The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-31 00:00:00

Obevninix

LONDON, WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 31, 1849,

Yesterday our metropolis was the scene of two
very different efforts to advance the cause of civiliza-
tion. One, although ostentatiously and avowedly
directed to that end, was only characterized by its

futility. The other, although its ulterior purpose
was not even hinted at, even by the most reflective
of the many eminent personages participating in the
ceremonial, will be found in the end to have effected
a vast deal towards the development of much that is

directly humanizing in its influence over the com-
munity. For the progress of 1-.umanity can only be
ensured by almost imperc,ptible gradations—not,
certainly, by those eccentric jerks which appear to be
the aim and the aspiration of our social day-
dreamers. The opening of the Coal Exchange will
be remembered long after the absurd movement in the
cause of Arbitration has been forgotten ; or, if the

latter is, by some extraordinary chance, destined to
survive in the recollection of after times, it will
merely be thought of as numbering one more among
those popular delusions which have at intervals de-
mented the multitude. It will be enumerated with

the Atalantan fancies of PLATO, with the Utopian
visions of Sir TIIOMAS Monz, with the Cathayian
dominions of PRESTEIt JonN, with the El Doradoan

projects of Sir WALTER RALEIGH, with the Icarian
schemes of M. CADET, and with that fantastic city,
tobaccoless and unalcoholized, which has
recently sprung into existence from the fruitful in-
vention of Mr. SILK BUCKINGHAM. It will be other-
wise with the royal and civic celebration of the open-
ing of the new Coal Exchange in the city of London.
That event will not be forgotten, constituting, as it
does, a new illustration of the basis upon which the
greatness of England has been built up, and affording,
as it does, an ai,litional and brilliant testimony that
the SOVEREIGN justly appreciates the dignity of com-
merce, and the real strength of the national character.
If anything were required to preserve the oc•
currence in the recollection of the citizens of the
British metropolis, it would be found in the cir-
cumstance that upon this occasion the young Prince
of WALES first appeared publicly within the boun-
daries of the ancient capital. As the heir apparent to
the crown of ALFRED—that great monarch, the
thousandth anniversary of whose birth was celebrated
on. the 25th of this present October, in his native
village of Wantage—as the probable successor to the
diadem worn by the dynasties of the PLANTAGENETs,
the TUDORS, the STUARTS, and the BRUNSWICKS, the
youthful Prince could not but be an object of interest
to the loyal inhabitants of London, that city with
which his birth has become peculiarly associated,
occurring as it did on the 9th of November. In-
teresting, however, as was the fact of the Prince of
WALES and the PRINCESS ROYAL making their first
entrance into the English capital, it was a matter of
subordinate consideration compared with the more
important fact that the Royalty of England is more
than ever eager to encourage the development of
mercantile enterprize, honouring by its presence the
inauguration of the public edifices erected from time
to time for the advancement of British commerce.
Frequently as the august Consort of Queen VICTORIA
has appeared amongst the people of the country of his
adoption, he has perhaps never before appeared in a
more attractive light than he did yesterday. Not only
as the husband of our beloved MONARCH, but as the
father of our future Sovereign, he evinced his cordial
anxiety to aid that peaceful cause which, more than
the conquests of war, has tended to aggrandize the
wealth and increase the territories of the British
Empire. It was only the other day that a large and
influential meeting was convened at the Mansion-
house by order of the Right Honourable the LORD
MAYOR, for the purpose of taking into con-
sideration the project suggested by his Royal
Highness the Prince ALBERT, for the holding of a
grand cosmopolitan Exhibition of the Productions of
Art and Industry. It was consequently with peculiar
interest that the chief citizens of London witnessed
the appearance of the accomplished Consort of the
S,JVEREIGN amongst them on an occasion so directly
connected with the industrial labours of our own

population.
In referring, however, with pleasure to the festivi-
ties of yesterday, we must confess that they went off
amidst a confusion singularly discreditable to the
members of the mis-managing committee.
Any arrangements so perverse and slovenly,
any subordinate officials so discourteous and imper-
tinent, were perhaps never before seen combined so
intimately on any similar occasion. Instead of
affording those facilities to the Press which are, to
say th© least of it, due to the indefwigable exertions
Of its emissaries, every obstacle, every rudeness,
every insolence that could be mustered together on
the shortest possible notice, were thrown in the way
by
the officious persons appointed to carry out the
mislireetions of this mismanaging committee.
O'ar reporters have detailed the treatment
to which they were severally subjected,
suffic'ently to show the Waring faults of the
regulations planned with such adroit stupidity, and
e :cried cut w sueli indecent impertinence.
In spite, however, of these obstructions to the conve-
nience of the puh!ic, the festivities of yesterday were
marked by the tokens of that sedate loyalty and modu.
lated enthusiasm ;}bich are, almost exclusively, the
characteristic or an English multitude. Altogether the
day wa,, more than an idle gala day for sight-seers,
it was the weaving of another tie: between the weak
and the pow errul in our land, a circum-
stance tending to the yet more firm consolidation
of the Constitution. While the rhetorical mem-
bers of the Peace Congress were conning over
their theses for their evening's display on the plat-
form at Exeter Hall, the people and the rulers of the
country were doing more towards the confirmation of
the peace of the world, and towards the pacific ad-