The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-22 00:00:00

which vanished so inopportunely before the arrival
of our guests. However, it must be quite evident to
the whole of them that the rain was no fault of
ours, and if a good many of the entertainments
provided for them were unluckily more or less
dependent on the caprices of St. Swithin, this
was unavoidable, and the English sight-seers had
for the most part the worst of it. To-day our
kindly Belgian visitors take their departure, to-
morrow the SULTAN takes leave of us, the Egyptian
VICEROY is already gone, so that we may consider
the Wimbledon Review as the concluding festivity
of this pleasant interlude in the usual routine
of business a,nd politics. The melancholy
death of Madame 111 us uttus has cast an
unexpected shadow over the brilliant recol-
lections of the week, and altered in some degree the
programme of the SULTAN'S movement:;. I 1 did
not, however, postpone his visit to Wimbledon.
which would have occasioned great disappointment,
and the spectators who had been patiently waiting
all the afternoon for a glimpse of his Ottoman MA-
JESTY, were at length rewarded by a most imposing
procession. The SULTAN, mounted on a white
Arab, with a saddle cloth, glittering with jewels,
more nearly realised the vision of an Oriental po-
tentate than in any other aspect. The illustrious
visitor had no cause to quarrel with the reception.
The only fault to be found with the demonstrations
in his favour was that they were oppressively vehe-
ment. The crowd, stimulated by the reflection
that this was probably their last opportunity for
catching a glimpse of the Grand Turk, occasionally
allowed their valour to get the better of their dis-
cretion, and good manners were overlooked or for-
gotten in the struggle to get a good view. The
SULTAN himself was very nearly " mobbed" after a
friendly fashion, and the Prince of WALES and some
of the gentlemen near had to do duty as guard of
honour in securing him a way to his carriage. On
one occasion the crowd fairly broke through
the lines and seriously interfered with the marching
past of the regiments. This was hardly excusable,
even allowing for a natural eagerness to see the
SULTAN, and it was a pity that so much was left to
the discretion of the mob instead of, a little more
reliance being placed on an efficient body of police.
The shooting was all that could be desired, and
proved that our riflemen have not deteriorated ;
the Wimbledon meeting, though not often favoured
by the presence of such illustrious visitors as on
Saturday, seems a good purpose in keeping up the
standard and in supplying a stimulus to the marks-
men which might otherwise be wanting. The great
danger attending all such movements and associa-
tions is, that when the preliminary difficulties are
safely disposed of, and the first excitement has gone
off, they will gradually die of inanition. So long
as there are obstacles to surmount, satirists to be
silenced, opponents to ..be convinced, and the
whole affair has to be got into working order, there
is sure to be no lack of energy, of enterprising de-
termination. But fresh interests come up, fresh
topics engage the public attention, fresh objects
engross the time and means of the most promi-
nent supporters, until very often a movement
which promised to outlast the generation col-
lapses in a few years. The heads of the Volunteer
movement have therefore shown a very wise fore-
sight in originating a festival which shall not only
bring the Volunteers periodically before the public,
but shall afford an incentive to pursue the days of
dull and tedious routine, to keep up that steady
practice without which no great ends can be at-
tained, and shall bring to boar upon the whole force
those powerful ag,ncies of e;aulation and love
of distinction which can effect so much. The
Volunteers on Saturday, notwithstanding all draw-
backs, showed that there is no falling off In their
drill or soldierly bearing, and bore comparison with
the Household troops manfully. The Sultan must
have been favourably impressed with the spectacle,
regwelreenaagtmtahiumnetdrel ffa ebsirmuae
tntpersteohyvetiiotshes)edivgaadht hdi
st
was ha
re r maanagfirencdhe i
tnohgne
and courteously bore the drenching rain with
past.appa-
t
ew, h
ao ed prrr
theiol e-
Lord SPENCER providreedcephtisionhorsopoittanbsleinbawnqhuiceht
made an appropriate conclusion to the brilliant en-
tertainments of the week.