The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-21 00:00:00

CRYSTAL PA LA CE.

There is a general though strong impression
among season-ticket holders that the Crystal Palace
on its great shilling days is a place rather to be
avoided than otherwise. For those who return
home by rail, and who on these occasions would
have to struggle for a third-class seat, and might even
fail in getting that, perhaps it is; but, setting these
inconveniences aside, there is to our mind no place so
thoroughly enjoyable as the Crystal Palace on cheap
holiday fetes and Londoners' days out. There is a
spirit of good order and good nature ; there is a zest
and keenness in the feeling with which the masses
give themselves up to the rational amusements of
the place which is seen nowhere else. Ten or fif-
teen thousand people dispersed in groups pic-nieing
I all over the gardens is alone a sight worth seeing,
especially as it can be seen in England, and nowhere
in England but at the Crystal Palace. Hampton
Court or Richmond give us only the details, on a
small scale, of these great gatherings, and one must
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folk in the zenith of their fun and enjoyment. Yester-
day, as Whit Monday always is, w
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morning appeared
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morning till darkness had set in. The programme
was, of course, arranged to suit all tastes.
There were bands and Swiss singers, Christy's
Minstrels, and the upper fountains; there was a
revival on a small scale of the ancient sport of
falconry; there was a balloon ascent, a presentation
of colours to Volunteers, the great organ and bands
again, ;and above all there were the peoples' re..
sources to improvise fun in the gardens on their
inclined.
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the ring was revived and played with as strict
whenever
m uch neglected s
himself present to conduct the simple rite, and
.
regard to rules as if the amorous originator. was
the handkerchief was kept, going to
. the im-
mense delight of the spectators, till it unfortu-
nately fell into the hands of a youthful couple
who kept it so exclusively between themselves
that popular feeling underwent a reaction, and
the patrons of the ring diminished. The rifle-
ground was, of course, crowded, in spite of its in-
oonveniences. If the directors would only establish
a proper rifle range, we quite believe its revenue
would be no unimportant addition to the general
receipts. As it is now, no marksman cares to
shoulder a rifle in a dry ditch of a hundred yards'
length, with scarcely a possibility of missing the
zinc roof or hitting the ground beneath it. Never-
theless, it was well attended yesterday, though, of
course, only by those who know nothing of a rifle
except by name, and who paid their money and
took their choice between the zinc and gravel
aforesaid. Toxephilites mustered unusually
strong, for the long bow is a weapon which
requires incessant practice to use it with
even tolerable proficiency, and so, of course, every -
body who hasn't tried before goes in at once for
the bull's-eye. Yesterday the popular impression
seemed strong that all could hit the target, and.
every effort was hailed with fresh shouts of laugh-
ter, and the merriment continued with each failure
in spite of a continued monotony of most lamentable
misses. When anybody did go near to hitting
anything a silence, as of awe, fell on the perplexed,
spectators, as if somehow they did not feel quite sure
but that the lucky marksman might hit the target
next. Inside the Palace Christy's Minstrels were
the favourites, and never have these popular artiste
performed before larger or more delighted audiences.
Many could not get within hearing of the orchestra
and resorted to the Alhambra and ham sandwiches,
or turned from the contemplation of high art to a
study of Allsopp or Crystal Palace sherry. The
Swiss singers were a great attraction, and so also
was the balloon, till it went up with a rapidity
that rather disappointed people, who seemed to
have a vague impression that it ought to have
loitered about the gardens for the remainder of the
evening, and not gone where people could see it
who hadn't paid anything. At a little after four,
Captain Berdoe, on the second terrace, presented
a handsome pair of colours to the Finsbury Rifles
(39th Middlesex), at which ceremony an im-
mense crowd of spectators were present. On the
whole, there were amusements and entertain-
ing events yesterday for every half-hour of the
day, and the programme was arranged with a
liberality that quite justified the large patronage
of the pleasure seekers. It was late at night be-
fore the last of the visitors was clear of the Palace.
On Saturday week next Blondin is to appear, and
perform his Niagara Feats from the top of the
building, we believe. On the rope his own neck is
safer from damage than many of our readers
would be in an ordinary causeway. It is only
when he carries anybody uu his back that the real
danger is incurred, and we trust that no such
harrowing spectacle will be attempted at Norwood.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE,

TATTERSALIS-MONDAY.
BATH AND SOMERSETSRIRE STAKEX.
4to 1 agst Bumble Bee (taken)
sto 1 agst Anthem (taken)
7to 1 agst West End (taken)
Bto 1 agst Ipswich (taken)
10 to 1 agst Moorcock (taken)
10 to 1 agst Eskdale (taken)
UNION CUP, MANORVSTER.
sto 1 agst Cape FlyawrAy (taken)
7to 1 agst Misty Morn (taken)
9to 1 agst Man-at-Anna (taken)

THE DERBY.
100 to 30 agst Dundee (taken and offered)
9to 2 agst Diophantus (taken)
Bto 1 agst Kildonan (taken)
9to 1 agst Rouge Dragon (taken)
10 to 1 agst Klatikoff (off)
100 to 8 agst Dictator (taken)
13 to 1 agst Kettledrum (taken)
20 to 1 agst Royallieu (taken)
25 to 1 agst Imaus (taken)
50 to 1 agst Bombardier (taken)
1000 to 15 agst Atherstone (ta'Aten)
3000 to 30 agst The Drake (taken)
1000 to 4 agst Robin Hoot! (taken)
1000 to 3 agst Nautilus ('taken)
3to 1 agst Lord Sta•mford's lot (taken)
Thu OAKS.
3to 1 agst Nemesis (taken)
4to 1 agst Silvei:hair (taken)
9to 1 agst Fairwater (taken)
10 to 1 agst Brown Duchess (taken)

BETTING AT MANCHESTER, MONDAY.
Speculation was not very brisk to-day. We have but
little change to notice in the Derby favourites. Kettle-
drum advanced since Saturday from 20 to 1, and was sup-
ported at 100 to 8 ; and Imaus receded from 20 to 1 to 100
to 3 (taken), but the demonstration against him seemed to
stop there. For the Somersetshire Stakes Bumble Bee,
West End, and Moorcock were in request. The only event
for Manchester touched upon was the Union Cup, for
which Misty Morn and Cape Flyaway were about equal
favourites. Closing prices :

UNION CUP.
to 1 agst Misty Morn (taken and offered)
7to 1 agst Cape Flyaway (taken)
10 to 1 agst Knightsbridge (taken)
12 to 1 agst Man at Arms (taken)
12 to 1 agst Upperhand (offered)
14 to 1 agst First Lord (offered)
16 to 1 agst Malpas (offered)
SOMERSETSHIRE STAKES.
6to 1 agst Bumble Bee (taken and offered)
7to 1 agst West End (taken)
Bto 1 agst Moorcock (taken)
Bto 1 agst Anthem (offered)
9to 1 agst Eskdale (offered)
100 to 8 agst Ipswich (taken)
100 to 8 apt Farmer from Kerry (takes)

THE REEDY*.
3to 1 agst Dundee (offered)
6to 1 eget Diophantus (offered)
Bto 1 agst Rouge Dragon (offered)
Bto 1 agst Klarikoff (offered)
100 to 8 agst Dictator (taken)
100 to 8 agst ICettledrum (taken)
9to 1 eget Sildonan (offered)
33 to 1 apt Imaus (taken)
40 to I sgst itoyalieu (takes)

'RES FOR 1861.
LY.

Harpenden
Epsom 2B
lE.
Odiham 25
Newcastle 25
Bibury Club 26
Stockbridge
Winchester

Nottingham 16
Stamford .. is
Southampton .. 23
Hartlepool i 29
Goodwood 30