The Sun.
London, England, 1851-08-29 00:00:00

WORCESTER MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

WORCESTER, THUIVIDAY.—The performance in the
Cathedral this morning consisted of the greater por-
tion of Handel's Samson, a selection from Haydn's
Creation, and the whole of Spohr's Last Judgment.
Samson is, in our opinion, on the whole, one of the
great toaster's weakest works; but it contains, never-
theless, some profound and exquisite beauties, which
never could be surpassed. Amongst these, the most
prominent is the soul-searching recitative and air,
" Total Eclipse." Co-existent with human per-
ceptions of truth and beauty will be the influence of
this wonderful composition—
" Triumphing over death, and chance, and gam',
With a few sublime notes, some of the finest poetry
ever penned is not only perfectly expressed, but the
dire affliction of which they speakisconveyed by the
universal language of idealised tones with a
sympathetic and deeply-affecting truthfulness
no mere words could accomplish. On reading
Milton's noble lines, our compassion is strongly ex-
cited ; but on hearing the wailing, despairing
music which Handel has wedded to them, we are
overmastered by emotion ; those wondrous sounds,
fraught with the desolation of a mighty spirit, cling
around our heart, which struggles vainly against their
power, our breathing becomes thick, a ball rises in
our throat, and the hot tears which, despite all our
efforts, suffuse our eyes, are a far worthier tribute to
the artist's immortal genius than any which cold
reflective criticism could offer. Too much praise
could scarcely be awarded to Mr. Sims Reeves for
the admirable manner in which be delivered this
.Profoundly beautiful composition. His reading of it
was exquisitely pathetic; but yet the virility of style
which should characterise the earthly champion of
Israel's God, even though " deject and wretched,"
was consistently maintained throughout. We never
heard a more masterly performance, and the highest
panegyric we can bestow will be included in the
statement that it was every way worthy of the mag-
nificent poetry and music.
Madlle. Cruvelli gave the popular "Let the bright
Seraphim" with great brilliancy and power, and the
trumpet obligato to it was as perfectly played, by
Mr. T. Harper, as trumpet obligati ever are by
any one.
Madame Castellan sang Haydn's " With verdure
clad," and Miss Birch, Handel's "Holy, holy l" ex-
tremely well; and Miss Dolby displayed her fine
voice and solid artistic qualities to great advantage in
Handel's beautiful air, " Ye Sons of Israel now La-
ment ;" and Herr Formes sang the music of Harttpha
in Samson with considerable vigour and intelligence.
Spohr's Last Judgment, which concluded the per-
formances, was executed with gee at excellence, and
appeared to give general satisfaction.

The Baroness Stratheden, Lord Campbell, and fa-
mily, and Baron Durt, were among the fashionable depar-
tures yesterday morning by the. General Steam Nirtigation
Company's stem-ship oho, from the St. Katharbies-whart,
fox Antwerp.

INCILII:T TO MR. STEPHENSON
We yestei day published a summary of the pro-
ceedings at, the greud banquet given at Bangor, in
honour of Rob -rt Srephanson, Esq., M.P., together
wi'h an epitotne of the Hon. Gentleman's speech. We
now furnish a full report of the reply of Mr. Ste-
phenson to the roast of his health, and also the
speeches of Mr. Locke, M.P., and Mr. Paxton.
The CHAIRMAN (Colonel Pennant, M.P.), in pro-
posing the health of their distinguished and respected
guest, observed that a large portion of the improve-
ments that had taken place in this country, within the
last quarter of a century, have been owing to the
talents of civil engineers.—(Hear, hear.) The mi-
neral wealth taken from the earth, and so adapted as
to enable our manufacturers to compete with all the
nations of the world ; the docks and canals by which
the trade of the country was carried on ; and more
recently, the various rail ways and all their conco-
mitant advantages; each and all bore the impress of
the hand of the civil engineer, and to that class of
the community a very heavy debt of gratitude was
due.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) And among
that class no one stood more exalted for soundness
of judgment and probity of character than their
honoured guest, Mr. Robert Stephenson.—(Pro-
tracted cheering.) Inheriting as he did a name al-
ready conspicuous in engineering science, he had
added to that name a renown not confined to this
country nor to Europe, but which was known and
appreciated in every civilized country in the world.
—(Cheers.) The engineer who was striving to drive
through the jungles of India, or to connect the shores
of the Pacific with the Atlantic, must make himself
acquainted with the trials and difficulties which Mr.
Stephenson had surmounted, before he could feel
perfect mastery over those obstacles which might be
thrown in his way. The Britannia•bridge stood out
as a monument of his genius, alike noble in its pro-
portions and imperishable in its fame.—(Cheers.)
They had bag had before them the production of
Telford's genius, the Menai suspension-bridge, and
therefore were in some degree able to ju4ge of the
difficulties which had attended Mr. Stephenson
in the accomplishment of his stupendous task. Day,
by day they had seen him superintending the put-
ting together of those gigantic tubes; day by day
they had seen them floated, anchulamately they had
seen them elevated to their present height. The
feelings of admiration at witnessing the gradual pro-
gress and ultimate completion of the work had elicited
that testimony of the principality to the genius of
Mr. Stephenson.—(Great cheers.) But he believed
there were other more indirect causes which had con-
tributed to the homage they were then offering him.
He (the chairman) believed that the Britannia-bridge,
by the facilities which it offered, would confer very
great benefits on the country generally ; and he might
therefore reasonably suppose that these feelings had
to a considerable extent induced the tribute of praise
which had given rise to that assembly.—(Hear, bear.)
It might indeed be said that this acknowledgment of
Mr. Stephenson's services ought to have been made
sooner, but he would remind them that the Britannia-
bridge had now stood for one year; it had survived
the test of the winter's gales, and he would now like
to know where were the prophecies of those who had
predicted that it would be unsuccessful. Some had
said the tubes would never be floated, others predicted
that they would never be raised, while others wain
confidently averred that if ever they were raised they
would assuredly fall down again.—(Laughter and
cheers.) Where were all these prophecies now ?
(Enthusiastic applause.) He would not longer delay
them, but called on them to join io the pleasing duty
of drinking the health of their distinguished guest,
Robert Stephenson, Esq.
The toast was received 'with the greatest enthu-
siasm, nine times nine hearty cheers, and the Kentish
fire being given. As soon as the cheering had sub-
sided,
Mr. STEPHENSON rose and spoke as follows :
" Gentlemen, in rising after the eloquent address
which you have just heard, to return you my heart-
felt thanks for the honour which you have done me
on this occasion by making me your guest, I feel
that I must rely on your sympathy and kindness to
excuse the inadequate and imperfect manner in which
I am able to express myself.--(Loud cheering.) But
I will in one word, with all sincerity, express to you
that I feel most deeply the honour you hays conferred
on ma this day—a day which will be remembered by
me, not merely as one In which I have received this
nigh compliment, but it will also be remembered by
me as a test of the thorough appreciation by the in-
habitants of this neighbourhood of the difficulties
which have been encountered and successfully
overcome, in the construction of that noble and
gigantic work the Britannia-bridge.—(Renewed
cheering.) That this apprkiation has been most
sincere on your part I feel, not only from what has
fallen from the chairman, but from the exceedingly
kind manner in which you have received are.—(Hear,
hear.) You have had ample opportunities of observ-
ing the gradual progress of this work; you have
watched with anxiety those perilous operations which
from time to time have passed in reviee, before you,
and having so appreciated these operations, I feel
more acutely the position in which you have now
placed me.—(Hear, hear.) It would le expected of
me I know, that, under the circumstarces, I should
go into a detailed recapitulation of those difficulties in
the construction of the Britannia-bridge to which I
have alluded in general terms, and whici may not be
understood by an ordinary observer; but I am
happily relieved from that necessity an this occa-
sion ; for all the doubts and anis eties which
existed during the construction of the bridge,
but which have been solved by its completion,
have already been given to the world by my
friend and valued assistant, Mr. Ravin Clark.—
(Loud cheers.) Of the merits of that work I have
had ample testimony from almost every quarter of the
world, wherever engineering science his made any
progress, and I am now daily receiving proofs of the
value which it has proved to the whoa profession
wherever it has been pursued to any great extent.—
(Renewed cheers.) It is sometimes the case, that
when an engineer has finished a work involving many
difficulties, it may pass out of his mint; hut in my
case, I assure you, it is not so, for the Britannia-
bridge has occupied my attention, and [ cannot but
think that that work is yet far from having developed
its influence on society either here or in any part of
the. principality.—(Hear, hear.) You is this imme
(hate neighbourhood may perhaps be, at the present
time, participating in its advantages to tome extent ;
hut I feel that the Chester and Holy head Railway is
destined to form, at no distant day, one of the princi-
pal railway links in the British empire.—(Pro-
longed cheers.) I shall not follow the chairman
in the remarks he has made as to the benefits
conferred upon the country by railways, for the fact
of their usefulness is now denied by no one. Their in-
fluence on society has not only been to give an im-
petus to commercial pursuits, but they have diffused
comfort and happiness throughout every corner of the
laud, and more especially have they proved beneficial
to the working-man above any class of the commu-
nity.—(Hear, hear.) They have raised that class in
point of locomotion to a level with the peer, and they
are carrying an amount of warmth and comfort to his
hearth which he had never before the means of enjoy.
ing.—(Cheera.) No one can take a retrospective view
of twenty years past without feeling that civilisation
had at that period reached a point beyond which it could
not pass without the aid of increased powers of locomo-
tion. The powers of the horse were strained to their
utmost limit—nay, we had even gone beyond what
any well cultivated mind could justify.—(Hear,
hear.) A new species of locomotion was necessary;
and it was accomplished. And how was it accoine
plished ? What circumstance in our position
allowed us, in the comparatively short period
of twenty years, to raise up such a stupend-
ous system of improvement in locomotion ? The
answer is that we have been able to do it from one
circumstance alone—the abundance and cheapness of
And this
iron.—(Loud and continued cheering.)
circumstance reminds me of what occurred to me
some time ago during a visit to Copenhagen. 'there
visited a museum, and heard a lecture from a man
who had spent his whole life in the study of mecha-
nics and philosophy. He had in his museum work-
men's tools showing the rudest state of barbarism,
and also every improvement up to the highest state of
refinement. He was most enthusiastic in pointing out
to me the gradual improvements made, and, if I did
not fully appreciate every article he endeavoureduntil I di.
so appreciate it. He illustrated to me the first tools
which the artisan used—they were bone; he traced
them up from the rudest state to a state of compara-
tive perfection, and when he came up to a certain
paint he said, " You observe how slow has been the
improvement up to that time, but (pointing out iron
tools) look how rapid it has been since the discovery of
iron." I do not make these observations of digress
sion from my immediate subject merely for the pur-
pose of relating to you the circumstance, but in order
to lay before you the train of thought which it raised
in my mind.—(Hear, hear.) I thought he was quite
right, hut I reflected thus :—" How little does this
man think what iron is now doing round about him !
He has been deeply engaged in study, but he does
not know as well as I do what an influence iron now
has upon society and the world. He does not know
that there has been as much iron taken from the
bowels of the earth as would suffice for a girdle to
encircle the earth itself."—(Hear, hear.) He might
have said that we are now producing iron from the
earth which is diffusing wealth and happiness
throughout the world.—(Cheers.) The all-civilizing
thing is iron ; and I much doubt whether we are yet
arrived at that height of civilisation which I believe
we are destined to enjoy. I believe we shall be yet
more civilised, from the existence of an article of
e
ma-
terial wealth beneath us—.end that is iron.—(Renewed
cheering.) I will not detain you longer, but return
you my most sincere thanks, and let me assure you
that I appreciate your kindness most highly. The

THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF AT PORTSMOUTH.-
Admiral of the Blue Sir Thomas Briggs, G.C.M.G.,
will succeed Admiral the Hon. Sir Thomas Bladen
Capel, K.C.8., as Commander-in-Chief at Ports-
mouth. The latter gallant officer's term of service
will expire on the 13th September
REAR-ADMIRAL PROVO WALLI9.-This gallant
officer, promoted to be Rear-Admiral of the Blue,
only son of the chief clerk in the office of the Com-
missioner of Halifax Dockyard, entered the navy in
1795, and has served afloat 22 years. He was mid-
shipman of the Cleopatra, 32, Captain Sir R. Laurie,
when after "a brilliant and self-sought *action of
nearly three hours, and a loss, out of 200 men, 20
killed and 38 wounded, she was captured Feb. 17,
1895, by La Ville de Milan, a French ship of 46
guns and 350 men, 10 of whom were slain. Owing
to the damage she had sustained the latter fell an
easy capture six days afterwards to the Leander, 50,
Captain John Talbot, who at the same time retook the
Cleopatra. The French frigate being added to the
British navy as the 38-gun frigate Milan, the com-
mand of her was given to Sir Robert Laurie, with
whom Mr. Wallis continued to serve on the coast of
North America until there nominated, Nov. 6, 1806,
Acting-Lieutenant of the Triumph, 74. On No-
vember 30, 1808, he was promoted officially into the
Curieux, 16; in her he was wrecked while at the
blockade of Guadeloupe, Nov. 3, 1809. In January,
1812, was appointed to the Shannon of 50 guns,
throwing a broadside weight of 5381b5., and 306 men,
Captain Philip Bowes Vere Broke. On June 1,
1813, he assisted as Second-Lieutenant at the famed
capture of the Chesapeake, of 50 guns, yielding a
broadside of 5901b5. and 260 men-an exploit achieved
after fifteen minutes of desperate combat, wherein the
British had 24 men killed and 59 wounded, and the
Americans 47 killed and 115 wounded. Lieutenant
George Thomas L. Watt, the First-Lieutenant of the
Shannon, being killed in the moment of victory, and
Captain Broke, being severely wounded, the com-
mand, at the close of the action, devolved upon Mr.
Wallis, who, for his gallantry was promoted, July 9
following, to the rank of commander, besides receiv-
ing a letter of thanks from the Admiralty, and a
sword from his captain. From Jan. 19 until Dec.
28, 1814, Captain Wallis served at Sheerness in the
Snipe, 12 ; be was advanced to post rank August 12,
1819, and he was afterwards, from June 4, 1824,
until November, 1826, from April 14, 1838, until
September, 1839, and from October 13, 1843, until
April, 1846, employed on the Cape of Good Hope and
Halifax, the North America and West India, and the
Mediterranean stations in the Niemen 28, the Mada-
gascar, 46, and the Warspite, 50. In the Niemen
ne commanded the first experimental squadron, con-
sisting of the Champion, Orestes, Pylades, Calliope,
and Algerine ; and while engaged in the Madagascar
in watching the French operations before Vera
Cruz he received the thanks of the British merchants
for his attention to their interests. When senior
officer in the Warspite, at Gibraltar, he obtained the
approval, in 1844, of her Majesty's Government, for
his judicious arrangements with the Prince de Join-
ville, whose attack upon Tangier and destruction of
Mogador he was afforded an opportunity of witness-
ing. Captain Wallis was appointed a naval aide-de-
camp to the Queen, Aug. 5, 1847. He married,
Oct. 19, 1817, Juliana, second daughter of the
Venerable George Massey, of Chester, archdeacon of
Barnstaple and prebendary of Exeter, by whom he
has issue two daughters.
Lieutenant Lord John Hay (1846), son of the
Marquis of Tweeddale, and flag-lieutenant to his
uncle, the late Rear-Admiral Lord John Hiy, super-
intendant of Devonport Dockyard, has been promoted
to the rank of commander.
Retired Colonel Thompson Aslett, recently colonel
commandant of the Royal Marine Corps at Ports-
mouth, died at his residence, Hampshire-terrace, on
Wednesday night, aged 75. He served in the Mon-
tague, at Camperdown.
Musquito, new 12 gun brig, in charge of Mr.
Biddlecombe and company, master of the St. George,
arrived at Devonport on Wednesday morning from
Pembroke.

Pique, 36, en route for Milford, to be altered and
repaired, was detained at Plymouth on the 26th inst.
by the bad weather.
Sprightly, steam-tender, Master Commander
Allen, left Portsmouth for Plymouth, and is expected
back with a sufficient number of seamen to complete
the complement of the Vengeance to-day:
PORTSMOUTH, THURSDAY.—The Fairy, royal
steam-yacht, was taken on to the graving-slip last
night to ship a new screw. She was taken off this
morning, and afterwards went out to Stokes' Bay at
half-past eleven o'clock to make a trial of Macin-
tosh's flexible two-fan screw. The water was very
rough and the weather unpropitious for such an ex-
periment, but, notwithstanding, a favourable result
was manifest, the vibration in the vessel having much
decreased and the speed increased nearly half a knot.
Other trials will be made.

The Centaur steam-frigate, Captain Cannon, flag
of Rear-Admiral W. W. Henderson, C. 8., went out
today to try her engines, &c.
The Vengeance, 84, Captain Lord Edward Russell,
was paid advance at Spithead to-day.