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MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCE OF…

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MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCE OF WALES.— REJOICINGS AT CARMARTHEN. The marriage of the Prince of Wales was celebrated in this town on Tuesday last with considerable eclat. It will be remembered that at a public meeting, held some time since, in the Shire Hall, the arrangements for the rejoicings were left in the hands of a committee, with the reservation that there should be no general illumination. The committee had some difficulty in determining the character of the demonstration, which it was necessary should be such as the masses of the population could take part in, and on the whole the programme was the best that could have been provided. It is true that the rustic sports in particular were objected to as a barbarous and degrading mode of expressing popular sentiment, but it was contended that no better means could be de- vised for enlisting the sympathies of all classes, and, as the amusements were perfectly innocent in themselves, they elicited laughter and merriment in no small degree. The day was ushered in by the ringing of bells and the firing of cannon, which were continued without in- termission during the day. At 7 o'clock the 6th Volun- teer drum and fife band paraded the town, playing several martial and inspiriting airs. At 9 o'clock the real sports of the day commenced on the banks of the Towy. It was a lovely morning, and the business of the town being entirely suspended, many hundreds of people lined the banks of the river, and the old bridge was fringed with a mass of human beings, all gathered together to see the boat races. And, it was well they abandoned themselves to enjoyment, and were bent upon taking everything as it came with im- mitable good humour, for the races, with one exception, were not exciting. The first was a coracle race, in which seven or eight fishermen contended. They started, as all the races did, at the bridge, and borne down by the receding tide they took matters easily until the moored boat was passed, and then there was a splutter and a rush for the smooth water, under the bulwark, and the contest was left to two brawny fellows, who struggled hard for the victory. There was something very picturesque in this race. The fishermen in their rude wicker boats, the same as those used by the ancient Britons, paddling with energy against the stream, and cheered on by the hurrahs and shouts of the people, who seemed animated as much by the bright sunshine, and an exuberance of spirits, as by the race, for it mattered not much which was first, the cheering and applause was the same. Then came a gig race, and a two-oared boat race. In the former there was a rather foul start, in the latter a little by-play on the part of the first boat, dodging the second so as to prevent her getting to the foremost place. The boat race by cockle women was without exception the slowest and heaviest pull ever witnessed at a regatta. Two huge lumbering cockle boats started, each of them pulled by twowomen, who certainly laboured hard to little purpose; one of them got to the front, and kept there until the race was won. But every thing gave satisfaction, and on all hands there were smiling faces and congratulations on the auspicious day, and the fortunate state of the weather. Soon after 11 o'clock the inhabitants began to assem- ble in Guildhall Square, and preparations were com- menced for the procession. At half-past 11 o'clock several of the clubs, schools, &c., arrived, and the place became crowded to excess. '.The Militia Band played some lively airs, and the Volunteer Drum anl Fife Band lent its aid to the various clubs, marching in Iront of them into the Square. Just at this time Mr. Atkins, a very old inhabitant of the town, attracted universal attention. He appeared in the crowd attired in the worn and faded uniform of the Pembrokeshire Cavalry, which he joined about sixty years ago, soon after the French landed at Fishguard. The old man, walking as erect as the bur- den of eighty-two years would permit, moved about and courteously explained to all who spoke to him, the events which led him to volunteer, and the nature of the regi- ment to which he belonged. At 12 o'clock the proces- sion was admirably formed by Sergeant-Major Kyle, so that it could, without any confusion ,leave the Square As the clock was stricking 12 the 2nd and 6th Volunteer Companies, under the command of Capt. Warren, fired a felt dejoie, and the bands played the National Anthem and God Bless the Prince of Wales Many lusty cheers were given for the Queen, the Prince of Wales, and the Princess of Wales. A Choir, led by Mr. Evan Jones, Lower Factory, then sang, very well and taste- fully, Mr. Brinley Richards's song God Bless the Prince of Wales." The procession left Guildhall-Square in the following order:—Sailors bearing colours and the model of a ship, No. 2 Volunteer Brass Band, the 2nd and 6th Companies of the Carmarthenshire Rifle Volunteers, the Students of the Training College, and the Boys of the Endowed Schools, No. 6 Volunteer Drum and Fife Band, Odd Fellows, under their officers, in full regalia, Ivorites in full costume, Band of the Carmarthenshire Artillery Militia, inhabitants of the town four abreast, and fishermen carrying their coracles. The procession, which was one of the largest and most pleasing we have seen here for many years, proceeded under the marshalling of Sergeant-Major Kyle and the direction of Mr. W. Morris and Mr. T. Roes, through Nott-Square, King-street, Priory-street, Spil- man-street, St. Mary's-street, Quay-street, Blue-street, and Lammas-street, to Picton's Monument, and then back to Guildhall-Square, where they were dismissed. The inmates of the Union were treated with tea, cake, and oranges; and those who use it had a present of snuff and tobacco. Isaac Horton, Esq., the High She- riff, very liberally gave a substantial dinner to the children of St. David's Church school and to the National and Practising Schools. Mr. Horton also supplied the prisoners in the County Gaol with a good dinner. Valentine Davis, Esq., gave a very bountiful supply of tea and cake to the children of St. Peter's Church Infant and Sunday schools. The committee gave tea and cake to the Practising and National and the Lancasterian Schools, and also to the Roman Catho- lie Sunday School. On Monday about 1,000 tickets for food and groceries, to the value of one shilling each, Were distributed in the Shire-hall, by Mr. Morris, Mr. J. Evans, and Mr. T. Rees. The rustic sports were a failure, the crowds of people that were present pressed so closely upon the various combatants, that it was impossible to proceed with the programme. The Market-place was first tried, and the uproar and confusion in a foot race and a donkey race were so great as to render an adjournment to a more spacious and convenient place imperative; and Mr. Norton having kindly placed a field of his behind the Cattle Market at the service of the committee, the spectators hastened there, leaving in the Market Place several hundred people gazing at the efforts which were made to climb three greasy polls. The disorder and confusion in the field were beyond description. Not half the spectators saw any of the sports. The crowd- full of good humour and fun—was unmanageable. The police did what they could but all to no purpose. The sports were, however, continued until after 5 o'clock. The streets through which the procession passed were decorated with flags, and there was in King-street an arch of evergreens. In the evening there was a partial illumination. The most attractive devices were a plume of feathers, in gas jets, in front of the residence of Valentine Davis, Esq., St.. Peter's-street, (fitted up by Mr. Wansbrough) There was a transparent plume of feathers in the window of the Cresselly public house, supplied by Ur. Jeffreys, gilder, who had in front of his premises in King-street, a very chaste and striking device. It was a transparent star, having in the centre a Bible with a crown on it, and on a scroll were the words God unite them," and surrounding the whole were the words Unity, England's Strength." This device was very justly admired. In front of the Old Ivy Bush there was in gas jets, prepared by Mr Wansbrough, a device with a transparent plume of feathers, and in variegated lights the initials A. A." The Inland Revenue Office opposite was brilliantly illuminated, every window being lit up with candles, and in va- riegated lights, provided by Mr. Jacob, Dark-Gate, there was a large plume of feathers. Immediately over the door of Mr. T. Rees's Spirit Vaults, in King- street, there was a brilliant plume of feathers sur- mounted by a crown. This device was also supplied by Mr. Wansbrough, whose premises were lit up with a star of eight points, and five feet in diameter, having in its centre a transparent plume of feathers on a dark ground, and above it in variegated lights a star of the same dimensions with the transparency in white ground. These stars had a very pretty effect. In Queen-street the Spirit Vaults of Mr. Collard were illuminated with a candle in the centre of every pane of glass in the front of the house. Mr. Wonnacott, in Guildhall- Square, had over his principal shop a splendid star. There was also a device in front of the house of Mr. Morris, plumber and bra'zier, Dark-Gate; and a star over the shop door of Mr. E. B. Jones, Lammas-street. The Angel public-house, too, was illuminated with candles. A large window in St. David's Church was beautifully illuminated, having in gas jets the repre- presentation of a golden candlestick with six branches, and as it were issuing from it a cross. This was a most artistic and appropriate device. These were the more notable part of the illumination. A large number of crackers and squibs being given away, the streets were for several hours alive with fire- works, which were flying about in every direction. At 8 o'clock there was a display of ifreworks from the balcony in front of the Shire Hall. Although they were not of a particularly attractive sort, they were made the most of by Mr. Wade, Mr. Rees, Mr. Morris, and others, who had the management of them, and for about an hour Guildhall-square was one scene of commotion and brilliancy. An attempt to fill a fire balloon with gas proved abortive and the thin and combutible fabric igniting, was soon burnt to the dismay of those entrusted with it. A balloon ascending from another part of the town, at this time floated just above the house tops in Guildhall-square. Several bonfires burned brightly on the hills surrounding the town, the most conspicuous being at Myrtle Hill and Mount Pleasant, the former prepared by Mr. Chivers, and the latter by Mr. Lewis Mvrris, and Mr. J. L. Philipps. The ball in the evening at the Assembly Room was fully attended. The Clubs that walked in procession also dined in their respective lodge-rooms.

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