The Express.
London, England, 1853-05-14 00:00:00

IRELAND.

OF 1853.
DUBLIN, Mar 12.
I have already communicated by electric telegraph
the fact that the ceremony of inaugurating the Great
Dublin Exhibition passed off to-day witti the most
brilliant Mat. Nothing could be more beautiful or
complete., nothing could be grander in its effect, and
the good people of Dublin, who look like a minority
in their own city, so great is the concourse of strange
visitors, hare gazed with amazement on the magni-
ficent scene, for the full effect of which, apparently,
they were entirely unprepared. The doors were
thrown open at ten o'clock, and the company arrived
in rapid succession. The ceremonial was not to take
place until after 12, but for some time previous to
that hour the doors were closed to ensure
the greater order on the arrival of the
Lord Lieutenant. At that period the number
of persons within the building could not have been
less than about fifteen thousand, that estimate being
formed on the two facts, first that the great hall is
calculated to accommodate about fourteen thousand
persons, and great numbers were, of course, scattered
over the other halls and galleries ; and secondly, the
sale of tickets up to this morning amounted to
16,0000/., which with every allowance for the differ-
ence of prices fur ladies tickets must, with about a
thousand complimentary admissions, indicate with
the thousand vocal and instrumental performers in
the orchestra, at least the total number which I
have mentioned; and as the gentlemen were for the
most part in evening costume, and the ladies in fall
dress morning toilette, the appearance of the com-
pany. raixe.d as it was with a profusion of uniforms,
was brilliant in the extreme. Among those pre-
sent were the Lord Chancellor, the Master of the
Rolls, and all the twelve judges, the Duke of Argyle,
the :Marquis of Headford, the Earl of Charlemont,
the Earl of Meath, the Earl of Dunraven, Lord Maz-
zareene, Lord Clarina, and some other noblemen, all
who belong to the order of St. Patrick, wearing the
collars and stars of the order; Sir Edward Blakeney,
and a largo staff of officers; the Provost, fellows, and
several scholars of Trinity College; Archbishop Cul-
len, and three other Roman Catholic prelates; the
Mayors of Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, York, and
of al l the Irish corporate towns, Sir Joseph Pax-
ton, ke.
The Lord Lieutenant and Countess of St. Germans,
attended by the officers of the household, and a bril-
hant stall, arrived at 20 minutes past 12, and were
received by the Lord Mayor and corporation, and by
the gentlemen of the committee, the Great Oxford
organ and choir performing the National Anthem.
The various musical pieces were then performed with
the finest effect by the most powerful choir ever
assembled in Dublin, and all tho pieces performed
being of a religious character. At the period
of the ceremony set down in the programme,
the Lord Lieutenant arose, and without the
medium of the heraldic officer who was to have made
the announcement, declared the Exhibition opened,
and, in doing so, prayed Almighty God to bless the
undertaking. Ilia Excellency was loudly cheered 01111
his entrance to, and departure from, the Exhibition.
In the evening a grand banquet was given by the
Lord Mayor, in the King's Room of the hlansicie
House, to celebrate the great event of the day. Up
cordite( 700 ;guests assembled, and;the entertainment
was on a sphndid scale. The chair was occupied 17
the Lori Mayor. On the right of the chair were his
Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, the Lord Chancel-
lei, Lord Granville, the Earl of Meath, the Right
Hon. the Recorder, Lord Talbot de Malahide, the
Dean of St. Patrick's, the Right Hon. F. Blackburne,
the thief Justice of the Common Pleas, Baron
Green.', Sir P. Crampton, &e. On the left sat Wm.
Dorgan, Esq., Lord Gough, the Bishop of Meath, the
Attune y.Oeneral ; and among the ernpany were die

OPENING OF THE