The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-07 00:00:00

THE CRYSTAL PALACE.

The Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, ac-
companied by two of the Royal children, paid an early
and unexpected visit to the Palace yesterday morning.
They arrived about half-past 9 o'clock, and were attended
round the building and park by Sir Joseph Paxton, Mr.
Digby Wyatt, and Mr. J. C. Deane, the head of the
exhibitors' department. After examining and admiring
the architectural courts, the Royal party proceeded to
the elegant suite of private apartments prepared for them
at the north end of the building by Mr. Crace of Wig-
more-street. Having expressed her satisfaction at the
manner in which these roo tis have been fitted up, her
Majesty traversed the north wing, acid went out the
lower terrace, along which she proceeded to the south
wing of the Palace. Ascending thence to the nave, the
illustrious visitors had an opportunity of observing the
extensive arrangements of the refreshment department.
They then examined the ethnological collection and the
industrial displays in this part of the building. Among
the objects which particularly attracted their notice here
was the stall which has recently been fitted up by Mr.
Delamotte for the exhibition of his splendid photographs
and stereoscopic views. This artist has devoted himself,
since the commencement of the undertaking, to the
illustration of its progress and noblest effects by the
processes of Fox, Talbot, and Daguerre. His collection
is extremely interesting, some of the sun pictures helping
the mind to a most perfect and refined appreciation of
the subjects which they represent. This is particularly
observable in the views of the Egyptian Courts, which,
being necessarily reduced models themselves, receive
through the stereoscope an expansive effect, rising almost
to the grandeur of the originals. After having surveyed
the noble area of the centre transept, which is now being
cleared of the temporary fittings put up for the ceremo-
nial of the opening, the Royal party took their departure,
expressing their high gratification at all they had seen.
This is the first visit which the Queen has paid to the
building since its inauguration by her on the 10th of
last month, and it is worthy of observation that she
came on a shilling day. She was received with the same
marks of quiet and affectionate respect which distin-
guished her appearance in Hyde-park on similar occa-
sions.

The principal change which has taken place in the as-
pect of the Palace and park since our last notice is, that
the reservoirs are gradually being filled with water, a
supply of which, at the proper temperature for growing
the Victoria Regia, has also been brought into the foun-
tain basin at the north end of the nave. Some superb
palms have now been placed in this portion of the build-
ing, their huge drooping fan leaves adding a new charm
to the effect of the interior. The clearing out of the
orchestra and raised benches in the transept will be a
great improvement, and enable visitors to appreciate
more fully than has hitherto been possible the stupendous
scale upon which the proportions of the Palace have been
designed.
Although the weather was showery and disagreeable,
15,850 people were admitted yesterday, of whom 14,640
paid at the doors, and 1,210 were season-ticketholders.
On Wednesday, also gloomy and damp, the numbers were
—13,006 paying at the doors, and 1,177 season-ticket-
holders. On Tuesday there were 14,816 visitors, of whom
13,182 paid for admission. Monday brought 12,888
shilling people, and a total of 14,816. Thus during the
first four days of a week not very favourable for sight-
seeing at such a distance from town 53,716 persons,
besides season-ticketholders have been tempted down to
Sydenham to survey its still unfinished wonders. It is
rather remarkable that the numbers seem to increase from
the Monday to the Thursday in each week, instead of
diminishing, as one would suppose ; and it has been
observed that the working classes do not yet appear to
have found their way to the Palace. The first and se-
cond-class passengers by the railway preponderate to an
extent which has completely upset the calculations of
the Brighton Company, and the accommodation they
have provided is overtaxed before they have at all
reached the limit of the number which their trains can
convey. When the holiday season sets in and the excursion
trips are fully organised, it will be found that the railway
will be quite unable to meet the traffic to and from th ie
building, and omnibus proprietors will no doubt then
have a busy and prosperous time of it. At resent theythin
e
do not appear to be making much effort to push
tahin
competition, which they might successfully main
against the disadvantages of the crowdedolt!o edheon-bridge
t 15,000
terminus for West-end passengers.
F more than 3,000
visitors to the Palace yeAerday
00
were taken there by the road.
he old Exhibition, to
School children are now '
beginning, after the fashion of
appear in bands, headed by their,t
hoped
teachers, on the shil-
y students to carry away
ity
with them as large an amount ileicpheLci cannot tevery
o ofa mucheil
ling days. This is a practice
encouraged, and it is to
will be given to these
".nghe s%
of information as possi-
bleu about all they see. The catalogues, excellent as
they are, rise in most instances beyond the level of the
education of even adult readers, end it would be well
if an extensive system of tici cetting or inscription were ,1
adopted,
making the different objects of interest self-
explanatory.
The directors, we understand, contem-
plate the formation of a picture-gallery in the north
wing, and a number of the best artists in France,
Belgium, and Holland are already preparing to send
over works for exhibition there. The propriety and
success of such an addition to the attractions of the
Palace can hardly be doubtful, end a step in that di-
rection has already been taken in the very remarkable
collection of water-colour paintings executed by Mr.
West, and suspended on the walls of the Italian court.

These spirited copies of the cltef-d'auvres of the great
masters have been prepared in the incredibly short space
of 18 months. They give a comprehensive view of the
different schools of painting from the earliest times,
and, apart from their merit, are highly instructive,