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    iim:fi, 1855-] .-'T-a-B L E AD E B. ^67

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    The Imperial Visit. The Visit Of The Emp...

    = \ ret & all densely crowded . At every afcreet-crossiag- 'arid tnrniagvpoiiit of - the route , carriages , cabe , omnibuses , and vehicles of every description , - were converted ¦ into temporary-stands for spectators . The mighty traffic ceaselessly flowing through the main arteries of the metropolis paused in its course to see the Emperor and Empress , pass by . They were seated with the Prince in an open barouche , -which went at the head of the cortege ; and , as the pace maintained was not much beyond a walk , they were well seen by all . As they approached Westminster Bridge , a royal salute was fired from the guns which usually announce her Majesty ' s arrival to open or prorogue Parliament . At Charing-cross , where vast numbers of people were collected , there was some display of flags , and the effect at this point was further heightened by the band of the Royal Marines , who

    played ' Partant pour la Syrie' as the cortege passed the Admiralty . The scene presented by the clubs in Pall-mall was particularly animated ; and among those who gazed upon his progress from the well-known haunts of former days , his Majesty no doubt distinguished many old familiar faces . In front of St . James ' s Palace , a guard of honour turned out and presented arms . St . James-street had the windows and balconies of all its houses filled with a large assemblage of ladies , whose curiosity and interest were no doubt strongly excited by the Empress , and who waved their handkerchiefs as she passed . When they passed King-street , the Emperor was observed to draw her attention to the house which he had occupied in former days ; and in him at least the sight of this under such altered circumstances must have raised some strange emotions . It was 6 o'clock , an hour behind time , before they started for

    Windsor . " A large crowd assembled near the Castle at about 4 o ' clock in the afternoon ; and at 7 the Emperor , the Empress , and Prince Albert , made their appearance . The distance from the railway station to the Castle is so short , that the sight was come and gone in a few minutes ; but the people cheered loudly , and seemed satisfied . In the evening the town was illuminated . The Emperor and Empress alighted at the Grand Hall , where the Queen , accompanied by the Prince of Wales , the Princess Royal , the Duke-of Cambridge , and the Prince of ! . einingen , received them . " The Yeomen of the Guard ( says the Court Circular ) lined the Grand Hall and Staircase under the command of Captain Macdonald , the Exon in Waiting . Viscount

    Sydney , the Captain , and Colonel Fitzmaurice , the Adjutant of the corps , also attended . ' The great officers of State and the Household ( in levee dress ) , and the Ladies and Maids of Honour in Waiting , were in attendance with the Queen at the Grand Hall . "Viscount Palmerston , First Lord of the Treasury , and the Earl of Clarendon , Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs , were also present . The Queen , taking the arm of the Emperor , and the Empress that of Prince Albert , followed by the Prince of Wales , the Princess Royal , the Duke of Cambridge , and the Prince of Lciningen ,. passed up the grand staircase , through the Music-room , into the Throne-room , where the younger members of the royal family were assembled , and subsequently proceeded to the Keccption-room , where the ladies . and gentlemen , of the Household of the Queen and the Prince were presented to their Imperial Majesties . " A banquet in St . George ' s Hall followed , and concluded the day . TUB PREFKCX OP THE SEINE AT THE MANSIONHOUSE . The Prefect of the Seine , and other gentlemen connected with the municipality of Paris , having followed in the train of the Emperor , were entertained by the L . ord Mayor on Moinlay at a dinner in the Egyptian Hall of the Mansion House . Amongst the company were the Consuls-general of Prance , Sardinia , and several other countries , Prince Gholub Mahmoud , Prince Fcrozcshuh , the Lord Mayor of Dublin , and the chief members of the corporation of London . The " loving cup" having passed round , and the health of the Queen having been drunk ,

    several complimentary speeches were made by the Lord Mayor , the Prefect of the Seine , and others . The Prefect , in acknowledging the drinking of his health , said ho would speak in English , as he wished to say to the company , without the medium of an interpreter , but " heart to heart , " how much ho fait tho reception the party had met with from the English population . M . Pelouze , in proposing " tho Aldermen , Sheriffs and Corporation of London , " complimented the City on tho now- and magnificent streets that are now being , or have been , made , and said that tho French aro only just beginning to follow tho English example . —The company separated about eleven o ' clock .

    THK Al > DirEB 8 KS ANW THE itEVIEW AT WINDSOR . About three o ' clock on Tuesday , tho Corporation of "Windsor proceeded in nine carriages to the Castle , and presented a congratulatory address to the Emperor , to which ho returned the following answer : — " Mr . ' "Mayor , I am very much pleased with tho statements contained in your address , and I trust that tho alliance bo happily formed will last for many , mnuy

    years . I-thank you for the hearty reception I have met with in your town ; but I ant sure I cannot take it to myself so much as to- the circumstance of my being the guest of your Queen . I was much gratified by what I witnessed last night in your town , and I beg that you will express to the inhabitants of Windsor how highly pleased I was with then- kindness and attention . " . Two other addresses were also presented—namely , one from the Commissioners of Lieutenancy of the City of London , and one from the merchants , bankers , and traders of London . After the reception of these , a review of the household troops took place in the Great-park .

    " The attendance of spectators ( say the morning journals ) was enormous , and their eagerness to catch a glimpse of the Emperor and Empress completely frustrated the attempts of the detachment of the 94 th Regiment to keep the ground . The Emperor and Prince Albert , in field marshal ' s uniform , attended by a brilliant staff , and accompanied by her Majesty the Queen and the Empress of the French , with the royal children , visitors , and suite , in six open carriages , arrived at four o'clock . The line was formed by the following regiments ; . —Second Life Guards , Royal Horse Guards , the Carbiniers , and two troops of Horse Artillery . On the arrival of the royal corteqe on the ground , they were

    received with a salute , the bands playing the ' National Anthem' and ' Partant pour la Syrie . ' At the close of the review , the Emperor rode out to the front , and addressed Lord Cardigan , who commanded the whole of the troops , and expressed himself highly satisfied with the inspection . The charges were made with very great precision and compactness , and the firing of tbe artillery was very rapid indeed . The whole of the evolutions were performed in a very admirable manner . The review lasted for nearly two hours , and the royal and imperial party returned by the Long Walk about half-past six o ' clock . The walk was densely thronged on both sides , and the cheers were vociferous and protracted . " In the evening , the Queen gave a banquet , and afterwards a ball . THE KNIGHTING OF THE EMPEKOR . This chivalrie ceremony is thus described in the Court Circular : — " The Queen held sx Chapter of the Order of the Garter at . three o ' clock on Wednesday afternoon in the Castle , for the purpose of investing his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of the French with the ensigns of this most noble Order , Her Majesty the Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert were conducted by the great officers of State to the Throne-room , followed by the Duke of Cambridge and the Prince of Leiningen . The Queen and their Royal and Serene Highnesses wore the purp le velvet mantle , the crimson velvet hood , and the splendid collar of the Order .

    The ' Knights appeared in . the mantle and collar of the Garter , and the officers wore their respective robes with their chains and badges . The Queen and the Knights of the Garter received his Imperial Majesty standing , and the Emperor , passing to the head of the table , took a seat in the chair of state on the right hand of her Majesty . The Queen announced to the Emperor of the French that his Imperial Majesty had been elected a Knight of ' the-Most Noble Or < ler-of . UicGartcr .. _ G arici King of Arms , kneeling , presented the Garter to the Sovereign , and her Majesty , assisted by his Royal

    Highness Prince Albert , buckled it on the left leg of the Emperor , the Chancellor pronouncing tbe admonition . Garter King of Arms presented the Riband with the George , and the Queen put the ( same over the left shoulder of tho ' Emperor , the Chancellor pronouncing the admonition . Tlu > . Queen then gave the accolade to the Eniporor , and his Imperial Majesty received the congratulations of his Royal Highness Prince Albert , his Roynl Highness the Duke of Cambridge , his Surcnu Highness the Prince of Leinhigen , ami each of tho Knights Companions present .

    " Tho Queen gave a state dinner in the evening , at which all tho gentlemen appeared in uniform or court dresses , tho members of orders of kniyhthood wearing their respective ensigns . "

    TUB VISIT TO ( iVUAUlWA , AND THI 3 OIM 5 RA . Thursday ) from morning till night , was a perfect ' gala day in London . What with vast crowds of people , " all in their best , " bright and many coloured Hugs , military processions , and constant strains of music , this dingy metropolis of ours became quite jubilant and holiday-like . Tho Emperor and Empress wore to make two public appearances , and the sight-loving Cockneys canio out in force . We abridge from the Times tho record of the day ' s proceedings :

    Arriving nt the private terminus of the Nine Elni . s station nt twelve o ' clock , tho imperial guests—who were accompanied thus far by 'the Queen and Prince Albert—woro conveyed to Buckingham Palace nc . rona Vnuxhall-bridge , Millhnnk , Parliament-street , Whitehall , and the Mall . Thence they were convoyed by tho Mall , Charing-eross , tho Strand , Fleet-street , Cheupside , Pi'incfH-, stiv (! t . . 'ind Gren ha in-. street , to the Guildhall , where they arrived at ; a quarter punt two o ' clock . Leaving the Guildhall at four , and folluwintc the same route back as far ( is DuiK-aimoH-stroot , Strand , they there diverged

    to the right , passing in front -of the National ¦ GaUery along Pall-mall East , up Regent-street and by Piccadilly and Hyde Park to the French Embassy . thence , atr six o ' clock , they returned to the Palace down Constitutiort-hill . Along the whole of this extended drive , the people were assembled in extraordinary numbers . The pavement , the windows , and in some instances even the housetops , were crowded . with occupants . At Charing-crpss alone , there could" not have been less than from- 20 , 000 to 30 , 000 spectators . At every commanding point , cabs , omnibuses , and * waggons were drawn up and filled with eager lookers-on . The procession advanced in the gorge of a continuous valley of human life , the bare sight of which , as it swayed under its own impulses , awakened mingled emotions of astonishment and awe .

    At different parts of the route , the character of the crowd varied considerably . Now it was mainly composed of the humbler classes , now comfortable mediocrity preponderated , and a little beyond might be observed many persons belonging to the higher ranks of society ; but wherever one went the overpowering effect of numbers was still pre-eminent . As for the cheering , it ran along on either side of the Emperor ' s carriage—an accoinpaning wave of sound which rose liigh over that of his trampling escort . The people were kept in excellent order along the whole line of the procession by the Metropolitan and City police , who lined the roadway on either side , and by their excellent arrangements

    prevented anything like confusion . In this arduous and responsible task the civil force was materially assisted by the 6 th Carabiniers and the Blues—distributed by pairs at intervals , and , where necessary , backing their hor .-es to restrain the forward pressure of the crowd . The few Foot Guards left were used as guards of honour at the railway-station , at the Palace , and the Guildhall . In the Mall they also formed A double line within the police ; but their appearance there , from their small number , from the irregularity in their dress , consequent on the change of uniform , from the diminished size of the men , and from their raw , awkward manner in performing the simplest movements , excited many painful and bitter remembrances .

    The Imperial cortege consisted of eight carriages from the railway-station to Buckingham Palace , and of six thence to Guildhall . It was attended by a small escort of the Life Guards in the first half of its progress , and bv ; a . large escort during the last half . Neither the Queen nor Prince Albert accompanied their illustrious guests into the City , and the visit was-not made in what is usually called " " State . ' - Close carriages were used , with only a pair of horses in each , and it was impossible to get so good a view of the Imperial pair as in the open barouch on their way from the Bricklayers' Arms Station on Monday . The difficulty in this respect was increased by the rate at which the cortege wont . drawn

    At the Horse Guards a guard of honour was up , " and saluted . At Buckingham Palace , the party remained for more than an hour , starting again at halfpast one The band of the Royal Marines , at the Admiralty , played " Partant pour la Syrie" from the summit of the entrance nrchway . The Nelson column was densely packed with spectators ; and the Strand appeared to great advantage with its flags , find the amazing numbers of people on the parapets and at tho windows . Temple-bar and thu " dark dctile of Fleet-street" were now entered , " the ; barrier unguarded -by-the eivicliing against the . invasion of his Imperial guests , although , had the Queen come , the ceremony of presenting thu city keys would , -no doubt , have been still observed . Along Chcnp » ide , and not only within the sound , but in sight , of Bow bolls , which now rang out to fortunes more romantic and marvellous than tho . se even of Whittington , the Imperial visitors proceeded to tho Mansionhouses and tho Bank . There a vast conconr . se of people

    line ! assembled to receive thorn . Turning to the lelt along Princes-street , Lothbury , and Greshnm-strect this cortege , soon arrived at the long covered entrance to th »» Guildhall , where , pointed by a guard of honour , and received with the music of " Partant pour la Syrie , " Imperial guests alighted shortly after two o ' clock . Preparations on a most extensive . scale had been made in Guildhall . At the eastern end of the Hall , a dais , slightly raised above , tho level of the floor , li . id been erected , . and upon it wore placed two chairs of State , covered with velvet of Imperial purple , and richly ornamented with gilding . On tho back of one <> t * these chair * , intended for tho Kmpuror , tho initial " N ' worked in tho

    was embroidered in gold within a wreath same material ; and on the other , destined for tin .- 'Empress , the initial " E " was similarly emblazoned . Jlio State chairs were surmounted Ii . v n canopy of noli purple , velvet , fringed with goM , ami lined with crenmcolouretl tfitiii , earn corner of the canopy displaying an Imperial ouglo richly giK- On either miIo «» 1 tli « dais a considerable space next Hie wall w / . S railed oil for thu accommodation of members of Ilio < . nmnoii Council . At tho western end , n sloping gallery had been erected , which occupied oiio-Jwilf the hall , find at the eastern end tho ' MMK-i ! which was not required ihv . thujlalA nml ( ho Common Councillors' heats vrns filled with vows of raised bum-lion <• " < '" <•» si '' (> i leaving a wide

    paafiawin the centre , lending to tho thrones or chairs of ( State . M the end oj' < lu-.- < i central seats , next'tho Hais , e'ompurtmeim worn reserved , on thes south side , for Cabinet Ministers and other distinguished guest * , and

    Iim:Fi, 1855-] .-'T-A-B L E Ad E B. ^67

    iim : fi , 1855- ] .- 'T-a-B L E AD E B . ^ 67

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), April 21, 1855, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_21041855/page/7/