m Palace to the House of Lords
shortly before two o'clock. As the royal procession passed through
St. James's Park, and along the line of road, her majesty and her
illustrious consort were loudly cheered by the spectators who had
assembled to witness this splendid pageant. On the arrival of the royal
_cortege_ at the House of Lords, it was announced by a discharge of
cannon.

Her majesty having robed, she immediately proceeded to the house, and
took her seat on the throne. Prince Albert occupied a state chair on
the right of the sovereign. The entrance of her majesty to the house was
announced by a nourish of trumpets. The peers and peeresses all rose as
the queen entered. The new house was crowded, and presented a brilliant
spectacle. All, or nearly all, the foreign ambassadors and ministers
were present. The dresses of the ladies were very elegant.

Her majesty having taken her seat, the Lord Chancellor directed Sir
Augustus Clifford, Usher of the Black Rod, to summon the House of
Commons to hear the royal speech on the prorogation of parliament. In a
short time the speaker, accompanied by a number of members, appeared at
the bar, when the right honourable gentleman, as is usual, addressed her
majesty in a short speech, recounting the business of the session, and
concluded by praying the royal assent to several bills which had passed
both houses. Her majesty then read the following most gracious speech:--

"_My Lords and Gentlemen_,--I have much satisfaction in being able to
release you from the duties of a laborious and anxious session. I cannot
take leave of you without expressing my grateful sense of the assiduity
and zeal with which you have applied yourselves to the consideration of
the public interests. Your attention has been principally directed
to the measures of immediate relief which a great and unprecedented
calamity rendered necessary.

"I have given my cheerful assent to those laws which, by allowing the
free admission of grain, and by affording facilities for the use of
sugar in breweries and distilleries, tend to increase the quantity of
human food, and to promote commercial intercourse.

"I rejoice to rind that you have in no instance proposed new
restrictions, or interfered with the liberty of foreign or internal
trade; as a mode of relieving distress. I feel assured that such
measures are generally ineffectual, and, in some cases, aggravate the
evils for the alleviation of which they are adopte