t nut.
Tne drawingroom held by the Queen at St. James's Palace on Satur- day, to receive congratulations on the marriage of the Princess Frederick William, was attended by a very large and distinguished crowd. The Princess and her husband were both present. The Queen held a Court and Privy Council at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. At the Court, Count Chreptowitch, the Russian Minister, had audience, and delivered his letters of recall. Rear-Admiral Von Dockum had audience, and presented his credentials as Minister from the King of Denmark. The Honourable Stafford Jerningham took leave on returning to the Court of the King of Wurtemberg. The Sheriffs of London and Middlesex had audience, and obtained her Majesty's consent to receive an address of congratulation from the Corporation of London on Tuesday. Mr. William Hodges, Chief Justice of the Cape of Good Hope, was presented, and made a Knight by the Queen. At the Privy Council, Sir Cresswell Cresswell took the oaths of a Privy Councillor. The Marquis of Clanricarde was sworn into office as Lord Privy Seal. The Queen pricked the list of Sheriffs for England and Wales. Earl Granville, Lord Palmerston, Lord Panmure, and Mr. Baines, had audience.
Such has been the business of the Court. On Tuesday her Majesty was far otherwise engaged; she had to take leave of her eldest daughter. The departure of the Prince and Princess Frederick William took place in an unexpected manner. Instead of driving to the Bricklayer's Arras station by the shorter and more usual route along the right bank of the Thames, the happy pair drove through the City. This determination was not known until late on Monday, and Temple Bar and the streets had to be decked out somewhat suddenly. The procession consisted of six car- riages. The first contained the Prince and Princess, the Prince Consort and Prince of Wales ; the second the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Al- fred. Both were open. The remaining carriages were occupied by the ladies and gentlemen in attendance. Snow fell heavily ; but from Buck- ingham Palace, through Pall Mall, the Strand, and the City, dense lines of people almost blocked up the footways. Flags waved here and there from the houses, the windows of which were filled with gazers. Of course there was no lack of joy-bells or of cheers. At Temple Bar the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs received the young couple, and preceded them on their way. And so they drove on through the snow-storm, which became thicker and sharper every moment until they reached the Bricklayer's Arms station. Entering the train ten minutes before one, the party reached Gravesend at twenty-five minutes before two. The town was decked out with flags and evergreens, and its streets were thronged with people. Driving to the Terrace Pier, the party there alighted, and walked on board the Victoria and Albert, which with her attendant ships lay alongside. On the pier there was a pretty scene. After the Mayor had presented an address, his daughter, Miss Troughton, advanced and presented a bouquet to the Princess ; who took it with a smile, and hanckd one which the Lord Mayor had given her to her hus- band. As she walked on board, fifty-eight girls, in white dresses, blue Mantles, and wreaths of lilies in their hair, strewed her path with flowers. The parting between the father and daughter and between the brothers and their sister was most affecting. The Princess soon disappeared. The Prince of Wales wept, but Prince Alfred sobbed without restraint. After some waiting, the royal yacht steamed off through the thick snow, while the crowd shouted its farewell cheer, and the guns of Tilbury Fort fired a salute. Then the Prince Consort and his sons and the Duke of Cambridge returned to London.
The Prince and Princess Frederick William, after a passage protracted on account of the thick weather' reached Antwerp on Wednesday. They were received by the King of the Belgians, the Duke of Brabant, and the Count of Flanders, and carried by them to Brussels.
The Queen, the Prince Consort, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of Saxe-Coburg, went to the British Museum on Thursday afternoon, and to the Princess's Theatre in the evening.
Previous page
