The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-21 00:00:00

three cathedral choirs and the choral societies of Here.
ford, Gloucester, Worcester, and Liverpool.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings,
will be devoted to sacred music at the cathedral, and
there will be secular concerts at the Shire-ball on Tues-
day, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings. On Wednesday
evening there will be a ball after the concert, and on
Friday night the week's festival will be wound up by a
grand full dress ball at the Shire-hall. On Tuesday
morning there will be full cathedral service, and a ser-
mon will be preached by the Rev. W. P. Hoptos, one
of the stewards of the meeting. Before the service
Spohr's overture to the Last Judgment will be played by
the band. The preces, responses, and chant to the Traits
are by Tallis, and the psalm chant is by Mr. Smith, the
conductor. The " Dettingen" It DeUM will be given
as usual, but a new .Tubilate, composed by Mr. Town.
shepd. Smith_ expressly for this festival, will be intro.
duced. Haydn's chorus, "The Heavens are telling,"
from the Creation, will be the anthem, and the 98th.
Mendelssohn, will precede the sermon. Beetla•
oven's U Hallelujah Chorus," from the Mount of Olives,
will close the morning service. On Wednesday morning
Mendelssohn's Elijah will be given entire, Mr. Weiss
having to support the arduous part of the Prophet;
Mario will sing the air, "If with all your hearts," and.
Miss Dolby and Madame Novello assist in the oratorio.
In the second part of the oratorio Mr. Sims Reeves
takes several of the tenor solos. On Thursday morning
we have Mendelssohn's " Hymn of Praise," Madame
Clara Novello and Mr. Sims Reeves sustaining the prin-
cipal vocal parts. Spohr's " Christian's Prayer " and
Mozart's "Twelfth Service" follow. Clara Novello
sings Luther's Hymn, and Mr. Sims Reeves " Sound an
Alarm," from Handel's Judas Maceabows. On Friday
morning we have Handel's Messiah, which is nover
omitted at these festivals.
The evening concerts consist of the usual miscella-
neous selections from the most popular works of living
and deceased composers.
We observe it is stated in the programmes that the
proceeds of these festivals have of late years averaged to
each widow 201., and to each orphan in the diocese Isl.
That such institutions stand in need of immediate en-
couragement is unhappily too manifest from the present
number of applicants—more than 25 orphans and eight
widows—while the necessity of future support is equally
evident from the fact that there are within the three
dioceses 147 benefices having an income below 1001. per
annum.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

BRISTOL AND EXETER.

The report of the directors of this company states that
the gross traffic receipts for the half-year ending the 30th
of June last amounted to 152,4371. (including 2,6461.
from the Exeter and Crediton Railway), being an in-
crease of 8,1571. over those of the corresponding half.
year of 1854. The working expenses charged to revenue
account, including those of the Exeter and Crediton and
Somerset Central Railways, amounted to 81,5451., or
53.49 per cent , or 6641. per mile on 1221 miles of railway.
The increase in the number of parcels conveyed was
88,679, and in the receipts for parcels 1,0511. The
balance remaining disposable for dividend is 46,4771.,
which will provide for the usual dividend of 4i per cent.
per annum on the 2,000,000/. of consolidated stock, and
leave a surplus of 1,477/. To assist the Cornwall Com-
pany to construct their line as far as Truro, the direc-
tors have agreed, in conjunction with the Great Wes-
tern and the South Devon Companies, to guarantee the
interest upon 375,0001. in debentures now in course of
issue by the Cornwall Company. The lease of the
Exeter and Crediton line expired ou the Ist of August,
together with the agreement to supply engine power and
rolling stock for working the North Devon line, and no
arrangement has yet been entered into for a renewal of
the lease, but in order to prevent inconvenience to the
publ;o the company continue to work the Exeter and
Creditou line.