English and Foreign.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 356, 2 April 1856, Page 4

English and Foreign.

THE KING OF SARDINIA'S VISIT TO ENGLAND

His Majesty the King of Sardinia having, during his sojourn in Paris, been most royally received by Uie Emperor, and enthusiastically by Frenchmen of almost all grades, left Paris on Thursday evening, Not-ember 29, at halfpast seven, i-ia Calais, for England. The King arrived at Dover on Friday, November 30, at half-past seven a.m.

The King of Sardinia, arrived in the Vivid steamer, Captain Smitlier's. He was received by the naval and military authorities of the port, the Sardinian Minister, General Grey, and the other members of {the Queen's household sent clown to welcome Uim vii his arrival.

The Guard of Honour was formed of the North Lincolnshire Militia, the British Swiss Legion, and a detachment of the 9lst Regiment, and the reception of his Majesty was most enthusiastic along the line of route from the Admiralty pier to Birmingham's lluyal Ship Hotel, where he made a oriel sojourn.

The corporation presented an address at half-past nine, and his Majesty left immediately en route for Windsor, amid the enthusiastic cheers of the inhabitants. The following reply of the King to the address of the Corporation was read by the .Sardinian Miuisier, the Aiavquis DAzeglio':—

" Geutieinen—You are the first who hare offered to me on lauding on the hospitable soil of England, words of--congratulation and of welcaine. These words are more highly appreciated by me on that account; and I am most happy to receive through you the first words of sympathy at the moiueut I am realising a wish loug entertained by me of visiting the Sovereign of this great country. The expressions you have adopted in pronouncing a etiiogimn upon the Sardinian army iv the Crimea are most grateful to my eais, and I am Sure that the approbation of the countrymen of those who combaited so weil at Alma* and Inkerinan will be highly valued by our soldiers. I accept the expression of your good will as a happy omen of mv journey, and I beg thai you wili carry to your fellow-citizens, whom you represent, my sincere expressions of gratitude.''

TJie royal train arrived at Bricklayers' Arms station a few minutes after twelve o'clock. Prince Albeit was in attendance to receive his Majesty, and no sooner had the train stopped than the Prince advanced to the royal carriage, and the King having alighted, greeted his Majesty with hearty welcome, shaking hands with him in the must cordial manner. His royal highness, in the uniform of a Fieid Marshal, then introduced his Majesty to Sir George Grey, the Minister iv # attendance ; Mifjor-Genemi Grey, the Lord Mayor, and the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex. His Majesty in return iniioduced Counc Cuvotir, and the yU.er leading members of his snue. His Majesty th n retired to one of the waiting-roams. His Majesty did not remain in the station more than a iew minute?, during which time he thanked the railway official iur the attention he had received at their hands. He was then conducted to one of the royal carnages, several of which weie in waiting for the accommodation of his Miijesty and suite. A. gallery inside the station w.is filled with gaily-dressed" people, and these were the first to welcome his Majesty's arrival with an English cheer. In the .-pacious siation-y ml the 3rd Hegiinent of Fusiliers had taken up a position with their band, and as his Majesty ascended the rotal carriage the regiment presented arms, while the band struck up the national anthem of Sardiuia. lii» M;.j.sty with Pr nee Albert by his side, stood for suvjiiii minutes surveying the iimm.ued iccae, bowing rejieatedly to the cheers which greeted him, and which were ining.'Ld witli cries in tlie French language of '' Vive le iiui dt> .Sar.iiu^ne !"

Tue ui./ruiiifr l«injj extremely cold. Prince A' : l»ert pressed nis .Majesty to sit covered, and lueiuiiv iujced »j>ou iiini ;i hw cuat. His niHJ•.-»:;.- thus iveii { »r.itect«<l a^ainbt the chill of t'je a-.m.y.siiiiero, drove off amidst a sanm oi piiiuciis.s. lit ihe secuiiti carriage Was i\ iC Sardiiii.iu Ani!i;tssiui»r and the iunneilialK atiendants upon his Majesiy. The Co;:iit de Cuvuitr was rcc:>f«iiiseil, and a special cheer was raised in lii^ beiutll".

•, A vast c:o-.wi of people had assembled outside ihe .ssitliou, and as lii.s Majesty 'hove out he was greeted with an entljusiustic burst of cheers.

The day, though bracing, was fine for November, the sun shining with autumnal splendour, while the streets being drier and cleaner than for some days past, were lined with throngs of respectably-dressed people of both sexes. It was gratifying and interesting to observe how well his Majesty's position and claims upon our respect were appreciated by the people; not only were the plaudits hearty and sincere, but repeated expressions of sympathy were directly addressed to the King as he passed through their midst, or were interchanged amongst the crowd. The gallant bearing and handsome presence of his Majesty were not lost upon the lair sex, and ihe displays of white cambric and the other demonstrations peculiar to feminine enthusiasm upon such occasions were conspicuous throughout the route. The King is not so tull as Prince Albert, but is much stouter. His complexion is light, and the expression of his features is extremly good-hnraonred. His Majesty wears a moustache and imperial. He was dressed in a dark green military uniform, fringed with gold, and bore on his breast more than one milil.irv decoration.

The royal procession passed along1 the Old Kent-road, then by the Elephant and Castle, where an immense concourse h;id assembled, and so on down the Borough-road and across Westminister-bridge. This portion of the route was principally lined by the working-classes, the cortege arriving about the time of dinner hour. Li is Majesty and the Prince appeared to he highly delighted with the warm reception heie given them. At no point of the route, indeed, was the cheering' more vigorous or general. At Mauuslay's and other large factories there was a complete turn-out of the operatives and their cheers were repeated again and again. Asiley's Royal Amphitheatre was decorated will) banners and devices of various descriptions. A heavy mist which hung over the river considerably obstructed the fine view obtained in fine weather from the summit of Westmin-ster-bridge. The great towers of the new Houses of Parliament frowned, as it were, through the foir, and their more beautiful proportions were lost.

Having reached the north side of the Thames the scene to some extent changed; the fu-uian jacket and shirt sleeve gave place to cloth surtouls, while the display of flags from windows and house tops imparted a livelier aspect to the spectacle. Of course the prevailing banner was the national flag of Sardinia, which is a tricolor—green, while, and red—with the ancient arms of Savoy, a white cross on a rod ground, borne on an escutcheon in the centre of the while stripe. This banner was conspicuously exhibited over the high, gateway of the Ad'nir.iUv, where a platform had been erected for the fine band of the Royal Marines. A-< the procession approached, and during the whole time it was passing, the music was kept up uninterruptedly.

The preparations almvjr the voile from Chaiing-cross to Hyde-park were not so extensile as on the oecassion of the E nperor of the Freud), hut there was a very general display. The most conspicuous manifestation of feeling- was the demonstration at the Army and Navy Ciub, Pall-mall, where the whole of the allied banners were hung out.

A great many persons were congregated near Apsley House, the Wellington Statue, in Hydepark, ami along the north side of ilie Serpentine to the Victoria, gale and the Great Western station. His Majesty was most enthusiastically received with liie vast assemblage throughout the line.

On arriving at the Great Western Railway, Paddiugton, ih« Royal party were received liy the Chsiinmn of the Company, the right Houorable 11. Walpole. and a body of officials. The s.ime demonstrations of enthusiasm which had marked his Majesty's pmgiess throtigli the metropolis were* repealed here, and the train left arn'flsi ihe acclamations of the multitude.

His Majesty arrived at Windsor Castle, at a fiunrtev jia>t 2 o'clock. Her Majesty rece v d her illustrious guest on alighting ' from his carriage, at ihe grand entrance/Th^ Q'teen was accompanied |,_ v their Royal Highnesses h Prince of Wales, thu Piincess Royal, Prince Alfred, and the Princess Alice, and was attended by the Duchess of Sutherland <md the Ladies in WaiJiiijr, the Officers ol'State of her Majesty's ILjusehold, and the gentlemen in waiting. His Jt'iyal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, Viscount Palmerston, and the Earl of Clarendon, were also at the jirand entrance.

The King \vus attended by the Marquis

d'Azgelio, his Majesty's .representative at t} ie Court of Great Britain, le comte de Cavour, l e Due Pasqua, le Chevalier Nigra, le Cotnte Morozzo de la Itooea, le Chevalier Maxime d'Azeglio, le Chevalier Ltiserna d'Angrogna, le Chevalier Carderinu, le Chevalier Cigala' le Compte de Persan, le Chevalier Riheri, lo Comtede Barone, le Compte de liolrilaet, ntul also by Lord Byron and Colonel the Honourable A. N. Hood, Lord and Groom in Waiting to the Queen, deputed to attend his Majesty during his stay in (his country. The Royal 'cortege from the raiway station to the castle* comprised several open carriages, with outriders in se.».rlei liveries, and an escort of the 2nd Life Guard*, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Qgilvy. The bind of the 2nd Life Guards was on duty, in stale uniforms on the t>p of the Castle-hill. Within the quadrangle of the castle a guard of honour was on riutv of the Grenadier Guards, and the hand, on the entrance of the King in the quadrangle, commenced playing the Sardinian National Air.

The Eton scholars had assembled the base of the round to'ver, and greeted his Majesty with loud and repeated acclamations. y>

The King of Sardinia ami her Majesty (Tie Queen passed up the staucast*, followed by Prince Albeit, the Prince of Wales, the P.iiice.ss Royal, Prince Alfred, the Princess Alice, and the Duke of Cambridge, and were conducted by the «jruat officer of Slite to one of the Ma'.e rooms where the Queen and Prince presented to his Majesty the ladies and gentlemen of their court, and the King introduced the noblemen and gentlemen of his suite to the Q-iPcii and Prince.

His Majesty subsequently proceeded to his apartments, which consi>t "f the Qaeeu's stale drawing-room, tl-e old b,il!-room, the Queen's closet, and the King's closet.

In the afternoon the King, with the Queen aid Prince Albeit, and the Dukeof Cambridge, visited her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent at her residence, Frogmore.

At lnlf-past 4 o'clock, the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of the ciiy of London arrived at the castle; alderman and sheriff Kennedy and alderman and sheriff Il'ise, accompanied by the Ciiy Remembrancer, had an audience of the Kin-r to ask on what day his Majesty would receive an address of congratulation from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London in Common Council assembled. The Lori Mayor and the Sheriffs, accompanied by the City Remembrancer, had another audience isf the King to invite his Majesty to partake of an entertainment on the presentation of the City address The King was pleased to appoint Tuesday nest for the reception of the address, and accepted the invitation of the Corporation.

A deputation from the Young Men's ChristiaT Association of London, c insisting of the Hon. Arthur Fiizgc-rald Kinnaird, M.P., Mr. John Guvney Hoare, the Rev. H. J. Cummins, M.A., Mr. Gc rge Hitchcock, &c, had an a;dfnee of ihe King, when the Hon. Arthur Kiumiirc], M.P. : read an address, to wliich his Majesty was graciously pleased to return the following answer ;—

" Gentlemen, —I am very grateful to you for the d m-msiraiiuu of sympathy which you have lieen pleased to give me on the part of the Christian Association formed liy the young men of London, ami the young Men's Societies of the English Presbyterian Church, with other subjects of her BriUanie Majesty. "You have been pleased to allude,f!n your address, to the encouragement which I have bestowed on the arts and sciences in my ccu'itrv. The devdopement of the arts and sciences is an essential condition of the prosperity and moral advancement of a nation, and d>es not fail to Conn one of the most constant and special circs of my reign. '•This devdopemeut can only lake place under tie mo tec lion of a just liberty and the sprit of civ. l and rc.igums freedom. Th'J artistic treasures of Italy render the task of civil advancement yon have imposed upon yourselves more easy fov us. '1 he education which you have in view developes the intellect, and permits it to appreciate at their true value the marvels of which past centuries have been so lavihh towards us. Such education disperses prejudices existing between nations, and 1 confidently hope that our hospitality will never be wanting towards you. " I very sincerely desire the success of the association which you represent.'1

His Majesty was attended at the audiences and the reception of the address by the Marquis d'Azeglio, his minister at this court, and twj of his aide-de-camps. The Queen gave a dinner in the evening in St. George's Mall. The distinguished party included his Majesty the King of Sardinia, the Duchess of KiMit, ib'c Princess Royal, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duchess of .Suthe.land, the Duke of Wellington, the Marquis d'Azeglio, the Marquis of Breadalbane, Eurl Spencer, Earl of Clarendon, Viscount Palmerslon, Lady Fanny Hard, Baroness de Speth, &c.

On Tuesday, December 4, his Majesty the King of Sardinia paid a visit In the Lord Mayor of London, at tin; Guildhall. Throughout the whole line of procession the most universal welcome w.is exhibited, the inhabitants displaying the various banners of France, England, and-Turkey, blended witli those of Sardinia. His Majesty reached ihe Great Western R-iihvay from Windsor at ten o'clock, and proceeded to Buckingham Palace, where a deputation from the merchants, bankers, and traders of the city of London, presented an address, to which his Majesty returned a gracious reply. At eleven risH>ck his Majesty held a general levee, at which the' various ambassadors of France, Turkey, Bjlgium, Sweden, and Austria were present, and at twelve o'clock proceeded in procession towards Guildhall, accompanied by H.LVEI. the Duke of Cambridge, the Marquis d'Azeglio, and the members of his suite, where be was reeeiied by the Lord Mayor, Alderman and Sheriff Kennedy, Alderman and Sheriff Rose, Sir John Key, B.trt., the Chamberlain, the Right Hon. j. Stuart Worlley, M.P., the Recorder, and other civic dignitaries, by whom he was conducted to the throne, amidst the enthusiastic and oftrepeated p];itidits of the overwhelming assembly.

The eon'panv at the Guildhall comprised the various ambassadors from foreign courts ami their Indies; most of tiie Cabinet Ministers, several members of Parliament, the members of the civic corporation, &c, amongst whom Lord Palinerston, Lo.d Panniiire, the French Ambassador, the 'I'mkish Minister, the American Minister, the Swedish Minister, Sir Charles Napier, and the Duke of Cambridge, were most warmly received.

When quiet was to some extent restored, the Recorder of the city oi Tv>n<lon read an address to his Majesty, expressive of gratitude for the honour of his vi>it, ;nid also alluded in compli mentary terms to the friendly intercourse which had sprung up between Greai B;itain and Sardinia, concluding with the assurance that in the present conn-si which disturbed the p^ace of Europe, the Queen of England, acting in concert with her allies, may firmly rely upon the strongest and most cheerful efforts of the loyal citizens of London, and of all her people, united as they are in duty and affection to her Majesty's person and government, and in a dcnerniiuiition to defend the cause of nati .nal independence and of civil and religious liberty. His MajeNty the King read his reply in Italian. The following is a translation :—■

"My Lord Mayor,—l offer my heartfelt thanks to yon, to the Aldermen, and to the Commons of the City of London, for the cordial congratulations which you present to me on the occasion of tny visit to her Majesty the Queen and i<> the British nation.

" The reception that I have met with in this ancient hmd of constitutional liberty, of which your address is ;i confirmation, is to me a proof of the sympathy inspired by the policy which I have hitherto pursued —a policy in which it is my intention constantly to persevere. The close alliance existing between the two most powerful nations of the earth is honourable alike to the wisdom of the sovereigns who govern them, and to the character of their people. I .icy !i;ivh understood how preferable is a uiujinlly advantageous friendship to ancient and i"-defined rivalry.

I'liis alliaiico is a new fact in history, anil is l '>e triumph of civilisation. NotwithstandingHie misfortunes which have weighed upon n»y KiiiLT'i ■>!!«, I have entered into this alliance, l>ee;uis:' t'ue Mouse of S.ivoy ever deemed it to '•c its duty u> draw the s.vord wlmmi the combat Was for justice and for iudeiiendenco.

I! the forces which I briii<* to the allies ;iic tlxisi: ol ii Suto not vast, I bring- with them, "i-'vo'.-djcit;^ the influence of a loyally never ""iibb'd, and supported by the valour of an army ,-ihvuys faithful to the banners of its Kings. ' cmniot lay down our arms until an lionouiahlc, and therefore durable peace, has

been secured. This we shall accomplish by seeking unanimously the triumph of true right, and the just desires of each nation.

" I thank you for the good wishes you this day express for my future happiness, and for that of my kingdom*.

" While you I bus express yourself with respect to the future, it gives me pleasure to speak of the present, and to cougraiulate you on the high position attained by Great Britain. This is to be attributed to the free and noble character of the nation, and also '.o the virtues of your Queen.1'

The King of Sardinia is thus described in the journals :—" His Majesty is ratlier older in appearance ilian might be expected from his age, and there an; deep traces in his face of the domestic affliction which he lias recently sustained. Hn is inclined to be stout, but Ins hearing j, upright and soldierlike; and his features, though not handsome, are marked by an expression of dignity and firmness, combined with good sense and moderation of character. He wore yesterday the uniform of a General in the Sardinian army—a bright blue tunic, and troiisets of light grey with black si ripe. On his breast shone the cro>s of the Legion of Honour, and the ' soldier's medal,'which the Emperor Napoleon lately presented to him with so handsome a compliment. The King al.-o had on a short cloak, which he carried with the filidtous grace seldom met wiili except in inhabitants of Southern Europe."

The house of Savoy has at two periods been connected by marriage with that of England. First in ihe reign of Henry 111., when two daughters of Raymond Berengarius, Count of Provence, and Beatrice, daughter of Thomas, Earl of .Savoy, were married to English princes ; King Henry himself marrying Eleanor of Provence, and his brother Richard, Karl of Coruwiill and King of the Romans, inarrviug her sister Saiich^a. Queen Eleanor founded St. X ith'iiine's Hospital, and for nine months held the Great Seal, heinir the only female in the list of Chancellors of England. The second alliance was at the era of the Revohuiom, when Maria Aloisia, eldest daughter of Henrietta, Duchess of Orleans, and granddaughter of Charles the T., was married to Victor A.imdeus 11., Duke of Savoy, and first King of Sardinia ; from whom the present King is sixth in descent. His majesty being descended from a daughter of a son of James I.; and the Kings of Sardinia, upon the extinction of the House of Stuart, became, the next in hereditary successi'in to the throne of Great Britain, but being Roman Catholics were excluded by the Act of Settlement. King Victor Ain-uleus I. protested against the act at the time, and claimed that his wife's succession to the British throne should be preserved.