The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-19 00:00:00

THE VISIT OF THE BELGIANS.

Hitherto there has been one thing in which it was
supposed that we could not compete with continen-
tal countries. With all the ingenuity of our artists

and the skill of our artisans, with our fine collections
of pictures and statuary, our museums and our ar-
mouries, we had never been very successful in any
gala spectacle on a grand scale attempted outside
the precincts of our theatres. In processions we had
not been happy ; in our public ballrooms we bad not
approached, much less rivalled, what had been (lone
in Paris and elsewhere. But our shortcomings in
this respect have been more than atoned for. The

Agricultural Hall last night presented a scene which
all features considered, it is not too much to say has
never been surpassed in any capital, and certainly
has never been equalled in this. There have been
balls in the Hotel de Ville at Paris that cost more

money, and in the preparation for which there has

been more elaboration of detail ; but, in the case
of those balls, one has had to gather an idea
of the whole from divided sections. Owing,
however, to the enormous proportions of the Agri-
cultural Hall, and the open style of its internal
architecture, it admits of a variety of decoration
and illumination being so arranged as to bring
under the eye at one glance a combination which
could scarcely be found in any other building. The
opportunity thus afforded of producing great effects
has not been lost. Remembering what had been
done at Brussels on the occasion of the King's ban-
quet to our Volunteers, the Committee for the re-
ception of the Belgians set about seeing whether a
return entertainment worthy of that feast could not
be got up in London. They called in the Messrs.
Defries, of lloundsditch ; and that firm, within the
sbortspace of five weeks, fitted up the Agricultural
Hall as it appeared last night—•a ball-room tit to re-
ceive the Heir to the Throne and the Princes and
people who are now the guests of this nation.
The Agricultural Hall covers nearly an acre of
ground. It contains a central arena 500 feet long
by 300 wide. This, which was entirely boarded over,
formed the ballroom last night. The hall is very
lofty, mid has galleries running along either side
and at each end of the great central space. There
are several entrances to the building, but the main
ones are situated east and west—in the High-street,
Islington, and in the Liverpool-road. At the
western end the greater number of the company

came in last night. Before they had entered the
ballroom they found themselves amid fountains and
plants and coloured lights. In the vestibule grew
ferns and palms and flowers, which were watered by
the spray of a fountain scented with perfumes simi-
lar to those of the living plants all round. Mirrors
gave artificial extent to this miniature garden, and
lights thrown down from above added beauty to the
waters springing from jets. On passing from the
vestibule you at once found yourself in the ballroom
—a marvel in illuminative and decorative art. Op-
posite to you at the east end of the room was the
raised dais for the Prince of Wales, forming the
centre of an amphitheatre 50 feet in height, of
magnificent plants, consisting of yuccas, agas, and
flowers innumerable, all of which have been exhi-
bited at prize shows. Marble statues of the four
Seasons, bouquets, and plaster figures and lights
stood among the flowers. At either side of the
Prince's seat were splendid palms which had taken
first prizes. Over the dais was a canopy of polished
maple with a gilt cornice and draped with crimson
velvet and bullion. Surmounting the canopy a Prince
of Wales's plume of great size, and formed in crystal,
blazed with intense brilliancy. To the right and the
left of the State chair were broad staircases which,
winding through the amphitheatrical garden, led to
the supper-room prepared for his Royal Highness
and his friends. Sheaves of flags mounted on spears
with glistening points stood out at various places
around the dais, which was covered with Wilton
pile. The chairs prepared for the Prince and the
Sultan were white and gold and velvet. In the
immediate vicinity of the dais was a semicircle of
chairs for the;lady patronesses. As a back-ground
there was a light screen covered with blue and white
lace, from which stood out a three-quarter length
transparency of her Majesty, in jewelled crystals,
and on each side of this portrait were the veritable
busts of the King and Queen of the Belgians which
adorned the banoucting-room at Brussels last year.
Both were encircled with wreaths of laurel. Imme-
diately beneath the transparency was a trophy of
ancient small arms, swords and daggers, forming a
large star. At the end of the room facing the chair
of State arose a sloping bank, covered with natural
turf, and planted with real flowers in beautifully
arranged beds. The background was of Oriental
plants, amid which stood statues of Mars and Venus.
In this charming garden were three crystal fountains
the basins of which were bounded with scarlet,
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Exactly over the centre of the hall hung the largest
gas chandelier in England. It is 22 feet in height,
and 1G in circumference. Au heraldic belt surrounds
it, and the shields, helmets, and quarterings were
all illuminated in their proper colours. Th. is gorgeous
lustre would of itself have lit the entire hall ;
but in addition to it there were eight great
coloured chandeliers also hanging
b from the ceiling,
and 22 of pure crystal, each composed of five spear-
shaped baskets, hung in front of the piazzas, under
the side galleries. There is a double row of 12
pillars along those colonnades. Each was painted
in white and gold, as were also the columns of the
galleries above, and in front of each stood an armed
figure raised on a pedestal, and, lance in hand,
gazing upon the dancers. Tho use made of the
piazzas last night, and of the double row of arches
which extend beyond them to the walls of the hall
on either side, was in the highest degrLe admirable.
The piazzas themselves were converted into alleys to
resemble those of old Ranelagh. The base of each
pillar was encircled with flowers springing from a
bed of green turf ; baskets of flowers hung down
from above, arches of variegated lamps spanned the
spaces from pillar to pillar, and though the floral
avenues thus formed were 500 ft. long, a perspective
of 1,500 additional feet was added to them by
mirrors fixed in the wall at each end, the edges of
the glass being concealed by creeping exotics. On
walking through one of these alleys you had the
dancers on one side of you, and on the other the
double row of arches, refulgent in variegated lamps
and blooming with flower beds, amid which seats
were scattered for those who wished to rest and
enjoy the refreshing effects of fountains throwing up
scented waters and reflected by mirrors of great size
let into the walls at the back of the bays formed by
the intervals between the pillars of the colonnades.
In front of each bay, and projecting into the centre
of the hail, was a shield of illuminated glass. Over
the opening to the central bay, on one side of the
hail, was a shield with the arms of England and of
Belgium, surmounted by a jewelled Crown of Eng-
land, with a star of the Order of the Garter, and
a monogram of Victoria and Leopold. The walls
beneath the galleries were covered wish white
material fluted and enamelled. In the spaces
between the mirrors were trophies of arms and
armour. The mirrors were framed with flowers
and festooned in pink muslin and lace. They
had curtains which were entwined with wreaths
of camellias. fhe trellis work of the galleries
was lined with crimson cloth, the metal orna-
ments being 'idly gilt and the railings in front
entwined with artificial flowers, which were carried
in graceful wreaths up to the roof of the building
and down to the capitals of the pillars beneath. The
general company approached the galleries by four
great staircases richly carpeted and decorated with
flowers. On each landing was a mirror, reflecting a
large section of the building, and statues holding
crystal lustres. From the balconies and the roof
hundreds of flags were suspended. The entire bal-
cony at the eastern end of the building was devoted
to the supper-rooms of the Prince of Wales and the
lady patronesses. In the centre was that of his Royal
Highness, where 50 covers were laid. On either
side, and only separated by a bar covered in red
cloth, were those of the lady patronesses. The show
of gold and silver plate on his Royal liighneWe table