THE ROYAL VISIT TO SCOTLAND.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 161, 15 December 1847, Page 3

THE ROYAL VISIT TO SCOTLAND.

Oa Wednesday evening at six o'clock, her Majesty, Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales, and the Priucew Royal, embarkrd in the royal yacht from Oobarne Pier, under s'lutes from the royal yacht.squadron, battery, West Cow.'S Castle, and Portsmouth Harbor, on the trip to Scotland. The royal squadron consisted of the two royal yachts, the Undine, Black Eagle, Scourge, and Garland. The latter, hitherto supposed to be the fastest bteamer under tbe penant, was beaten during the day by the Fire Queen, newly purchased iron steamer of tbe Undine class. The tquadron made all speed, passing through Cowes Roads. Ihe night was passed in Yarmouth ltoad« (Isle of Wight). The steamers that sail with her Majesty have been supplied with some additional blue— lights, port-firei, rocketb — and the Scourge has taken on board some live shells. Dartmouth, Friday morning. Mott unexpectedly the royal squadron arrived yesterday afternoon at Dartmouth, taking the good folks completely by surpmr. They were seen for a little distance off, and only ju3tin time for the loyal authorities to D)ake a lespectable salutation by plying the at the Castle in firing a roynl sa ute. The squadron ihot iuto this beautiful, land-locked port with such rapidity, that the several steam-vesseis I compiisinq it, had dropped their anchors before a boat j vas launched to welcome the royal visitors— but in the course of a few mioutes the whole town turned out, and whilst every available craft was crammed with steamDOdt freights, ladies, with silk gloveß, in many of them, 41 manning" the oari, the quays, wharfs, and open spaces along the banks of the river, whence a view of the royal yacht could be commanded, were densely crowded. The Victoria and Albert anchored directly off the town, in the middle of the stretm, with the Undine a few yards abrta«t, on the Dartmouth side, the Fairy, moored a little farther down, the Garland off the Cuitom house Quay, the Black Eagle still a little farther outward, and the Scourge, which airived an hour after the yachts, brought up jmt inside the mouth of the harbor, and as the man-of.war, became the brave and faithful guardian of the fair and lest warlike vessels which formed the royal yacht sqmdron,

The sight from the shore was extremely pretty, and the shades of evening considorably'enhanced the interest of the picture. The royal yucht was completely surrounded by boats for hours, but all remained at a respectful distance, and also kept a channel open for the respective commanders and officero of the other veisels to go to and fro on board to receive t'le'r orders. One or two, however, were privileged to drop alongside—one contained Sir John Yarde Buller, Bart., M.P., and Governor Holdsworth, who proceeded to the Victoria and Albert, soon after her arrival, to pay their respects to the Queen and Prince, which duty his Royal Highness most condescendingly acknowledged at a latter period of the dny, bv proceeding on shore to Brook Hill, Mr. Holdsworth't residence, near Kingswear, and writing ln # 9 name in the visitors' book. The other boat which was admitted alongside the royal y»cht, contained the Mayor and Corporation, with Sir Henry Scale,' Bart., of Mount Boone, Dartmouth. The worthy civic functionaries subsequently again went alongside the Victoria and Albert, in the boat of Sir R. Newman, Buronet, of Marnhead, and through the hands of Earl Grey, the Secretary of Stale in attendance on the Queen, presented a loyal address to her Majesty, on her graciously being pleased to honor, for the third time, the port of Dartmouth by a royal vinit. To the great gratification of the loyal spectators in the boati, her Majesty, with the Prince of Wales, and Piineess Royal, occasionally walked the deck of the royal yacht, or looked out upon the gay throng from the cabm windows. The view, from the water, of the surround ng scenery, wa» more magnificent than which presented itself from the shore. Perhaps Dartmouth Harbor, so beautiful so secuie, land-locked and secluded, immediately contiguous to the deep sea, and yet as quiet, calm and unruffled as if a hundred miles from the oft-angry and troubled ocean, which lashea the iion-biund coast within a few hundred yards of it, never appeared to more advantage. The royal yacht-iquadron wus completely enclosed with an amphitheatre of hills, the ihftdows of each meeting across the placid waters, which, as the evening wore away, appeared to form an impe- ; netrable barrier against ingress or egress from the space i which it embraced. Her Majesty appeared fully to enjoy the witchery of he scene, and we believe the royal pencil was put into requisition to ske eh the picturesque Church, in the pretty villege^of Kingswt ar. As the daikness succeeded quickly to the evening twilight, one of the most biiiiiant and effective illuminations ever witnessed appeared from the shore, and this was produced simply by lightning a few candlei in each of the window* of the town of Dartmouth facing the harbor. The position of the j town, on the side of a very steep hill, the parallel lines of streets, one almost upon the other, and the narrowness of them, appeared, wh-n their windows were thus illuminated, as one magnificent gallery. The candles ' were kept lighted lor many hours, and up to midnight hundreds of the townsfolk were still paddling on the river. All was hushed however on board the squadron, j but only for a short time, for long before daylight next morning, the bustle had again commenced, and at four o'clock, the steam on board all the ships was fizzing away, as if each vesset was impatient to be off. A few minutes after, the signal was given to weigh, and with A morn as fair as ever summer knew. And breeze as soft as ever summer breathed, with not a ripple on the sea, nor a murmur on the shore, the royal squadron cleared the harbor's mouth under a royal salute from the castle, and steered a course down the Channel for the Scilly Islands, where they anchor at night, proceeding to Pembroke tomorrow.