The Express.
London, England, 1862-09-29 00:00:00

THE DETERSATIONAL =HligipEr.

The appearance of the interior of thd Ealiffition
building on Saturday was one of great loneliness,
and the statuary had quite a spectral air in conse-
quence of the fog which at one period filled the vast
expanse. The effect was very singular—somewhat
like what we remember to have seen under the great
dome of St. Paul's Cathedral at the funned of
Turner, the artist, when it was said that the ele-
ments themselves had contributed a fitting pall for
the coffin of the illustrious deceased. The fog of
Saturday was also premonitory and suggestive, as
we are very lffiely to have denser one* barbs the
season, when the utmost vigilance, and perhaps
some extra precautions, will be necessary to prevent
a few of the valuable and more portable oontenta
disappearing altogether during the prevalence of
the murky atmosphere.
His Royal highness Prince Alfred honoured the
Exhibition with a visit. His royal highness was
received by Mr. Sandford, secretary to the Royal
Ocanniseioni and by that gentleman escorted 'over
several of the departments. A good deal of time
was spent in the Porcelain Court, after
which his royal highness partook of luncheon in the
refreshment department. Cardinal Wiseman and
Lord Clyde were also amongst the visitors, the
former, as usual, devoting his principal attention to
the Roman court.

Saturday is a great day for the music ; and on
last Saturday the musical public had a treat of
more than ordinary attraction. Mesas. Ruda,
Rose, and Carte, the exhibitors of the " golden
flute." which the jurors, having first taken it as a
standard by which to test all the rest, afterwards
forgot to give a prize medal etc, arranged a little
concert, in which not only this famous instrument,
but all their inventions, should be tested before the
select Saturday audience. Mr. Woodhouse gave
his singular performanceon one of their open side
drums : Mr. Phasey performed on their new con-
cert horn, Mr, Harper on their trumpet,
and Mr. Ratcliffe on the golden flute. The
whole performance was exceedingly good and
highly appreciated, but the greatest successes were
Mr. .Harpa's trumpet solo, and Mr. Ratcliffe's flute
fantasia. It is asserted that the beautifully clear
tone of the latter was attributable to the costly
material of the instrument, but whether or no that
be true, tLe effect was very charming. It may be
interesting to flute amateurs to learn that this
unique instrument, made of eighteen and a half
carat gold, may ba purchased for about a hundred
and thirty guineas.
The highest temperature on Saturday, as shown
by Negretti and Zambia's patent thermometers,
was :—ln the nave, 63.3 deg. ; in the galleries, 64.5
deg. ; in the western annex, 68.4 deg. The read-
ings were taken at 3 o'clock p.m.
The following is a return of the number of
visitors to the Exhibition during last week as
compared with the corresponding week of 1851:
1951.
Season Ticketa. Payment. Total.
Monday (le.) 2,068 57.266 116,364
Tuesday (la)
Wednesday (12
Thursday (la.)
Friday (2s. 6e.))
Saturday (2e.641.) 5,419 14,817 20,236

20,815 264,582 275,377

Monday (Is.) 3,764— 46,472 50,236
Tuesday (Is.)
Wednesday (Is.)
Thursday (la.)
Friday (2a. 6d.)
Saturday (2s. 6d.) 5,477 10,010 13,487

26,377 188.194 214,571
The above shows a falling off during the last
week of not less than 60,806 ; and the difference in
the number', of those admitted by payment is even
greater, viz., 66,368.
The total numbers admitted to the building from
the Ist of May to the 27th of Sept. inclusive (22
weeks-129 exhibition days), compared with 1851,
are as follows, viz :

1808
By .eu tickets up to last week
o daring lest week

810.273
24377
516,760
3,8111.471
18IN

By mama ay to last week
„ daring last week

T0w...,

By mason Uckets op to last w00k....
” during last vat....

4,006,665

By payment up to bat week..
„ during bat week

•,9001,416

680,441
20,816
= 710,156

. 4,232.151
.. 261.564

4,4Kna

Total 6,106,970
It will be observed from the foregoing table that
the admissions by season tickets in 1882 exoeed
shoe,. of 1861 by 126,494, but (which is of greater
importance to the financial success of the Exhi-
bition), the numbers paying at the doors in 1851
exceed those of 1862 by 420,049.
The number of visitors on Saturday was :—Season
tickets, 5,477 ; payments, 10,010—total, 16,487.

DRAMA.