The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-14 00:00:00

WORCESTER MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

WORCESTER, THOWIDAT!

The weather to-day has been as fine as could be
dallied, and the streets have been crowded all day by
docks of gaily dressed people wending their way to and from
the cathedral. The influx of people to-day has been be-
yond precedent, and as all the tickets for to-night's con-
cert and to-morrow's oratorio are disposed of there can be
little hesitation in prognosticating the largest return ever
shown at any one of the preceding 146 meetings of the
three choirs.
The attendance at last night's concert was much larger
than on the first night. The floor bad every seat occupied,
and some people, rather than be disappointed (having
failed to procure tickets), were fain to stand in the lobbies
and on the stairs of the gallery. There was, however,
much disappointment experienced at the absence of Mr.
Sims Reeves. Before the opening of the concert Dr. Wil-
liams, the new hon. secretary to thaw festivals, came to--
ward, and, addressing the audience, said he was sorry to
have to inform them that Mr. Sims Reeves had a bad cold,
and would be unable to sing but that he hoped to be suf-
deiently recovered to take his share of the oratorio music
at the cathedral next morning, which announcement was
received with hisses and other demonstrations of disappro
bation. Dr. Williams added that Mr. Cummings had
kindly undertaken to supply his place in the operatic
selection, and Mr. Smiley would sing a song in
the place of Mr. Reeves's " Leoline.' (Applause.)
The programme for the morning was an unusually long
one, and it was nearly four o'clock when the bells of the
neighbouring church of St. Helen (the mother church)
rang gut the thousands that had been for snore than four
hours listening to some of the finest oumpositions of our
greatest composers. The carte, so to speak, Included Beet
hoven'a Service in C, a selection from Handel's Joshua,
and Mendelssohn's " Hymn of Praise." This was almost
too much for one morning, not that it could possibly tire,
but the strain of excitement was almost too great. The
mass was preceded by Spohr's overture to the Last Judg-
ment. The collection at the doors of the cathedral to-day
reached ?..331. 14s. 10d., making already over 1,035!. secured
to the charity, besides to-morrow's collection, so that there
is a certainty of my prophecy, that this would be the must
~ I successful meeting ever held, being correct.
0

CRYSTAL PALACE.—When the Crystal Palace
was first projected it is probable that no one ever contem-
plated its being (a place of public resort after sunset ; but
the effective system of lighting which has been introduced
renders it in some respects even more picturesque and
attractive after dark than in the broad day. Those who
visited it last night to see the exhibition of fireworks
must have come to the conclusion that its grounds were
laid out for the express purpose of pyrotechnic displays.
The extent of its terraces would enable almost any
conceivable crowd to witness the sight without inconve-
nience. Its capabilities io this respect appeared in fact to
be tested last night to the uttermost ; but large m the
assembly =was, double the Lumber might have been
accommodated with the utmost facility. The fireworks
themselves were on the usual Sydenham scale, and were of
singular grandeur and beauty. We may, however, men-
tion one or two specialities. First, there were the " mag-
nesian balloons," or, to speak more accurately, the mag-
nesia light borne aloft by balloons ; nothing could be more
striking than this exemplification of the brilliancy and
payer of this light. Even when at its maximum height it
appeared to illumine the whole park, and the smallest
print might be read by it with the greatest ease. The
blazing comet is also a very impressive contrivance. It is
a firework made to ran along a wire extending from the
summit of one of the Water Towers to the Water
Temple opposite ; and as it moves rapidly along
it throws out a tremendous tail of fire. The set devices
were also of considerable splendour, and the salvo by which
the illumination of the fountains was concluded was well
calculated to render those enterprising persons who had
stayed at all near the rocket ground exceedingly nervous
about the results of their temerity. On the whole a more
successful display has, perhaps, hardly everbeen witnessed,
and it appeared to fully satisfy the number of spectators
who thronged the gardens.
ADELPLU THEATRE.—At the close of the season,
on Saturday last, a handsome testimonial was presented
by the principal artistes engaged at this theatre to Senor
Logo, for his care and attention bestowed upon the two
operettas lately produced at this establishment,
Crying Jenny and Laughing Johnny, and La Belle Helene,
both the vocal and musical arrangements of which were
under his direction. The testimonial consisted of a hand-
some signet ring and a gold pencil-case.
AUSTRALIAN TEA.—The South Australians are
going to attempt the cultivation pf the tea-plant. In the
absence of a local acclimatisation society, the government
has bought 501. of tea seed. Part is to be cultivated in
the Botanic-garden under the superintendence of Dr.
Scbomburgh, and the rest is to be divided amongst farmers
in different parts of the colony, so as to give a varied trial.
The plant grows healthily in the Botanic-gardens at Bris-
bane. There are many Chinese in the colony, among whom
there are probably some who have bad some acquaintance
with the cultivation, and may be abls to give a helping
hand to this industry.
POSTAGE RATES BETWEEN PRUSSIA. AND ENO-
LAND.—The council of the Liverpool Chamber of Com-
merce, at their meeting yesterday, decided to memorialize
the Postmaster-Oeneral upon the above subject. ft ap-
pears that letters sent from Rhenbh-Prnatia via France are
charged of under f oz.) 4d. on delivery in England, but
that letters sent from English towns to towns in Rhenish-
Prussia are charged lid. This apparently anomalous ar-
rangementis creating a good deal of dissatisfaction amongst
commercial men, but doubtless some conventional action
will now be taken which will remedy the evil.
Tea LIVERPOOL MURDER COMMITTED Form
YZAIS AGO—At the Liverpool Police-ecturt yesterday,
Robert Reid, a tinker, was brought up on remand. on a
charge of stabbing and killing his wife in a court off Thur.
low-street, Liverpool, in Dee. , 1864. Theptiseser wee arrested
in New York en the 18th of August last by Marsden, a
Liverpool detective officer, to whom he made • statement
to the effect that he did not tun any knife to his wife, and
that if ha had done so he mold not have slept quietly all
the same night, as he did, with his brother-is-law. After
hearing saint evidence. Mr. Rallis committed the
soner Ter trial it the December MOWS on Amp of
wilful murder.