The Sun.
London, England, 1859-06-25 00:00:00

THE HANDEL COMMEMORATION

FESTIVAL.

The Handel Commemoration Festival, the greatest musio
meeting ever known in this country, terminated yesterday
morning with a' very fine performance of "Israel in
Egypt.".
On this occasion, for the first time, the Palace was
crowded in every part, and the increase of attendance was
chiefly remarkable in the expensive parts of the area, all of
which were quite full. Much of this extraordinary pecu-
niary success may doubtless bo ascribed to the expected
presence of her Majesty and the King of the Belgians, and
considerable disappointment was very naturally created by
the absence of those illustrious personages.
His Royal Highness the Prince Consort, their Royal
Highnesses the Princesses Alice and Helena, and the Prince
of Leiningen, with a numerous party, honoured the enter-
tainment from its very commencement with their presence.
The Prince Consort and the Princesses were most enthu-
siastically cheered on entering and quitting the royal box,
which had been prepared for them with every attribute of
luxury and splendour in the middle of the central gallery,
immediately opposite the immense orchestra, and they ap-
peared to take a deep interest in the performance, which
most assuredly was well worth their attention, for so grand
a display of massive vocal power and musical precision was
perhaps never before met with in any country.

At the termination of the oratorio a God save the Queen"
was sung by all the principal vocalists, and chorus.
Amongst the most distinguished visitors was Herr Meyer-
beer, who has just arrived in town to superintend the pro-,
ductioß of the new opera, "Le Pardon de Ploermel," at
the Royal Italian Opera.
The total number of visitors yesterday was 26,827, an
excess of nearly 10,000 over either of the preceding days.
•To Mr. Bewley, the general manager of the Crystal
Palace Company, belongs the immense credit of having
originated the festival, which nothing but the zealous co-
operation of M. Costa, the popular musical director of the
Sacred. Harmonic Society and of the Royal Italian Opera,
and the unlimited confidence of his board of directors at
the palace, could have enabled him to carry out. The gra-
tifying fact remains that his exertions have been
acknowledged by the unqualified approbation of every
visitor attending the festival, and the treasury of the coin'
pany will be enriched by a sum considerably exceeding
£lO,OOO. The secretarial arrangements of Mr. Grove were
perfect. . •
During the festival the consumption of creature com-
forts was something as follows :--1,600 dozen sandwiches,
1,200 dozen pork pies, 400 dozen Sydenham pasties, 800
veal and ham pies, 650 pigeon pies, 480 hams, 3,509 chickens,
120 balontine of lamb, 240 fore quarters of lamb,
160 gelatines of chicken, 60 raised game pies, 3,052
lobster salads, 3,82.5 dishes of salmon mayonnaise, 300 score
of lettuce, 40,000 buns at a penny each, 25,000 ditto at two-
-400 creams, 350
tit tarts,
two-
pence, 32,249 ices, 2,419 drozaelnaee"pbuedvdeinraggse,s,4"ool,
jlesl2liedsit,tollinalee
andens
esftoreuta,A4o3anCdrybsetaliled
beef,
3,506 quarts of tea, coffee, and chocolate, and 485 tongues.
The consumption of wines, which was enormous, had not
been ascertained when our account was made up.

•
DEATH OF BARON KNESEBEOK.—We regret to
announce the death of Baron Knesebeck, Equerry to his
Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, which took place
yesterday morning at St. James's Palace, after a few days'
illness. Baron Knesebeck was for many years comptroller
of the household of his Royal Highness the late Duke of
Cambridge, and since the duke's demise has continued his
valuable services to his Royal Highness's family, who most
deeply deplore the loss of a faithful and devoted servant
and friend.'
RUMOURED VOTE OF WANT OF CONFIDENCE IN
MINISTERS.—It is currently reported in the highest poli-
tical circles that Mr. Roebuck, whose hostility to Lord Pal-
merston is well known, will, on the resumption of business,
move a resolution in the house—" That the foreign policy
of the late Government, as disclosed by the publication of
Lord Malmesbury's despatches, was beneficial to the coun-
try." And should this motion, which is tantamount to a
vote of want of confidence, be carried, it will be MOS
embarraeoing to the Government.—Era.L