ARRIVAL OF THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 971, 22 August 1868, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH.

Her Majesty's screw frigate Galatea, 3227 tons, 800-horse power,' Captain his Royal Highness Alfred Ernest Albert, Duke of Edinburgh, E.G., Z.T., arrived at Spithead on Friday, June 26, about 30 minutes past noon, from Sydney, and on dropping her anchor exchanged salutes with her Majesty's ship Victory in Portsmouth harbour, the flagship of Admiral Sir Thomas Sabine 'Pasley, Port Admiral and Naval Commander-in-Chief of the district. The arrival of the frigate was some 10 days earlier than had beeh anticipated, and her guns as she saluted the flag of the admiral commanding, on steaming into the .roadstead, created no little excitement and bustle ashore. The steam tender Sprightly, Commander G. Allen, was sent off to the frigate by Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley with despatches and letters, and Commander Allen was directed to place , his vessel at the service of the captain of the Galatea. The civil authorities were less prepared to meet the emergency. The Mayor and Town Clerk were both absent iv London, but the ex-Mayor proved equal to the occasion, and in a very brief space of time after the Galatea's arrival was presiding over a meeting of the aldermen and councilmen of the borough of Portsmouth at the Guildhall, where a brief and very suitable address of congratulation to the Duke of Edinburgh on his recovery from the effects of the wound inflicted by the assassin in the dastardly attempt upon his life, and on his safe arrival home, Was proposed, seconded, and carried, it need scarcely be said, unanimously, with tho greatest enthusiasm. His royal highness landed from his gig afc the stairs of the new landing place in the dockyard in undress uniform, to report officially the arrival of his ship at Spithead. On the flags at the head of the steps stood a few ladies aud gentlemen, who received the Duke of Edinburgh with the most profoundly respectful homage. The duke glanced hurriedly along the lines of faces and returned their salutations, and ifc was apparently with a feeling of glad relief that he suddenly recognised among the small crowd Mr. Anderson, the conductor of her Majesty's private band, and, advancing to him, shook him by the hand most heartily. The duke looked in robust health, and, we are glad to be able to state on the best authority, is now quite recovered from, the effects of the wound inflicted by the assassin O'Farrell. He also appears somewhat stouter than when he left England, and, in profile, to be in features slightly more resembling his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. While the duke was afterwards engaged afc .the ofiice of the Port Admiral the members of the corporate body of the borough of Portsmouth arrived at the residence of the Port Admiral in full official costume, with " mace" in attendanco, and craved an interview with his royal highness, in order to present him with a loyal and dutiful addrfiss of congratulation. This was' beginning tbe troubles of the duke afc an early period after his landing in England, but the application was at once acceded to; and the members of the corporation wero at once ushered into Lady Pasley's drawing-room, where they were introduced formally to the duke, after which Mr. Alderman Hellard read an address of the corporation to his royal highness. The duke, in reply, briefly and in graceful terms, thanked the corporation, ancl assured them that he should take an early opportunity of acquainting her Majesty with the expressions of personal feeling towards himself and of attachment and loyalty towards the Queen contained in the address. The members of the corporation then took their leave and retired, but before the last alderman had entered his carriage tho Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by his equerry, the Hon. Eliot Yorke, and his ship's clerk, had quietly left by the ordinary " office" entrance, crossed the Col-lege-green, and was seated in his gig, with the crew pulling for the Galatea. Between 4 and 5 p.m. the duke again disembarked from the Galatea, this time in plain clothes and "on leave," and, proceeding on shore in the Sprightly, Commander Allen, , landed >afc the Southsea Pier, where he was received by a considerable number of ladies and gentlemen, and greeted with enthusiastic cheers of welcome. After landing, his Royal Highness, accompanied by the Hon. Ehot Yorke and his personal attendants, left by the next up train for London. The duke reached the Victoria station at 8.25. -The Prince of Wales, with Prince Louis of Hesse, attended by Colonel Liddell and Colonel Keppel, were waiting to receive him. Those present gave his Highness a most enthusiastic welcome, as his elder brother met him, and warmly shook hands. The cheering continued until the duke had taken his seat in the Prince of Wales's carriage, which was immediately driven off to Marlborough-house, where his Royal Highness dined with the Prince of Wales, and then, attended by Lord Newry, went by special train to "Windsor, where he arrived at about a quarter to 11. He was accompanied by Prince Louis of Hesse. As his Royal Highness left the carriage he was received by the Mayor of Windsor. The prince rapidly passed to the royal equipage, and as he took his seat a tremendous cheer rose from the great crowd of spectators, which musfc have been heard distinctly by the Queen andtheroyal family at the Castle. Cheering as loudly as their lungs would permit them, the crowd surrounded and followed the duke's carriage, which had to proceed at almost a walking pace to the Castle. Tbe greatest enthusiasm and excitement prevailed. The bells of St.George'sChapeland St. John's Church rang out merrily, and a royal salute was fired from tho artillery of the Long-walk, and awoke the echoes of the forest in the stillness of the night. The duke reached the Castle shortly before 11 o'clock, and was received by Her Majesty the Queen and the royal family. The next day (Saturday) the duke left for London. His Royal Highness rode out, accompanied by his Serene Highness the Prince of Teck ; ancl in the evening, attended by the Hon. Eliot Yorke, went to St. James's Theatre. The Galatea, Captain His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, __..G.« left Sydney at 6*30 p.m. on the 6th of April, and passed the Snares off. the southern

"""«"■" "I" Wi'l Ml l l^ll,|■M^«WiW 1 . , ,^.J^ .-..;-... ; extremity of New Zealand— the only lafi.d." ] % ■ seen on. the passage — at 2 p.m. on the 11th, having run the first 1100 miles in 4f days. On the 23rd of April, when in, lat. 55-20 S., and long. 11l W., she passed „ a large flat-topped iceberg 450 feet high* and three-quarters of a mile long. On ..• the 24th passed two large ones, one of "" ; them 400 feet high, in form something ;' like a haystack ; the same night another, which, in the absence of a moon, was ; not seen till right abeam, and ' was distant only three miles ; early the next morning, sighted another, right ahead, when running 13 knots an hour, and' soon afterwards passed one oh the port bow, and ran between several pieces of drift ice, and soon afterwards passed another on , the starboard bow. In none of these cases did the thermometer give any warning of approach to danger. The temperature of the sea was either the same as that of the atmosphere, or higher, but never lower ; in one case it was 3 deg. higher, and in another 4 deg. The bergs were passed between long. 11l W. and 105 W. The Galatea passed the Horn at midnight on April 30, having run the distance from Sydney in 24| days (allowing for difference of longitude .and change of reckoning).. She never got the south-east trades at all. Crossed the Equator in long. 25-16 W. on the 28th of May, 27-f days from the meridian of Cape Horn. Got the northeast trades in lat. 920 N., long. 26|. WY on the Ist of June. Had light winds north ofthe Line, which fell away to a calm on the 24th, when steam was got up. On the ... morning of the 25 th fell in with a pilot j boat,, and obtained news up to the 15th, , got soundings in 85 fathoms 60 miles from the Scilly Islands. Steam was occasionally used during the passage, for about eight or > nine days in all. Lord Newry, the Hon. ... ' E. C. Yorke, Lieut. Haig, R.E., and Mr. '." t Brierly, who went out with the Duke 0f,., Edinburgh, have returned in the ship. Mr. ,- Whatmore, engineer, and Mr. Tregilgas, engineer (invalided), from her Majesty's ■:' ship Challenger, have also had a passage in the ship. y The Galatea was officially inspected at -' y' Spithead on June 19, by Admiral Sir '!'" Thomas Sabine Pasley, Port Admiral and naval commander-in-chief at Portsmouth. ' The duke resumed active command, for. the time being, early on June 30.