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Leader (1850-1860), 11th September 1852, Edition Town of 2, Page 865, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      W of which the eminent critic whose report we are abstracting says—« yf 6 have never heard so magnificent a performance of glijah as that at the Town-hall this morning . The orhestra was prodigious , the chorUs prodigious , and the C rincipal singers almost faultless . There appeared hut ne predominant feelinff in the whole phalanx , marshalled fad conducted with such skill and decision by Mr . Costathat of doing honour to Mendelssohn , who , only six years back in the same place , himself directed the first performance of hia greatest work , and was aided by no inconsiderable number of the same executants . Of that event , which will live for ever in the history of music , the performance of this morning was a worthy anniversary . "

      Madame Viardot and Herr Formes , perhaps , bore the palm in this performance ; but Madame Castellan , Madame Clara Novello , Misses Dolby and Williams , were , each and all , irreproachable in their execution of the music ; and Mr . Lockey , who elicited the special approval of the composer at the first performance of JSlijah , in 1846 , proved that the praise " had been well bestowed . " Encores are very properly forbidden on these occasions ; but the unaccompanied trio , " Lift thine eyes / ' was so deliciously sung by Madame Novello , Misses Dolby and Williams , as to extort a manifestation from the audience to which the president conceded a repetition of the air , with questionable discretion , as the effect of the succeeding chorus was entirely spoiled .

      The pecuniary result of this performance was a total sum of 23031 . 13 s . Id . The first miscellaneous concert took place on Tuesday evening ; the great instrumental works performed being Mendelssohn ' s Walpurgis Night— " on the whole , admirably executed , " Mdlle . Anna Zerr and Signor Tamberlik being the vocal stars ; the lady astounding the audience by her brilliant vocalization in the variations of Prodi ' s air . The pecuniary result of tliis concert was 439 £ . 7 s . On Wednesday morning , the great attraction was the fragments of Christus , an

      unfinished oratorio of Mendelssohn , of which the performance was " certainly not perfect , but meritorious . " These fragments created a " solemn and deep impression / ' representing , as they did in their beauty and grandeur , " the genius of Mendelssohn in the fulness of his strength and majesty . " Haydn ' s Creation excited the usual delight . Dr . Wesley ' s anthem was found to be tedious , and the motett of Mendelssohn ( given for the first time ) was so indifferently performed as to leave the audience quite in the dark about its meritsa blot on the record of this festival . The amount of

      money received at this morning s meeting was 1649 / . 0 * . 6 d . The second miscellaneous concert , on Wednesday night , was extremely well attended . The Jupiter symphony of Mozart was gloriously executed . The Finale of Lorely , a posthumous work of Mendelssohn , consisting of a grand scena for a principal soprano and chorus , concluded the first part of the concert . " The execution , " says the Times , " presented much that was

      commendable , but left quite as much to be desired . " Maijame Clara Novello was deficient in passion and dramatic fire , but sang conscientiously and correctly . The band and chorus were careful and assiduous , but the general effect was incomplete , from the want of a more thorough study of tho difficult music . The sennation created by this Finale was enthusiastic , and lent fresh poignancy to tho sense of tho irreparable loss tho world of music sustained in the untimely death of tho

      groat composer . Tho second part of tho concert was chiefly distinguished by the celebrated air from the JPlauto Magico , sung by Mdlle . Anna Zerr as hIio alone can sing it , and tumultuously encored . Tamberlik Bang tho lie del del from tho Vrophete , tho oH'eet of which has been quite lost those hust two seasons at Covent Garden from being transposed to coax tho voice of Mario , with a startling power that convinced , his hoarorfl that ho alono in the legitimate- successor of Mario in tho character of ¦ Joh n of Ley don . The amount received at this concert was about double tlm amount obtained at tho first—viz .. 8 (» i )/ .

      On Thursday morning tho Messiah attracted an ixiniciKio audience , and the performance , under Mr . pm ta ' s guidance , was as nearly as possible faultless . 'Hie novelty was Signor Tamberlik ' s first attempt at H" » ging in the lOnglish language . Tho splendid tenor air , " Thou shalt break them , " wan unsigned to him , ami was delivered with prodigious fire and animation . The almost ; unprecedented result of this performance was an addition of 2702 / . 4 , s . lid . to tho charity .

      I he third and last miscellaneous concert took place <»» Thursday night—Heothoven ' s Choral Hyuiphony being the pH ] iir of f ] u , programme . On Friday morning the oratorio of Sampson concluded with great Sclat the music of tho festival ; and in tho evening h grand dreua hall crowuod a memorable weak .

      Untitled Article

      PROGRESS OF ASSOCIATION . JOINT STOCK BREWING . In the present state of opinion on co-operation it is pleasant to record the success of an experiment , based , to a great extent on co-operative principles . We refer to the Metropolitan and Provincial Joint-Stock Brewery . Mr . J . F . Bontem , who presided over a meeting of the shareholders on Wednesday , gave a cheering account of its prospects . They had commenced brewing early in order to test the public , and try whether an attempt to manufacture unadulterated beer would meet with encouragement . He was happy to aay that their expectations on that head had been fulfilled . Some discussion arose on the remark of a shareholder that the public would not encourage the Company , unless they brewed beer more suitable to the public taste . This was met by Mr . Stevens , the manager , who , from his acquaintance with the customers of the Company , could state that the beer did suit the public . The only objection he had ever heard came from a customer who had purchased a four-and-a-half gallon cask of small beer , at sixpence a gallon . A shareholder also said that the only complaint he had heard was , that orders were not executed fast enough . This was accounted for by the smallness of the plant , and the chairman said they had met to increase it . In order to effect this it was agreed that all those shareholders who had signed the deed and had not paid the call should be called upon to do so .

      QTTATT INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL . The examination of the children connected with the Quatt Industrial School took place on Friday week , and was conducted by the Reverend Dr . Dawes , Dean , of Hereford , and the Reverend George Bellett , rector of Bridgnorth . A numerous company were present to witness the proceedings , among whom were Mr . Jelinger C . Symons , one of the Government inspectors of schools . Quatt is an industrial school for the unions of Bridgnorth , Madeley , Cleobury Mortimer , and Seisden ( Staffordshire ) , and is capable of ? accommodating 150 children , or more .

      The farm consists of twelve acres—nine arable , and three meadow land . Potatoes , turnips , mangold wurtzeL vetches , carrots , Ac ., are cultivated to great perfection . The stock comprises six cows and a number of pigs- The cattle are stall-fed , and the manure is carried off into tanks , where it is available for manuring the land . The children were examined by the Reverend G . Bellett , and the Dean of Hereford . After the examination the children were regaled with tea and cake at Dudmaston Hall , the seat of Mr . Whitmore , where also the spectators were entertained to an excellent luncheon .

      Untitled Article

      LORD LONSDALE ON LIQUID MANURE . An intelligent correspondent of the Times has taken up the rather flippant remarks of the Earl of Lonsdale at the meeting of the Cumberland Agricultural Society , on the subject of " liquid manure , " in a letter from which we extract the following useful sentences . In reply to Lord Lonsdale ' s assertion , that in order to make the dirt of a town available to agriculture tho town must be situated on a hill , so that the sewage may be applied by natural gravitation : —

      " It is a great mistake to suppose that tho sewerage manure of towns , or the liquid manure of farm-steadings , cannot be applied to the fields by irrigation unless the towns or farm-steadings ore considerably elevated above the fields to be irrigated . In every town containing a number of well-constructed water-closets the waste of manure is immense , and of greater valuo than most men think ; and as to tho drainago of farm-steadings , which almost invariably is allowed to run to waste in tho nearest ditch or stream in tho neighbourhood of tho steading , as

      being of littlo or no value whatever , it is certainly in many instances a greater yearly loss to tho tenant than tho half of his rent . Where towns aro situated on a sloping bank , what can be more simple than to convey , by properly constructed drains , all the sewago water into tanks situated in a low place , and then to pump tho whole away , by tho aid of poworful steam-engines , almost to any distance , or , as in London , over a stand-pipo or an elevated place , to obtain tho nocessary pressure r ' Our readers will hero recognise the influence of the bold suggestions of Mr . F . O . Ward . Tho writer

      continues : —¦ "In many parts of England , wliero farming is carried on with much spirit , it is usual to cart out in spring a largo quantity of tho solid dung of tho farm-yard , and spread it oh tho grass lands , and tho tenant , when lie beholds in a few weeks a beautiful crop of grass springing up , makes a boast of bis skill and management ; but what is that but tho effect of tho soluble salts of tho dung being washed out by hoavy rains , and , sinking to tho roots of tho plants , affording ( hem instant and never failing nourishment ? and tho straw and coarso refuso of tho ( lung ,

      being bleached whito arid valueless , is tossed about with every wind that 1 ) 1 owh . Such management is bad , for the chances aro that before rain comes , tho valuable amrnoniacal salts aro extracted by tho heat of tho sun , or |> y drying winds , and the vuluo of tho dung , as well as tho tenant ' s labour , is for over lost . When wo shall sco pipes laid from towns along railways , and from tanks in a wollconstructod farm-yard through tho fields , with branches right and loft , stopcocks at proper intervals , with hose and nozzle , then wo nhall behold a hotter stato of thingn , and certainly a hotter prospect , than at present for tho enterprising tenant . "

      To tho discouraging sneers of Lord Lonndali ) at tho quality of Huwugu-iuil product ) which his cuttle refused to consumo , tho reply is simple onou gh : ¦—" liifl lordship should have diluted it woll—two-thirda

      of water to one of sewage—for depend upon it that , and the absence of fermentation , and , probably , a wet soil together , was where the mistake lay . Liquid manure , when well prepared , compared with solid manure , is somewhat like the tea and the leaves—for who would be so mad as to throw away the tea and use the leaves ?—yet it is astonishing that nine-tenths of farmers do this with the manure of their farm-steadings . " And he concludes with the following apt and just rebuke to the President of the Council : — " Lord Lonsdale should go into Ayrshire , and there he will see some spirited and intelligent farmers proving what can be done by the proper application of liquid manure ; for it is usual with some of them to cut their Italian rye grass six and seven times in ono season , two feet each time ; and , as to the cattle eating it , they prefer it certainly to any other food . Before his lordship again addresses a body of agriculturalists on the application of liquid manure , he should experiment a littlo more than he has done , for to speak from theoretical knowledge only bn a matter of so much importance to the agricultural world , is the sure method to discourage a most important improvement in agriculture , which , sooner or later , will become , as in Belgium , universal over England . "

      Untitled Article

      THE SANITARY REFORMERS AT TOTTENHAM . Tottenham leads the way among the places which have lately resolved upon cleansing their habitations . Last Monday the members of the General Board of Health went down to that village , officially to inspect its new water and drainage works . The reforms effected by these works are indicated in the report , which was read at Tottenham Hall , the residence of Mr . Purton . The guests from the Board of Health were Lord Shaftesbury , Dr . Southwood Smith , Mr . Edwin Chadwick , and Mr . F . O . Ward , of the Sanitary

      Association . Upon the subject of expense , the local board cannot forbear to remark that , so far as they have proceeded , they have found that in economy the improved system is as remarkably superior to the old arrangements as it is in efficiency . The construction of a complete system of sewers , upon the old plan of brick drains wide enough for men to pass through , would have entailed an enormous expense ; while the pipe drains have cost so little that it is probable that the rates levied to repay such cost will not much exceed the former expense of cleansing and maintaining cesspools , &c , to say nothing of the original expense of constructing them . Again , the charge for water supply is

      expected to be so moderate , that in all probability it will fall below the annual expense of labour and repairs , even to those who have already incurred the expense of erecting pumps , cisterns , &c , for their own use . The total expense of those advantages of perfect drainage , with the use of a separate water closet , together with an abundant supply of pure soft water , with a separate tap for each house , will probably bo somewhat less than 3 d . per week for each house , such as those occupied by the working classes , viz ., not exceeding 10 ? . per annum rental , being of course higher for house of greater value in proportion to tho Greater accommodation required . Gentlemen acquainted

      with tho amount of sewerage and water rates under tho old system , and who know something of tho expense of buying water of water-carriers whore there is no systematic supply , will bo well able to appreciate the economy of tho improved system . The local board would point out , with gratitude , to tho legislature , the very moderate expenso of obtaining the necessary legal powers under the operation of tho Public Health Acts , the cost being in the case of tha district of Tottenham 007 . 14 s . ii <( . only ; whereas , had theso powers been obtained by a local act in the face of an opposition , the expense , judging from an average of other canoe , would probably have exceeded 2 ( KX ) l .

      Tho approach of cholera is referred to , in the sumo document , with a propriety of feeling , and a soundness of judgment , by which our metropolitan authorities would do well to take example : — Tho local board , in learning that the cholera is again approaching our shores , pursuing the very course by which it has always arrived before , feels a new and powerful motive for pushing on the works with the utmost speed , in order that , so far as they are concerned , nothing may be left undone Unit mere human means may accomplish for protecting tho district from , tho visitation of that fearful scourge . Lord Shuftosbury , on behalf of the General Hoard of Health , addressed the members of the Local Hoard of

      lottenlium , on this occasion , in a speech of grout eloquence and interest . ; dwelling with especial eurnestiioks on the moral and religiotiK ameliorations for which sanitar y improvement furnishes ( . ho material basis , and . expressing his ardent hopo that the example of tho people of Tottenham would be followed by the inhabitants of other localities . Mr . Chadwick enforced similar truths , in bin usual quaint and original manner ; adducing , as he is accustomed to do , various striking anecdotes and illustrations , to allow fho wils of tho old sanitary regime , iinil tho advantages of the new oiks ; « m < l emphatically pointing out , in conclusion , the direct , connexion which hart been traced between the ravages of cholera and tho existence of stagnant putrifying matter under or around human habitations .

      Untitled Article

      S £ * tf £ tt * i »* 11 , 1852 . ] THE LEADER . flflS

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 11, 1852, page 865, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1951/page/5/