The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-30 00:00:00

rtewout
LONDON, WEDNESDAY; APRIL 30, 1851.

In the House of Commons last night, the Sergeant-at-
Arms reported that he had been unable to apprehend
WAGGET and the other parties charged with kidnapping
persons to prevent them from giving evidence before the
St. Alban's Election Committee.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL gave notice that he should this
day move an address praying her MAJESTY to issue
a proclamation, offering rewards for the apprehension
of these persons.

Sir GEORGE GREY moved for leave to bring in a Bill
for a better supply of water to the metropolis. The pla❑
he proposed was to amalgamate the nine existing water
companies, and to place them under the control of a
single board. This board was to be subject to the con-
trol of the Government. The quarters whence water
was to be, for the future, obtained, were to be decided on
in accordance with the report of the competent scientific
investigators who had been employed to make the ne-
cessary inquiries. Powers were to be given to the
parish authorities to compel the laying on of water to
dwellings requiring it. The machinery of the existing
companies was to be purchased at a valuation. The di-
vidend of the consolidated company was at first to be 51.
per cent., and was at no time to exceed U. per cent. He
added that he proposed that the Bill should go before a
Select Committee.

Sir J. JOENSTONE felt grateful to the Government for
having abstained from interference with existing in-
terests.

Mr. BAILLIE COCHRANE disapproved of the measure,
inasmuch as it was calculated to confirm the monopoly
of the existing companies.
Mr. HUME thought new companies should be per-
mitted to supply water to the metropolis.
Sir B. HALL feared the measure would increase the
power of the existing companies, but would not oppose
its introduction.

Lord EBRINGTON regretted that the question of water
supply had been separated from the question of drainage.
Sir W. CLAY defended the water companies from the
attacks that had been made on them, and declared that
the proposed Bill was calculated to provide the cheapest
possible supply of the best possible water.
Mr. MGWATT disapproved of the Bill.
Sir GEORGE GREY briefly replied, and the motion was
agreed to.
Mr. EWART then rose to move the following resolu-
tion :—" That it is expedient that the mitigation effected
in the law of this country, with respect to the punish-
ment of death, be extended to the colonies." While the
Hon. Gentleman was still speaking the House was
counted out.

To-morrow will be remembered by posterity as
one of the most remarkable days in the reign of her
Gracious Majesty VICTORIA. Earnestly is it to be
hoped that our children and our children's children,
even to remote generations, will look back to it, as to
the inauguration of a new era in the march of civili-
zation. From it we trust will be dated the com-
mencement of an epoch fraught with advantage to the
great mass of the population. Under the auspices of
our beloved SOVEREIGN, it is, in truth, but reasonable
to anticipate benefits of this description as certain to
accrue from the opening of the Industrial Exhibition.
More particularly when it is borne in recollection
that the enterprise has long since secured to itself the
sympathy, and, more than this, the cordial and
energetic co-operation of the princes and peoples of
Christendom. Having already ourselves obtained a
glimpse of the marvels collected together from all
quarters of the globe under the roof of the Crystal
Palace, we may be permitted to express a conviction,
conscientiously entertained under the circumstances,
that the undertaking will be found in all respects to
have immeasurably surpassed even the most sanguine
and exaggerated expectations. Details may, of course,
be here and there discovered to carp at, and occasionally
the over-fastidious may experience a certain degree of
disappointment. But regarded comprehensively,
viewed as a whole, embraced in one broad and un-
prejudiced survey, we are satisfied that the treasures
accumulated in that sym metrical and resplendent
edifice will exceed the day-dreamings of even the most
imaginative.

Apart altogether from the productions of art and
industry contributed by the various exhibitors, the
Crystal Palace, in which those works of inge-
nuity and application are enshrined, will be
found sufficient of itself to extort from the
lips of every intelligent spectator language at
once of amazement and admiration. With the so
lidity of the whole structure, will be seen combined
the utmost conceivable amount of lightness and trans-
parency. With its astonishing magnitude will be
discerned the exquisite unity and charm of its pro-
portions. Its splendour will prove to be tempered
by coolness, its grandeur modulated by the beautiful
gradations of perspective, its diversity of contents de-
prived of all the disagreeable effects of confusion by
the pervading simplicity of their arrangement. So that
the entire spectacle will reveal a refreshing aspect even
with all its gorgeous and bizarre accompaniments, its
decorations always motley and sometimes grotesque,
its divisions and subdivisions ever contrasting, but
ever also completely and exquisitely harmonized.
Westwards the eye will wander over one moiety de-
voted entirely to products of the British empire,
whether coming from the United Kingdom or from
the distant and scattered colonies of Britannia.
Eastwards the attention will be attracted to one or
other of the different compartments allotted to our
competitors, whether from the new or the old
hemisphere. Remember, in addition to all this,
that the contributions forwarded for exposition
are of the most diversified nature, ranging from raw
materials, like blocks of granite or beams of timber, up
to the most delicate implements of handicraft, and
the most intricate specimens of machinery. Enter-
ing at one corner of the great transept, the visitor
will find himself surrounded by a profusion of
brilliant and sweet-scented exotics, interspersed with
fountains sparkling up among the branches of the
huge trees which have been spared from the axe and
which are already spreading forth their leaves from
the

itselfrasai inn‘g Topmost twig that looks up at the sky,"
down even to the rugged interstices of the trunk
the most green and beautiful luxuriance.
on between the fountains, where may be seen
among other fantastic devices,
" A Triton blowing jewels through his shell
Into the sunshine,"
the visitor to the Exhibition will pause in the centre
of the enormous structure, looking alternately to the
right and to the left, down the vast but minutely-de-
fined perspective of the nave, glancing but idly at the
industrial and artistic products of mankind in the
first ardour of beholding the interior of the Crystal
Palace. After the mind has fully appreciated the
building itself, comprehending at once the merit of
Mr. PAXTON'S design, and the chromatic graces im-
parted to that design by Mr. OWEN JONES'S colour-
ing, regard may. at length descend to the contempla-
tion of the various contents oofthe f
ing ingenuity grouped
the
wof blue and amber. Atten-
tion,opillarsagronsgotfhoasret,maannidfotlhde
dbi roetchte (i
humanin the a firnds t
ani-
mal, in-
stanceintoaltlhperoooblaobsislaitly
'gwr will
ui pbse,
dividing the recesses of the edifice
which are ranged in the intermediafrtoemspaitcse
eastern
toamitog these will
ted be
et n
its western extremities. Not least re-
markablecastings and sculptures
of the allotment of the Zollverein. Foremost of all
erected between
the gigantic
the sections
that wondrous figure of the Amazon mounted on
horseback, with an uplifted javelin in her hand, with
which she is about to destroy the tiger fastened upon
the neck and shoulders of her charger. In this
amazing composition one scarcely knows which most
to admire, the apparent vitality imparted to the whole,