The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-17 00:00:00

THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

The important question regarding the principal
details of the opening ceremony of the International
Exhibition and of the distinguished personages who
are to take part on that occasion will, in a few days,
be entirely arranged. There was great disappoint-
ment felt among the exhibitors when it became
known that the Prince of Wales would not be pre-
sent to inaugurate with fitting splendour and
ceremony this great national event, and even to
this day the great majority still cling to the
hope that if an earnest expression of their wishes
on this subject were made to her Majesty her
permission would be given for the return of the
Prince in time for the Ist of May. That some
such step will be taken in the matter by the
exhibitors there is very little doubt, though
with what success it is, of course, impossible to
foresee. One thing, however, is very certain, the
announcement that her Majesty had given her
sanction to the return of the Prince to preside at
the opening would give unbounded satisfaction, not
alone to the exhibitors, but to all concerned in the
success of the Exhibition. The other arrangements
for the Ist of May, as far as they have yet been
considered, are to the effect that her Majesty will
issue a Royal Commission to the Duke of Cambridge,
the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Earl of Derby,
Viscount Palmerston, and the Lord Chancellor, em-
powering them to open the building in her name,
and to invite foreign Sovereigns to be present at
the ceremony. The latter provision is a most im-
portant one as regards the eclat of the occasion. It
seems to be generally believed among those most
likely to be well-informed on such matters that the
Emperor of the French will pay one visit to London
this year, for the purpose of seeing the Exhibition,
to the magnificence of which his own subjects have
contributed so largely ; and it seems not unreason-
able to expect that on the invitation of the Royal
Commissioners his Imperial Majesty might be in-
duced to make this visit coincide with the period
fixed for the opening. The English people, we are
sure, would appreciate so high and graceful a com-
pliment at its fullest value. The other illustrious
foreign personages will most probably be the King
of the Belgians, with the Crown Prince and Prin-
cess Royal of Prussia, Prince Louis of Hesse, &c.
At present the Commissioners are undecided
whether or not there will be any necessity for the
erection of unreserved seats on this occasion. We
venture to think that such an arrangement would
be in the highest degree desirable. If the Emperor
of the French and other representatives of foreign
Royalty honour the occasion with their presence,
there are certain to be at least 30,000 visitors
present, and to leave them to find out what places
they can, inconveniently overcrowding some parts,
while others are left comparatively empty, would
be to invite such a scene of confusion as would go
far to spoil the whole effect. If reserved seats
are decided on we believe there is no intention
to charge for them, but to give admission to the
season ticket-holders according to the order of
priority in which the tickets were purchased.
Whatever other adjuncts may give eclat to the
opening ceremony, there is no doubt but that the
musical programme alone will be sufficient to insure
a large attendance and a marked success. Rossini,
Meyerbeer, Verdi, and Auber have each composed
special marches and anthems for this occasion, and
which it is said, when fitly performed, as they will
be on the Ist of May by a powerful orchestra and
chorus, will have a most grand and impressive effect.
The orchestra is to be erected under the eastern
dome to accommodate 300 instrumentalists and 1,000
vocalists, all under the direction of Mr. Costa.
While speaking of this orchestra, we may mention
that it is a pity the designs, which are finished, are
not now given to the contractors to execute. It
seems to be quite forgotten that a work which ought
to take ten days, and has to be done in five days,
costs nearly double what it otherwise would ; and it
is hardly fair to the contractors, who have behaved
with such spirit and liberality, to put off everything
to the last moment, and so add both to their anxiety
and expense. We repeatedly called attention dur-
ing the winter to the backwardness shown by the
Commissioners in getting ready the western annexe
for machinery in motion, and the works here were
so long deferred that it is now more than doubtful if
it can be even in a tolerable state of readiness by the
Ist of May, and this procrastination has cost the con-
tractors at least £5,000 more than it need have done
if they had been allowed to proceed with the annexe
in good time and at their leisure. This ought not to
occur with the plans for the erection of the orches-
tra. This orchestra is to be removed by the con-
tractors within a fortnight after the opening of the
building ; but we venture to think that a slight im-
provement might be made in this arrangement which
would give very general satisfaction, and need not
delay the final removal of the structure by many
hours. It is admitted on all sides that the musical
portion of the opening ceremony will be very grand
indeed. But it is also well known that the building
itself, however well suited for Exhibition purposes,
is necessarily from this fact alone very ill adapted
for conducting sound. Broken up on every side into
courts and counter spaces, filled with goods, and hung
with tapestries, it is difficult to imagine how an
audience of 25,000 visitors at the opening ceremony
can be so arranged round the orchestra as to allow
even 10,000 to hear the music with proper effect.
The opening will take place on a Thursday; why
should not the orchestra be allowed to remain, and
a repetition of the musical programme take place
on the Friday and Saturday following ? These
three days would enable the whole body of season-
ticket holders to hear the music if they were so
inclined, as there is no doubt they would be, and
this would in itself be an attraction which would
amply justify the erection of the intended orchestra.
The French are still rapidly enclosing their Court
with the wooden partitions which are now so loudly
complained of on all sides. 'rho effect which this
enclosure will produce in the interior will be precisely
the same as if a gigantic wooden box, occupying one
quarter of the building, and placed in the best part,
were built up from the floor to the roof. If other
Courts follow this example, as there is every reason
to believe they will if the French are allowed
to persist, the whole interior will be a mere
labyrinth of wooden partitions, and it will literally
be necessary to erect hand-posts to show the
public what routes they must follow to reach such
and such Courts and classes of manufactures. The
Belgians are very busy preparing to shut them-
selves in at least as high as the gallery floors, and
the Austrian workmen are similarly engaged. It
is singular that foreign Governments, usually so
economical in other matters, should go to the great
expense of sending over gangs of workmen to do a
few simple jobs in carpentering which could be done
at a tithe of the cost by the contractors on the ‘01)°t•
4 Apparently, the I'rench Commission seem to have

plucm.....
STAMPED ....sd;

allotted to French exhibitors very much more space
than at the first glance might have appeared pos-
sible to get even out of the large Court placed at
their disposal. They have not only walled them.
selves in as we have said to get hanging space, but

they have divided and subdivided the 25ft. bays
with pnrtitions, in order still further to eke out
every inehof verticalspace their ingenuity can sug-
gest. If all these ceat lines of partitions are pro-
perly hung With goods, fig it is said they will be,
then decidedly the contents of the French Court
alene will be almost equal to the contents of half
the building. As it turns cut, they can find no
room in their Court for the two fine fountains they
have brought over, one of marble and one of bronze,
nor can space be found for them in the building
elsewhere. They are, therefore, to be erected in the
Horticultural Gardens, and some pumping machines
in the western annexe will supply them with water
through two 10-inch pipes, two 12-inch pipes being
laid to take the water back again, so that it can be
used over and over again. We hope that these
handsome ornaments will not be erected for this
occasion only, but that the Council of the society
will make an effort to purchase them entirely. The
task of erecting and laying the pipes for these
beautiful fountains should be commenced "-hod
delay, otherwise there will be excavations and
foundation work going on when the turf of the
lawns is greenest, and,.iful gardens are
looking their best, in.thelTEMMinig:-
The western annexe is progressing rapidly ; that
on the eastern side is much behindhand, and it
seems impossible that it can be finished in time for
the opening, Classes 1,2, 3,. and 4, for mining
and mining materials, for chemistry, food, raw,
materials, are placed in this eastern annexe, which'
some of the exhibitors imagine to be a bad posi-
tion. Nothing can be more erroneous than this
idea. If it were to be always what it seems
now—a mere adjunct to the main building—
exhibitors might complain ; but there is to be
an entrance made at the northern end, which
will be in almost direct communication with the
new road across Hyde Park, so that this annexe
will become a main thoroughfare into the building
for all the western and north-western visitors. It
is, in truth, as favourable a position for exhibi.
tion as any afforded by the north-eastern transept,
with which it is immediately connected. Two
beautiful trophies, one of food and one of raw mate-
rials, are to be erected in this annexe, the contents
of which will form one of the most interesting por-
tions of the Exhibition.

The work of hanging the pictures in the English
gallery is going on very fast under the judicious
management and care of Mr. Redgrave and Mr.
Creswick. While this work is in progress all
visitors, no matter what their rank, or even their
position in connection with the Exhibition itself,
are excluded as rigidly as at the Royal Academy
when the pictures are being hung there. Not many
of the pictures have yet been placed, and they are
chiefly the works of Sir Joshua Reynolds. All his
great masterpieces are here,including the celebrated
I, Mother and Child," and the portrait of the famous
and lovely Georgina, Duchess of Devonshire, of
whose wit and beauty we have heard so much, and
who, if as witty as she is here drawn beautiful,
must indeed have justified the praise bestowed on
this great toast of the Whigs. Now that the
floor, though the light is so good that by giving
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loefme,
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ofmew t gallerythe
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picturesuirsefound
are
them a little outward inclination they could be well
seen even at the top of the wall. Such judgment
and care, however, are being used in placing the
works that when the gallery is open to the public
we think Mr, Redgrave will be found to have
given satisfaction even to that most difficult body
to please—the artists themselves. The foreign
Commissioners have not yet commenced hanging
their works, though they are expected to do so in
the course of this week, and before this day month
all will be in readiness here for opening. As this
work progresses along the walls the effect of the
subdued decorative designs and colours adopted
by Mr. Crace come out admirably. The domes
are finished so far as regards their construe-

tion and decoration, but a good many panes
of glass have still to be put in the western
dome. By an ingenious arrangement, however,
this can be done from the outside, so that scaf-
folding is coming down in great masses day by day.
The monstrous travelling scaffold used in painting
the nave roof, &c., is also being sawn up, and tum-
bled down headlong. Still, in spite of all the hurry
and all the progress made, an immense amount of
work remains to be done, and one almost desponds
on looking round the immense empty interior, and
reflecting it has all to be completed, filled, arranged,
and opened in little more than six weeks from the
present date. Some progress in works which it will
be difficult hereafter to hasten might be made if the
entrance from the Cromwell-road were closed as
soon as possible against carts entering with goods.
Until this is done the wide thoroughfare now across
the nave cannot be floored, nor the lath and plaster
screen under the entrance begun, nor the brick
arches completed over where the turnstiles are to be
erected. If this entrance were soon closed all these
works might be proceeded with, and the goods left
to come in through the apertures which have already
been broken in the walls under the windows of the
picture galleries for that purpose. Any cases too
bulky to pass through these openings (and there are
sure to be some) could easily be taken round to the
II western annexe and brought up along the tramway
for the machinery in motion to the very centre of
the interior.
The goods that have arrived since our last notice
have, with the exception of a few packages from
Birmingham, been almost all foreign. The back-
wardness of Englishexhibitors in sending their goods
is giving cause for real anxiety, and is certain, as the
time for the opening approaches, to produce serious
annoyance and confusion. Almost one-third of the
foreign goods are already in the building, or will be
in the course of a few days ; yet all the packages that
have been received from England or the Colonies,
would scarcely fill a very ordinary sized room. There
are some classes and sub-classes which it is known
will not be sent till the last moment, such as plate
and valuable jewels, decorative furniture, or rare
chymical crystals, all of which, especially the two
latter, are liable to injury from the dampness in
the building, or, as in the case of crystals, from the
vibration going on around. These, however, aro
rare exceptions, and in no way refer to the great
bulk of raw and manufactured materials which

ought long since to have been delivered and fairly
arranged, or at least deposited on their counters by
this time. We may warn English exhibitors that
their delay is attracting the serious attention oft he
Commissioners, and that it will almost certainly
result in their strictly adhering to their rule, that
nothing will be received into the building after the
31st of this month. Such a restriction, for the rea-
sons we have already given, would most probably
only punish the most innocent for the fault that is
now common to all.
On Friday some very handsome cases came in
from Messrs. Elkington, who, it is said, will make
a most superb display on this occasion, an
ll also paved
wtroho, in
addition to their fine court, wi atrophy
in the nave. The cases of the great jewellers,
Messrs. Hunt and Itoskell and Messrs. Garrard,
were also delivered, but Nve are sorry to say that
beyond this the consignments of English goods were
few and unimportant. Both the
French and English
refreshment contractors are very
busy, and their
arrangements arc advancing well towards comple-
tion.

BENSON'S WATCHES AND CLOCKS..—" Perfection of
mechanism. "—Morning Post. Gold watches, sto 100 guineas;
silver watches, 2 to 50
guineas. Benson's new Illustrated
pamphlet, free for two stamps, descriptive of every construc-
tion of watch, enables persons in any part of the world to
select with the greatest certainty the watch best adapted to
their use. Watches sent free and safe by post on receipt of
a remittance.--. 1, W. Benson, 33 and 34, Ludgate-hill, 40 and
17) conaliill, Lucl9)), EN.—Ditablitdied 1749.

NI: WS PAPER
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or THE DE.PC.TA--- - ••- ---,---t,:--1'42:4,^.-,,,itc:,)
e co ntains Tlrli follpilvin
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by...several deputies who
2tiVe National Gazed.'
address, which is signed
belonged to the majoriV7 0)-'.t.ihe late chamber, and
is dated the 11th :
" When we entered the Chai-nber of Deputies we
.e any proceedings
which eight resolved to avoid with great ea/
lead to divisions in the ranks of the
liberal majority, or between tho representatives of
people and the Government of tit' King ; but,
faithful to the charge committed to us by the
Prussian people, we also determined to mair Lain
the constitutional rights of their represer,latiyes,
and to shrink from no coOflict in which we might
be involved on this head. bile believe that we' have
fulfilled this mission. The mode in which the
budget has been framed hitherfg rendered nearly
worthless the most essential right 0 I the represerc-
tative body—the right of agreeing to and watching
over the receipts and expenses of the ~.tilte ; for by
the custom el late years and the vices' wbich the •
Government took, as indicated in the proj'eet of law
!u3 the Court of .A.conints, the executive u-'as only
resl.4)ns.inle to the chrinber in the et-4,031./1.-3:3f of
the puh!ie monry under I.7eneral heads. But -Melo
the most costl3- departmeAß
heads arc: so vast, and ,rilbA-ace so many objects iii
especially in the war bud
scarcely any control over the t.
of the adminiestmtion,
resolution which would not only
gef;. mat the chamber has
to give a real precision to the be'
the necessity of greater particularity' ,xpenditure. In order
gigot we proposed a
but which aimed at fixing in the bud
c sttzblish in future
rent years definite sums, because this iiv
f,ii the budget,
buds, tof the get,
but indiTen-
the chamber may ex
fimitted
control which was expected from it. All sable in order that 6,:cice the
that for the future a detailed statement gene-
ral of th'e*
budget was indispensable, and the GoveriVnaent
themselves promised an amendment of the buu;get
in this respect infuture, but not in the present yea r-
But we, who had not to regulate the forms oke
future budgets, who had come to :a determination
according to our duty and our conscience respecting
the contents of the present one could not confine
`,pure to the expression of wishes which might
vrop-6, ioittrjed -
ditft:4lll„,people..444not
actively urge the Government Thereto, an are
obliged not to grant the ways and means of the
State except in a form which would give
us that control which was our right. We comic:
not allow the constitutional right of the people to
LbeeoPuLA4lAam. In order to fulfil the duty im-
posed on us by ilin 'constitution, lee vreminbliged
to use the means we had in &lei tO'insure a
complete survey of the budget to be voted.
It is easy to understand, moreover, how essen-
tial it was that at the present time the items of
the war budget should be particularised. The Go-
vernment of the King has replied to this resolution,
without waiting till it was put into practical opera-
tion in the elaboration of the different parts of the
budget, by the dissolution of the chamber. We have
exercised our clear and incontestable right, while
assenting to the indispensable expenditure of the
year, and have in no manner encroached on the
rights of the executive. We have not raised a fruit-
less opposition, or sought for a miserable quarrel.
In a great and important question we desired to
give reality to the constitutional right of the repNe-
sentatives of the people, and await with a quiet
conscience the judgment of the country.

THE CO URT-MARTIAL ON CAPTAIN

ROBERTSON.

On Friday, during the proceedings connected with
this protracted inquiry, an incident occurred which.
nearly brought about another
As will be seen by an extract from tlie report o
ft affair of honour." f
Col.
the proceedings we give below, the proEte.cutor.ds
very
Bforrocwibnlyrighgis, dinetpeuntiyio-andjouftairontgzieinragl,ethxepreeLmisei
of Major Jones, one of the witnesses for the prisoner,
in reference to a particular circumstance. The ectirt
having been cleared, preliminary to a discussion )...•,j
the members as to the propriety of admitting fur-
ther evidence for such a purpose, the nature of Col..
Brownrigg's expressions was at once communicated
to Major Jones by Captain Roger Palmer, who has
been present in court as a spectator during the
greater part of the proceedings. The result was
according to the Freeman's Journal) an immediate
demand by Major Jones, through Capt. Palmer, for
a withdrawal of the offensive words and the impu-
tation which they conveyed. Major Jones is, in
fact, understood to have intimated his readiness to
throw up his commission, so es to be freed from the
restrictions which one of the recent articles of war
impose on military men as to the mode of obtaining
redress for personal affronts, in case his demand
was not at once complied with. A conference teok
place in the Barrack-square, between the principalo
and their friends (Col. Stewart, of the 86th Regi-
ment, acting for Col. Brownrigg), and after a few
moments Col. Brownrigg retired, and presently
returned with the written apology which appears
in oar report, and which after some alterations
demanded by Capt. Palmer had been made in it,
was approved of and accepted by Major Jones
and his "friend."
The following is the extract referred to:—
The examination of the witnesses for the pri-
soner on the rebutting case having closed,
Capt. Robertson applied for an adjournment of
the proceedings until Monday, in order to enable
him to prepare his observations.
Col. Brownrigg thought it right to state that
he intended, with the permission of the court, to
produce evidence to prove the incorrectness of that
portion of Major Jones's testimony which had
reference to his return from the archery meeting
on July 6, 1861.
President—Do you mean to impugn the credi-
bility of Major Jones?
Colonel Brownrigg—Most distinctly.
The President suggested that ample opportu-
nity had been afforded in the original case of
giving evidence on the point in question, and that
it had not been availed of. Col. Brownrigg had
also undertaken to impeach the testimony of Lieut.
IRintoul, and he had brought forward no evidence
to that purport.
Col. Brownrigg submitted that he had done so
in respect, at least, of one circumstance.
President—Well, the evidence which you now
propose to give is to be confined to one single cir-
cumstance—the impugning of Major Jones's credi-
bility.
Col. Brownrigg—Most undoubtedly.
President—You undertake to produce evidence
to the court to show that he has been incorrect
in his statement ?
Colonel Brownrigg—Certainly ; I undertake to
prove that, in what he has stated in regard to his
return from the archery meeting on the 6th July,
1861, he told an untruth.
nt
thedt
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hti
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de-
cided The court,
hreesard eenv wastid
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ea
dr eb dot
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tereTepdhretiosPoner on the point in question, but that they
should be confined to that point alone.
Colonel Brownrigg then said—General Gordon,
since the court has been closed it has been sug-
gested to me that, in an answer which I just made to
a question from the President as to whether I
intended to impugn the testimony of Major Jones,
I stated that I did so in the broad and general ac-
ceptation of the term. I have no hesitation in
saying that this was not in the least my intention,
and that I meant nothing more than that Major
Jones had given, unintentionally doubtless, an inac-
curate statement, and that I had witnesses to show
he was in error ; and I withdraw the word " untrue"
in rference to Major Jones's evidence in any man-
ner, e
having been informed that I made use of such
a word.
President—Let that explanation be put after the
decision of the court.
The evidence was then proceeded with.

DuEt.___A duel with swords took place a few
between two sergeant-majors of the GOth Regi-
en"P
t agoof the line, stationed in the detached barracks at
Bniercy. One of them was seriously wounded in the abdo-
wen, and conveyed to the military hospital of the Val do
Grace.—Galignani,

CAUTION TO ARTISTES.— -Miss Louisa Van
Noorden, the accomplished vocal artiste, has lately expe-
rienced a very narrow escape from a painful death. Her
account is so very graphic that we cannot do better than
give it in her own words, as contained in a letter sent to
her brother—" Florence, Pagliano Teatro, sth March,—
I have to inform you I sang last night again in the opera,
" Campanella" and just as I had gone half through my
aria, I heard a murmuring sound in the theatre, as though
my purormanee was not admired, but I took no notice of it
for a moment, until, all at once, I felt my chin a little hot,
and on looking at myself, I found my dress had caught fire.
I immediately gathered my dress from the back, and
smothered the flame with my own hands. Had I not have
been cool, and had I attempted to have left the stage, the
draught would have immediately fanned the flamcesableyoinn,d
my power of subduing. The audience gave me stt ho_
well,
although applause as I finished my song, end all passed n
near the footlights."—Era.
although it will be a caution for me never toapproach
pills.—llealth al-
LADVERTISEMENT,I—HoIIoway's
recautions health
wa)s • Obtained.—With some necessary P
CO of these
too
They thoroughly depurate
purifying Pills at this season.
waiters and carry off all
may generally bo regained by taking a
the blood, search out all noxious
pa as correctors and in t..
T_ heir 'alterative and j,
discipline disordered
mticosrbpildacehuthmeomurisnftrhome
ftohreernbodostra•
provers of the secretions.
8 of the irregularity, and restore
s constitution brok n or
functions, remove the
:lion to every organ without in..
other drawback. When the
blood is impoverisn ,
:battered, every invalid should make
the make
citosnvreengildenacer an,
the nervous nYa_ternpine ; their benign action will use of HollowsY s
offt despondent,
ciligtuocirarclaath
speedily
, reassure Ow PI