The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-18 00:00:00

JIIE VIM OF THE BELGIANS.

Yesterday our Belgian visitors enjoyed a very
pleasant day in the Crystal Palace. There was no
parade of the troops. They were allowed to go
down to Sydenham as they liked. There was
free admission for them to the Palace and grounds,
and when they arrived there was a series of enter-
tainments for them which extended from soon
after noon till 10 o'clock at night. In addition
to the orchestra of the establishment, the band
of, the Royal Artillery attended and performed
several times throughout the day. There was
more than one performance on the great organ
by M. Lemmens, of the Conservatoire, Brussels,
and Mr. J. Coward, organist of the Crystal Palace
Company. Colonel Gregoire, commandant of the
Belgian column, with his staff, and some 2,000 of
the riflemen attended. The Colonel was received
by Mr. Bowley, the manager, and conducted to the
private balcony overlooking the terraces. The
number of the general public present was over
25,000. The grand features of the occasion were
the magnificent illuminations and fireworks, which
commenced soon after 9 o'clock. The fireworks
over, the company all assembled within the Palace,
and Colonel Gregoire and his staff having taken
their places in the State box, "God Save the Queen"
and the " Brabanconne" were played several times
amid enthusiastic cheering. It was nearly 11 o'clock
before the visitors had left the Palace.

It is satisfactory to learn that, with the excep-
tion of four or five packages, all the baggage
brought over by the riflemen has been delivered to
the owners. Two steamboats were employed in
bringing it from the Serapis to Hungerford-market,
and it consisted of no fewer than 4,000 boxes,
portmanteaus, &c. Some of the boxes were so
heavy as to require four men to lift them.

Tonight the grand ball at the Agricultural Hall
will be given. It is likely to be the most brilliant
fete of the kind that has ever been seen in this
country. There will be no fewer than 30,000 gas-
lights in the hall. A magnificent State box and
drawing-room have been prepared for the Prince
of Wales, who is to honour the ball with his pre-
sence. It is expected that his Royal Highness will
be accompanied by the Sultan.

THE CATTLE PLAGUE INQUIRY.—The return of
the reported cases of cattle plague in Great Britain, by
authority of the Lords of the Privy Council, for the week
ending Saturday, July 13, states that ono fresh outbreak
has been reported—viz., at East Ilam Level, in Essex.
Nine cases of cattle plague (viz., eight in the metropolis and
one in Essex) are reported to have occurred during the
week, being an increase of seven on the previous return.
The whole of the diseased animals were killed. There
were six healthy cattle slaughtered to prevent the spread
of the disease.

PROPOSED VISIT OF THE SULTAN TO MANCHESTER.
—Yesterday a special meeting of the Manchester City
Council was held to adopt an address to the Sultan, and
also to receive a report from the deputation which waited
upon his Imperial Majesty on Monday. The mayor (Mr.
R. Neill) presided, and stated that while no deflate reply
had yet been received on the subject, the deputation was
sanguine that his Imperial Majesty would honour Man-
chester with a visit before taking his departure from this
country. An address to his Majesty was adopted, and the
mayor announced that, in anticipation of the Sultan's visit
to Manchester, the Assize Courts Committee had placed
the judges' lodgings and such portions of the assize courts
as might be required at the disposal of the corporation for
the disposal of his Majesty. An address was also voted
to the Viceroy of Egypt, and entrusted to a deputation
for presentation.