The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-30 00:00:00

-, JUNE 30, 1869

i117;17,-"CEROY AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE.

The fete to the Viceroy of Egypt given on Tuesday at
the Crystal Palace was an undoubted success. It con•
sisted of a concert and a grand display of fireworks. For
the concert the vast space of the Handel orchestra was
filled by an imposing array of upwards of three thou-
sand executants, in the assembling and organising
of whom the exceptional resources of the Sacred
Harmonic Society have been called into requisition.
By such forces, under the experienced and skilled
direction of the conductor of that society, and of the
Handel Festivals, Sir Michael Costa, effects of grandeur
and sublimity, especially in the choral performances, wer'
again attained to a degree that could scarcely have been
anticipated as possible before the institution of those
multitudinous gatherings. The first part of the concert
entirely sacred) was not attended by the Khedive.
The second part had already commenced when
the royal party made its appearance. The
royal boxes were grandly fitted up with mirrors,
pictures, &c. The Viceroy appeared in the centre com-
partment, taking the most prominent seat, with the Prin-
cess of Wales on his right, and the Prince on his left.
The other boxes were soon filled by the attendants. A
momentary attempt was made by the people present to get
up a cheer of welcome, but it was not encouraged, and
the overture accordingly proceeded, much to the disap-
pointment of those who had determined to make the first
appearance of the Viceroy the signal for an ovation.
After the concert the party dined, the guests being Lord
and Lady Westmoreland, Lord Alfred Paget, Lord and
Lady Vane, Lord Lennox, the Duchess of Abercorn and
two daughters, Dr. W. H. Russell, &c.
But the great part of the night's performances was the
fireworks. At 10 o'clock a salute of aerial maroons
announced that the grand pyrotechnic fete had begun.
Before the smoke which issued from the maroons
had cleared away the glare of lights began to rise
from the lower grounds. Portfires threw a
crimson glow over the foliage of the trees and
shrubs, and the green turf assumed a half-white,
half-verdant hue. While this weird aspect was
presented to the visitors, kaleidoscopic combinations
of colours continued to meander through the long bright
lines of the building, the thousands of people who lined
the terraces and stood in groups upon the ground were
thrown into quaintly picturesque prominence when
the sister magnesium balloons ascended slowly, and
glided across the sky, forming in their course spiral
columns which seemed like moving wreaths of snow. A
salvo of shells followed in which floral designs,
accidentally formed, constituted marvels of brilliant
illumination. In the set piece erected in honour
of the Prince and the Princess of Wales the initials of
the royal pair were gracefully intertwined. The monogram
"2E," which was represented in red letters surrounded by
a corona of green leaves and the motto " Ich Dice," stood
out in bold relief on the second glittering circle, on
which the colours continually changed. The pro-
minent feature of the display was the set piece
especially arranged in honour of the Viceroy.
On its face three resplendent crescents were dis-
tinguished in the midst of a circle of brilliants, and as
its bright lights faded away, and the grand cascade of fire
began to descend, at first a few drops of golden rain fell on
the walk, which appeared like a causeway covered with
snow, and a thin, bright stream of yellow tint softly
glided down with a gentle plash. Then ten thousand
coloured balls of every hue, thrown hither and thither, as
it were, by the hands of not one Driareus but a hun-
dred, illuminated the long, bright plane of its sum-
mit, and a tide of golden fire rushed down with a
booming roar. How the comets descended from the
towers and bow the fountains were illuminated has often
been described before, and it is only necessary to add that
during the visit of the Viceroy nothing was omitted which
could detract from the fairy-like prospect. The display was
concluded with a grand girandole of rockets. There are
said to have been more than 30,000 persons present.

MYSIEI?IOUS SUICIDE OF A LADY.

The inquest on the body of a well-dressed lady, found
some time since floating in the Thames, has concluded. It
will be remembered that a Mrs. Smith came forward and
identified the dresses, &c., as those of her daughter. She
had married a clerk to the Admiralty, who had more
recently held an appointment at Malta. Her husband
had died at Malta, and she, returning, was very much
depressed. She went to see her late husband's brother on
the 24th of May, and never returned. The inquest was
adjourned that the brother-in-law might come forward.
He did so at the inquest on Tuesday, and said he was a clerk
in the City. He had a brother named Charles Bunker,
who was formerly a clerk in the Admiralty, but more
recently, and at the time of his death, held an appoint-
ment at Malta. his brother was married in London
about five years ago, but he did not know the maiden
name of his wife, or any of her relations. On the 24th of
last May his brother's wife called upon him at
his office in the City, and said she had come
home from Malta on the previous Saturday, his brother
nving died there. She was stopping with her
mother, Mrs. Smith, at Arthur-street, Chelsea. She ap-
peared to be overwhelmed with grief at the loss of
her husband. She had a black bag with her, which,
she said, contained some papers belonging to her
late husband and four sovereigns. It was about eleven
o'clock in the morning when she called upon him.
After some conversation about her husband's death
she promised to see witness on the following Sunday,
at his private residence. He then saw her to the sta-
tion, and procured her a ticket for Victoria, as she said
she was going back to her mother's, at Chelsea. Had
never_ seen her since. He could not identify the rings, but
could swear to the outside clothing as being the same as
that worn by his sister-in-law when she called upon him.
Mrs. Smith was recalled, and said the deceased returned
home from her visit to her brother-in-law at -me o'clock on
the 24th May. She had her tea, and left home again at
5 o'clock, saying she was going to meet Mr. W. Bunker
in the evening. Witness pressed her to stay at home, but
she persisted in going out. Before she went out she said
she was very unhappy, and had nothing in the world
worth living for. Had never seen her daughter since.
The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased
was found drowned, but there was no evidence to show
how she came into the water.