The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-04-01 00:00:00

OPENING OF THE ROYAL ALBERT

HALL, BY THE QUEEN.

The Loyal Albert Hall, in London, was opened on Redoes.
day afternoon, by her Majesty. The interesting ceremony
was assisted at, not oily by all the members of the Royal
family, the princen of the laud, and the great officers of the
State, but also by the manes of the people who assembled to
do homage to their Sovereign, and to greet with acclamation
the splendid tank which is now so happily and worthily sc.
complished.
It was announced that the Queen would leave Bucklugham
Palace at twelve, and notwithstanding the extreme cold and
threatening aspect of the weather, the vast space In front of
she Palace and the Hue of route to Kensington were for
hours previous to the time announced crowded with eagerly-
expectant spectators Shortly after noon the Royal proces-
sion issued from the Palace enclosure, and was greatly cheered
by the assembled throng.
Her Majesty was attended by a Mild officer's escort of the
household cavalry (Ist Life Guards) always an Imposing sight,
with their bright uniforms, their streaming plumes, their
flashing sabre., and their burnished mammies. The proces-
sion went at a slow pace through the Green Park to constl
'talon Hill, through an avenue formed by the household
cavalry, passing thence by Apsley-gate into Hyde Park, and
along the carriage way, lined by household troops and the
10th ;Prince of Wales's Owe) Hussar., banked up on either
aide by hundreds of thousands of civilians of all ages and con-
ditions In life, till the Alexaudra-gste facing the New Albert
Hall was reached, All along the route, especially at the
Duke of Wellington's column, Albert-gate, and the immediate
approach to the Hall Itself, where the crowd was most
dense, her Majesty was greeted with the most respectful
manifestation, of welcome, salutations which she frequently
acknowledged by bowing to the people. Many memuers of
the Royal family were also personally steeled out by the
crowd, especially the Princess of Wales, and—naturady
enough—the Princes.. Marchioness of Lorne. At Apsley.gate
was stationed C e band of the Guards in Its gorgeous attire,
which, as her Msjesty passed, played the National Anthem.
Here Prince Edward of Saxe Wiemsr, in unlivent, was
statioued until the Royal cortege appeared, which he paned.
Carriages coetalning bishops and ainba.eadors preceded the
Royal carriages by several minutes.
Alit had been officially announced that at noon the doors
would be rigidly closed to an but Royal and official per
menages, the visitors were anxious to put in an early appear-
ance, and ten minutes after the hour for admission bril-
liantly dressed groups of ladles were dotted here and there
over the vast amphitheatre, and titled with bright colours the
boxes and toggle, and balcony. The arena was gorgeous with
military and C Rut uniforms, ambassadors with ever so
meny orders, attacli:a with almost as many, Cabinet
Ministers in the Court costume, which seta their familiar
feateres so oddly in an entoura)e of blue scarlet and gold,
and provincial mayors in tie it- robes of Ellie. In the
amphitheatre were seated about 1,4 Ninnies andgentlemen, In
the Weide, greeted tier, and secend tier, shout 1,10), in the
balcony an nut 2,000, and some few bemireds in the Picture
Gallery. the ladies were universally in elegant—but it is to
be feared not too warm—spring dresses, which made bore.,
balcony, and amphitheatre to resemble pastures of imauldul
V mere. Blue was the prevailing colour, perhaps is bower
of the approaching struggle on the Thant..
roe first evidence of demonstration that proceeded from
the audience was a hearty clapping of hands as Sir M. Costa,
to Court uniform, walked up the arena. and took his seat in
the conductor's chair. The same mark of popularity was
justly paid to Madame Lemmeus-Sherrington, Mr. Hannay,
• and other distiuguhhed members of the music el world at
twelve o'clock the Million of London, In, canonical robes,
• entered, and took up his station on steps leading to the dais,
I and occupied himself by conversilig with the Lord Mayor of
London, who, In company with the secendary
ries of the City had arrived some minutes earlier.
'hoe Prince ol Wales, as Pre:Meet of the Provisional
C smrelttee, was received by the oilier nieeibera or the
commiiteo at te eive o'clock, but waited without the
building uutil the arrival of the Queen. It was
k mown that she was to leave Buckingiture Palace at halt.
pout twelve o'clock, and her Nlejesty's punctuality was
relied on with permit confidence. Nit witßett reason, roe
at about twenty minutes to one the cheering of people oute
side was heard, and In another minute the taliele company
rose to honour the procesoion that had just made Its appear-
ance, while the orchestra struck up the opening bars of the
National Atithem. Mr. Cole and some other members of the
enemata° cline first, them the Queen, and by her side the
Prince of Wale. (her Majesty stopped once or twice, as if In
admiration of the scene), the Princess of Wales, the Duke of
Saxe Cobewg and G dila, and the Prince Arthur, Princess
Louise in white) and Prince L ovoid, Princess Restrict and
the Magnin of Lorne, Prlncoa. Christian, Mr G ladatone, Earl
Granville, Me. Bruce, the gentlemen awl ladies In waiting,
AG_ The Duke t f Cambridge occupied his private ha, and
with him were Prince Teck and other distinguished per.
sonagea connected with the Repel faintly. The procession
was cordially welcomed as it passed up the arena. The glees
then took her meat on the chair of state, the Prince end
leinceues stendleg on either side ef her; but the Queen im-
mcdlately rose again as the Prince of Wales advanced towards
I her, and with a iieep salutation began to read the ao dress of
the Proviatonal Committee. His Royal Highness's delivery
W. excellent, and might serve as a model to many
7 of the eminent public speakers who surrounded him.
Clear, resonant, and dielnet, every word tint he mid was
heard perfectly throughout the whole extent of the vast
building. The addres, itself was of the usual official charac-
ter. It was brief, exi re.alug the sati.factfou of the Com-
missioners at the completion of their labours, their geese of
the constant encouragement Mixed received at the hands of
the Queen, and their confident hells( that the building would
—as was stated at the time when the Rubdationatone was
laid—meet a great public went. It referred lathe gratifying
fact that the undertaking was wholly free from dent, anti to
Its great minty In connection with time approaching tinter.
National Exhibition. 'the ()twee handed a written reply to
her son, and also said a few words, which did not reach the
audience Then the Bishop of Loudon offered up a prayer,
and the Prime, of Wales, stepping to the front of the dais,
and raising his voice to It. Ishi pitch, said The Queen
now declares tnis building open " A mighty cheer torth-
with rung through the hull; the band played; and
tie Flamed Harmonic orchestra suing the National
Anthem; and the rich harmonies of the organ were
first heard, while the booming of the cannon in the
Perk come in, at every few seconds, with their dull thuds,
and the cheers of the people outside could now sod then be
heard. This cone:tided the opening ceremony, but the
Q teen and the Royal party proceeded to her Majesty's
private box, to hear the sacred cantata that had been com-
posed for the OCCiAOII by Sir 11 Costa.
After this had been briliantly executed the t/ teen retired,
and a grand miscellaneous concert was afterwards given.

The following is a brief description of the Albert Hall, a
building rhich will stand among the first, if not the fare-
most, of metropolitan buildings, and which is a triumph of
artistic lightness and elegance. It is creditable to all who
have been connected with its creation—to the late Captain
Fowke, who threw himself so heartily into the Prince Con.
sort's scheme; to Lieutenant-Colonel Scott, upon whom, since
the captain's death, has devolved the completion and
embodintant of the designs; to the Provisional Committee
and Sub-Commit/free and to the contractors, who have so
well maintained the mechanical reputation of the British
workman.

The original designs have been departed front lit soma few
details, hut on the whole the huddling tile its nisini features
what was at first intended to be, and the alterations have all
happily turned out Improvements. The Inundation stone
was laid by the Queen on the 20th of May, 1007.

_
The general appearance of the Mall without la that of an
immense circular building, in the modern Italian style, of red
brick, with yellow dressing., an abundance of long, narrow
clerestory windows, a wide trend of dec.,rations above them,
a high gallery running rdind the entire exterior, and au
elegant glass dome crowning the whole. the most interest-
ing feature of the exterior la no doubt the friers, which le
formed of designs by Armatead, Armitage, lioraley, Marks,
Eckeragill, Poynter, and Yeames, the aullects being alle-
gorical, and fanciful representations of the great peoples of
the globe, and the triumph. of human prowess Mill skill.
Appropriate passages from Holy Writ are Inscribed ; also
.tatements as to the origin, beginning, and fluishing of the
structure. The frieze to executed in teseerm Cl terracotta,
by Minton, Hollins, and C s, through the female students of
the schools of art ; and while the M(.113,111 IS simple in outline
and colour, ibis strikingly effective. The alm wn to imitate
the best perort of Italian terracotta, and employ the material
rather as Mick than as an imitation of stone.

The hall is apportioned Into—the arena, accommodatlog
TOO persoiss ; the amphitheatre, accommodating 1,400;
two tiers of b^ges, 43 in one, Otis the other, accommodating
1 1(0; balcony, accommodating 2,500, and gallery, accore-
mouating 0,(00 : so that, exclusive nf alngtia and nnuleians
for whose ti,e tilers are about 2,0.0 orchestra seat.) the
It (yet Albert Hail will teat S 000 persons. The mob, en-
trance Is through a handsome portico opening en the Ken-
slogton.road, but there are other main eutrances—one fro.o
the horticultural ()ardent— aid at least two dozen doors of
egress and 'agrees. Si carefully have these arrangements
been made, that ten thousand persons were at the concert
preparatory to the opening cleared out of the building in
ten mit u

The bore., which are mostly sold, are being ilt!ed rip
according to the tastes of toeir Individual owners, and will
have all the beauty and finery of a drawing room. The
Queen has the largest box on the grand Hie. Toe Prince of
Wales's Ox is al,ii on the greed tier, and the Date of
Beltnburgh and the Duke of Cambridge are joint pronrietorii
of the box Rd iining on one side, while the flake of Suther-
land owns that on the other. It was thought at fleet that so
many In,res would never be disposed of, many considering
that £l,OOO for • box fm ten persons on the grand tier, and
E. 20 for a box for five on the second tier were too
nigh prices, although the proprietorship was to extend
over Dna years. Not only, however, were the boxes in
demand, but 39 additional have been added. Although
the fittings of the Interiors are matters concerning tile
owners alone, all the outer curtains are to he crimson, than
whic'a noticing could better harmonise with the bun and
French grey of the wood work and the Muss fittings. The
balcony is an open tier of single seats, and immediately be-
id it Is the gallery. Thirty bays, with piers and c tee of
composite design, and seregiola gilumns, are an inactive
termination, ligh ened and softened by the glass dome. The
Seats of each division of the house terminate sta.ut fifty
feet from the orchestra, and the e ad—if end there can be to
an oval.-11 the organ of ninety stops, which Is one of the
m at striking features in the interior, and which stands In
the centre of the orchestra, supported by • framework of
the lightest and Amplest kind, itself It. only ornament, with
Hs vistas of terillsbed pipe., of all slate, some of them schem-
ing Ince silver, others of more speckled hue. This Went
organ no 6011 wide and 701 t. high ; the four centre pipes,
which Sr., over 4011. long, welghing nearly a ton eoch The
builder Is Mr. 11. Willis. who conetructed the organ at Si.
Gee raft's Hall, Liverpool.
Space precludes a description In detail of the elaborate
Internal arrangemento—tho corridorm In which, but for con.