The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-30 00:00:00

THE VICTORIA FOUNTAIN.

On Saturday afternoon the fountain recently
erected in Victoria-park, and presented to the pub-
lic by Micas Burdett Coutts, was opened with great
ceremony in presence of 10,000 spectators. Arch-
deacon Sinclair, in first addressing the vast
assembly, apologized for the absence of the Bishop
of London. The Hon. W. Cowper, her Majesty's
First Commissioner of Works, next addressed the
assembly. It became his duty, as officially intrusted
with the charge and custody of that park, to offer
to Miss Coutts the thanks of her Majesty and of the
public for this noble, beautiful, and useful prentlit:'
They had in Victoria-park a vast number of attrac-
tions. They had walks for the gratification of all
La wanted tn snend a little quiet leisure in the
abodes of nature. They had a lake 'or uta‘Liva
lake for bathing ; but, although they had water in
so many other forms and adapted to so many other
purposes, up to that moment there was no water
to drink. It was, in the words of the poet :
"Water, water everywhere,
" But not a drop to drink."
Miss Coutts had perceived this great want in that
park, and with that noble munificence which did
her infinite credit had stepped forward and had
supplied that great boon. He rejoiced most
heartily in thanking Miss Coutts for that drinking
fountain, which was the most beautiful that had yet
been built or imagined. Ho proposed that they
should give three hearty cheers to Miss Coutts, the
donor of that magnificent drinking fountain, a pro-
posal responded to in enthusiastic and prolonged
cheering. The Rev. G. P. Lockwood, rector
of South Hackney, thanked Miss Coutts on
behalf of the parish of South Hackney. Miss
Burdett Coutts then, amid the most tremendous
cheering, formally opened the fountain by taking
some of the water, and drinking health, prosperity,
and happiness to all the neighbourhood, and parti-
cularly to Victoria-park. The fountain is situate
in the eastern part of the Victoria-park, near the
Hackney-gate. It consists of a base 40ft. 9in. dia-
meter, and 3ft. 6in. high, and of a superstructure
29ft. 6in. in diameter, and 55ft. high. The super-
structure is divisible i
ernto an exterior and interior
octagon. The form consists of eight piers of po-
lished Peterhead granite, with carved capitals of
Aubigny stone, from which spring moulded arches
and groins. The height of the piers is 18ft. 6in.
The interior octagon is less than the arcade by
which it is surrounded. Four of its sides are occu
pied by the fountains. At each angle a polished
shaft of Peterhead granite rises to the height of the
external piers, and is connected with them by the
moulded ribs that intersect the groined roof of the
arcade. Each fountain consists of a grey Aberdeen
granite pedestal, with bronze enrichments
his,
supplied
coutain-
ing a basin to contain the water, whi c
by a Sicilian marble figure in a fluted niche above
it. The drinking cups are of bronze, silver-plated
on the inside, and on the outside bearing Burton's
adage, " Temperance is a bridle of gold." The
panels of the alternate sides of the octagon are filled
with slabs of Connemara marble, separated by a
band of Emperor's red marble, bearing the follow
ing inscription :-" The Victoria Fountain, given,
anno Domini 1862, by Angela Georgiana Burdett
Coutts, for the love of God and country." The
works altogether reflect great credit on the archi-
tect, and have been executed under the direction of
Mr. H. A. Darbishire.
- -

M. THALBER(3'S MATINEES.—The third matinee
attracted a large audience on Saturday to the Hanover-
square Rooms. M. Thalberg's execution of his well-
known fantasia on the duet and preghiera from " La Son-
nambula" was nothing short of incomparable. Besides the
foregoing, we had two of the compositions by means of
which M. Thalberg gained some of his earliest and brightest
laurels—the Study in A minor and the Andante in 1) flat.
The applause that greeted M. Thalberg at the end of each
of his peforraances was hearty, vehement, and unanimous.
The programme of the fourth matinee (this day week),
besides other attractions, includes the "Prelude delvenir,"
tthe universally renowned fantasia on the pregbiera from
"Mole," and a grand sonata by Beethoven, for pianoforte
and violin, which will be performed by Ai. Thalberg and
Herr Joacm.
FIRES.—hi This (Monday) morning shortly before
two o'clock, as a police constable was passing ale pg
oTifigih-
street, Marylebone, ho discovered that the premises
fil\ r.
J. Wheeler, No sin the before named street, were on re.
The fearful clement could not be arrested until Mr.
Wheeler's promises were partially burned out, and
those of Mr. Smith and Mr. Sargeant severely damaged.
About the same time another serious fire broke out in the
premises of Mr, R. Nash, boot manufacturer, No. 16, Nor-
land-road, Notting-hill. A good supply of water having
been procured, all hands went to work in an admirable
manner, but the flames could not be conquered until the
entire range of premiso, with the exception of the base-
ment, was consumed.
THE SPECIAL COAIMISSION.—it has been decided
not to resume the special commission for Limerick, which
was adjourned to the Ist or July, The cases which were
expected to be tried at it will be disposed of at the assizes.
During the first three months of this year the
yield of gold in New Soulh Wales was 139,744 ounces. In
the corresponding. period last year it was only 92,724
ounces,