The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-02 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 2, 1862.

open. Like the prayer, this announcement was
nevertheless not heard by those who occupied the
extreme edge of the platform beneath the dome, and
so, of course, did not re?,cl the ears of the occu-
c;allis of the nave, who, imprisoned within the long
relentless barriers that stretched from dome to
dome, had nothing to do all day, except when the
procession was passing immediately before them,
but to look wistfully at the numerous and gigantic
trophies which literally blocked the area before
them, and wonder what was going on from time
to time. The loud notes of the trumpets soon gave
notice that the Exhibition had been declared open.
The " removal of the barriers," and the freeing
from their somewhat dull bondage the crowd which
had sat or stood through some three or four hours
of probation, was to have followed. This consum-
mation, however, was not immediately attained, for
the procession moved from the platform beneath the
eastern dome, this time passing along the south side
of the nave. No order was observed, official pr o-
cessionists and the occupants of the reserved seats
roaming about freely. The formality of the order
of the going of the Queen's Commissioners was
broken, inasmuch as the Duke of Cambridge was
accompanied by his mother, her Royal Highness
the Duchess of Cambridge; the Crown Prince of
Prussia conducted the Grand Duchess of Mecklen-
burg Strelitz ; and Prince Oscar of Sweden escorted
the Princess Mary of Cambridge. As to the other
Queen's Commissioners, we have some notion that
the Lord Chancellor was seen struggling through
the genteel crowd as well as he could, and in dan-
ger of separation from his mace and seals ; but for
the others, they got absorbed in the moving mass,
and were seen no more in their decidedly formal
capacity. It is true that, with something of orga-
nisation, the Queen's Commissioners, and those who
bad been specially attendant on them, passed
through the Picture Galleries ; but practically,
from the time when the last notes of the National
Anthem ceased, the ceremonial proper was at end.
The barriers were really removed at last, and the
visitors at large roamed through the building at
their free will and pleasure.
After the ceremony was over exhibitors and their
friends made good use of their articles and their
space, and we saw more than one jolly champagne
luncheon party seated in a railway carriage or
peeping from behind a block of hardware. The
great and little organs are at present removed from
the nave, or there is no saying what crowds would
have crowned their pinnacles. We believe the com-
missioners now intend to have these instruments
re-erected at their own expense in one of the side
galleries.
The Prince of Prussia and all the royal and dis-
tinguished personages present expressed themselves
delighted with the Exhibition, and many evidently
never expected anything half so brilliant and suc-
cessful. To-day the Prince of Prussia, having only
two days to stay in England, will go carefully over
the British collection at an early hour, attended by
those best able to explain the leading features of
the different classes. Jrist as he entered the build-
ing yesterday, a telegram was received from the
Princess Royal of Prussia, at Berlin, wishing every
success to the Exhibition then about to be opened.
This little mark of thoughtfulness from one who is
the favourite daughter of him whom all present
missed from the great festival, was some reward to
the commissioners and their staff for all their labour
and anxiety during the last few months.
THE JAPANESE AMBASSADORS.
The Japanese Ambassadors,who arrived just about
noon, were, of course, the objects of unmeasured
curiosity. Their dresses were plain and almost
sombre in colour, but rich in material. They wore
two swords which in their land are the highest in-
signia of curiosity. The nil admsrari spirit which
we are told is one of the chief characteristics of this
extraordinary nation was displayed yesterday in a
most marked manner by the two senior Ambassa-
dors. The most blase diplomatists of Europe could
not have surpassed the indifferent air with which
they marched up the nave without casting an eye
right or left, but the third and youngest seemed
made of more impressionable materials, and as he
walked along, the quick and almost stealthy glances
he from aide to aide threw, and the half smile on
his countenance, showed that he but half acted his
part, and that he was anything but insensible to the
forms of beauty through which he moved.
THE COMPANY ON THE DAIS.

None were admitted within the area on the dais
platform itself except in uniform of some kind, and,
as the latitude was very great, the variety in
fashion and colour was almost infinite. The gorgeous
gold and scarlet of the Regulars, the sombrest in-
visible gray or green of the Volunteers, the dark
black velvet of the Judge, and the white silk robe of
the Doctor of Music, were all mixed up together
with the ten thousand hues of the ladies' spring
dresses, and formed a rich mass of colouring, on
which the rays of the sun played with a wonder-
fully brilliant effect. The gay robes and gold chains
of office displayed by some of the provincial mayors
contributed very materially to the splendours of the
scene. The rule as to uniforms was inexorable, and
not a few members of the Legislature who neglected
the plain warning conveyed on their tickets were
relegated to back benches without the slightest
ceremony. The struggles between the stern
stewards and the would-be interlopers were occa-
sionally carried to a rather warm pitch, but the
strictness of the rule was in no case relaxed. Occa-
sionally these disputes took a very amusing turn.
Mr. Kinnaird, for instance, made his appearance in
a black frockcoat and round hat ; he was stopped
at once, of course, on reaching the charmed circle,
but he soon cut the knot by doffing his coat and
appearing in the uniform of the London Scottish.
One gentleman, to make assurance doubly sure,
appeared in academic gown over a Rifle uniform,
and the only difficulty in his case was as to the
exact class in which he should be seated.
THE RUSH AT THE OPENING.

It was nearly eleven o'clock before the much
sought for Inspector with the keys of the doors
was at last found, and they were opened, and
then, indeed, the building filled with a mar-
vellous rapidity and rush of feet, above all the
noise of which could be distinctly heard the oft
reiterated words of " Ladies must have their
season-tickets ready ;" " It's no use, Ma'am, you
can't pass until you sign, it," &c„ &c., all indicat-
ing that, in spite of every premonitory warning,
people would come with their tickets in the unfa-
miliar pocket of a new dress, and, after much rum-
maging and flurried search while still in the grasp
of the turnstile, produce them—unsigned. Of
course, there was some confusion and much incon-
venience to many while the building filled. Ladies
would get into block A with tickets for block B,
and into block C without any tickets at all, and
before these transgressors the police were power-
less. What could all the force do against the staid
hauteur and passive insouciance of a group of
fashionable women, who received the information
that they had " no business there" with such slight
evidences of satisfaction as seemed to prove that the
mere fact of its being forbidden ground added zest
to its possession ?

for the opening. This, indeed, was a labour, and
at first it seemed hopeless. Our readers may guess
Tyhai had to be done when we say that Kelk and
Lucas retained no less than 1,240 men to assist the
executive staff in the hundreds of odd jobs that
were still to be finished everywhere.

The masts, however, which are as high on board
steam vessels as on our old sailing vessels, have been
reduced as much as possible on the iron-plated fri-

gates. The masts are now kept solely to economise
the coal on certain occasions, or to enable them to
cross the Atlantic under sail if not pressed for time,
and finally, to enable them to reach a port in case
their machinery should be damaged. Their artil-
lery is composed of 36 rifled cannon, of which 34
are in the battery which is plated with iron from
end to end. Two guns are placed on the upper
deck, without any cuirass, to serve to fire at a long
distance, such as four miles. The crew is composed
of 570 men, with provisions for 90 days. The ma-
chine is of 900 horse power, and its supply of coals
675 tons. The shipwright has succeeded in limiting
the length of these frigates to 231 feet. As to the
level of the central porthole above the water, it is
calculated to vary between 1 meter 85 centimeters
when fully laden, to 2 meters 55 centimeters when
the greater part of the coal is consumed. While the
Gloire, Invincible, and Normandie were being placed
on the stocks the Marine Minister was preparing the
plan of a fourth iron-plated frigate on a different
construction. The object proposed was to try, con-
jointly with the system of construction of a wooden
bull plated with iron, that of an iron hull covered
with wood first, and then plated with iron over the
hull. This plan was entrusted to M. Audenet, a
naval engineer ; and the frigate Couronne, con-
structed after the latter system, was placed on the
stocks at Lorient in September, 1858. Her dimen-
sions are nearly the same as those of the Gloire, and
she is plated from end to end. Her engine likewise
is of 900-horse power. Two other iron-plated fri-
gates on a new plan proposed by M. Dupuy de
Lorne were commenced at Lorient and Brest in
July, 1859. They are called the Magenta and the
Solferino. They differ both from the Gloire and
Couronne. Their hull is of wood, like that of the
Gloire, but the form of their bow has been modified
so as to present a sharp spur. The guns are
brought together in the centre on two stages, one
above the other_ The parts of the ship fore and aft
of the central space in which the guns are mounted
are allocated to the officers, to the hospital, and to
the kitchens. They must be cleared out daring the
battle and are not iron-plated. The Magenta and
Solferino carry 50 guns and are of 1,000-horse
power. During the same year, 1859, the naval
department, besides these six frigates, placed on the
stocks four new floating batteries of a simple form
and drawing little water—supplied with engines of
reduced force, and consequently not expensive.
They are intended not to go to sea, but for the de-
fence of harbours and rivers. They are called the
Peiho, Saigon, Paixhans, and Palestro. They are
mounted with 12 guns, and their engines are 150-
horse power. The six frigates and the four float-
ing batteries commenced in 1858 are now afloat.
The frigates Magenta and Solferino and the f.jur
floating batteries are not quite complete. They have
not yet been tried, and we know not what results
they may produce, but the four frigates Gloire,
Invincible, Normandie, and Couronne have been
proved at sea, and we may assert that all
four have given a brilliant contradiction to the
unfavourable prognostics of the timid and the slan-
derous, who declared such frigates to be
impossible. They have even exceeded the expec-
tations of those who had full faith in their success.
The frigate Gloire was launched on the 24th of
November, 1859. The plating and mounting her
machine detained her until August, 1860, when she
made her first trial."
After giving some details of the Gloire's trip to
Algiers and back to Toulon the writer resumes as
follows :
" At this moment France possesses four fine iron-
plated frigates fit for any service. This series of
successes permits us to await with confidence the
approaching trials of the four new floating batteries,
as well as those of the Magenta and the Solferino.
But the works accomplished by the French naval
department for the construction of an iron-plated
fleet did not stop there. The Emperor occupied
himself in indicating some improvements after hav-
ing visited Toulon. Among them was a moderate
increase in the height of the gun-rooms. M. Dupuy
de Lorne declared that he could raise the central
porthole 2 meters 20 centimeters above the water
even when the frigate is fully laden. It was on this
new plan that the Emperor commanded, in Nov.,
1860, that ten new iron-plated frigates of 1,000
horse power should he placed on the stocks. Their
names are to be the Flandre, Gauloise, Guyenne,
Provence, Savoie-Magnanime, Revanche, Surveil-
lante, Valoreuse, and Heroine. Six new floating
batteries have been lately ordered of private ship-
builders at Nantes and Bordeaux by the present
Minister of Marine, Count de Chasseloup-Laubat,
who is pressing forward the completion of the 10
frigates now on the stocks."
The article concludes as follows :
" Judging, then, the future by the past, we see
with confidence that which presents itself for our
war fleet. It has, it must be admitted, been pre-
pared with remarkable solicitude by the direction
impressed for several years on our naval service and
by the exalted initiative of an intellect ever alive
to the questions which may affect the greatness and
glory of France."