The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-11 00:00:00

The Reception of the Belgians.

Yesterday several Belgian gentlemen, au advance
guard of the great body, arrived in London, and
were received with the greatest cordiality at the
headquarters of the executive of the British com-
mittee, at their offices in St. Martin's-place.
Amongst those who presented themselves were—
M. D. Anspach, Burgomaster of Brussels ;
Dailly, President of the Tir National ; M. Vander-
peereboom, Minister of the Interior, and some other
members of the Belgian Government ; Major Stoefs,
of the Brussels Guard Civic ; and M. Charles De
Grille, the Belgian Consul, and other officials. Col.
Loyd-Lindsay was in the chair, and Viscount Bury,
who made his first appearance since his recent
severe accident, also attended during the morning,
and was most cordially greeted by his colleagues.
The business was that of settling the details of the
programme and receiving reports as to the augmen-
tation of the subscription list, which, since the last
appeal, has been of the most satisfactory
character.

The details of the programme for the present
week were settled to take place in the following
order :

This day the general committee will embark on
board the Swift steamboat at Westminster-pier at
9 a.m., call at Swan-pier at 9.10 a.m., and proceed
to Gravesend, where, or within a short distance, it
is expected her Majesty's transport Serapis, the
largest ship in the royal navy, is expected to have
arrived, or will be on its way up the river. 'The
visitors will then be taken on board a number of
small river steamboats, which have been chartered
to receive them. The whole flotilla will then come
up the river with colours flying and bands on beard.
To-morrow (Friday).—The rendezvous of the
Belgians is the parade of the Wellington Barracks,
Birdcage-walk, St. James's-park, at 10.30 a.m., and
march to Guildhall to partake of the hospitality of
the City, fete at the gardens of the Horticultural
Society at 4.30 p.m., conversazione at the South
Kensington Museum at 8.30 p.m.
Saturday.—Belgian parade in the quadrangle Of
Somerset House at 10 a.m., and march to Waterloo
Station for trains leaving for Wimbledon at 11.159
11.35, and 11.45, and return from Wimbledon ill
trains commencing to run at 9 p.m.
The railway arrangements for the visit to Wind-
sor on Tuesday next were also yesterday finally
arranged. The trains to Windsor with half the
force will go by Waterloo at 10.15 and 10.30 a.m.,
reaching Windsor at 11.15 and 11.30 a.m. The
second half from Victoria at 11.30 and 11.45, and
Great 'Western at 12.30 and 12.45. The division
going down by the South-Western to return by
Great Western Station at Windsor at 6 p.m., an
those by the Great 'Western to return by the South-
Western at 6.30 p.m.
The other arrangements are not definitely settled.

During the afternoon the executive committee,
consisting of the Duke and Duchess of Manchester,
Colonel and the Hon. Mrs. Loyd-Lindsay, Viscount
and Viscountess Bury, Colonel the Hon. C. 0'
Lindsay, and a number of other ladies and gentle'
men visited the Agricultural Hall to witness the
progress which is being made for the magnificent
ball and concert to take place there on the evenings
of the 18th and 19th instant, and expressed their
high gratification at the manner in which the
Messrs. Defries are carrying out the undertaking'
Amongst other matters the programme of the eon'
cert was submitted, and will, it appears, be upon
an equal scale of magnitude and grandeur with t 113,"
of the ball. Amongst the artistes engaged for thi
part of the festival are Miss Louisa Pyne, Madlle'
Leihhart and Madame Rudersdorff, Madame Sala-
ton Dolby, and Miss Julia Derby; Mr. Sims Reeve.,
and Mr. Cummings, Mr. Weiss and Mr. Loci,
Thomas ; pianoforte, Madame Arabella Goddard "
violoncello, M. Pique. The string and wind
.1131
strutnents of the full band comprise the prince°
solo performers of her Majesty's Theatre and til
hd
Philharmonic societies of London, augmented 1".;
the baud of the Grenadier Guards, by permissl°lo
of Colonel Bruce; the chorus to consist of t
ladiesand gentlemen of the National Choral Society'
altogether upwards of 800 performers. The CO.
ductors are Messrs. Benedict, G. W. Martin, and
Kingsbury ; M. Levy is to be the soloist on the
cornet-a-piston. With regard to the ball, in °tie°
sequence of the hosts of applications the commit
have received upon the subject, it has been derteer,
f
mined to appropriate a space in the western galley©
to reserved seats at two guineas each, entitling ,D,
owners of the tickets to retain them at option
B,th:
whole evening, with supper, refreshments, wine,

DESTR UCTIVE FlRE.—This morning, shortlyDtro
fore two o'clock, a most destructive fire occurred apt
he
of the City Arms Tavern, King-street, Aldga;de-
The fire-engines from the different stations shortlY
rived, but, iu :Tito of the strenuous exertions of the ti
men and all present, the tavern was entirely burnt 001.'1fthe
the adjoining houses damaged by fire and water. ,u 0
cause is at present unknown. The loss will fall
ell
.Globe, London, and Liverpool fire offices.