The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-14 00:00:00

GLOUCESTER MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

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GLOUCESTER, TUIIDAY.
The festival of the three choirs of Gloucester,
Hereford, and Worcester took place this day under the
most favourable auspices. A heavy fall of rain last night
cleared the sky, and the weather to-day has been most de-
lightful. A great many strangers arrived in the course of
yesterday, and the temporary population of the city was
further increased to-day, fresh arrivals continuing to pour
is thretishout the morning. The doors of the cathedral
wars besieged at an early hour, and, on the opening of the
service, with which these festivals are always initiated, the
interior of the venerable pile presented a grand and impos-
ts* sigkegateschestra, floor, gallery, and aisles being nom-
-lilt 1 eels& the conductor. Mr. Arnett, having taken
leis picas the festival opened, as has been usual almost from
Moe immieMedal, with Headers " Esther" overture which
was *pea by the bead with the customary perfsetiosi. The
pima ed empumes were those of TOL, and bad • grand
=le $OO rar 400 voices uniting aad resemadiag with
grandeur, from the fretted roof soli vaulted aisles
ofthesamed building. The Ts Dom was Ifearbl's, that
Icompesed fee the victory of Dettingen. The paimeipal solo
parts were taken by Mr. aid Mrs. Lackey, mil Mr. Weiss,
the basso monde, who did his share wfth juagment
He is evidently • rising artist. The tommmeil pub
is " Them art the King of Glum" sail ether
passages, went off with unused parfait/An. The novelty
of the esoraiag was the salbem of Dr. Elroy which
was written for tide festival mid was etimanal=ths amp
met himself. It is biele wimps, fee •
bat is Galled a " feellwileas." It anomie la
passages, and the drums are very grand mil amanive,
while the principalship's, orchestra, and ahem,
to vie with each etherls giving effect to IL The=
" Clouds sad Darkens," is exceedingly effective ; and the
double chorus, At hie sight the mountains are shaken,"
is dramatis in expression, the music being made to convey
the meaning and spirit of the wends, which an taken from
the 47th psalm, commencing "The Lord is king." The
them, "0 ye that love the Lord," is very like
the chorus, " Blessed are the men who fear him," in
the Elijah. The concluding chorus is a clever spa-
men of writing, and displays Dr. Elvers ability as •
composer. The anthem will bear frequent repetition at fes-
tivals of this character. The sermon was preached by the
Rev. Dr. Clazson from Chronicles, Book 1., chap.
verse 8 ; the passage being descriptive of David's praise of
Ond, with instruments and voice, and this text was admi-
rably treated in the sermon. Among the clergy present,
besides the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, and the very
Rev. the Dean, were the Rev. H. K. Luso:nob. (who in-
toned the envie"), the Rev. C. Crawley, precentor (who
read the lessons), Rev. Sir J. Seymour, canoe of Glouces-
ter, Rev. Sir W. Duel!, Rev. Frampton, honorary
canoe ; Archdeacon Thorp, Rev. Mr. liscott, the Dean of
Bristol, Rev. Dr. Evans, Rev. H. A. S. Attwood, Rev. F.
T. J. Bayley, Rev. L. B. Clutterbuck, Rev. H. B. Evans,
and Rev. Canon Hutchison. The collection at the doors (or
the charity amounted to 1861. 2t. 10d.

Tut: HONG-KONO Poet-orptce.--A correspondent
complains warmly of the inefficiency of the post•office at
Hoag-Kong, and says " that when a mail arrives within a
day and a half of the despatch of another, which not un-
frequently happens, the arrived lettere are not delivered
until the outgoing mail is despatched. On a recent occa-
sion two days intervened. The mail steamer arrived on
Sunday before 6 p.m., the outgoing mail was made up on
the Tuesday, sod the arrived letters were delivered at 6
p.m. on the latter day. Why not employ a post-office clerk
who would sort the letters on the voyage out and in ?" If
this statement be correct, the post-office here should cer-
tainly take measures to remedy such a state of things. That
merchants and others should have their letters thus de-
tained, and be compelled to write homewards or outwards
without the benefit of the information thus doubly sealed
up at the pat-office, is such a violation of duty on the part
the offiials as calls for the immediate intervention of the
•

THE I)owtals Wonits.—These works are now in
activity again, the whole of the colliers who remained upon
the spot continuing in the labour they hive resumed. They
do not, however, number more than 300 men, whereu the
farce that struck for the advance was fully 1,200. The
others have gained employment elsewhere. A number of
the best men have emigrated to Australia ; and so great
has been the emigration from Merthyr, that by 30 per cent.
does it exceed the influx. The ironmaaten cannot depend
upon an Irish supply, as the natives of the sister isle prefer
America or Australia, and labour is scarce in all the
Welsh markets. The works at Dowlate bays bees put
into a state of thorough repair, new brickyards having been
erected.