The Sun.
London, England, 1856-06-19 00:00:00

Her Majesty and the Prince Consort, the Regent of
Baden, Prince Frederick William ef Prussia, the Prince
ee Wales, the Princess Royal, the Princess Alice, with
dee Duchess of Atholl, Lady Caroline Barrington, Lord
Rivers, Lieut -Gen Baron Schrecken-t'in, Col. Baron
Seutter, Lord C. Fitzroy, and Capt. the Hon. D. de Ros,
eft Buckingham Palace at 20 minutes past 4 o'clock in
four open c irriages and four, escorted by a detachment of
the 3d Light Dragoons, and arrived at the Palace pre-
cisely at 5 o'clock.
The Royal party rode slowly round the grounds, at-
tended by Sir J. Paxton, on horseback, who pointed out to
them from time to time the most favourable points for wit-
nessing the display. The bands of the Cold -tream Guarde,
the Royal Artillery and the company, which were in at-
tendance and stationed at different parts of the gardens,
played the National A uthem as her Majesty entered, and
throughout her progress, in making the circuit of the
basins, she was greeted with one continued ovation. A few
minutes atter 5, when the Royal cortege had reached
a position commanding the most advantageous view
of the spectacle, the whole system of waterworks, in-
cluding, besides the fountains on the terraces, the water-
temples, the cascades, the two large waterfalls, and the
fountains of the grand lower basins, were brought gradu-
ally into operation. The effect was little less than magi-
cal, and for an hour afterwards charmed alike the eye
and the ear. The large fountains in the lower basins,
and the circular one situated on the plateau, depend
solely upon the water for their effect, and not at all on
architecture or sculpture, like the smaller fountains on
the terraces, with which visitors to the Palace have long
been familiar. The water which they contain is made
obedient to the band of the artist and shoots into the air,
forming innumerable devices of great beauty. Around
the circular basin, and in some parts of the larger ones,
it becomes a liquid hedge, or plays in a network of jets,
while in the centre and over almost the whole surface of
each of the basins, it throws up sparkling showers in all
shapes, some breaking into misty spray at an immense
elevation from the surface. Perhaps no better idea
can be given of the magnitude of this magnificent series
of fountains and their combined effect, which far excel
those of Versailles, than by stating the fact that, when
they are in full operation, there are 11,788 jets playing,
and that the quantity of water displayed simultaneously
in theta is about 120,000 gallons per minute. The ar-
rangements for a system of waterworks of such vast ex-
tent and variety are necessarily somewhat difficult of de-
scription. The supply of water for ordinary purposes
and for provision against fire within the Palace and
through the grounds is comprised in these waterworks.
But their principal object is the formation of the great
system of fountains, of which the arrangement may be
briefly stated. Within the Palace itself are various or-
namental fountains, though necessarily of lesser magni-
tude. The principal of these are the bronze fountains in
tie basin at the junction of the nave and north transept,
and the crystal fountain, which formed so prominent a
feature in the Exhibition of 'lB5l. The others are dis-
tributed through the architectural courts. In the orna-
mental basins on the terrace, and below it, there are
two distinct series of fountains. The upper series com-
prises the nine basins adjacent to the main building, and
terminating with the large circular basin on the central
walk through the gardens. The second series includes
all the fountains—namely, the first series, the more ex-
tensive fountains in the temples, cascades, and two large
basins in the lower grounds, which terminate the water
display. The upper series, or ordinary display now
daily exhibited, can be worked independently of the
others. Bat when the lower fountains are shown the
whole display is brought into action. The next portion
of the system is the arrangement in connection with the
tountains of the tanks and upper reservoir containing the
supply of water for the jets, and of the lower reservoirs,
where it is collec'ed after being displayed. The water for
supplying the fountains is maintained at three different
elevations—first, in the two high tower tanks, which sup-
ply the 250 feet jets in the centres of the lower great
basins; secondly, in two lower tanks, which contain water
for fountains and for ordinary use in the building, and
are situated near its northern extremity. Tbese tanks
supply also the high central jets in the upper series, as
well as four secondary jets meted each 250 feet jet in the
lower grand basins. The supply of the third elevation is
collected in the larg,eupper reservoir at the northern end of
the building, which contains about 6,500,000 gallons,
and from it the great body of water displayed in the
fountains is drawn. Two 30 horse power pumping engines
are placed at the upper reservoir for raising water from it
into the high and low tanks already described. There are
two reservoirs for collecting the water after its display
in the fountains—viz., one for the upptr and one for the
second series of fountains. That for the upper series is
situated at some distance to the north of the central cir-
cular basin, and a little below it in elevation. It collects
the waste water from the ordinary display of the upper
fountains, which is first received into the circular ba.in,
and flows thence into this reservoir. Four 40 horse
power engines are placed in the vicinity of the inter-
mediate reservoir, which raise or return the waste
water from it to the upper reservoir, ro as to render it
again available for display. The receiving reservoir for
the second series of fountains is situated below the south
grand basin. It is of still larger capacity than the upper
reservoir, as it would be required to receive all the water
contained in the latter, and in the high and low tanks, in
the event of its being all displayed. The lower reservoir
is constructed in the form of an ornamental lake, and
collects the waste water from the entire system of foun-
tains when in full operation. Two 40 horse power en-
gines are provided to raise or return this waste water
from the lower to the upper reservoir, so as to be again
available for display. An Arte-ian well, 575 feet deep, is
also sunk in the lower part of the grounds for a water
supply, and a small engine provided for raising the
water from it to the lower reservoir. The water dis-
played in the upper terrace fountains is conveyed through
pipes to the large circular basin, where it plays a second
time in the low network jets round the margin,
and in the other low jets through the basin. Again,
when the lower great fountains are displayed, all the
waste water from the circular basin is similarly eon-
veyed to them to p'ay their jets of low elevation. Thus
the water from the terrace fountains is displayed thrice,
and that from the circular basin twice, throughout the
entire operation.
The Queen and the royal party before leaving the pa-
lace had also an opportunity of seeing the general effect
of the water display from one of the galleries in the
building, and, while so occupied, her Majesty was loudly
cheered by the people on the terraces below. The august
Iparty left the palace between 6 and 7 o'clock, and ar-
rived at Buckingham Palace at a quarter to 8.

THE PEABODY BANQUET AND CON-
CERT AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE TO
MB. DALLAS.

LONDON, Saturday.—A fete of a very interesting cha-
racter,
and at the present moment of some political sig
nificarice, was given yesterday at the Crystal Palace. MI.
Peabody, the American iniiliotinaire, with the laudable
motives of a conciliator, to which he was undoubtedly
prompted as much by inclination and good feeling as by
his great mercantile interests, gave a magnificent enter•
tainment to Mr. Dallas, the American Minister, and his
family, with a large circle of his fellow-citizens, to meet
whom he also invited many of the English nobility and
gentry. Among the latter we observed the Marchioness
of Hastings and Lady Victoria Hastings, the Marquis
and Marchioness of Headfort, Lady Talbot de Malahide,
the Countess of Glasgow and Miss Sinclair, Lord C Paget,
the Lord Mayor, and the Archdeacon of London. The
c.inciliatory olijects of this international gathering were
shown in a still more marked degree, however,
by the numerous invitations given to those who by offi-
' cial position, family connexions, commercial pursuits, or
personal interests of one kind or another, are concerned
in the preservation of the friendly relations by which
both countries have so largely profited, and the interrup-
tion of which would be fraught with so many evils. Of
those who come especially under this category there
were present Sir W. Gore and Lady Ouseley, Mr. W.
Brown, M.P., and lady, Captain Mack►nnon, R.N., Mr,
and Mrs. Sturges, Mr. and Mrs. Lampion, &c. Sir
Henry and Lady Bulwer were invited, but we did not
observe them among the guests. The reputation for
beauty of the American ladies was well supported, not
only by the ladies mentioned, but by many others who,