His Grace the Duke of Wellington having received the gracious commands of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent of the United Kingdoms, through his Royal Highness the Duke of York, Grand-master of the most honourable order of the Bath, to invest Vice-Admiral Sir William Sidney Smith, Knight-commander-grand-cross of the Royal Military Order of the Sword, with the insignia of commander of the aforesaid, his Grace fixed on the 29th of December for the performance of the ceremony, which took place accordingly at the Palace Elisée-Bourbon, the Knights-grand-crosses, Knights-commanders, and Companions being present, as also his Grace the Duke of Richmond and the Right Honourable the Earl of Hardwick, both Knights of the most noble Order of the Garter. At six o'clock the Commander elect arrived at the palace, and being conducted and supported into the presence of the noble Duke representing the Sovereign on the occasion, by the two junior grand-crosses, Sir James Kempt and Sir Henry Colville, after the usual reverences in advancing, (the Commander elect being already a Knight, the usual ceremony of dubbing him as such was formally dispensed with,) his Grace proceeded, according to the order of his Royal Highness the Grand-Master, which he first read, and invested the Commander with the insignia of the Order: after which his Grace embraced Sir Sidney Smith twice most cordially, with every demonstration of the feelings of esteem and regard, feelings which the Knights, Grand-crosses, and Commanders, many of whom had served in Egypt as his juniors in rank, also testified; and it certainly may be said to be a proud day for England when such a scene took place in the evacuated palace of Buonaparte, between these two British officers of the two services, one of whom first checked, and the other of whom finally closed, the career of that ambitious chieftain. The banquet being announced, his Grace desired his Excellency the British ambassador, Sir Charles Stuart, G.C.B., to conduct the new Knight Commander to the hall of the same, where the members of the Order, including some foreigners of distinction, amongst whom were Don Michael Alava, General Muffling, and Count Demetrius Valsamachi, a nobleman of the Ionian Islands, were entertained most sumptuously in the usual style of the Duke's elegant hospitality. After the health of the King and Prince Regent had been drunk, the Duke gave the health of "Sir Sidney Smith:" the company hereupon rose, and followed his Grace's example in greeting the new Commander with the most cordial acclamations. When silence was restored, Sir Sidney Smith rose, and addressed the company nearly as follows:-- "My Lords, noble Knights, Grand Crosses, Commanders, and Companions!--I should not do justice to my feelings, were I not to endeavour to express them in returning you my thanks for the honour you have done me by this reception: at the same time, I feel I cannot do justice to them by any mode of expression I can make use of.