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

AUBER'S MARCH.

The last of these special performances, the Grand
March, by Auber, was less effective than the others.
Without any disparagement to this charming com-
poser, we cannot but observe that he does not seem
to be familiar with the treatment of great masses
of sound. His March is admirable, full of melody,
grace, and spirit ; but its facture (as the French
call it) is too minute far such an occasion as this.
Its delicacy and finish would be delicious at the
Opera Oornique, but were lost in the vastness of the
Exhibition building.
The only other great musical performance was
tile " Hallelujah Chorus," the effect of which was
inexpressibly sublime. Some pieces were played
by military bands, but they were scarcely heard.
The prayer of the Bishop of London was suc-
ceeded by Handers " Hallelujah Chorus." As
soon as the grand sounds of that superb musical
musical thanksgiving had ceased to vibrate through
the dome, the Duke of Cambridge, rising, in his
loudest tones proclaimed that the Exhibition was

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 reach the ears of the occu-
pants 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 pro-
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 Mock 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. Just 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 admzrari 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 Le
walked along, the quick and almost stealthy glances
be from side to side threw, and the half smile on
his countenance, showed that he but half acted his
part, and that ho 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 drew, 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 ?