The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-04-30
Franceni's Hippodrome-Grand Dress Re-


The first performance in Franconi's Hippodrome
given last night before the members Of the New York
press and q select company of gentlemen, making an
audience of between four and five hundred persons alto
gether As it is the rst enterprise Of the kind at
tempted in this country, it has been regarded
with ordinary interest. In comparison with the
magnificent and brilliant exhibition which we wit
messed last night, the equestrian performances
of the circus sinks into utter nsgnifcance The Hippo
rome capable of containing at least six thousand per-
sons comfortably seated and there is room for three
thousand In the passages The Interior which is
of an oval shape three hundred feet long, by two hun
dred wide, aud the course is about one sixth Of mile
round The middle this vast Is laid out in beautiful
parterres the verure Of which presents admirable
and striking contrast to the dull brown of the
These parterres are ornamented with illuminated foun-
tains and handsome flower vases The stadium, which
contains these attractions is separated from the course
by slight fence and entered by four gates The
itself is about forty feet wide and covered over with
oose earth. The whole interior is most imposing in APP
pearance and when illuminated by its thousand
lights the spectacle 1t presents Is brilliant beyond de-
scTipton. The roof is formed by an immense canvass
covering feet square, and supported by Eve poles
rnasts each Of which eighty feet in height The seats
constructed with great strength SO as to prevent the
remotest possibility of accident and arranged in
such an admirable to give every spectator
opportunity seeing the performances Kthe lights
somewhat better distributed it would leave nothing fur
ther to be desired but they placed at present it
with difficulty that those the highest seats can see
the pymnastic feats in the stadium. The exterior Of
the building very plain and unpretending, consisting
simply of wall Of brick about twenty feet high 1--WE
except two rather fantastic wooden towers situated at
the side facing Broadway wooden roof extends from
this wall Immediately over the seats in the int
a.
Of this gigantic concern. We should state that
the posts or uprghts which placed in front of the
seats are embeshed with heradc bearings and armora
devices imitation Of those displayed during the ages of
chiyalry at tournaments.
The performances, of which we are at present
unable to speak in detail, were exceedingly brilliant
and imposing. They consisted Of horse racing cha
riot racing (after the fashion Of the Olympic games)
series of surprising gymnastic exercises, grand
steepe chase race OF ostrches, exercises Of the
n,anoe in which Mons. Franconis celebrated dancing
horse Johnster goes through variety Of extraordinary
terpschorean feats and grand tournament intended
to represent that which took place in France, and
which is known the Field of the Cloth of Gold"
This part Of the performance reminds strongly of the
tournamt mt described in Tvanhoe" OF Sir Walter
Scotts most interesting novels There less than
ninety characters introduced in this piece consisting Of
the kings of France and EngandFrancis the First and
Henry the Eighth the mobiles Of the two countries the
knights at arms, and numerous array of standard
bearers &C. The English distinguished by the lions
ebazo1ed on their banners, and the French by the
fer de lis Both dressed in the greatest magnif
ceuce and the whole of surprising
procession, embracing the whole
force was formed, and, after marching round the
course two or three times, the heralds took their
positions at the gates leading into the arena,
xoI.o
The chaengers then entered each finging down his
gauntlet the ground daring the other to mortal COM
bat Then followed the preparations for the tilt which
was announced by the shr and clear tones of the ella
RON
CAT this the challenger, with fierce defy,
His trumpet sounds; the challenge makes reply;
With capgor rings the field resounds the vaulted sky
Their visors closed, their lances in the rest,
Or at the helmet pointed, or the crest
They vanish from the barrier, speed the race.
And squirting, see decrease the middle space"
The whole representation admirable and had an
appearance Of reality about It that excited the deepest
interest Of the spectators Some of the knights
horsed by the superior skill of their sntago-
nsts and carried off in dying condition from the
Of conflict. horse, which killed in desperate
counter, carried Off ON hurdle. The manner in
which the animal feigned death displayed degree Of
training which we have never seen surpassed in any
equestrian performance.
The races were as intensely exciting as the most
az dent lover Of the turf could desire. and SO
Deeply interested the spectators In the issue
tina; they seemed to have lost all control
themselves and applauded and cheered their favor
ties with az much earnestness as If they had heavy
bets der endant upon 1t. Indeed, II limited that
there was considerable betting done during these
We cannot close this biief sketch without word OF
for The female equer Rams whose performances
venture to cay have never been surpassed equaed
in this country. We m.y take occasion hereafter to
peak Of them more infinitely. As q whole Francons
ippoarome has been as as the most sangune
could desire and We have doubt IL will be literally
by the New York public.
The company consists OF one hundred and forty per-
formers. Of whom about thirty Besides the
horses, OF which there about eighty, there ten
psficEes four deer, FIVE canels two elephants and
number Of monkeys, whose performances ex lite
siderable merriment
CUBASs COMING 70 THE NEw YORK ExrrBTIoS.-The Did
de la Hdlcnd that each day increases the list OF
PERSONS and entire families who avaling themselves Of
he facility Of reaching New York by steam are prepar
no 70 Wit, .hje civ IN the month of Nav 10 be
II the greet universal esbiDOn seine sprod1sss v .e