The Express.
London, England, 1862-06-24 00:00:00

REPORT OF THE SELECT 00101ITTEL

sound are so broad, and so free from minute or in- I
tricate details, that they can be produoed, and 1
I '
reach the ear, without confusion ; and as a great ,
body of singers are not tempted to strain their ,
voices, the body of sound which they produce, I
though it may not be louder, is naturally more ,
smooth and musical—more free from the admixture 1
of mere noise—than it is likely to be when
the numbers are comparatively small. Besides, i
there is something in the voice of a great multitude,
even when subdued, that has that effect of subli-
mity which arises from the impression of power.
And certainly our "National Anthem" as uttered
yesterday by four thousand choral voices (setting
aside the instruments, which contributed little or
nothing to the result, though they were necessary
to keep the voices together and in tune) affected us
with a stronger sense of the sublime than we ever
felt before. It showed, moreover, the efficiency of
the recent improvements in the construction of the
orchestra ; for the sounds, reverberated from
the roof and lateral enclosures, and pro-
' jested into the great area of the build-
ing, derived a great accession of power,
while they derived softness from the vastness of the
space into which they were thrown. This perform-
ance, therefore, displayed the acoustical qualities
of the " great Handel orchestra" to the very best
advantage. The defects under which it still labours
(and, we suspect, must always labour) became sub-
sequently more or less apparent ; but still it went to
show that on the whole the improvement is very
great, and that the Crystal Palace may now be
made the scene of great musical solemnities of the
grandest and most imposing description.
The overture to the Messiah had little effect, the
fugal movement especially. The score is for
stringed instruments • and of all the organs of
sound stringed instruments are the least resonant,
and consequently the least calculated for the open
air, or any locality similar to the open air. Instru-
mental bands for the open sir, as everybody knows,
must consist wholly or chiefly of wind instruments.
For the same reason the four beautiful instrumental
bars which preface the opening recitative," Comfort
ye, my people," were wholly inaudible even to
listeners in the most favourable positions. It was not
till Mr. Reeves began to sing that we found that
those introductory bars had been played. Our
great tenor sang this recitative with his
usual dignity of style, and the following
air, " Every valley shall be exalted," with
his usual brilliancy of execution • but even his
powerful voice and his clear articulation were not
heard with uniform distinctness. While his shout,
as we may call it, "The voice of one that orieth in
the wilderness," was electrifying, many of his florid
divisions were in a great measure lost. We ob-
served, in the cam of all the singers, that the
higher notes of the scale came fully upon the ear,
while the lower were comparatively feeble, if not
inaudible ; and this was the ease whether the voice
was soprano, contralto, tenor, or bass.
The choruses were well heard, and some of them
were indescribably grand. No choruses are so well
ow fitted as those of Handel for performance on the vast
scale introduced at the tal Palace. Even
those in which his prof contrapuntal art is
most strikingly displayed have • clearness of
design, a breadth and simplicity of structure, an
adherence to the diatonic scale, and a freedom
from chromatic obscurities, that are to be found in
the works of no other master. The brat chorus,
"And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,"
possesses these features in a remarkable degree
and its performance showed the admirable qualities
of the Crystal Palace choir. The complete balance
of the parts, the blended sweetness and power
of the individual voices—their perfect
each part sounding like the voice of a gisu=
the precision with which those enormous masses
followed each movement of the conductor's baton,
could not be observed without wonder and delight ;
and these feelings, excited by this chorus, were
heightened as we listened to the others in succes-
sion. The chorus, "And He shall purify
' the Sons of Levi," is a most masterly fugue,
upon a long and florid subject given out by the
sopranos and followed by the other parts ;
, and the clear articulation and beautiful body of
tone with which this passage was executed by
all the voices of each part was something
which till it was done would have been
I thought incredible. "For unto us • Child
, is born"—notwithstanding Mr. Costa's (in
our opinion) erroneous reading—the exaggerated
pianissimo of its commencement—wa wore effee-

live still ; and, of course, the unrivalled " Halle-
lujah " was the most effective of all. Probably
this almost superhuman effort of genius was never
so rendered since it fell from its immortal author's
pen. It was more than sublime—it was sublimity
itaelf ; and the impression which it made on the
whole assemblage was emphatically expressed by
the pause of profound and seemingly awed silence
which preceded a general burst of enthusiasm.
Among the other choruses, the most striking effect
was produced by that which opens the second
of the oratorio, "Behold the Lamb of God." The
deep feeling of which it is full was so beauti-
fully expressed by the soft and subdued tone in
which it was sung, that the choir must have been
penetrated with the sentiment to which they were
giving utterance. In short, as a choral perform-
ance, that of The Messiah on this occasion has
certainly never been equalled.
The solo singers, as we have endeavoured to
show, bad great difficulties to contend with, but
they met them bravely. We have spoken of Mr.
Sims Reeves already, and must add that through-
out the whole performance he alerted himself to
the utmost, and with the most powerful effect.
We cannot enumerate the beauties of his singing •
but we cannot pass over his air, " Thou shalt break
them with a rod of iron "—a piece of energetic de-
clamation which since Braham's day no one
has been able to equal. The soprano part
was divided between Miss Parepa and Mae.
Titian,. The former was especially happy in her
brilliant execution of " Rejoice greatly, and the
latter gave exquisite effect to "How beautiful
are the feet," and " I know that my Redeemer
liveth." Madame Swinton-Dolby sustained the
contralto part with her usual excellence. Her
" He was despised and rejected of men" was full of
pathos. She sang, too, " But who may abide the
day of His wining," which used formerly to be
given to the bass, but is now (in accordance with
the composer's design) generally assigned to the
contralto. The air, ' The people that walked in
darkness," was sung by Signor Belletti ; the re-
mainder of the bass part was sustained by Mr.
Weiss. Both these admirable performers displayed
their usual ability. But, without the smallest dis-
paragement to the excellent artists we have named,
it must be admitted that the performance of the
airs was, on the whole, less satisfactory than that
of the choruses.
The going away was managed quietly enough.
One-half the audience left immediately after the
Hallelujah chorus, a large section paid a visit to
Mr. Strange • and of the remainder, so many had
their own vehicles waiting for them, that those who
returned to town by the rail had little or no diffi-
culty in obtaining seats.

The select committee appointed to inquire into
and report on the practicability of shortening the voyage to
her Majesty's possessions in Madras, Bengal, and Burmah,
by facilitating the passage through the obstruction known
as Adam's Bridge, and thereby avoiding the circumnaviga-
tion of Ceylon, have agreed to the following report :
" It appears to evidence that a passage between the Island
of Remised's= and Point Tonitory, on the coast of Madura,
in the presidency of Madras, has long existed. Since the
year 1837, when operations were commenced by the Madras
government, under the superintendence of Colonel (sow
Liautenant-General) William Monteith, the channel has
been deepened from 3j to its present depth of U to 12 feet,
low water, spring tides, at a cost a little exceeding 40,0001.
It is stated in evidence that the depth can be increased to 15
feet, without an excessive outlay. The chaesel is largely
need at all seasons by the coasting trade of India, and the
trade between India and Ceylon. From May 1, 1860, to
April 30, 1861, 2,447 vessels passed through, having an
aggregate tonnage of 205,529 tons, as against 146,565 tone
1 in 1859-60, in which latter year 21 English vessels, sad one
French vessel made use of the channel, one of the former,
I the Blue Bock, a ship of 666 tons, drawing 13 feet water in
I ballast. The evidence does not enable your committee to
I offer an opinion of the cost of deepening the channel to the
I extent required to accommodate the trade for large vessels ;
but it is clear that great beneficial commercial results have
been already obtained at a very moderate cost. They are,
therefore, of opinion that the question of deepening the
channel and improving the approaches is deepening of the
early attention of her Majesty's government ; and they rug-
ged that farther inquiries should be prosecuted on the spot
as soon as possible, to ascertain, with certainty, whither the
passage between Ceylon and the mainland of India oat be
made safe and predicable for the general trade, at a mode-
-1 rate expenee."

Doming os nownnows fit 880111111 A. —lt in not
improbable that a large quantity of sugar and molasses may
be devoted to destruction. Both articles, within • vary
brief period, have wonderfully advanced in price. To my
that this is eccastaned by seareity would be smarting that
which is not true. By a little investigation there would be
found here much more than has been usual at this mason of
the year; red that they should be &dreamed to a fabulous
value la not a little remarkable, unless their value is mea.
gored by the prim of meat& h sweated that it would
not be amiss to take time by the forelock, and while it may
be does without hurry and bustle, a quantity should be dis-
tributed among the woody, who have not the ability to pur-
chase at present prices, and may be driven to desperate want
in a short time. This might be done without fear of frauds,
through the Aloes of the 'endorses who have benevolently
taken charge of the Free Market. It might be coovesiontly
done while there is no hurry. How much better would it
be to distribute this very
_excellent substitute for meat,
when the latter enact be bad, gum to see It destroyed, sad
of no use to saybody.—Mestphis Assisoote,_Yzy 9.
IftrzorourAz Pm Hamm, Divolannui-
sQUAßl, arr.—TM aggrepto number of patients relieved
dsriog the wok sod* Joss 24 was r—lledioel, 1,354
evegisel, flit—tstsk 3,018, al whiek 708 were oew saes&

PUBLIC 801100 LB COMMISSION. —The Publics
Schools Commussiosese held • roestier yesterday at their
elks, No. 2, Vienerisotreet. Present: the Earl d Omen.
do., the Earl al Dew" the Lord Lyttelloo, Rev. W. H.
Thesopses, H. Balked Vaughan, Esq., and the tlecrAary.
Tms /herons Mina—The Queen, in token of
her satisfaction with • volume lately printed for her
Majesty by the female compositors at MissFaitbfar. odic*
bar, by a warrant of Use Lord Chamberlain, appointed Mies
Falthfull" printer gad publisher in ordinary to her
Majesty." and accorded the distinction of the Royal Arms
for the Victoria Press.

Total receipts at doors 416,441 4 4
The number of visitors yesterday was u follows:
By season tickets
By payment 40,197

Total , 49, 237

DECLARATION OF THE AWARDS OF THE num
The following official programme of the cm.
monies on the occasion of the declaration of the
awards of the juries has been forwarded to us :
. . .

1 Thep &cannon of the awards of the juries at •siate
csensony, on Friday, 11th July, 1862, at ono o'clock, will
bo roads by au intonational representative body of royal
and distinguished personages, specially Named by the
various nations which have taken part is the Exhibition.

2.- The Queen has named his Royal Highs= the Duke
of Cambridge, 14.0., as her Wastes zeprematative to re-
ceive and distribute the award, to the Waiters of the
United Kingdom and its =looks and depsodesciea. The
special representatives of foreign countries will receive and
distribute the swards to foreign exhibits=
3. The various ceremonies will take phase is the Tahiti.
Yea buildings and in the tiorticulturel-pases, which will
be treated as part of the Exhibition for that day.
4. The special repreeentatives will be received by her
Ifaiesty's Commissioners on the upper =mos of the Hoc.
ticultural.prdens if the weather be favourable ; if =favour.
able In the coneervatory ; and the international juries will
then deliver their awards to the special representatives.

5. The special representatives, after receiving the award',
will pass in peoessaion along the amides to the Exhibition
buildings, and at various stations will deliver the swag*
to the chairmen of the British class committees, to the
actlecial commissioners, and to the foreign 0003Miali012111,

in or near those parte Of the buildings wise the principal
object' of each class or country are placed.
8. Upon the arrival of the special representatives at the
different Satiate for distributing the awards, the national
airs of the respective nations will be played by military
bands, British sad foreign. After the diatribution, gm,
the proossion will usemble spin on the upper terrace,
when " God eve the Queen" will be performed by ell the
military bands.
7. The public will be admitted between the hours of 10
and 12.30 by season tickets or by special ticking to be per.
chased Defoe the Bth July at 56. each ; on and after that
day the pries will be 78.6 d. each. 'Tickets will be ready fat
Sas on the 30th June. . _

8. Exhibitors who may not have season tickets may
obtain a hes ticket of admission upon permits,' applicatice
the °Moss in the Eihibitioo•rosd, on or before the Bth hit.
By order of her Majesty's Commissioners,

_
F. R. Sarrnrenn,
Secretary and General Manager.

WZATRIS REPORT.-(THDI DAY.)

ToraDAT, JOirs 14 $ /X.

Lk. D. 1.0.L1. I.
Nam.......... 11:1.11 :: i- B.W. i T. tr,
____l•. i $197 69 66 W. S r
81OMOS U. 69 44 W.N.W. 1 dr 91
Animus.- IS. 66 61 N.N.I. 4 4r
Posraven / ID. LS 61 N.W. 9 0
GALWAT .
19.04 416 67 Z. 0 0 —9ALNIZAL
Quizakowi GO 10 N.W. 1 •—1
-
-
Lynwood.
Proisaddre
moms
Mew 10.10 61 67 W.N.W. k 0.111
Posww „ 01 91 68 W.
Toilatoors OB 67 k W.
Wiwi II 111 IS W.LW.
Loam. 01.87 II 64 N.W.
Tumors . 29.91 16S GS W.
Ikkadosoosi. 29.83 67 16 W.
BMW
IniziooLairi; 29.87 64 61 N.W. ~

=RIM= 714. YIP
LAMT =POST. finrrua Wow
Varylmpound, fresh to BOMA. IL to LW. mei tt.
tight, shover,loooorato, omorcda
Wows In the '
north, MAL W. LW. to N.N.A.
relay, very variable ALM to trot
elsewhere.
Wessel ty, fresh to mo- W. Czmou w=, soodetto o
dente, showery. Ugh; iiil.
N.N.W. to W. fresh to &WilitLann. W.S.W. to W Or.
It., showers. esodsreta. Am
N.L. to N.W., trash to ILL 'Norio. W.X.W. to S.N W.,
light, Ana. fresh to Wit. Ili.
Lastest, to 8. sad W. It. Coo= W. to N.,twoo to lit'u.
showers. string to Ans.
fresh.

IMPOSITIONS IT HAcIXZY CABBIAGI
This morels& is oonsequeooe of the DUMSIOIIII cearrSiDe
at the chief polio, diem Scotland-yard, from Miter c
the Exhibition, of frauds perpetrated upon them by
driven of hackney carriages, notice was sewed by Mr
Mayne that by the 16th and 17th Vic., c. Ti, sera. sad 71.
the driver of any hackney carriage plying for hire ohm(
to carry any person any distance not sanding an mule
from the piece where hired, or for any time sot ezenkli
ass hour, liable to a pesalty of 40e., or one ineth's
t, asst to a like penalty for eased
ranres than his proper fare • and by
d Sid William IV., 22, sec. 43, any tiffmn
to say men than the proper fare is doom.
sot bindles, and on discharging the earrwqe the hirer of
refuse to pay move thee the proper fare, and any fowl
paying it may reeover the same back, sod the driver WI be
peoleg by a fine of 40s. or one mouth's imprisoneem
the emetics. All proceedings must be takes. before nor
magistrate within seven days after the commission of SI
offence. Instructions have been issued to the WWl'
carriage attendaste to note down all misconduct on the put
of the drivers avid to give every information sod meinjol
to person complaining against them.
LIOZISING RIFILISHMENT HOVRES.—This moor
leg, in paresasce of orders issued by the Home accreted,
number of enatables were employed in each of the aro
politest divisioos of police to visit all ooffeediouan Sedalia
piaor k4O apes for the sale of refreshments is their sew
sees dinneta, sail all who were found trading intb4
reczakewswithes. rteb_rermedwould that,
ro Lanleasedthagnittooktwoothtetp",whe rue
they had Mowed. The whole of the night alone .111
vicisity of the Haymarket and Leinsterequare were sot*
as a preliminary, It is mid, to their euppremaiott. „
SI,TICIDS. —Yr. Philip Colgrove, clerk to Sir ".
Kann', used the justices of the Ooort of Cowen NIA,
committed saki& yesterday inning by hanging blows?,
an outhosm d hie ',siderite, 1. Linedownoterrace,
• - • and four reli,o°l4

CZYNTAL PAILACI. HAND= FEITTIVAL (" M Dlniioe.park. theeseasibeevisit • widow .
azas►."—Pnur DA; NOMA; Jtalz Z.—Total visitors, oae of whom w but • few tosaths old. The obey a
16 isuicidal set at prosiest tame a sy•Orry.