gbe (num THE Queen and Prince Albert set out on
their Northern tour on Monday morning, at an hour befitting hardy voyagers,—no later than five o'clock! The Royal couple entered an open carriage and four ; and, followed by the suite in two carriages and four, with an escort of Hus- sars, proceeded to the Slough station of the Great Western Railway. The suite included the Dutchess of Norfolk, Lady in Waiting ; Ho- nourable Matilda Paget, Maid of Honour in Waiting ; Mr. George Ed- ward Anson, Treasurer to Prince Albert ; Major-General Wenayss, Equerry to the Queen ; Colonel Bouverie, Equerry to Prince Albert ; and Sir James Clark, Physician to the Queen.
The party arrived at the station at a quarter past five. The Queen was received by Mr. Charles Russell, M.P., the Chairman of the Com- pany, and Mr. Saunders, the Secretary ; who were in attendance throughout the journey to town. The Queen and Prince alone occu- pied the saloon of the Royal carriage ; the suite and some of the House- hold occupying the other portion and another carriage attached to the special train. The train was in motion at twenty minutes past five, and arrived at Paddington at twelve minutes to six. Here three car- riages were ready to convey the party to Woolwich, under an escort of the Eighth Hussars; the route chosen being through Hyde Park, Grosvenor Place, over Vauxhall Bridge, Camberwell, Peckham, and so by the Kent Road, to the dockyard. The earliness of the time and the wet state of the weather prevented any concourse of spectators on the line of road.
The preparations to receive the Royal voyagers at Woolwich were not completed till a late hour on Sunday night. In the town itself there was much bustle ; and the dockyard was crowded with officers of the Army and Navy in full uniform, to whom the admission had been limited. About five hundred ladies, however, had inspected the ar- rangements of the Royal George yacht, on Saturday ; and of course were much gratified, since the spacious state apartments, ingeniously furnished with every convenience, including a select library and se- veral pianofortes, quite satisfied the fair Monarch herself. Sir George Cockburn, Mr. Sidney Herbert, Secretary to the Admiralty, Captain Sir Francis Collier, Superintendent of the Dockyard, and Mr. Oliver Lang, the Master Shipwright, surveyed the whole on Saturday. 1 wo fine milch cows were taken on board the Royal George and the Rhada- man thus.
The chief officers of the Household arrived at six on Monday morn- ing; and Sir Robert Stopford, the Governor of Greenwich, at the same
time joined the loyal crowd. Half an hoar after, the Duke of Cambridge surprised the assemblage by his appearance, in full Field-Marshal's uni- form. Numerous troops had taken up their position at four. At ten minutes to seven, arrived the Queen and Prince Albert. Her Majesty was handed from her carriage by the Prince and the Duke : she affec- tionately kissed her uncle in bidding him adieu ; descended the steps into the Admiralty barge, of which Sir Francis Collier acted as cox- swain ; mounted the steps of the Royal George "with the greatest live- liness "; the gnu opened the royal salute ; and the yacht with its at- tendant fleet of steamers was soon under way. Tilbury Fort saluted the passing squadron ; and a numerous crowd of spectators cheered from Gravesend, at nine o'clock. The Nore light was passed at eleven ; the Camperdown and other ships of war firing salutes and manning their yards. At a quarter past twelve the passen- gers of one of the General Steam Navigation Company's boats, on its way to London, were gratified by a sight of the Royal yacht, which was then in tow by the Black Eagle and other steamers- " Her Majesty and Prince Albert were on the quarter-deck, and sat reading. Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, the Commander of the yacht, stood before them, near the mainmast of the vessel ; while at the bow of the vessel several officers connected with the yacht, as well as several of the noble personages in attend- ance on her Majesty, had placed themselves, enjoying the freshness of the breezes. The loyalty of the passengers and crews of the various vessels that witnessed the approach of the Royal fleet broke out in loud and long-conti- nued hearty English cheers. Her Majesty graciously acknowledged the loyal salutations of her subjects, as did in like manner Prince Albert."
Ipswich was seen in the afternoon. The Mayor of that loyal borough hired a steamer and took a party of ladies and gentlemen to see and cheer the passing Sovereign. As the squadron entered the eastern passage of the Swinn, it was observed that a chart was spread before the Queen, who was intent on the draft of that intricate navigation. At ten o'clock on Wednesday morning, the royal squadron was descried from Tynemouth. at a distance of seven or ten miles; the wind blowing fresh from the North-west.
The Queen held a Court and Privy Council at Windsor Castle on Saturday. Lord Stanley presented the Bishop of Barbados, the Bishop of Antigua, the Bishop of Guiana, the Bishop of Van Diemen's Land, and the Bishop of Gibraltar ; who kissed hands on their respective ap- pointments. Mr. Young, the new Garter King-at-Arms, was invested by the Queen with the sceptre and badge of office, and received the honour of knighthood.
In the absence of the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal remain at Windsor, in charge of the Dowager Lady Lyttelton. Weather permitting, they are carried out daily to take the air ; and they either visit the Dutchess of Kent at Frogmore Lodge, or her Royal Highness drives over to see them at the Castle.
The Duke of Saxe Coburg Gotha, attended by his suite, took his de- parture from Windsor on Saturday morning ; went to town by the Great Western Railway ; and embarked at Woolwich for Ostend, on his way to Brussels.
The Queen Dowager, accompanied by the Dutehess of Gloucester, who has been staying for some days with her Majesty, visited the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge at Kew, on Monday morning, and partook of dejeuner.
The Dutchess of Gloucester returned to her residence at Bagshot Park on Thursday. Yesterday, the Duke of Cambridge arrived at Bagshot, on a visit to the Dutchess.
Prince George of Cambridge left his residence in St. James's Palace, on Monday, for Dover and the Continent.
A portion of the service of plate intended for the Queen's use in Scot- land was forgotten on Monday ; and the oversight was not found out until half an hour after the departure of the Court. A special messenger was sent with it direct to Scotland, by the railway.
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