The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-30 00:00:00

THlif CRYSTAL PALACE FETE.

The grand military fete given on Saturday "in aid of
the several funds for the relief of the sick and wounded
and widows and orphans of her Majesty's forces en-
gaged ie the Russian war," has proved so successful
that we believe every one present, although expecting
something great, was literally astonished at the splendid
event of the day. Long will it be before the quiet neigh-
bourhood of Sydenham, Norwood, and Annerley forgets
the multitude that assembled last Saturday.
The doors of the Palace opened at 10 o'clock, and the
French Guides, who were the "lions" of the day, and
who occupied a conspicuous platform raised in the great
transept, played "God save the Queen," accompanied
by the palace band. However, the day bad not yet
begun, and the visitor who had heard nothing of the
fete might have supposed that this was a mere ordinary
occasion, had not his attention been arrested by a large
trophy erected in the very centre of the building. This
was composed of flags, cannon, and other arms from the
Tower stores, and bad been designed and executed under
the superintendence of Mr. G. Stacey, storekeeper at
the Tower. The base consisted of a round platform,
with two steps, covered with crimson cloth, on which
were placed rows of cannon-balls. Above the base were
two brass cannon taken at Bomarsund, and at. opposite
angles two mortars. The whole structure, which com-
prised weapons of all kinds, as well as four complete
suits of steel armour, was in three compartments, each
smaller than the one below, and terminated in a lofty
pole, from which were suspended the flags of France,
Turkey, and England, crowned with a wreath of laurel.
This trophy was the conspicuous sign of the day ; but
the lounger at 11 o'clock—at which hour lounging was
not only practicable but inevitable—might observe
another symptom of the fete in the medal-striking estab-
lishment of Messrs. Pinches and Co. The ordinary
function of this firm is to cut, stamp, and finish, before
the eyes of admiring spectators, cheap medals, impressed
with a likeness of the Crystal Palace. On Saturday the
employment was as usual, but the die was changed, so
that the medals bore a trophy composed of the flags of
the three allied nations. They were largely purchased
throughout the day.
Somewhere about half-past 11 o'clock a change came
over the aspect of the palace. A considerable number of
persons had assembled in the centre of the transept im-
mediately opposite the " Guides," and the fronts of the
first galleries in the same region were pretty densely oc-
cupied. All at once, the " Guides" struck up the
" National Anthem." This was the first time it had
been heard by anything like a multitude, :lad it was en-
thusiastically cheered. It was immediately answered
by the let Life Guards, who were stationed in the gal-
lery opposite to the " Guides," and played " Partant
pour la Syrie." Hero the enthusiasm was redoubled, for
here was the occasion to demonstrate that feeling of
fraternity which was the actuating spirit of the day.
The " Guides," conspicuous from their scarlet dress
and prominent place, were the grand object of attention
to all present ; but the Ist Life Guards, who were sta-
tioned in friendly opposition to them, made so brilliant
an appearance as to attract much curiosity. They had
placed before them in the gallery the splendid kettle-
drums of solid silver presented to them by his late Ma-
jesty William IV., and these, surmounted by the stan-
dards of the regiment, had almost the effect of a military
trophy.
From this time till the migration to the terrace took
place the various bands who were present on the occa-
sion, and were stationed in various parts of the building,
played in succession. The effect of this arrangement
was most singular. Some national air or other, " The
British Grenadiers," "Auld ling Syne," and what not,
was constantly breaking forth from some new part of
the building, as if a musical hint given by the central
transept was suddenly taken up by the Gothic screen,
and then acted upon by one of the galleries. As the
oaks of Dodona were endowed with voice., so it seemed
as if every nook of the Crystal Palace was impregnated
with music, impatient to break out on every occasion.
The following is the official list of the bands and their
conductors, as stated in the programme :

Imperial Regiment, "Los Guid
on"—Conductor, M. Mohr.
First Life Guards—Conductor, Mr. 'Waddell.
Second Life Guards—Conductor, Mr. Grattan Cooks.
Royal Horse Guards—Conductor, Mr. Tuttou.
6th Dragoon Guards (Cara bineers)—Conductor Mr.Cuconi.
Grenadier Guards—Conductor, Mr. Schott.
Coldstream Guards—Conductor, Mr. Godfrey.
Scots Fusilier Guards—Conductor, Mr. Booze.
16th (Royal Irish) Regiment—Conductor, Mr. Kutle.
94th Regiment—Conductor, Mr. Froehnert.
Royal Artillery—Conductor, Mr. Sinyth.
Royal Sappers and Miners—Conductor, Mr. 'lronic:.
Royal Marines (Wool wich)—Conductor, Mr.Winterbottom.
At the time while the bands, by their alternate per-
formances, were most effectively demonstrating their
power and their precision, the portion. of the building
devoted to refreshments was largely occupied. Th©

[PRICE SD.

, clock had not yet struck one, but numbers of persons
had seated themselves at the small tables, and were de-
liberately dining off chicken and tongue. This early
repast looked more like the fashion of Germany than
• that of England, but events proved that the early diners
were in the right.
To see the " coming" of these events, and the shadows
which they cast before, it was necessary to quit the in-
terior of the palace, and to take one's station either on
the terrace or in one of the outside galleries. From such
a point of view might be seen, a continuous line of per-
sona proceeding along the gardens, without interruption,
from the railway entrance in the south wing. At the
same time the white steam-clouds of.the carriages, as
they flitted by in the distance, might be perceived follow-
ing each other in most rapid succession. So numerous
were the trains, that before one human cargo had formed
itself into line, it received a. new accession from another
that arrived immediately upon it, and thus the proces-
sion up the gardens and the steps of the, palace was fed
with inexhaustible aliment. Gradual indeed was the
approach, but when the spectator oil the terrace, who
had been looking below, turned round and gazed on
the palace, the mass 'of persons who occupied the ex-
tensive galleries and both the terraces was something
amazing. Without a standard of this sort, the ima-
gination cannot measure the- vast extent of the
building. There were the galleries- crammed with
human atoms, but they only formed two or three black
lines along the broad polished surface, not in the least
altering its general aspect.
The time now aPproached when the alternate music
within the palace was to cease, and the bands' were to
play in union on the terrace. The grounds outside of
the palace had therefore attracted many from the interior
and a traffic commenced for chairs and benches, that the
concert might be enjoyed with something like ease.
More cautious individuals had-adturscichairs inside, and
might be seen working-their way through the 'crowd with
the encumbrance of these articles of luxury. Those who
were less cautious became the customers of sundry boys
who furnished seats at prices ranging from id. to Gd.,
according to the varying ratios of demand and supply.
The time that elapsed before the commencement of the
"concert" on the terrace was here and there occupied
by conversation between those who had arrived early
and those who had arrived late, when the former, who
had anticipated the mob, heard strange legends of the
difficulties that had attended the approach to the Lon-
don-bridge station at the hour of noon and thereabouts.
Perils to hats, a promiscuous use of carriages, without
regard to the relation that nominally exists between
price and class, and that peculiar operation of a mob
which is described as " lifting eff one's feet," formed the
principal themes of divers narratives. -
At last the " concert" began.- The united bands
were stationed on the lower terrace, surmounted by Mr.
Schallehn, the director of the company's band, who
stood in the centre, raised half his length above the rest,
and conspicuous with his baton. Himmel's air to an
English version of Theodore Korner's " Prayer" (Voter,
ich, rule dick) was given with admirable precision, and
the voices combined with the multitude of instruments
produced a grand effect. A pot-pourri, consisting of
divers national airs, of the sort heard over and over
again in the earlier part of the day, was played shortly
afterwards in the best spirit of military hilarity. Had
there been no attempt to explain the order of succession
in which the airs were played the enjoyment would have
been perfect; but there was a little sprig of rue, in the
shape of a programme, which teazed several persons
into an attempt to establish a connexion between the
list that was presented to their eyes and the sounds
which saluted their ears. There was, in fact, no " con-
cert" in the Hanover-room sense of the word, or any
leisure to listen to it, if there had been. The whole
thing was a grand, free, unencumbered exhibition of
national feeling, to which the military music gave a sort
of poetical tone. People were not there to-compare the
respective merits of the various bands, and to balance
force on one side with precision on the other ; crowding
and crowded, pushing and pushed, as they were, hoe
could they-de anything of the kind ? But they were
there to give veld to an universal feeling, and right
heartily they availed themselves of the opportunity,

One-curious effect of the performance on the terrace
is well worth notice. So sensible was the ♦ibration of
th• glass, that every note played by the band was
distinctly reverberated, and it seemed as if the band
without, was accompanied with miraculous precision
by a band within. Some persons, indeed, declared as a
matter of fact that the expedient employed on the stage
when the prompter represents an echo had been adopted
on this occasion, and that there were real substantial
musicians playing on real substantial brass inside the
palace in response to their brethren out of doors. How-
ever, on inquiry, we are of opinion that this statement
was a mere hypothesis, which prematurely took the form
of fact.

The most exciting moment of the day was when,
shortly before 4 o'clock, the " Guides" returned to their
station in the interior of the palace' and again played
" God save the Queen," which was followed by " Par-
tent pour la Syrie." These airs had been played count-
less times during the earlier part of the Ate, but now
they derived new importance frJin the circumstance that
they were executed in the presence of the whole con-
densed multitude. All the galleries were crammed ; a
long perspective of waving hats and handkerchiefs reached
into the furthest distance, and thunders of encore pealed
through the vast edifice, to be promptly and vigorously
answered by the willing band. At that moment the
" Guides," not as accomplished military musician,,, but
as Frenchmen, as the representatives of an ally, were
objects of actual idolatry to a throng which, for number
and distinction combined, was perhaps unparalleled. To
give its full valwe to this colossal demonstration, it should
be borne in mind that the assembly at the Crystal Palace
was a respectable crowd--a crowd without a mob.
The prudence of the earlier diners was now made ma-
nifest. A reasonable hour for dinner had arrived, but
comestibles were scarce. Cold roast beef was indeed to
be procured, and this is a good national article of con-
sumption, but then cold roast beef without bread or
vegetables is not appetising, and the hungry for the
most part looked wistfully at the piles of pickud chicken
bones, which stood as monumental records of the pru-
dence of their predecessors.
After the great demonstration of the visitors en masse
a gradual departure took place. The subsequent his-
tory of the day is a history of difficulties in securine•
homeward vehicles. There is no occasion to go into the
details of these latter events, which, though comprising
many interesting episodes of station squabbles, are with-
out that unity which alone gives a charm to narrative.
It is sufficient to say, that those who wall; ed to Aneriey
found themselves in a better position than those who
sought the " Crystal Palace train," and that on no oc
casion during the retreat was a third class man known
to avoid a first-class carriage from motives of conscience.
Indeed, on the arrival of one of the trains at the ticket
station near London-bridge, when the ticket-taker, en-
tering a first-class carriage, received every form of ticket
save that of the first class, and was told that he ought to
consider himself lucky to get anything, he seemed to
think the remark perfectly natural, aed pocketed his
tickets without comment.