at the Soldiers Home and
so much was he pleased with the magnificent
views Of the city and river, together with the
Maryland and Virginia heights beyond, that he
frequently stopped the carriage to get the full
benefit of the enjoyment thus afforded. He re-
turned to the residence Of the British Minister
about O'Clock, when a lunch was partaken of,
and between and 3 O'Clock, by invitation of
Gen. Ramsay, the Prince and Mrs. Thornton, a
o1c h,c ,<n xvsu:&1 H.
were received with an appropriate salute and
shown the many points of interest thereabouts.
At six O'Clock the Prince will dine with the
Secretary of State and Mrs. Fish, after which.
with his suite, he will attend the ball at the
Masonic Temple, given in his honor by Min
lister Thornton, and to which over five hun
dred invitations have been issued The
Prince will receive, as also Mrs. Thornton.
To-day Mrs. T. had prepared for the occasion.
by Douglas, the florist, a most magnificent
bouquet of rare flowers.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE BALL TONIGHT.
Extensive decorations are being put up in the
Masonic Temple to-day, under the instructions
OF Mr.. Thornton, the English Minister. The
flags are from the Navy Yard, furnished by
Admiral Dahlgren for the purpose, and are
delivered, unfOlded and arranged under the
direction Of Capt X. Randolph Breese of
the Navy Yard. There will be flags of all
nations used, but the most conspicuous
will be the flags OF Great Britain and the
United States. The dining hall is also
being put in readiness to-day. The tables are
arranged in hollow square around the room
Loads OF laurel wreaths are being deposited in
the hall for decoration purposes, and large
quantities Of flowers, portraits, &C., &C., are
also arriving, but the general design is not yet
developed out of the chaos of material. Lady
Thornton is present to-day giving directions to
her retinue OF servants and assistants.
Mr.. N. ID. Larner, secretary Of the Masonic
Hall Association, has obtained the consent of
the English Minister to leave the entire decora-
tions in the hall after the reception is over to-
night, in order to let those who desire to see
them have the opportunity. He proposes to
throw the hall open to the public tomorrow
until IL O'Clock m. for this purpose
VALUABLE LANDS FOE SMALL CoNsIpERA-
TIoN.-A CURIOUS TRANsACTIoN.-What is
called the "swash channel" in the Potomac,
from Easby's ship yard (near the National OBJ
servatory) to the Washington channel at Long
Bridge, has, as is well known, been filling up
rapidly Of late years, and the sediment deposited
I'm freshets has made q large tract of swamp
land south and east of the ship ard, Of little
value now, but which would be most valuable
property in event Of the Improvement of the
river channel b. the General Government or
the city, in accordance with the plan heretofore
suggested by Gen. Michler and other United
States engineers for q sea-wan along the old
"swash channel" A patent from the General
Land Office recorded Dec. 9th, 1869, conveys to
John L. Kidwell, Of Georgetown, this land, (the
fats south and east Of Easby's ship-yard,
near the intersection Of E and Twenty
sixth streets,) designating it as Kdwelrs
meadows, containing forty-seven and seventy
one hundredths acres, in consideration of
which grant al was acknowledged to have been
received by L. r. Tuttle, Assistant Treasurer of
the United States. Kidwell conveyed part Of
the above to John Wilson (ex-Commissi0ner of
the Land Ofice) on the 9th Of November last,
for S15.25, and Wilson decided this portion to
Henry Wills, November 18th.
This s not the first time patents have been
obtained from the Government (for . nominal
price) for unclaimed lands in the District, which
were Of considerable value, or supposed to
be. The picturesque rocks in the Potomac
above the Georgetown Aqueduct, known
as "The Three Sister," were unclaimed
until some twenty years ago or more
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