'CT b e Court.
film Queen and Prince Albert have returned to Windsor Castle ; having left the Isle of Wight on Monday afternoon, and arrived at Windsor the same evening. Her Majesty and the Prince embarked in the Victoria and Albert yacht, at East Cowes, at two o'clock ; attended by Lady Gain sborough and the Earl of Liverpool. A large assemblage of persons collected to witness their departure ; bodies of Metropolitan and local Police and of the Coast Guard keeping order. Half an hour afterwards, the yacht had heaved anchor and was steaming towards Portsmouth. The shipping which it passed manned yards as usual ; but the salutes were fired in an unwonted manner : the St. Vincent (120) fired a salvo of eight guns from its starboard and then another from its port side, and the other great ships followed the example ; the Firebrand steam-frigate and the experimental gun-brigs fired both their broadsides at once ; in that manner the yacht was saluted on its path all the way from the Motherbank until it approached the harbour, when the Platform Battery began firing; and on its entering the harbour, the Victory and Excellent fired salvos.
The Victory was adorned with wreaths and garlands, and the Queen inquired the reason. On being told that it was the anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar, her Majesty expressed a wish to go on board, and at once passed to the ship in the Royal barge, which was waiting to convey the party on shore. The yards were manned, and Queen Vic- toria was loudly cheered by the men. Her Majesty was received by Lieutenant Jones, the officer in command. The rest is told by the Morning Post- " Her Majesty ascended the companion-ladder to the middle-deck, and im- mediately proceeded to the quarter-deck to view the spot on which the gallant Nelson had received the messenger of death. The spot is marked by a brass plate, on which is inscribed the words Here Nelson fell,' in the centre of a wreath of laurels. Her Majesty, while reading the inscription to the memory of Nelson, shed tears, and remained silent for several moments. She then ad- dressed a few words to Prince Albert ; and, plucking a couple of leaves from the wreath of laurel, she expressed her desire to see the cabin in which Nelson died. Lights were immediately ordered in the cockpit ; and her Majesty having inspected the poop of the Victory, and the inscription in front- ' England expects every man to do his duty,' which she did with marked emphasis, she descended, under the guidance of Mr. Aylen, the Master, followed by Prince Albert and the members of the Royal Suite in attendance. The main-deck at this moment was in great confusion, having a few minutes previously just discharged a salvo in honour of her Ma- jesty's arrival in the harbour; and, whilst descending, the ladder was run against by a powder-monkey, who was bringing up a fresh supply to salute her Majesty on her departure. Her Majesty was almost overthrown by the con- Mission, but bore it with the most gracious and condescending affability. Under the directions and care of Lieutenant Smith, every spot hallowed by the suffer- ings and death of the hero of Trafalgar is preserved sacred with the most patriotic piety. On entering the cabin, therefore, her Majesty had no difficulty itn descrying the identical spot where Nelson breathed his last : it is pointed out by the figure of a funeral-urn emblazoned on one of the knees of the ship, surmounted by the words' Here Nelson died.' The Royal party stopped here for several minutes, and appeared to feel the influence of the recollections which the scene awakened. Her Majesty inspected various parts of the vessel ; observing to one of her conductors, that the orlop-deck was not so high in the Victory as in other men-of-war which she had visited. On leaving the noble vessel, her Majesty requested that there might be no firing; and baying been handed down into the Royal barge, she took her departure, greeted with three tremendous British cheers from the loyal and devoted fellows with whom the yards were manned."
Reentering the barge, the party proceeded to the Clarence Victual- ling-yard, and were there received by the Lords of the Admiralty. From the landing-place to the carriage, the Queen walked, leaning on the arm of Prince Albert. The special train left the Gosport station at four o'clock. At Farnborough, carriages from Windsor were in wait- ing; and the travellers arrived at the Castle by a quarter past seven o'clock.
The Dutchess of Kent joined the dinner-circle, as usual, on the same evening.
The Earl of Aberdeen, the Earl of FIardwicke, Sir Henry Pottinger, and Sir Henry Wheatley, had also arrived, on a visit to the Queen. They took their departure next day. The Earl and Countess of West- moreland arrived on Wednesday, and departed on Thursday.
The Dutchess of Gloucester left town on Saturday, for Witley Court, in 'Worcestershire, on a visit to the Queen Dowager.
The Duke and Datcbess of Cambridge, with the Hereditary Grand Duke and Grand Dutchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, left Kew yester- day, for Tottenham Park, near Marlborough in Wiltshire, on a visit to the Marquis and Marchioness of Ailesbury.
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