The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-31 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING,

FESTIVITIES AT LOWESTOFT.

FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH
NORTHERN EUROPE.
A feat of locomotion, unprecedented in the Eastern
Counties' territory, was performed on Tuesday and
Wednesday last, with a view to signalize this year's
Lowestoft Regatta, which was otherwise abundantly dis-
tinguished beyond the anniversary of this time twelve-
month. At seven o'clock on Tuesday morning, Mr. D.
Waddington, M.P., chairman, and others of the direc-
tors, together with Mr. Gooch, of the locomotive depart-
ment, and Mr. G. Richardson, the coaching superin-
tendent, started in a special mixed train of ten carriages
from the Shoreditch terminus, and arrived at Lowestoft,
the extremest eastern point of England, distant from the
capital 126 miles, in a few minutes over three apd a half
hours. Even this speed, calculated as it was to astonish
the somewhat lethargic philosophers of the Fens, would
have been exceeded, but that the line was in several
places impeded by excursionist traffic, entailing the ne-
cessity of shunting between Cambridge and Ely; and a
considerable time was also lost between Norwich and
Lowestoft owing to the cheap trains, laden with an enor-
mous number of passengers, proceeding to the regatta.
On arriving at Lowestoft the party were met by Mr.
Pets', Member for Norwich, chairman of the Norfolk
Company, and by Lord Alfred Paget, lately become a
director of the Eastern Counties, who had proceeded
thither the previous day in his beautiful craft the Mona,
which however met with no competitor for the 50 guinea
cup, and the Noble Commodore of the Royal Yacht
Squadron set sail for Cowes in the evening.
The directors and their friends inspected the lions of
the place, now of a magnitude and completeness that,
considetieg they are but the growth of yesterday, can
hardly be credited by those at a distance, notwithstand-
ing the engineering skill and the continuous liberality of
the means well known to have been expended upon them.
The contrivances in particular for the accommodation of
the Danish cattle trade, which, though commenced but a
few months ago, has already attained an importance alto-
gether beyond the most extravagantexpectations that could
have been fcrmed, elicited great admiration from those
who saw them for the first time. No less so did the un-
usual number of religious and educational institutions,
compared with the population; and among those peculiar
to Lowestoft is that of Colville-house, situated on the salt-
water Lake Lothing, for imbecile children of the upper
classes, where Dr. Foreman is most successfully carrying
out a new treatment of mental complaints in young sub-
jects, having been induced to select that neighbourhood for
his experiments by Mr. Peto, whose donation of 1,000/. to
the Idiot's Asylum is but one of the many evidences of
the special interest that gentleman takes in the alleviation
of the disorders more immediately referred to. The staple
of Lowestoft, the fishing trade, being universally pros-
perous both this and'last season, the resident inhabitants
were in the best possible frame of mind for the apprecia•
tion of the compliments bestowed on the natural and ar-
chitectural beauties of their town, whose buildings vie
with those of many of the older and more fashionable
watering places—the Royal Hotel in particular, on the
Marine Parade, the great boast of this part of East An-
glia, being an establishment rivalling the most famous
hostelries of Brighton, Bath, or Cheltenham.
At this house, on Tuesday evening, a splendid dinner
was provided by Mr. Howett, the proprietor, in the su-
perb new banquetting-hall, at which upwards of 100 sat
down, under the presidency of Mr. Peto, who, in the
course of one of his addresses, which wore for the most
part necessarily of a local character, communicated some
facts of general interest in connexion with the subject of
increased extension of our commerce in the north of
Europe, and which consequently deserve a wide-spread
publicity. In reply to his health, proposed in very elo-
quent terms by Mr. Waddington, M.P., who happily eu-
logised his well-known enterprise, far-sightedness, and
munificence, in various parts of England, especially on
the site of that day's festivities, in which nearly all the
leading gentry of Norfolk and Suffolk had participated.
Mr. PETO, after gracefully disposing of the personal
portion of the compliment, and disclaiming the unqua-
lified disinterestedness of the motives ascribed to him,
inasmuch as his own interest aas identified with that of
his immediate friends and neighbours around him, ad-
verted at considerable length to the greatly increased
development of the cattle trade between the north of
Europe and Lowestoft. Ile remarked, that he rel-
garded the advancement of the latter Iccality, on which
he had set his heart most intently, with the utmost con-
fidence from the moment he had fixed his eyes on the
distant shore opposite, and felt that its trade must be
theirs if sought. They were all aware that within the
last few months a °new route had been opened to Den-
mark, and with the best results. By next Saturday he
trusted to be on his way to Norway, there to arrange
for the construction of the first line of railway in that
country, forming a connecting link with the capital of
the former kingdom; and as the best evidence of the ear-
nestness and honesty of the Norwegian people, he might
mention} that before they permitted them (the contrac-
tors) to move a step, the commissioners had deposited
in the National Bank a quarter of a million sterling as an
assurance that no risk would be run. By the next
regatta dinner he hoped to announce that a railroad
was in rapid progress between Copenhagen and Chris-
tiana, as well as between the former capital and those parts
on the Danish shores with which Lowestoft had re-
cently commenced a direct trade. If, by these means,
there were brought into operation new facilities of inter-
communication between the nations; and that St. Pe-
terdsurgh, for iustarce, was placed three days nearer
London than at present, he hoped his good friends of
the city of Norwich would take advantage of the cir-
cumstance, and by carrying to other countries the arts in
which that city was still unrivalled, as she had ever been
unsurpassed, would nobly emulate those foreigners to
whom they themselves were originally so greatly in-
debted ; fur he need hardly remind his hearers that it
was to the emigration of the ingenious and industrious
Flemings from their own country and their settlement in
Norfolk, that Norwich owed its early pre-eminence, still
sustained amidst all vicissitudes, in pursuits so
long identified with her celebrity, and thus
reciprocate the obligations their forefathers had
incurred at the hands of the ingenious and accom-
plished strangers of the Low Countries. It was the duty
of all, as it was evidently the instinct of the great majority,
and the tendency of the age, to go forward; and he was
proud to think that those in that neighbourhood showed
no disposition to stand still, much less to retrograde.
If, some very few years ago, he had told them that, from
the spot on which he stood, he could send a question to
the port of Chester, and receive an answer withia an
hour and a halt', as was the case last week, they would
have thought it high time to send him to Thorpe Asy-
lum; but it, on Saturday next, he should set out for Nor-
way, and having consulted and arranged with the autho-
rities of that kingdom and of Sweden and Denmark,
tor bringing all three into closer proximity, and be able
to communicate that he shad done so by the 17th, he
thought he would have supplied proof that what had
been lately done in the way of economising time and dis-
tance was hardly more remarkable than what might be
anticipated in the same direction.
It is unncessary to add that the Hon. Gentleman's
speech was received with all the enthusiasm to be ex-
pected from an assemblage of his personal friends. Most
of them, in common with the great bulk of those arri-
ving in Lowestoft that day, had met rather to observe
the progress of the works he bad suggested so wisely,
and was carrying out so triumphantly, than to criticise
the strictly marine entertainment to which they were os-
tensibly invited, though these were of a character suffi-
ciently gratifying to the amour propre of the proverbially
daring and skilful mariners of this coast, whose manage-
ment of the "yawls" constitutes an unique feature of
sra craft. At night the front of the Royal Hotel was il-
luminated with great brilliancy, and fireworks were digs
charged in a fashion highly creditable to the skill of the
" bloater" community.
The special train renamed at eight o'clock yesterday
morning, in the pleasantest manner possible; and, in-
cluding a more than reasonable stay at Ely and Cam-
bridge respectively, aceomplished the entire distance in
three hours and three-quarters—a celerity, as before
stated, previously never attempted on this line, and the
facile attainment of which is a fact of the highest im-
portance taken in connexion with the forthcoming deve-
lopment of the railway system in the north of Europe,
as indicated by Mr. Peto.

GRAND MARINE REGATTA AT

LOWESTOFT.

LOWESTOFT, TUESDAY NIGUT.—This day the grand
annual marine regatta took place at Lowestoft., under the
patronage of Sir Thomas Marion Wilson, Bart., S. M.
Peto, Esq., M.P., and a large body of members of the
Eastern Yacht Club, and was most numerously and
fashionably attended. Amongst the company present
were Lord Alfred Paget, S. M. Peto, Esq., M.P., Mrs.
Peto and family; Colonel and Miss Ilardy, Captain and
Mrs. Lethes and family, the Rev. Dr. Bird and Mrs. Bird,
Mr., Mrs., and Miss Clarke, J. Ouchin, Esq., J. Green,
E? q., Mr. Vernon, the Misses Leighs, Captain Ellis, Cap-
tain Preston, Mr. Webber, J. R. Burkett, Esq., J. Clay,
Eq., W. Ashcroft, Dq., &c. &c.
From an early hour in the morning trains continued
to pour in visitors from London, Norwich, and Yar-
mouth, until mid-day. Several vessels in the har-
bour were gaily dressedin the colours of all nations,
and the pier and esplanade. were crowded with elegantly
dressed ladies and their families. A considerable num-
ber of persons took advantage of the steamers lying in
the harbour, and accompanied the different matches
round the course. The course for yachts, yawls, and
beats, was from the moorings laid down abreast of the
New South Pier Head, thence to the South buoy off
Newcombe, thence through the Stamford Channel, round
the light-ship under the shoal buoy, thence to the start-
ing place, passing between the pier and the cutter an.
ehored abreast. Twice round the course, passing all the
buoys on the port. The distance sailed was about
twenty miles.
The first match of the day was sailed by yawls, for
a purse of 30 sovereigns. At half-past eleven the following
vessels left the starting vessel off the South Pier Head:—
Eclipse, 54
try'
Victoria,
det4ot,
or,ll tajea,t feet,
fi4l4 oLf
tweoe: Lowestoft—White.
(s'
Yarmouth—Bluetf
Yarmouth—Rodot —f
Lowestoft—White, flhV i
htet b lack, and yellow.
it'Titeseer; Yarmouth—Bluee6ss9elfseegtOtaway
well
together, anadulw red.hi te .
..ethaenrd,
the Royal
Vic-
toria, however, slightly taking theb lead, followed closely
by the. Queen Victoria, which positions were nearly
maintained throughout, but the vessels coming in on the
firs tound in the following order:--
Queen Victoria...
Royal Victoria._ ••• "'. 1
Reindeer... . 3
Grey hound 4
Eclipse ~. 5
The match was rendered most interesting from the
nearly-balanced qualities of the Royal faveurites, there
being on the first round but a bowsprit length between
them. On coming round the pier on the first round
the Greyhound, having unshipped her gaff, gave up the
contest. The second round caused the greatest excite-
ment, and the vessels, after a very animated race, came
in in the following order:--

h. in. s.
Reindeer „, ..„ 3 30,
.213
Royal Victoria ... ... 3 37 '3O
Queen Victoria ... ... 3 37 50
A prize of Ten Sovereigns, for latteen boats, belongi►:

to Neff°llZ. and Suffolk ports.
The following vessels, which appeared to be exce,
lently assorted, started for this prize at lh. Bm. 20s.:—
Maria, 21 feet, Sir J. Preston, Bart.—White, with red

cross.
Widgeon, 16 feet, H. Green, Esq.—Blue and white.
Kathleen, 19 feet, Lound, Esq.—Blue, white, and red.
Zephyr, 19 feet, H. Dowson, Esq.—Blue and white.
Osprey, 20 feet, E. Meatman, Esq.—Red.
On starting, the Zephyr took the lead, but it was
but of temporary duration, for the Maria soon dis-
tanced her, which place she kept, and on the first
round passed the buoy in gallant style, at least, half-
a-mile ahead of the Widgeon, that had now taken the
second place, which was followed at a very respectful
distance by the Kathleen and Zephyr, which positions
were unchanged during the second round, the vessels
coming in as follow :

h. m. s.
Maria ... 2 7 4
Zephyr
••• 2 16 30
Widgeon 2 14 20
Kathleen ...
... 2 20 16
The Osprey gave up on the second round.
On arriving off the pier head the winner was received
with enthusiastic cheering.
The great match of the day was for a purse of twenty
sovereigns, to be sailed for by yachts not exceeding
fifty tons. Three to start, or no race. Half a minute
per ton allowed for difference of tonnage. The follow-
ing yachts were entered, and started at 1.30:—
Fanny, 20 tons, W. Clay, Esq.—Red.
Waveney, 15 tons, R. N. Bacon, Esq.—Blue.
Little Eastern, 10 tons, Captain Andrews—White.
Iris, 10 tons, R. A. Reeve, -Esq.—White with blue
square.
Pearl, 12 tons, Sir W. B. Proctor, Bart.—White with
red cross.
Red Rover, 14 tons, Thomas Palmer, Esq.—Red, white,
and red.
Kestrel, 10 tons, Charles Crawshay, Esq.—Red cross,
white ground.
Salute, 10 tons, T. Cardinal, Esq.—Nag's head.
The Tantivy was entered for this race, but did not ap-
pear at the starting buoys. The yachts had a gay ap-
pearance on taking their places, and on the signal gun
being fired the Pearl was the first to get underweigh,
followed by the Red Rover, and at some distance from
them by the rest. The Waveney, being unable to
weather the pier, nearly got across the moorings, lost
considerable time before she could join in the contest.
The yachts came in in the first round as follows:
h. in. a.
... 3 36 0
... 3 45 25
3 51 4
3 54 25
4 5 45
4 11 7
4 19 35

Pearl
Kestrel ~
Red Rover .

... ... ___ ..
Iris ••• ••• ••• •••
Salute
••• ••• ••• ••
IVaveney ... ••• •.• ••
Fanny ••• ••• •• ••
The second round was as follows:

Pearl ...
... ... ... 5 23 34
Kestrel ... ... ... ... 5 28 0
Red Rover ... ... ... ... 0 0 0
A match took place between the following ships' boats
for prizes; the successful boats being—
Fruiterer ... ... ... ... ... 1
Sidney Packet ... ... ... ... 2
John and Sarah ... ... ... ... 3
These prizes were well contested, and afforded great
amusement.

The match for a purse of fifty sovereigns for yachts
not exceeding 50 tons, half-a-minute time, did not fill.
There were also rowing matches for 6-oared beach
gigs, and a match for sailing punts for a prize of 101.
The vessels is the harbour and the pier were enlivened
during the day by several bands, who performed some
very choice music at intervals.
The sports were brought to a close soon after six
o'clock in the evening; and if numbers of persons col-
lected to witness them, and hearty cheering that greeted
the several winners can be taken as a criterion, the
amusements gave general satisfaction, and the caterers
for the "creature comforts" in Lowestoft must have
reaped an abundant harvest.
The Regatta dinner took place in the evening at the ,
Royal Hotel, on the Esplanade, at which about 150 gen-
tlemen sat down. The chair was taken by S. M. Peto,
Esq , M.P., supported by Lord A. Paget, Sir Edward
Lake, Captain Gooch, D. Waddington, Esq., chairman
of the Eastern Counties Railway Company, and the
members of the Eastern Yacht Club. Several excellent
speeches were made, and the evening passed off with
satisfaction at the present success and future prospects
of the harbour of Lowestoft.

In the evening the front of the Royal Hotel was bril-
liantly illuminated with appropriate and complimentary
devices, and at night the inhabitants and numerous
visitors were gratified by a splendid display of fireworks
from the Esplanade, with which the amusements of the
most successful regatta ever witnessed at this place
was brought to a close.

Ic was computed that not less than 20,000 persons
were among the visitors from Norwich and Yarmouth
alone, to convoy whom, every possible vehicle was
brought into requisition, in addition to the frequent
trains on the railway, varying from 36 to 40 carriages
each.