The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-19 00:00:00

THE IiANDEL FESTIVAL.

A rehearsal of the choruses of the " Messiah" took
place last night in the large room of Exeter-hall, the
area of which was occupied by the metropolitan por-
tion of the choristers engaged for the celebration,
some 1,100 in number. There was only an organ
accompaniment, and thus the efficiency and self-
reliance of the performers were fully tested. So satis-
factory was the result that Mr. Costa, who con-
ducted, had occasion to make but few interruptions,
and the readiness with which his directions were re-
ceived and realised spoke strongly for the general in-
telligence of the executants.
The effect of such a mass of woll•trained voices was
nothing short of sublime, and it was a musical study
of no small interest to mark how perfect in itself is
Handel's vocal part-writing—how sufficient and satis-
fying even without those instrumental accessories which
go to complete the score.
If the provincial choristers are at all worthy of
their metropolitan coadjutors, the Handel Festival will
have called together a choral congress unexampled in
the history of the art.
The tempi of some of the movements were takeif
extremely fast. Doubtless, however, Mr. Costa, in
his divisional rehearsals, purposely aims at the maxi-
mum speed, wisely foreseeing that this is only mode
of counteracting that tendency to dragging the time
which is the necessary concomitant of an aggregation
of such numbers as will be assembled at the Crystal
Palace Festival.

THE PAROCHIAL AUTHORITIES OF
MARYLEBONE.

Yesterday a joint deputation from the vestry and
board of guardians of IVlarylebone waited on Sir B.
Hall, at the offices of the Beard of Works, relative to the
alleged aggression of the Poor-law Commissioners upon
the right of local self-government. The deputation was
introduced by Mr. Nicholay, churchwarden, who
said that, finding themselves in a difficulty with re-
spect to the Poor-law Commissioners, they were
anxious to secure the right hon. baronet's good offices
with the Government in extricating them from it, and
wished for his advice in the matter. Mr. Hodgens
on the part of the vestry, and Mr. Tavener on the
part of the board of guardians, then explained how it
was that Mr. Farnell, the poor-law inspector of the me-
tropolitan district, attempted to take his seat at the
meeting of the board, in assertion of his legal right to do
so, and how the guardians, on the assumption that the
general act did not override the local one, prevented his
doing so, for which they were now threatened with legal
proceedings, to the cost of either the parishioners or of
the people at large. They did not want for any advice,
as they were determined to abide by their act ; but they
sought that the right hon. baronet, as their representa-
tive and as a member of the Government, should remon-
strate with the Poor-law Board on their conduct in
forcing litigation upon the parish.
Sir BENJAMIN HALL, in reply, went at great length
into the details and correspondence connected with
both the flogging of the women in the workhouse and
with the report of the Lunacy Commissioners relative to
the state of the wards for the insane, and said that
they so established the charge of mismanagement against
the guardians, that it was impossible for the commis-
sioners not to interfere, especially as in the first case
they had been invited to do so by the churchwarden of
the ratepayers, and in the second upon the representa-
tion of the Lunacy Commissioners. He was sure the
Poorlaw Board had no inclination to interfere with
their right of local self-government; and as he under-
stood that they were about, in regard for common de-
cency or humanity, to make the necessary accommoda-
tion for the lunatics, by removing the boys to another
building, he should represent to the Poor-law Commis-
sioners the propriety of not meddling again in Maryle-
bone. The interview lasted upwards of two hours, and
the detail of facts with which the right hon. bart. justified
the past interference of the Poor-law Board seemed little
gratifying to the deputation, one member of which seemed
anxious to cut short the lecture read to them by boldly
telling Sir Benjamin that his opinion was warped.

NAVAL STATISTICS.—The Debats contains a statistical
article on the losses experienced by the French and
other commercial navies in late years, from which we
extract the following :—" Of the 32,000 to 34,000 vessels
of all nations which are known to the maritime compa-
nies, 1,850 were lost in 1,852 ; 1,610 in 1853 ; 2,120 in
1854 ; 1,982 in 1855 ; and 2,124 in 1856. The month
of December continues to furnish the greatest amount of
accidents (303 out of 2,124 in 1856) ; then follows
January (289), then November (221), finally October
and February (219 and 192) ' • June is the mouth least
unfavourable to navigation. The number of vessels lost
without ever being heard of happily diminishes—in
1851 253 vessels were lost in that manner, in 1855
only 138, and in 1856 only 115 figure in this list.
But this only is still sadly extensive, for calculating
12 men to a vessel, it represents 1,380 sailors, who
in a single year have paid for the prosperity of
commercial relations. Ot the 115 vessels thus lost
in 1856, our navy figures for 15 and England for 42, and
to the total figure must be added 63 vessels burnt at sea.
But what is really alarming is the increase of collisions
at sea. The extension of steam conduces to this result.
In 1845 only 594 collisions, producing 56 losses, took
place ; in 1855 there were 743, with 69 losses ; and in
1856, 903 collisions, with 91 losses. The number of
these accidents, entirely due to the want of caution, and
of which the sea is innocent, has therefore nearly doubled
within the last 12 years. In that period no less than
7,916 collisions, with 763 total losses, have taken place.
This figure is thus made up :—Collisions between steamers
and steamers, 28 losses ; between steamers and sailing
vessels, 45 ; between sailing vessels and steamers, 90 ;
between saiing vessels and sailing vessels, 545 ; cases
where both vessel's sank, 55 ; total, 763 losses. Our
mercantile navy lost, in 1856, by storms, collisions, fires,
&c., 85 deep-sea vessels and 358 coasters, of which 18
sank in collisions. Consequently a French vessel is lost
every 21 hours, or, on an average, six vessels every five
days."

THE GOVERNMENT OFFICE DESIGNS.--The number
and magnitude of the premiums, in this instance consist-
ing of seventeen distinct awards, have induced an
unusual number of professional men to embark in
the competition, for the premiums promise at least a fair
return for time and labour to the competitor who may
succeed in gaining a prize, even if he fail in standing
first on the list. In this respect no previous competition
offers any parallel. When designs were solicited for the
New Houses of Parliament, "The Lords Committee,
agreeing with the resolution of the House of Commons,
offered premiums of 5001. to be given to each of the
parties whose plans should be recommended by
them, to be not less than three in number nor
more than five, and that the successful competitor shall
not Le considered as having necessarily a claim to be
entrusted with the execution of the work, but if not so
empl,yed he shall receive an additional reward of
1,0001." In the present case no less than 16 pre-
miums are offered ; two of 8001. ; three of 5001. ; two
of 3001. ; three of 2001. ; and seven of 1001. ;
making a total of 5,0001. as a stimulus to bring
forth professional skill. Considering, therefore, the
increased number of architects since 1836, it can scarcely
cause surprise that so many men have been found to
enter the list of conapetitore.--2'74 Builder,