NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 9, 30 May 1863, Page 1 (Supplement)

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

By the arrival of the City of Hobart at Port Chalmers, on the 19th, we are in possession of English news to the 25th March. (From the European Timet and Home News.) ENGLAND. The mails for January were delivered in London on March 14th, via Marseilles, and March, via Southampton. THE MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCE OF WALES. The ceremonies attending the marriage of the Prince of Wales and the Princess Alexandra of Denmark, were attended with a magnificence and loyal enthusiasm probably unsurpassed in history. The progress of the Princess from her paternal abode in Copenhagen to her English home was one continued and brilliant triumph. With the limited space now at command, we can only record the interesting ceremonies of the royal nuptials. As soon as the royal guests had taken their places, Dhuleep Singh and the Prince of Leiningen occupying seats in front of the altar on the Southern side, the procession of the Royal family and the Queen's household appeared The Princess Mary of Cambridge, her magnificent train borne by Lady Edith Somerset,moves up the choir with most stately grace. At the dais her attendant pauses, and she turns to gather her train over her arm, and, moving to the centre, makes a profound courtesy to her Majesty, then passes at once to her place on the north of the altar, in front of and just beneath those treasures of ironwork, the gates of Quentin Matsys. As she passes in, the Duchess of Cambridge follows, with like state and ceremony, and then the Princess Beatrice, Princess Louise, and Princess Helena ascend in turn followed by the Princes Arthur and Leopold, the latter in Highland dresses of the royal tartan. All bow and courtesy deeply to the Queen, and the Princess Helena, who wears a train, gathers hers on her arm like the rest, and seats, herself near the Duchess of Cambridge. The next is the Princess Alice, wearing a noble coronet of brilliants : then the Princess Royal, looking as young, as amiable, aud as timid as when, with slow steps, she herself was led to the altar at the Chapel Royal, but this time leading by the hand a fine little boy who, all una wed by the stately pomp around, dragged on his mother's arm, as he looked behind him at the pageant, and with difficulty brought his little feet to surmount the three steps of the Haut Pas. All have risen as they enter, and the Queen now rises too, and bows to her daughter with a kind and winning smile —the first that has passed across her face since she entered the chapel. Her Majesty has evidently found an object which deeply interests her, and instead of seating herself again she remains at the closet window watching her royal'children as they pass one after another to their seats beneath, and even when they are seated she leans over the front, and remains gazing down at them -steadily with an expression of fond pride which is unmistakeable, and in which no trace of grief can be discovered now. Again the kettle drums and trumpets. This time all rise, except the Queen herself, and remain standing respectfully, for it is the bridegroom that approaches. He comes slowly up the choir, partly followed, and partly accompanied by the Duke of Saxe-Coburg, and the Prince of Prussia. The " Wedding March " is played as they advance, and the Queen rises and comes forward as the Haut Pas is reached, and the three ascend and turn in line towards her bowing deeply. The Duke of Saxe-Coburg and the Prince of Prussia retire to the south side of the altar, and the bridegroom, after kneeling a few seconds in prayer, rises and stands " the rose and expectancy of this fair State," in the centre of the Haut Pas, alone, with his face towards the Queen. With the easy grace that seems natural to all his actions he stood alone, the watched and observed of observers, neither bashful nor confident, but with a manly, royal bearing, that became his illustrious birth and exalted station. He looked round upon the splendid scene for a moment quietly and easily, and his every moment, his look, his very bearing, seemed in their vivid likeness to his royal rather to impress and amaze all—«ven those who by their rank and

station might be supposed to be the most familiar with his features. As the sound of cheering was heard without, marking the coining of his youthful bride, he kept turning his head every moment, ibr from where he stood, in the centre of the altar, he could see through the screen and down the nave beyond to where the crimson curtains would hide the marshalling of the bride's procession. Often and often did he glance this way, but the curtains were motionless, and gave no sign of the coming forth of her whom all now watched for with eager expectation. At last, with a great clangour of trumpets, which at first are muffled into a rich indistinctness behind the curtains, the long-looked for procession of the bride enters, and the Prince, giving one look to satisfy himself of the fact of the arrival, keeps his eyes fixed upon the Queen, and never turns his head again till the affianced stands beside him. The Queen immediately rose, and bending forward from her closet, stood prepared to receive and to welcome her future daughter. The hush was now so deep and breathless, that even the restless glitter of the jewels that twinkled everywhere seemed almost to break it, and, despite the stately etiquette which had hitherto regulated every word and gesture, all now bent far and eagerly forward as the hum and rustle in the nave beyond showed the young bride to be drawing near. By another minute she had entered, and stood the fairest and almost the youngest of all her lovely train, that bloomed in fair array behind her. Though not agitated, she appeared nervous, and the soft, delicate bloom of color which ordinarily imparts a look of joyous happiness to her expressive features, had all but disappeared, as, with head bent down, but glancing her eyes occasionally from side to side, she moved slowly up towards the altar. Seen as she now appeared, her golden brown hair contrasting with the wreath of orange blossoms and the rich veil depending from it, her deep eyes flashing from under its shadow, and her regular features as exquisitely formed as the ideal of a sculptor, it is no exaggeration to say that she fascinated the admiration of all who had the good fortune to behold her. Everybody is absorbed by this charming bride. She alone of all that magnificent assemblage is now watched with anxious and loving eyes. From the way in which her face is shaded by the veil aud her looks are bent forward as she advances, it is difficult to see her features more fully, but as she nears the altar she drops her arm, and for the first time appears beneath the folds of her veil a large bouquet of orange flowers, carried in a princely gift from the Maharajah Dhuleep Singh. The bouquet was composed of orange blossoms, white rosebuds, rare orchideous flowers and sprigs of myrtle, with a trimming of Honiton lace. The myrtle was sent from Osborne, and was taken from plants reared from the sprigs used in the bridal bouquet of the Princess Royal. It is her Majesty's desire to have myrtle plants kept in the gardens of Osborne reared from each of the bridal bouquets of the Royal Family. The dress of the bride is also an object of interest which we must interrupt the narrative for a moment to describe. It consists of a petticoat of white satin trimmed with chatelains of orange blossoms, myrtle, and bouffants of tulle with Honiton lace; the train of silver moire antique trimmed with bouffants of tulle, Honiton lace, and bouquets of orange blossom and myrtle ; the body of the dress trimmed to correspond. The necklace, earrings and brooch, of pearls and diamonds, which were the gift of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales; riviare of diamonds, given by the Corporation of London; opal and diamond bracelet, given by the Queen; diamond bracelet, given by the ladies of Manchester. Her Royal Highness's gorgeous train of white and silver is borne by eight young ladies between the ages of fifteen and twenty, the very choice and flower of the fair scions of our most ancient houses. It is quite superfluous to say how they looked, as robed in snowy white, and wrapped in veils, they followed their royal mistress with soft footsteps, though, as they were not going to be married, they seemed to think themselves relieved from the necessity of looking on the ground, and glanced about and turned to one another, and made believe as if they did not know and hear that they commanded almost their full tribute of admiration even behind such a lady in such a scene as this. Their dresses were all of white, a wonderful mixture of silk and lace that made them seem etherial in their lightness, as, partly wrapped

in long veils, they passed as noiselessly as a vision. The prelates now advanced to the communion rails, and the Primate, in a rich, clear voice, which was heard throughout every part of the building, choir and nave, commenced the service with the usual formulary, " Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God and in the face of this congregation to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony." The marriage ceremony having been concluded, little remains to chronicle. As soon as the august ceremony was over, the bride, having first received the salutation of the Lord Chamberlain, took the arm of her husband, and returned down the choir, and beneath the organ of the nave. Every head bowed, and invoked a blessing as they passed, and it was a brave sight to see the royal family, the foreign princes, and the princesses with their costly trains, sweep along the nave and follow her into that gorgeous reception room to offer her their congratulations. It is an interesting incident in the events of the day that the Queen returning privately from the royal closet, waited at the grand entrance of the castle for the arrival of prince and princess, and was the first pers n to receive and congratulate them; which she did with an expression of profound emotion. A magnificent dejeuner having been partaken of at the castle, the prince and princess started for Osborne, which they reached shortly after seven o'clock the same evening.

At a meeting of the London Court of Common Council, on the 12th, congratulatory addresses to the Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales were adopted ; and it was further resolved that the freedom of the city be presented to the Prince, in a casket of the value of 250 guineas. During the crush to see the illuminations at Manchester on the 10th, a man named Richard Kay was crushed to death. Another man, who had two loaded pistols in his pocket, one of them a revolver, was shot through the lungs by one of the barrels of the revolver exploding. He died soon afterwards. More than a dozen injured persons were taken to the infirmary during the night. During the rejoicings at Hastings, on the 10th, a large bonfire was lighted. About midnight, a poulterer, named Stace, went on the hill, and, in the temporary absence of those who had charge of the smouldering embers, he rushed into the mi Ist of the burning heap. He was dreadfully burned, and died soon after he was extricated. It would seem that even the pickpockets have partaken in the general desire to make "holiday on the occasion of the entry of the Princess Alexandra, and suspended business for that day, for, amongst the night charges at Bow-street Police Court on the 9th, there was only one charge of pocket-picking in the crowd on the occasion of the procession.

THE AMERICAN WAR. There are many small items showing that the war is being prosecuted as furiously as ever in detail, but without any material advantage at either side. We learn, for example, that the Confederates have captured 200 Federal cavalry in one place, but this is balanced by the loss of 200 Confederate infantry in another. The fear of a Confederate invasion is still apprehended in Kentucky ; 'Vicksburg still awaits the slow horrors of a protracted siege; Charleston has been emptied of its domestic valuables, preliminary to its being set on fire, should it falf into the hands of the Federals; the Mississipi has risen, and the Confederates are descending with rams to attack the Federal Fleet at New Orleans; General Bank has been shot at, as he was stepping into his carriage ; a lorce of 5000 negroes is training in the North, for the jurpose of being employed to raise the slaves in the South; and a Confederate privateer has captured and burned a ship bound for New York, with a cargo on board, estimated at the value of one million of dollars. This last circumstance has thrown the New York Chamber of Commerce into convulsions. There is a report that the Federals have gained a great battle, and taken 7000 Confederates and eight frigates on the Yazoo River; and the rumor of the Confederate invasion of Kentucky is circumstantially revived. Trouble continues to be experienced at New Orleans concerning the coloured troops; several white officers have resigned, and one brigadier-general has refused to inarch with the negroes —Gen. Macdowell has been acquitted of all charges brought against him. At Richmond, gold is up to the unintelligible premium of 350 per cent.

The following is the latest telegraphic intelligence : General Grant's army before Vicksburg is greatly reduced by sickness. An agent of the Sanitary Commission states that nearly every tent is a hospital, that on the 26th ult., the number of sick was 12,000, of whom a large number were dying daily, and that altogether there were not more than 20,000 men fit for duty* A body of Confederate cavalry made a sudden descent upon Fairfax Court-house, within the Federal lines yesterday morning, and succeeded in carrying off General Stoughton, Provost-Marshal Osoanner, from 50 to 100 prisoners, and 120 horses. The Kill authorising the issue of Letters of Marque, which passed Congress on the last day of the session, has received the signature of the President., Fuller accounts of the anti-negro riots at Detroit have proved them to ha?e been more serious than was at first reported. Many unoffending colored men were murdered, 32 negro houses were burnt or otherwise destroyed, and 200 people rendered homeless. The presence of a strong military force prevented a renewal of the outbreak on Sunday morning.

THE POLISH INSURRECTION. ' The council of war called by General Langiewicz at Grochowiska was held about midnight of the 21st, twelve miles distance from the Austrian frontier. Surrounded by his generals, and with the hostile bivouacs encircling his position, he made the proposal of dividing his forces into smaller detach- 8 ments Leaving it for each of them to attempt an escape which the whole were no longer in a position to effect, he appointed the several commanders, and prescribed the manauvres of the individual cause. The dictator at the same time announced his intention of retiring to another part of the country. Before the troops had realized the danger of their position, or been informed of the breaking-up of the corps, Langiewicz had disappeared from the camp, and made good his way to the south. The division of the force and the departure of the dictator transpiring at one and the same time, a panic immediately seized upon the terrified troops, and retreat became the order of the day. It was then that a proclamation was distributed among them, as a part.ng farewell of their commander. Lembebg, 25th March. The band of insurgents under the command of Czechowski is dispersed. The division of Russian troops under General Proervaski has crossed the Bug, to operate against the Poles under Lelewel and Lewandowski. Numerous bodies of Russian troops are drawing to the eastward, and the insurgents are flying across the frontier in throngs. General Langiewicz has been conducted to Gratz, but will not be permitted to leave the town. A CONGBESS FOB POLAND. Paris, 25th March. "La France" of this evening publishes an article under the heading of " A Congress for Poland." and signed by the secretary of the paper. The writer believes himself able to state that Prince Metternich is the bearer of assurances authorising earnest hopes of an equitable solution of the Polish question. The Cabinetof Vienna appears disposed to participate in diplomatic action calculated to put an end to a position of affairs which is the permanent cause of trouble to Europe. "La France" considers it probable that a congress, comprising all the powers who signed the lreaty ol Vienna, will meet at no distant date, to regulate matters upon an equitable basis.

MEXICO. THE FRENCH DRIVEN FROM TAMPICO AND ILACOTALPON. The French evacuated Tampico on the 13th ultimo, but remained off the bar in transports. The Mexicans occupied Tampico on the 22nd ult., and attacked the French, driving them away. The French steamer Laurie got aground and was fired. The French were driven from Ilacotalpon, 50 miles south-west from Vera Cruz, and took refuge on boaid a steamer, leavinjj several killed. ° It was reported that 1200 French, escorting a waggon train, had been defeated at Elorganto, with a loss of 26 killed.