Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

4 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

THE WEEK ABROAD.

! THE INSURRECTION IN POLAND.

- - _- -.- -_- - -MARRIAGE…

Rhestrau Manwl, Canlyniadau a Chanllawiau
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCE OF \V ALES. THE RECEPTION OF TfIE PRINCESS ALEX- ANDRA. We now lay before our readers, a full and faithful re- cord to one of the most remarkable receptions accorded to Royalty in modern times. It is not often that, as a nation, we unbend our busy energies and turn aside from all the great commercial and political cares of the world that centre here to devote our time to public festivity and pure rejoicing. Our very freedom and the greatness of our State are a bar to-such celebrations, and not less so are the perfect love and trust which exist between the Sovereign and the people, securing the Royal family such a welcome everywhere as the official arrangements of other countries can never elicit. For once commerce was of no account in London till the greater and more important business of welcoming the bride elect of their future King had been successfully and happily disposed of. The welcome was, for the time, the only thing the city of London had to do, and how it did it will be re- corded to the very latest chapter of our history. From Gravesend to Windsor, a distance of nearly 60 miles, there was not a town, not a village which did not throw itself into the spirit of the loyal scheme, and do its very utmost to honour the fair young Dane who came to make her home among us. Nor was it only along the line to be traversed that this spirit was evinced. Half England kept holyday on Saturday and watched the hourly tele- grams from London which told how the national wel- come given in the name of all was progressing there. It was emphatically a nation's welcome, in which all, from peasants to Crown Princes, was proud to share. The efforts of the Government, instead of being employed, as abroad, to stimulate the flagging zeal of reluctant citi- zens, had on this occasion to be energetically exerted to keep the loyal enthusiasm within moderate bounds. Had the metropolis had its own way, it would have done so much and shown so much that the Princess would scarcely have reached Windsor that night at all. As it was, the evening was both dark and wet when she ar- rived, and the poor townfolks there were of course sadly disappointed, for their preparations were beautiful in the extreme. GRAVESEND.-The reputation which Gravesend has acquired by the tasteful manner in which it has managed all Royal receptions and departures has of late years been well known. We need not say, therefore, that on this, the greatest day of all, the corporation were determined that, so far as their efforts went, nothing which they could compass should be left undone. As the first step they in the most liberal manner voted a large sum for the decoration of the town, and the ratepayers heartily endorsed their decision. A professional decorator was called in, and, though the narrow winding streets of the town present no ordinary difficulties to artistic combina- tions, he succeeded in securing approbation for a series of designs which, if they could only be executed in their in- tegrity, would have converted the route along which the Princess was to pass into such bowers of roses" and realms of evergreens as one never sees in this prosaic age but in the last scones of pantomime. On the night of Thursday it blew freshly,—so freshly, indeed, that by the morning the garlands, banners, &c., had a decidedly dishevelled look. Little penons went flipping till they flipped away altogether, or, worse still, embroiled them- selves in light ornaments they were never intended to come near, and made a tangle of them all. As fast as the workmen repaired such disasters others occurred, and still the wind grew fresher, and the oldest weather oracle among the boatmen even hinted at the possibility of rain. Of course, the catastrophe implied by such a visitation was almost angrily repelled. But it did rain, and the dust was beyond a doubt put hors de combat most effectually and so, too, were the lighter kinds of orna- ments, which faded with amazing rapidity under the steady downpour, and looked as limp and dank as if they had been up a winter. As fast as the decorations were injured by the wind and rain they were repaired where they could be got at, which was very seldom, and whole regiments of labourers set to hammer, saw, dig, and nail, and otherwise sustain the general uproar and excitement in the town, without which the whole thing doubtless would have been voted tame. The streets were crowded the night before as much for the size of the town as those of London, and every train brought in its fresh hundreds of eager visitors, and beds were not to be had but at fancy prices, even when in the neighbourhood of the much hammered arches, where using beds at all must have been a mere form. Fortunately for the pleasure of this really national reception the morning rose as clear and fine as on the best of our days in Spring, and though sunshine did not favour the route through the metropolis it beamed with special kindness on its commencement at Gravesend. By 10 o'clock the ranges of seats down the pier were thronged with richly dressed ladies. The streets were lined with trim close ranks of Volunteers, whose admirable front and perfect order was set off to advantage by the loose, dense, swaying masses of the crowds behind them. Every seat was filled along the streets, every balcony and window was thronged with ladies, even in some cases the very roof-tops were occu- pied with adventurous sightseers. Great was the hub- bub and excitement when, at 10 o'clock, the Emerald began saluting slowly, and one of the Royal yachts was seen in the distance steaming round Coalhouse-point and coming quickly up the river. But the vessel for which the thundering honour was intended was coming down the river-the Black Eagle Admiralty yacht, with all their Lordships in full uniform on board. But Lords of the Admiralty were of no account in popu lar estimation on this occasion, and all eyes were still bent upon the advancing form of the Royal yacht, which came nearer and nearer till the anxious doubts of all were happily solved by her turning out to be the Osborne coming on as a kind of avant-courier of the Itoyal party. and with a perfect cargo of luggage and boxes on board. The Lords of the Admiralty landed and came up the pier, which now presented a most brilliant sight. The escort, a splendid troop of the Kent Yeomanry, under Major the. Larl of Darnley, had arrived, the guard of honour was in waiting, there was a brilliant staff of naval and military officers, the Mayor of Gravesend (Mr. Sams,) in his robes, with the Recor- der, the Town Clerk, all the Aldermen of the Corpora- tion, in full civic costume, and, though last, by no means least, Mrs. Sams, the Mayoress, bearing a bou- quet, in the rich ornament which the ladies of Gravesend had subscribed to present to the fair Dane It was a beautiful present, worthy the occasion and the young Princess. Its form was a cornucopia of gold, enriched with alternate rows of pearls and coral. A telegram had been received stating that the Prince of Wales had left London, and anxiety was on the stretch lest he should arrive before the Royal yacht, when, as if steaming through the low meadow land of Essex, the tall, raking masts of a vessel decked with flags were seen coming up the river at a speed which, told at once that it could be none other than the Victoria and Albert, followed close by a ship which, though larger and more stately, came with equal swift- ness-the Warrior. In an instant after the steamboats which now thronged the river, and many of which from London, wore crowded from deck to funnel and swayed from side to side in a manner terrible to wit- ness, started across to meet her, followed pell-mell by all the little fleet of row boats. As the yacht turned Coalhouse Point she slackened speed and the crews of the men-of-war off the pier went swarming up the shrouds like bees and clustered in thick groups on all the yards, even to the topmastheads, waiting for the signal to lt), out" and man them. Still very slowly, for the tide was running strong, the Royal yacht came on, dressed in flags from stem to stern, with the Prince of Wales's banner and the Royal flag of Denmark both hoisted at the main. Following and almost surrounding her, came the volunteer escort of steamers and boats of i all kinds, cheering and shouting, ringing bells and waving handkerchiefs as if they were demented. It was evident that they could see the Princess, and the curiosity and excitement of those on the pier rose to fever heat. Still slowly and very carefully, amid the smoke of steamers and deep hoarse roar of cheers, the Royal yacht came. Old Tilbury gave the first thunder- ing salute, the men-of-war followed instan'ly gun for gun from each broadside, the men lay out upon the yards in as true and even lines as rows of infantry, and the ships as if by magic were dressed, from stem to stern, with lines of fluttering ensigns. Still those on the pier could not see the Princess, though from the almost frantic enthusiasm of those on board the crowds of boats and steamers on the starboard side it was evident that she must be plainly visible from that quarter. Opposite the pier the yacht turned, and brought her head down the river towards the Kentish shore. There were ladies and gentlemen on the quarter-deck, but evi- dently not the Princess, from the lull in the uproar of exclamation and delight which now fell from all the boats for a few minutes, when it broke out with, if pos- sible, redoubled vigour on the port side of the vessel- the side furthest from the pier, where it was evident, from the tremendous outbreak of cheers, clapping hands, and waving kerchiefs, that the Princess was again at the window of the dock cabin. It was not till the Royal yacht was close alongside the pier that she was seen at last, as she came over to the starboard side and stood looking out upon the scene around. She was dressed entirely in white, with the exception of a few light coloured flowers in her bonnet, and wore what was ap- parently a very white shawl, for she is still suffering from the effects of a severe cold. Her colour was heightened as if by nervous excitement, but there was an expresssion of pleasing astonishment at her reception which was unmistakeable, and she did not, or perhaps could not, check the frank display of wondering pleasure wiih which she looked from side to side bowing her ac- knowledgments, and every new and then speaking ear- I nstly. to her mother, who stood near her, apparently directing her attention also to the extraordinary scene of delight and enthusiasm around on all sides. Occa- sionally as the port side spectators grew deafening in their cheers—as a gentle reminder that they were there as well as the visitors on the pier-she went to that side also, but, as may be guessed, her appearance did not stop the cheering. Nothing did, in truth, till she with- drew at intervals altogether, but not for long. Her white bonnet and delighted face were soon to be seen peeping round from some unexpected window, when in a Beooad she was discovered and cheered till she came fOr- ward and bowed and had to go to another. All the time the vessel was alongside, her father, Prince Christian, with her two brothers, Prince Waldemar and Prince Frederick, who stood outside on the quarter-deck, seemed to be absolutely astounded at the wonderful enthusiasm and delight of the welcome. The Lords of the Admiralty, Lord Sydney, and other hig-h officials, went on board to be presented, and at this moment the signal bells on the pier communicating ,vith the telegraph at the station announced that the Prince of Wales had arrived in Gravesend. At the signal the 60 young laidies who had been chosen to strew flowers before the bride elect filed, two and two, from their waiting-room, and ranged themselves on each side of the path down the centre of the pier. They were all clad in red and white-the colours of the long line of Danish Kings from whom the fair Princess de- scends—and each carried a pretty basket filled with the earliest flowers of spring. They were in regular grada- tions from the ages of 12 to 20, and were as charming samples of young belles as any town in England could have shown. The Prince came at five minutes to 12,- almost instantly after the Royal gangway was fixed to the yacht. One glance at his Royal Highness was suffi- cient to show how needless were all Parliamentary assur- ances that this was a marriage of affection, as with a face, radiant with happiness he traversed the pier with rapid steps. He wore a plain morning dress, and acknowledged, with his usual courteous grace, the almost moving warmth of his reception, but his eyes were steadily di- rected to the deck cabin of the Royal yacht. The Princess watched his coming from the window, but, as he neared the vessel, first came to the door, and then, after a moments hesitation, out upon the deck towards the Prince, who hurriedly advanced and, removing his hat gave her an earnest, hearty kiss, in the presence of all the assembled thousands, who tbere-upon went into such ecstacies of delight and applause as made the shores of the river ring again, The Princess seemed glad to escape from the cheers now, and, taking the Prince's arm, and accompanied by her Royal parents, went into the deck cabin and then below. At this period the Royal yacht was perfectly encircled by steamers, and the whole river covered with small boats, all decked with flags, surpassing in that respect even the wonderful display of bunting which was made during Her Majesty's visit to Cherbourg. It was really a wonderful scene—a scene one can neither describe nor forget, a scene of such enthusiasm, and yet of such imposing beauty from the numbers which made up the display that we cannot expect to look upon its like again in England for many years to come. At a quarter past 12 the Princess re-appeared upon the deck. She had changed her dress, and now wore a mauve- coloured silk with a richly embroidered violet velvet mantle and bonnet of the same colour. The change made her look less youthful than when she wore white only, and her hair smoothed down on either side of her forehead, took away partly from the almost childish ex- pression with which she appears in her portraits with her hair a l'Emperatrice. She took the arm of the Prince, and preceded by a most brilliant suite, and fol- lowed by the members of her Royal family, she came ashore on the pier at a quarter-past 12. It is quite be- yond the power of ordinary words to do justice to the almost wild enthusiasm of the welcome which greeted her. She stopped at the pier-head and bowed low in acknowledgment, and as she did so a general officer following stood upon the snirt of her rich robe, which as she went to move forward again brought her up, to use a nautical phrase, with a jerk that jerked the Prince, and neitheir entirely could suppress the smile that threatened downright laughter at the incident just as they emerged upon the pier. The Mayoress, Mrs. Sams, advanced to meet her and presented her with the bouquet which had been pre- sented by the ladies of the town. The Princess quitted the Prince's arm to receive it, and, shaking hands with the Mayoress, thanked her in as purely spoken English as if she had been always roared within the limits of this island. Then they moved forward up the pier, the young ladies throwing the flowers before them, at them, over them, everywhere, in fact, as the joyous excite- ment gained with every step, and the ladies clapped their hands, and the gentlemen shouted and cried God bless them," and every one, even to the staid bewigged Re- corder at the end of the pier, seemed out of their senses for the time, and proved to be so. At the end of the pier their Royal Highnesses halted while the Corporation advanced, and the Recorder pre- sented an address to the Prince, who accepted it with a bow, and released the Princess's arm while an address was next presented to her. It was most beautifully illu- minated, the Princess received it with a deep acknow- ledgment, there was one more earnest, hearty cheer, the guard of honour presented arms, and the open carriages drew up to bear the party away. The Princess and Princess Louise (her mother) took their places, and the Prince of Wales and Prince Chris- tian followed, sitting vis a vis. Lord Sydney kissed the hand of the Princess as she was leaving, but before the carriage drove off she beckoned him back, and cordially shook hands with him. Surrounded by the escort, and followed by the rest of the cortege, the Royal carriage issued out into the streets. It is needless iteration to say how the bride elect was welcomed here. It was one great cordial, hearty wel- come from beginning to end-alike from first to last. Rank after rank and company after company of the Volunteers presented arms, there were deafening cheers, and the house fronts were rippled over with a flutter of white hankerchiefs, and so on throughout. At the top of Harmer-street, the Royal carriage paused for one instant, while both Prince and Princess bowed in return to.the tremendous greeting they received from the oc- cupants of the grand stand at its end. Beyond this there was no stoppage or delay of any kind, and, at an even but by no means fast pace, the cortege traversed the New-road beneath arches, banners, garlands, and festive designs, and amid the same loud, kind, earnest demon- strations of welcome stopped at the railway station. This station, under the superintendence of Mr. Portch the station master, had been most beautifully decorated. Every column was twined with garlands, and the roof draped with festoons. The floors were covered with se; I ',et cloth and the reception-rooms richly fitted, while to embellish all, Lord Dartmouth had sent the choicest plants from his conservatories, so that the whole place looked like a flower show, and one too of no ordinary size and merit. The chairman of the Company, Mr. Byng, with some of the directors, were in attendance to receive the Royal party, who alighted, and, after a short pause to admire the beauty of the decorations, passed at once to the magnificent saloon carriage of the Royal train which had been specially prepare d for their reception. The train left Gravesend at 10 minutes to 1 o'clock amid prolonged cheers of farewell. Mr. J. P. Knight, the traffic superintendent, was on the engine, and reg-Ilated its speed so that it passed at little more than i"ht or nine miles an hour through the chief staiionslietween Gravesend and London. These were all li ,th crowds of visitors, and many wore lind with guards of honour. A Royal salute was fired | from the high picturesque ridges of bostock-hill, fcux de joie were sputttering out irregularly from little hamlets; again a Royal salute at Woolwich Arsenal! and vet another at the Dockyard; more and more crowds as the train came nearer to London, swept slowly through New Cross, which seemed alive with people, and then shot quickly down into the station at Bricklayers' Arms. THE BRICKLAYERS ARMS STATION. This Station being the point at which the Princess was to commence her public entry into the capital of her adopted country, the preparations made there for her reception were upon a scale of magnificence worthy of so interest- ing an occasion. The day before painters, florists, up- holsterers, and a whole army of workpeople had posses- sion of the Station, and, under the superintendence of the architect of the company, succeeded in converting it, in spite of many difficulties, into a perfect triumph of decorative art. Both the interior and exterior of the station were dressed in the gayest holyday fashion. Acres of laurel, arbor vitm, yew, and holly, profusely interspersed with red and white roses, were entwined to the rafters and tie-beams of the roof, the zigzag arrange- ment adopted producing all the effect of a gigantic and beautiful bower of trellised work. From the divisions between the framework of the ceiling hung the flags all nations, the Danish and English of course predomi- nating, festooned with wreaths of flowers and ever- greens, and the whole grouped with due regard to harmony of colour. The entire platform, some 200 yards in length, was covered with crimson cloth and rich-carpet, and the side wall was tastefully adorned with statues, trophies of banners and spears, alternating with tall rhododendrons and other choice shrubs in full blossom. The pedestals of the statues wore half-girt with a zone of acacias, Andromeda fiorabunda, and other flowers, margined with gold and silver-edged geraniums, and an outer bordering of laurel wreath, dotted with roses. The larger shrubs and the base of the trophies were similarly encircled, hyacinths, tulips, crocuses, & variegated dracena also lending their charms to enhance the effect of the floral groups, giving to the whole scene the aspect of a rich and blooming garden. At the upper end of the platform, and facing the chief reception-room, tiers of sloping benches, covered with crimson and outlined with green baise, had been erected for the accommodation of 700 persons, while within the principal recep- tion-room itself several rows of raised seats were pro- vided for the wives and daughters of the directors and other highly privileged spectators. Adjoining this apart- ment was a smaller saloon specially decorated and fur- nished by Messrs. Gillow, of Oxford-street. Here the Royal party were to partake of a dejeuner, supplied by the direction of the railway company by the Messrs. Staples, of the Albion Hotel. The table, of English pollard oak, richly carved, was elegantly laid with covers for 21, and ornamented with epergnes and frosted silver vases, filled with rare exotics. Fine bronzes in oxydised silver and ormolu surmounted the mantelpiece, and round the room were placed busts of the Queen, the Princess Alexandra, the Prince of Wales, and other members of the Royal Family. Communicating with this saloon by a portiere of maroon and gold tapestry, on the banner of which the monogram of the Princess was embroidered, was another apartment splendidly decorated and furnished as a boudoir for her Royal Highness. The suite was of wal- nut wood, inlaid with marqueterie, mounted with ormolu, and covered with geranium-coloured satin, the drapery of richest lace, and all the other accessories equally princely The courtyard of the station had undergone a pleasing transformation corresponding with the interior. The spacious quadrangle, now thoroughly cleared of the lum- ber which usually disfigures it, had been well swept and gravelled, and all round its walls ran temporary booths capable of seating nearly 2,000 persons, and garnished with flags of all nations, and with lfowers and ever- greens. How many rural gardens and shrubberies have been ravaged to furnish materials for all these decora- tions future visits to country cousins may possibly dis- close. Over the gateway leading into the Old Kent-road was an elaborately designed triumphal arch adorned on either side with the heraldic emblazonments of England and Denmark, surmounted by the diadems of either country. The shields were surrounded by the appro- priate banners and the entire arch was crowned with the Prince of Wales's plume, supported by trophies of stan- dards and armour, and having inscribed immediately underneath it, in conspicuous characters, the single word Welcome T he galleries on the platform and in the reception- room were rapidly filled, mostly with ladies, elegantly dressed and all wearing red and white favours." Every seat in the quadrangle was also soon occupied, and the interval of expectancy was pleasantly spent in watching the successive arrivals of the more distinguish- ed persons who were to take an official part in the re- ception. The Duke of Saxe-Coburg and the Prince of Prussia, the Count de Flandres and the Belgian Minister, and their several suites, arrived about 1 o'clock and at 10 minutes past 1 came his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, attended by Colonel Tyrwhitt and Colonel Clifton, his aides-de-camp. His Royal Highness wore the uniform of a Field Marshal, with the blue riband of the Garter. The hour fixed for the arrival of the illus- trious party from Gravesend was now drawing near, and the brilliant company, who had all assembled, paraded the platform in eager watchfulness. His Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief, the Duke of Saxe- Coburg, the Prince of Prussia, and his Highness the Count de Flandres, occupied a foremost place apart from all the other personages in waiting, ready to give the first welcome to the Royal Bride. At 28 min- utes after 1 the train was telegraphed as having passed Woolwich; a little later it was signalled from Forest- hill. The company now strained their eyes to catch the first glimpse of its approach the railway officials bustled about with those significant looks and gestures that never deceive the earnest watcher and at 20 minutes to 2, when expectation was all on tiptoe, the train ap- peared. As it drove slowly up to the middle of the plat- form a thrill of pleasant excitement ran through the entire throng, every one simultaneously standing up un- covered to see the Prince alight with his bride. This was the signal for a hearty burst of cheers, and the wav- ing of hats and handkerchiefs, in the midst of which the Prince led the Princess, leaning on his arm, and radiant with youthful smiles and innocent gratification, in front of the large gallery, walking with her into the main reception-room. The youthful pair bowed gra- ciously and repeatedly in response to the warm greeting accorded them as they passed and at the same instant Mr. J. Mellor, the director in charge of the station, con- ducted the Hoii. Mrs. Byng, the wife of the chairman, to present the Princess Alexandra with a magnificent bouquet" of flowers -all fresh, fragrant, and beautiful. This gift her Royal Highness accepted with another graceful bow and winning smile which gained the hearts of all beholders. On her entrance into the reception- room the fervent greeting she had met with was again and again renewed. The Prince then escorted her to the refreshment saloon, where they were shortly joined by the other members of the illustrious party. At 2 o'clock precisely, his Royal Highness the Com- mander-in-Chief led the way to the Royal carriages. Before leaving the station, however, the Prince and Princess once more presented themselves at the door of the reception-room looking upon the platform, and were saluted with another round of cheering. This appeared to give her Royal Highness additional confidence, and the Prince, as if interpreting her wish to take another glance at the scene within the station, and at the same time to gratify the assemblage, led her on to the plat- form for a moment, when the spectators rose en masse, and applauded with increased fervour. Their Royal Highnesses then withdrew, bowing again to the less numerous audience in the reception-room, and passed out to the front of the booking-office. Here an open carriage, attended by postillions, footmen, and outriders all clad in scarlet and blue livery, with mourning bands round their arms, was drawn up to receive them. Hav- ing taken their seats amid the vehement acclamations of the concourse occupying the quadrangle and perched high upon every adjacent house-top, the Prince and Princess drove off towards the outer gateway, stopping a moment to allow the five other Royal carriages, con- taining the rest of the illustrious party and their suite, to move to the front. The cortege was then ranged as follows:— First Carriage.—General the Hon. Sir C. Grey, Colonel Seymour, Captain Lund, and Mr. Funck. Second Carria,-e -Countess Hilda Reventlow and Madame Vauvile. Third Carriage. -General Oxholme and Madame Oxholme. Fourth Carriage. Prince Waldemar and Prince William. Fifth Carriage.—Prince Frederick. 'Princess Dagmar, and Princess Thyra. Sixth Carriage.—Prince of Wales, Princess Alex- andra, Prince Christian, and Princess Louise (the latter the parents of the Princess. Thus marshalled, with the carriages containing the Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, the members for the county and the borough, the High Bailiff, the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, and their retinue, leading the way, and under an escort of Life Guards, the cavalcade passed under the first triumphal arch, amid the tremendous shouts of the populace, mingled with alternate strains of the English and Danish National Anthems. Hitherto the weather had been most propitious, but the procession had hardly started when a sprinkling rain began to fall. This soon increased to a smart shower, and the Royal party had to avail themselves of the shelter of umbrellas. This inci- dent vexed the multitude not a little by its untowardness, detracting as it did from that perfect view of their future Queen and her illustrious Consort, which, in the fondness of their hearts, they had promised themselves, and which moreover, it must be owned, they had well earned by their exemplary patience; but it had no effect whatever in checking their ardour and enthusiasm. In a few minutes the rain ceased, and with the clearing skies re- turned unclouded brightness to countless faces. The cavalcade went at an easy pace along the Old Kent and Dover-roads, hailed with such deafening cheers as only English hearts and English lungs can give, the shouts being caught up and re-echoed throughout the vast line until they swelled into a tumultuous chorus at once in- describably grand and sublime. Great Dover-street soon came in sight, banked with continuous terraces of seated thousands, the pavement also swarming from curbstone to walls, with such densely-packed myriads on foot as made it a mystery that even so gigantic a population as as that of London could at one time furnish such an un- paralleled gathering, or one so orderly, so happy, so wrought upon by one mighty, consentaneous, and gene- rous impulse. Every available shop-front, window, bal- cony, and house-top had been dismantled to add its own special contingent to the endless vista of human faces. Not a building, however mean and humble, could be des- cried from which did not wave some flags, floral device, or other token of jubilation the whole route, too, being almost literally over-arched with a canopy of banners, garlands, streamers, and every variation and periphrasis of the simple Anglo-Saxon dissyllable Welcome Striking into the Borough High-street by St. George's Church—the bells of which gave forth a merry peal, answered by the ringers of St. Saviour's and a dozen other churches, making the air vocal with their joyous clamour,—the procession held its course through the living tide amid continuous acclamations, which the Princess acknowledged by cheerful smiles and graceful bows. This, of course, only provoked more deafening outbursts than ever. A fine triumphal arch, some 50 feet in height, and adorned with allegorical figures and appropriate devices, spanned the broadest part of the High-street, and was marked with interest by the august personages in whose honour it was reared. Passing on- wards through similar manifestations till it came oppo- site the site of the Town-hall, the voices of the school- children of Southwark, grouped, with their bannerettes, on a raised platform near by, were heard above the dm pouring forth their shrill treble notes to fill up the great gamut of popular welcome. The Princess vouch- safed a kindly recognition to their simple but heartfelt tribute. THE CITY OF LONDO-N.-London-bridge presented an appearance wholly novel in the manner of its ornament- ation. Out of compliment to the nation of the Prin- cess the parapets were ornamented with statues of the Kings of Denmark from the earliest period, including that of the present reigning Sovereign, affixed to Danish standards some 30 feet high, and which in turn were surmounted by gilt figures of ravens and elephants—the national emblems. Between the standards tripods were placed, from which burning incense arose. At the south and north approaches to the bridge elegant pedestals were erected, bearing statues of Fame, surrounded by Danish warriors holding the Danebrog," or national flag. In the several recesses along the parapets smaller pedestals were arranged in a similar style of ornamenta- tion, producing on the whole a very pleasing effect. On the northern side of Adelaide place, at the entrance to King William-street, an imposing triumphal arch, about 60 feet high, and supported by 16 Corinthian columns, had been constructed, on the south side of which, front- ing the Borough, and in the centre, immediately over the carriage-way, were placed the united arms of Eng- land and Denmark, right and left, and over the footways medallions of the Prince and P rincess. The columns were surmounted with the statues of four eminent Danes-Saxo Grammaticus; Holberg, the poet; Thor- waldsen, the sculptor; and Juel, the painter. In the pediment, and in gilt letters, appeared the following lines, slightly adapted from Shakespeare's Tempest:— Honour, riches, marriage, blessing, L'mg continuance and increasing Hourly joys be still upon you, England shotrera her blessings on you." A painting beneath represented Britannia, surrounded with sea gods and goddesses, escorting the Princess Alexandra to the shores of England. The pediment w 8 surmounted by another representation of Britannia, and on either side recumbent figures of Fame heralding the approach of the Princess. A "portrait of Queen Victoria, within a wreath of laurel, and with a crown above, sup- ported by figures symbolical of Wisdom and Strength, adorned the northern front of the arch. The eight Corinthian columns on that side of the trophy supported four statues of Fame, and above the footway the Royal arms of England with those of Denmark were displayed. The shipping on the Thames and the little passenger steamers were all profusely decked for the occasion, and flags floated from buildings on either side of the river, right and left of the bridge, as far as the eye could reach. All along King William-street, Lombard-street, and Cheapside the houses and public buildings were gaily decorated with banners or festooned with flowers. The Corinthian columns of the Mansion-house were draped with crimson cloth, and the capitals and windows were hung with garlands. On the pillars medallions of the Prince and Princess were displayed in relief, surrounded with wreaths of oak, surmounted by the Prince of Wales' plume. From the windows crimson drapery was sus- pended with wreaths, in the centre of which were placed alternately the cross of Denmark and the Prince of Wales's feather. I About half-past 2 o clock the Royal party entered the city by London-bridge, where the Royal Reception of the corporation, the Masters and Wardens of the princi- pal Livery Companies, a deputation from the Commis- sioners of Lieutenancy, the Aldermen and Common Council, and the chief officers of the corporation, all in carriages, or rather such of the civic dignitaries as had been able to force their way there in time from Guildhall through the intervening crowd, awaited the arrival of her Royal Highness. The bridge had been previously cleared by a body of mounted police, assisted by cavalry, and, the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs having taken the places assigned them, the pageant moved onward. By the time the carriage oi the Prince of Wales and the Princess had reached about the centre of the bridge the procession was brought to a dead stop by the dense masses of people which had collected in advance of it, & their Royal Highnesses were detained there for nearly half an hour. The cavalcade, having made a fresh start, worked its way with immense difficulty through the crowd towards the Royal Exchange by Adelaide-place and King William street, and the Prince and Princess being greeted by prolonged and boisterous cheering. Meanwhile an extraordinary spectacle was being wit- nessed in front of the Mansion-house. In the open space there, where four great thoroughfares and many subsi- diary ones all converge, an enormous crowd had col- lected. As early as 10 o'clock people began to assemble there, and continued to augment in number as the day advanced, swelling at last into a multitude the like of which was perhaps never before seen in one place which the eye could sweep at a glance. Turn in whatever di- rection it might-up the long vista of Cheapside, on the one hand, or towards Princes-street, the esplanade of the Royal Exchange aud Cornhill, on the other-it rested on a compact mass of human beings, swayed by one com- mon feeling. Besides the crowd in the streets, every window, roof, and balcony commanding a view of that part of the route was thronged with spectators. On the sloping pediment of the Royal Exchange, among the tower of the Bank of England, about the square turret of the little church of St. Mildred, in the Poultry, people swarmed like bees. Others were seated among the hoofs of the Wellington equestrian statute in front of the Royal Exchange, and a few bestrode the horse itself, before and behind the figure of the Duke, with ludicrous effect. The crowd, vast as it was, and at times unma- nageable, was remarkably good-natured. The Procession continued to fight its way through the crowd towards the Mansion-house, but the line was broken again and again. Force could not be used, and yet the pressure was tremendous and the necessity of advancing urgent, for there were still miles of street to be passed through; Paddington Station was to be reached, and Windsor too, if possible, before nightfall. In this emergency it would be unjust to leave unmen tioned the signal service rendered by Lord Alfred Paget, who rode as equerry beside the Royal carriage. By an adroit mixture of firmness and good-humour, and a skill in chaffing" which charmed the multitude, he coaxed a passage where it was impossible to force it, and again and again rescued his charge from what might have proved a serious embarrassment. At one time an attempt was made, in all loyalty and good humour, no doubt, to take out the horses that the happy pair might be drawn through the City; at another a man actually mounted the carriage behind the Prince of Wales, while others constantly thronged beside it with friendly but boisterous acclamations. In every case the tact and good humour of the equerries succeeded in averting these well-meant but untimely manifestations, and by degrees the carriage of the Princess approached, the multitude surging to and froo to catch a glimpse of her. The manner of her Royal Highness was marked by much self-possession under circumstances calculated to cause alarm for the moment even amid the general rejoicing. Once or twice she showed some natural ap- prehension lest any of the people who pressed towards the carriage might be trodden under foot. She ap- peared delighted to recognize Prince Frederick of Hesse and the Duke of Glucksburg in the balcony of the Man- sion-house, and their presenee seemed to reassure her. The carriage was stopped for a few minutes to afford Mrs. Rose, the Lady Mayoress, who was attended by eight young ladies, an opportunity of presenting the Princess with an elegant bouquet, in a holder of jewelled gold, accompanied by expressions of welcome and good-will. ST. PAUL'S AND FLEET- 8-1 REET. -The next point selected by the Corporation for a manifestation of their munificent loyalty was St. Paul's Churchyard. In this choice they were justified not only from the advantages afforded by the place in its possessing features that must always contribute to the success of any open-air spectacle, but also by its being historically associated with many royal processions and other State ceremonials. Very early, however, among the arrangements for the recep- tion of the Princess Alexandra, it was resolved among the various companies and the other sections of the cor- porate body that seats to accommodate from 10,000 to 12,000 persons should be erected in St. Paul's Church- yard. That determination was carried out to the full; and on Saturday no less than 12,000 men, women, and children viewed the Royal cortege from seats placed with- in the iron railings that surround our great Cathedral. It is a curious fact that the cost of this temporary con- struction was nearly as much as the permanent iron rail- ings themselves. The cost of the latter was £ 11,200. The Corporation laid out about E9,000 on the seats and incidental charges connected with them. It must not, however, be supposed that the seats presented anything of the appearance of street platforms or scaffolding. They were as substantial looking as if they had been built to last 100 years, and as handsomely fitted as the boxes of a London theatre, which on a monster scale, they very much resembled. Every foot of ground thus devoted to sitting room was roofed with timber and asphalt, and there were as many as 25 rows of seats rising tier above tier, where the space between the church and the railing admitted of that number. The benches, as well as the upright supports of the roof, were covered with scarlet cloth, and a rich drapery of the same material screened t: e ex- terior of the permanent balustrade. A verandah, with a richly painted cornice, projected outwards to some dis- tance, and on the cornice considerable taste and skill were displayed. At intervals of three or four feet it was surmounted by groups of flags. English and Danish flags preponderated but there were flags of almost every nation under the sun. In front of the cornice all the way round were a succession of large plaster medal- lions of the Prince and Princess-the two profiles on the same oblong. Between these were a number of orange-blossom wreaths of colossal size, in keeping with the immense structure itself. The appearance of the whole elicited general and deserved admiration; and certainly it formed a splendid addition to the other deco- rations along the route of the procession. Among those who occupied the seats were 40 Danish merchants, 22 clerks of the House of Commons, 600 boys of the City of London School, and 100 children from the City of Lon- don Freemen's School. The owners of the various shops all round, and of the splendid line of warehouses along the south side, displayed a lavish extent of bunting, which had an extremely fine effect. At the entrances to the Churchyard from the north-east and south-west the route was spanned across by brilliant flags and steamers, and some houses had gay colours depending from every window. It might have been expected that the Court of Assistants of the Mercers' Company, Dean Colet's trus- tees, would not leave St. Paul's School undecked, but they exceeded even all that could have been anticipated from their well-known liberality. The entire facade of the school was decorated from foundation to roof, and seats were erected along the frontage at a few feet from the flagway. Outside the schoolroom, which is on the first floor, a great balcony, roofed by the upper portico, was fitted up, and at each side less prominent balconies ran along the building. The former was occupied by the friends of the Mercers' Company; the latter were filled with the schoolboys. The whole of the temporary woodwork was hid in scarlet drapery. The stone pillars which support the portico were also radiant in scarlet, and richly festooned with white and red roses. Bright draperies hung from the balconies, and were emblazoned with the Prince of Wales's plume and the initials of his Royal Highness and the Princess Alexandra. As early as 12 o'clock the crowd in the Churchyard was enormous, and from that time down to the arrival of the procession the people continued to pour in by the thousand. At 2 o'clock it was blocked up by a densely- packed mass such as had never before been seen round St. Paul's. And not only was every inch f standmg room in the street covered, with the xcephon of the narrow space left for the expected carriages,-not only were all the windows commanding even the most distant view of the Churchyard filled with rows of eager heads, but the roof-tops of the houses on the north side of the Cathedral were as thronged on the roadway itself. Above the lofty warehouses along the south side of the Churchyard, positions on chimney stacks, at an elevation of some 10 or 12 feet above the coping-stones, were stoutly contended for after the roofs would hold no more. Along Aldersgate-street, St. Martin's-le-Grand, and Newgate-street on the one side