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

CRYSTAL PALACE.

•

There is a general though strong impression
imong 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-nicing
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
go to Norwood after all if he wishes to see to perfec-
tion all the characteristics of the London holyday
folk in the zenith of their fun and enjoyment. Yester-
day, as Whit Monday always is, was a fair sample of
these fetes, and upwards of 30,000 visitors appeared
Ito find continued amusement from eaiiv in the
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
own account, whenever so inclined. Thus the
pastoral but lately much neglected game of kiss in
the ring was revived and played with as strict
regard to rules as if the amorous originator was
himself present to conduct the simple rite, and
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-
conveniences. 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. Toxophilites 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 artistes
performed before larger or more delighted audiences.
Many could not get within hearing of the oreheatra
and resorted to the Alhambra and ham sandwiches,
or turned from the contemplation of high art w 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 on his back that the real
danger is incurred, and we trust that no such
harrowing spectacle will he attempted at Norwood.

INDIAN RAILWAYS.

The report on railways in India for the year 1860,
by Mr. Juland Danvers, the secretary of that de-
partment, has just been published. It appears
that on the 31st of December last the number of
miles open was 842, being an increase of 208 during
the twelve months. Of these 842 miles, 100 are
constructed with double, and 742 with single, lines
of rail. The most important of the lately com-
pleted sections is that on the East Indian Railway,
between Cynthea and Rajmahal, Calcutta being
thus connected with the Ganges, so as to render it
possible for 250 miles of dangerous river navigation
to be avoided. No new lines have been sanctioned
during the year, and the Oude Company has been
postponed; 227 miles of the East Indian Railway
Company's scheme (Allahabad to Jubbulpore), 240
miles of the Punjab Company's scheme (Delhi to
Lahore), and 183 miles of the great Indian Penin-
sula and Madras Companies' schemes (Sholapore
to Bellary) have also been postponed. The extent
of line now in course of execution is 2,2921 miles,
of which 1,3531 miles are expected to be opened
during the present year, and the remainder in
1862. This will include the great Trunk line
from Calcutta to Delhi. The number of persons
employed on the lines at present opened is 18,789,
of whom 1,137 are Europeans and the rest natives,
the employment of the latter being found increas-
ingly practicable and advantageous, so that they
now occupy some of the positions hitherto filled
by Europeans, such as stationmasters, &c. A
scheme has been brought forward for a line into
the Guicowar's territory in connexion with the
Bombay and Baroda, and another to bring the I
French town of Karricall, on the coast of Madras,
into communication 11. it h the Great Southern of
India line. These, however, are foreign works, and
the India Government, although desirous of facili-
tating them, have no direct concern with them.
The importance of constructing ordinary roads as
feeders to the railway lines is engaging attention,
and the Madras Government has sanctioned the
construction of 43 roads, of an aggregate length of
1,083 miles. The usual rate of speed on Indian
railways is from 20 to 23 miles per hour. The an-
nual earnings on the 30th of June last were
£318,310, and will probably amount to £400,000
_
_ for the year ending the 30th of June next, but,
although the indications of traffic are satisfactory,
the ultimate prospects cannot be estimated with
accuracy until the entire cost of each line shall
have been conclusively ascertained. The cost of
_ the East Indian, for instance, was calculated at
£12,000 per mile, but it now seems that it will reach
£16,000 ; so that, instead of a revenue of £802,950,
to produce a net 5 per cent., there must be a re-
venue of £1,100,000. Out of 3,112,500 passengers
on Indian lines five have been killed. Up to the
end of last year the total number of shareholders I
in Indian railways was 17,118, of whom only
about 336 were native Indians. The latest
estimates for the completion of all the lines sanc-
tioned in India amount to £56,000,000, of which,
however, about £7,000,000 represent the cost of the
sections that are to be postponed, reducing the
essential amount to £49,000,000. Of this sum
£34,396,445 had been raised up to the 30th ult.,
the end of the Indian official year, leaving about 14
or 15 millions to be supplied, of which at least
£8,000,000 will be required for the 12 months end-
ing the 30th of April, 1862. Of these eight millions
six will be expended in India. The problem to be
solved is whether the total can be raised by the
companies or must be borrowed from the Govern-
ment. The order in which the entire £14,000,000
is to be raised is stated as follows :
In 1861-62 ........ £8,000,000
In 1862.63 . . .... .• • 4,000,000
In 1863.64
In 1864-65
All these amounts, with the exception of about
by
ory
o
£2,000,000, which can be raised by calls on
lou
shares must be obtained either ou debeututes
60 the
18
loan from the India Government. Darin
g.s Is to be
amount raised was £5,618,789, and if thi
followed by £8,000,000 in the current year, the