The Express. — London, England, 1851-08-30 00:00:00

Flo ka.--A.... di. '‘..e... 0 7;,.0 4 ' , • ••" 4 .• •or - • - Tte 4fint%sl No. 1,565.] _[No. 36, EXHIBITION EXPRESS.] « THE EXHIIITION EXPRESS."—Our Sans► 1 ilxy's double number, thusentitled, having attidaal the object in view of which it was projected, will ears after this day. All articles of special interest is the Olaas Palace have been brought under the notice of the readers •jf the Express, and the Exhibition no longer supplies nr,tt er ittsalleient interest to justify the publication of a journal devoted to its exposition. On and alter Sept. 6th, Saturday's Yaws of the Express will resume its ordinary sin a n d price. THE EXHIBITION EXPRESS, FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, AUGUST 30. The gradual decrease in the ir.aster of visitors at the Crystal Palace which begs il to manifest itself at **commencement of the ftwath still continues. When it is borne in mind, b oacver ' that nearly four talkies et games have gt: A g gb, th e r i,ii sr a itlh ePeefing the bonding et . A its contents during the : ' : hundred days which h.• fe elapsed since the Ist - May, the present abatement of the cravings of public curi osity cannot cause sto pri„. The average attendance on the bidding days in the present week was 45,000, exhibiting a falling , of of 6,000 a day, as compared with the Mine 113 B in the previous week. '[he ultimate 1 ate of the building, and the appro priation of the enormous surplus with which the Royal Commis miners unexpectedly find themselves encumbered, c.re subjects upon which public atten tion is now earnestly directed. No decision or ex pression of opinion in reference to either point has been giV , AI as yet Ay the Itoyal Commission, and the gene cal impression is that none has been arrived at by tliat body. li% hen the Royal Commission was constituted, the present embarras de rirhesse was not anticipated, and consequently no definite provision was made for the appropriation of tiny surplus. The commissioners, it is true. modestly adverted to the possibility of being left at the close of the Exhibition with sonic funds in their hands, and in that event undertook to apply them to purposes strictly in connexion with the undo of the Exhibition, or for the establishment of similar exhibitimis for the future. It seems pretty clear that they will consider that pledge to be binding on them, anti will nut sanction the outlay of money on the building to adapt it to purposes foreign to those that it has fulfilled hitherto. That government will interfere in the mutter is extremely doubtful. Then the building is utterly out of keeping with the rotten railings and dingy walls in its neighbour hood, and as the close of the industrial pageant appruachen, the levellers of " The Woods and }crests' evince symptoms of eagerness to begin the work of demolition. The conclusion to be drawn from these indications is, that if the public is &sir ' ous tit preserving the Crystal Palace fur its recreation ur amusement, it must "help itself." In the mean time it is whispered that a plan is in course of arrangement by which, it' backed up with the regal.- 1 site amount of public support, the building may be' perpetuated as a winter garden. 1 'I he manner in which the juries have disc their funetions,anti the mina:which it is inte= pursue respecting the distribution of rewards, are topics of great interest at the present juncture to ex hibitors, and letters upon these subjects will be found in another part of our columns. On Wednesday last a meeting of the local com mittee and eutes:ribers to the exhibition took place in Itirmingimm, at which Mr. Lucy, the Mayor, pro pounded a plan fur the disposal of the surplus funds : Rio opinion was that there was as much native talent in England es in any country of the world, mind that the great advantages whith foreigners obtained over us in matters of lases and deeign was owing to their public buildings con- Ink*, works of the highest art. The Mayor Instanced the legallmetional schools and museums of France. Ile al iened that the endowment of the Great College of France esquired 6,01101. a year, and that the sum of '200,000/., twitch he had hears" spoaen of, placed at interest, Mould produce an annual sum of 8,11001. &year fora similar purpose. The Nlnyer then read the following memorial : "Tu his Royal Highness Prince Albert and the Royal Commissioners for the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations for 15.31.—We, the undersigned, magistrates, incr . chants, manufacturers, designers, and others, interested in the commercial and manufacturing prosperity of the town of Birmingham, beg respectfully to address your honour able board. Your memorialists have witnessed with the highest gratification and pride the unparalleled success of the Exhibition of IWO, and the beneficial results which it has drawn forth, and which will be felt not only by this nation, but by the whole civilised world. 'this vast un dertaking, conceived in the first instance by your Royal Highness. interpreted in its true light by the various great manutacturing districts of this kingdom, and carried out so effectively by all nations, has pro dared a large surplus from its revenues, which, if de voted to some great object, might extend the beneficial effects of the Exhibition of POI over centuries to come. With this object your memurialists, as partly representing one of the greatest manufacturing towns of the empire, have felt called on to address your board. Amongst the many projects for usefully disposing of the large sum of money alluded to one apparently the most favoured, has been to purchase th e great building fur the purpose of creating a winter garden. Your memorialist* feel that whatever might be their individual opinions um the advan tages of such a project to the inhabitants of, and visitors to the metropolis, still they cannot perceive that the solemn pledge given to the original subscribers, and to the country, k, devote any ',tiepins to the prmnotion and improve. meat of arts and manufactures, could be fully carried out by such an appropriation, or that such would benefit the nation generally. Your memorialists have long felt the neceseity tit some more extended system of practical and scientific education in England, which should place within the reach of the industrial classes a much higher standard of scientific attainments than they can now ever hope to possess without very ample means. Your memorialists are convinced that with greater facilities in elementary scientific education, intimately con meted with, and always accompanied by, practical illustra tions and manipulation*, there would be found as much original genius and talent to develop in the people of this country, in, in those of the great continental states of Eu rope, and that such development would greatly facilitate the maintenance and extension of our manufactures and com ment. 'the great and rapid strides which locomotion has taken on the Continent, and the constant international com munication which is the result, have extended science and mcchaeical sod artistica' knowledge widely over those na tions; and thus one vast school of arts and sciences exists, with its member. , in constant communication, from which this country is partially excluded, from its geographical posi tion. Same of your memorialist", in their late visit to Paris, have witnessed the advantages which the rising generation of manufacturers is ther e enjoying, in their educational establishments ; and although not favoured by the posse.- toe of such vast see:purees in raw materials, mineral wealth, sod fuel as Great Britain has the blessing to enjoy, they . have established such colleges as the Conservatory of Arts and Manufactures, and the Central School of Arts and Manufactures, which are especially destined fur the instruc tion of manufacturers and artisans, either entirely free or at a low charge. These central colleges, under the charge of the state, and with most efficient and interesting museums attached, have ramifications extending over other import-int unumfacturing districts of the country. In such echoed. are the youth of France brought up, receiving, particularly in the provincial schools snatched to the twos, rsat.ry, and iu the Central School of Arts, the highest standard of scientific instruction in connection with the arts, mantifeetures, and design, matured by practical illustrations and 'lenience in manipulation, and a knowledge of the particula r trade in which they are eventually to devote lion professional talent is designers. Numerous young men educated at these colleges, of first-rate talent and rwcusp esperience, pass examinations of very high stan d, and receive diplomas which are a passport for them 'a mane twits of the Continent, as managers and directors utmost inalsortant manufactories and establishments, and enablin g tin in to find lucrative employment even in England. Prom these source. have sprung some of the most eminent re the age, enjoying rank, consideration, and wealth, rn trum the se temati c education which they receive 1".".. Yo ur Memorialists admit with pleasure and grati- PO, that the government has already made a great st..p !I advancing this object by the establishment of schools of reign, and the Museum of Practical Geology; but still the ant are only partial iu their advantages, and the latter ladY an isolated branch , which exerts but little immediate Me i fie til influence over ' the arts and manufactures Reacr" y. r memorialists, therefore, deeply convinced that 1 ribere general and elfieient system of scientific practical is required, would respectfully suilliwt LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, honourable hoard, that th e E x hibiti on THRS UDAY. of 18 honourable developed more fully the necessit y The number of visitms to the Crystal Palace on kr. such means of instructi on, an d h as a l so pro- .ted ample mean, for accomplishing an object so close ly this day was 43,244. allied to the original intent , on respecting the disposal of , Caah account, Aug. 28. any surplus receipts from the Exhibition. For such reasons Season tickets your memorialists would solicit that a great central college At the doors . 2,167 11 0 of art. and manufactures should be establi s hed i n L on d on, , and endowed with the whole of such surplus receipts which Total receipts will probably exceed 200,000/. ; and that a museum of arts The following shows the temperature as recorded by and manufactures shall be formed at the college, the basis of which might be need advantageously Mr. lienaett's thermometer., being the moan result of selected (rota the present Exhibition. That previa- 100 readings:-10 o'clock, 39 deg. ;12 o'clock, 62 deg.; cial school., having the Name object in view (such 2 o'clock, Gi deg.; 4 o'clock. 66 deg.; 6 O'clock, 63 deg.; as schools of design), should have coanectiou with the mean temp era t ure , 63 deg. great Central College, and he carried on under the same system; and in order that the public may be satisfied with 1 FRIDAY. the administration of these provincial establishments, and I The Crystal Palace was yesterday visited by have a voice in the general system of education which is 15 ego pe rso ns. of such vital importance to their own commercial prosperity , • ' . . your memorialists would suggest that where such provincial: The Royal Commissioners yesterday announced their inten. tamely may be founded in boroughs, the mayor. should be Lion to have upwards of 15,000 MSC, prepared for the pur er officio members of the general board of Metropolitan pose of holding the medals to be awarded by the commis , Direction. Your memorialists have thus endeavoured to act boners to the foreign and local commissioners., &c., and to forth to your honourable board the sentiments which have so the exhibitor, at large. The medals will be about two strongly urged them to act. They are desirous to devote their , best energies in furtherance of an object which th e y feel is fur inches in aiameter, and one-eighth of an inch in thickness. the honour and welfare of their country; and they have ' The executive committee are, therefore, desirous of receiving the fullest confidence that your Royal Highness and the I specimens of appropriate cases, either ornamental or plain, Royal Commission, who have carried out so successfully the , i'TOM undertaking which devolved on them, are the persons - horn, leather, papier mache, gotta ',ceche, or pre-eminently qualified to undertake an object of such other suitable matenal, with the wholesale price ; to be great national importance." delivered at the offices of the committee between this It is intended to submit this plan, without delay, and the 9th of September. to the public fir signature. A discovery was made in the early part et the day by A memorial similar ia , character was also agreed one of the attendants in the Indian department, while em upon at a meeting of the local committee of exhi- ',toyed in cleaning some of the Indian weapons, which some. Worm, which was yesterday held at the Council-hall, what terrified the operator. The weapon in question was a Sheffield. The memorial, after referring to the Con- dagger, with gold hilt and hendle, and richly ornamented servatoirc des Arts et Nletiers and L'Ecole Centrale, ease; and while pressing upon one part of the handle at l'aris, states: somewhat heavily, he was seemished to see what appeared Your memorialists recognise in such institutions a wise to be the single blade gradually expand and open out intention on the part of foreign governments to develop into four double-edged pointed blades, leaving a spear manufactures by applying increased science, skill, and in telligence to their cultivation. They feel that in the in- like weapon in the centre of them, with four sharp edges. creasing competition of the world it is name try to join This five.bladed weapon, with its twelve sharp edges— education to practice ; and although they do not think that which, through the kindne*oand courteeyuf Mr.Downing,the a practical estimation in industrial science can ever of itself active and intelligent superintendent of the department, we make manufacturers, they are fully convinced that, when had an opportunity of inspecting—is without exception one of the scientific principles of manufactures are more thoroughly understood by practical men, they will b e b e tt er a bl e to themost murderous-looking specimen, that we ever recollect apply them with advantage in their respective industries., to have seen. In the collection of this class of weapons and to promote economy and impruvements in manufacture there arc several ether instruments of a similar murderous sag prOrt •Mll. character, among which may be mentioned a three-bladed Your memorialist, aelmowledge that, i n collecting speci mens from different exhibitors fur the purpose, as they sup- knife, manufactured ice the states of Ulwar, the construction pose, of founding a MINIM] of arts anal /11.111UrICIMVI, you of which has sorely puzzled many of our most experienced ere proceeding in the direction of education ; hut they are cutler.. The blades are not arranged in the ordinary manner, fully convinced that such collections can only he made hut two of them together, with their handles, arc concealed efficiently useful when used as a baeis of instruction, and that, as a mere collection, they cease to be of much impel'. in the blade and handle of the outer or larger one. They tame in the advancement of industry. are nll of the finest Damascus steel, with exceedingly keen The memorial concludes by expressing a full con- edges. There is a dagger with two blades, also mania viction that the judgment of the Commissioners will factored at Ulwar, of the same construction, and orscx. brat mature the details necessary for carrying into ceedingly beautiful workmanship. As fine specimens of , alfeet the moat efficient plan fur industrial Cdussation. ornamentation, we may also mention three daggers menu- At the Stephenson Banquet, given at Bangor on facture(' in the states of his Ilighnesa the ltujah of Wednesday, :kir. Paxton, in acknowledging the cum- Johdpore, one from Nepaul, one of dark steel inlaid with pliment of health lacing drank, said : gold from the states of liajpootenah, two Burmese, sad So much had been said by himself' and others about a stiletto 31.elacca dagger. There are also some weal ons the Cry.tal Palace, that he felt totally inadequate to rind of a similar character, one with a beautiful enamelled Rot, any new subject to entertain them with. But per haps they would allow him an that occasion to men- manufactured of indigenous materials, from the ltajpoota lion a circumstance which he had mentioned b, fore, nail states. The large knife of the Burmese is also a most with referehee to the distinguished individual to whore they formidable-lookirar weapon. had that slay done honour; he WAS not only the author of Caah account, Aug. 29. the Britennuebrielge, hut he considered that Mr. Stephenson Season tickets gave him the meet efficient support in the origin of the At the dour, 1,559 17 6 Crystal l'alascv—(hear, hear,)—scud it was mainly due to that gentleman's influence that his plan for the Exhibition building was ultimately adopted. (Loud cheers.) "And," cont . .el Mr. Paxton, " where do you suppose I gained mast of my MIMS ? I received them from the same source as our distinguithed gusat himself. Fur many years I had the felicity to have the acquaintance of his revered father— (cheers) —and I ask any one who was ever with that gentle. man for five minutes, whether he did not derive some ad Total receipts The following shows the temperature during the day, as recorded by Mr. Bennett's therminucterg, being the mean result of 100 readings :-10 o'clock, 51; 12 o'clock, 56 ; 2 o'clock, 57 ; 4 o'clock, 69 ; 6 o'clock, 57 ; mom tem perature, 56.6. • vantage from meeting with him ? There is one urtwback to the proceedings of this day, and that is, that the elder Mr. Stephenson has not been permitted to live to ace the realisation of the seine which this aNserably presents. (Hear, hear.) But, gentlemen, his spirit is here; and that spent will survive so long us a locomotive engine shall run, and as long as railways shall exist to advance civilisation throughout the earth." (Hapttunus applause.) THE WEEK AT THE GLASS PALACE. Mos!,Ay. On this day, according to the police returns, the Crystal Palace was visited by 40,0'21 persons. The provin cial amount of the attendance was again very strong, sup ported by the large number of Excursion trains now run ning. A special train of this character arrived at Euston square at eleven o'clock on Monday morning from North ampton, delivering a large number of guests from that town and the district adjacent. Shortly before, and oddly enough, a special train had brought between 2,000 and 3,000 visitors from Southampton by the South Western Railway. Mist of the passengers by the latter train were to return in the evening, and will thus have travelled IGO miles in the day with time allowed to see tho Exhibition for the sum of 3s. Cash account, August 25. Season tickets At the doors 2,436 14 0 MEETING OF EXHIBITORS. —.Ate appeared on Wednesday, by ad -,ments and placards, that "a public meeting of the exhibitors of all nations" would be held last night at St. Martin's Hall, Long-acre, " when business of great import ance both to foreign and British exhibiters would be brought laniard." Accordingly, at 7 o'clock, the time appointed for the commencement of the proceedings, about 100 persons MOW amembisd In the ball, but as there - was no cheek upon •fiftimiem s ft was impossible to ascertain what proportion of them came properly under the denomination of "exhi bitors." Placards were posted in the ball, and bills were heely distributed at the door, announcing an " exhibitors' grand banquet and file of all nations," to be held early next month. At half-past seven o'clock the audi• este, which had increased to about 200 persons, be eame somewhat impatient at the non-appearance of the parties who had convened the meeting, and two of the gen tlemen present undertook to go in qnest of the "committee" and ascertain the reason of the delay. On their return, however, they reported that though they had found a com mittee-room, there was not a soul there, and on applying to the officials connected with the building, they were informed that the hall had been engaged by a Mr. Willett, and that there was no committee in existence. This statement excited great indignation in the meeting, and many per- Total receipts ...... £2,439 14 0 sons lowly. complained of the hoax of which they had The following shows the temperature, air recorded by been the victims. Mr. Willett, the gentleman who Mr. Bennett's thermometers, being the mean result of 100 was stated to have engaged the room, was, however, ob readings .-10 o'clock, 59 ; 12 o'clock, 65 ; 2 o'clock, 69 ; served in the body of the hall, and was forthwith called to 4 o'clock, 70 ; 6 o'clock, 68 ; mean temperature, 66.2. the chair, and requested to furnish some explanation of his TUESDAY. objects. He said that he had called the meeting together On Tuesday a larger crowd thronged through the to afford all exhibitors an opportunity of social intercom% rain than had taken advantage of the line weather of the with a view to promote their harmonious co-operation. He previous six days. thought the awards of the jurors ought to be made publi c Notwithstanding the approaching period for closing the i mme di ate l y, i n or d er t h at the successful exhibitors might Exhibition, many rare and valuable articles continue t o be reap the benefit to which they were justly entitled. Mr. sent in. On this day a magnificent toilet table, with Betty then moved a resolution, requesting the Royal Corn oxidised silver figures and ornaments, looking.glass, ac, missioners to make known immediately the names of the on suite, arrived from the &Biro:rein, together with some, successful exhibitors. Some discussion took place, in other splendid articles of furniture. There being no space the course of which Mr. Ridgway expressed his opinion to place them near their legitimate position, a place will be that the Executive Committee was not composed of per fitted up in one of the spaces connected with the eastern son. of sufficiently high standing in the metropolis, and refreshment court. Further arrivals from Tuscany of that their duties had been discharged in a slovenly manner. richly gilded furniture and plate-glass also took place collie also stated that at the recent fetes in Paris, at which the same day. A number of large packages from Calcutta 'be had been a guest, the English exhibitors had been treated have just arrived at the East India Docks, destined for the I with the greatest respect by their French entertainers, Indian department of the Exhibition ; their contents are while the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor of London had not, however, yet known. I treated everybody, including his compeers, with the most Among the many liberal landed proprietors who have disgraceful inattention. (Laughter, and • cry of " What given their labourers the gratification of beholding the has that to do with us? ") Mr. Harris considered that the Exhibition, is Mr. W. J. Sadler, of Bentham, near chairman and the gentleman who moved the resolution Swindon. Wilts, one of the exhibitors. This gentleman were making fools of them, and that the meeting was a forwarded, at his own expense, by the excursion train mere humbug in order to advertise a dinner. (Laughter ham Swindon, on this day, the remainder of his servants and cheers.) A gentleman in the body of the hall pro wl labourers, who, with the number previously lent, form paled that the meeting should be at once dissolved, and a total of fifty. They wore, as before, white ribbons in their Mr. Willett immediately vacated the chair, amid general bats, as a token of recognition, to avoid inconvenient dis- laughter. On the motion of Mr. Harvey, the chair was pinion in the building. In the agricultural department then taken by Mr. Payne, and Mr. Harris moved that a trust of them were at home, and examined many of the committee be appointed to apply to the Royal C ate f or with much interest. ' aioners for the use of a portion of the Crystal Palace for The police returns show 51,311 arrivals. the purpose of an Exhibitors' banquet. This motion wu Cash account, August 26. carried, as was also a resolution disavowing on the part of Season tickets £s 10 0 At the doors banquet at Soyer's Symposium, announced for the 2nd Total receipts £2,499 0 0 of September. A committee was appointed to carry out The following shows the temperature during this day, as the " social views" of the exhibitors, and some explana recorded by Mr. Bennett's thermometers, being the mean skins having been given with regard to a protest to the result of 100 readings :-10 o'clock. 58; 12 o'clock, 63; Rooyal Commissioners agreed upon at a former meeting of 2 o'clock, 6.3 ; 4 o'clock, 63; 6 o'clock, 62 ; mean tempera- exhibitors, and which, it was stated, had been placed in tare, 62.2. the hands of Prince Albert, the proceedings terminated at ten o'clock. WEDNESDAY. The Crystal Palace was thinly attended on Wednes day, the police returns giving but 38,228 visitors. The great lock eontrovcrsy appears to be not yet finally settled. Mr. Hobbs, having opened the lock of Mr. Bramah, has now turned his attention to some articles of a similar character exhibited by our French neighbours; and on this day, in the space of one or two minutes, he opened a letter-padlock in the French department, which helkad not seen before, altered the " word," and refixed it on a staple; and should the owner of the lock succeed in taking' it off without being told the " word," or arrangement of i the letters, it will not say much for the value of this sort of lock. The following is the Cub Account, Aug. 27. Scums tickets At the doors 1,898 1 0 --- Total receipts A RARA Avis IN THE GLASS PALACE.—The at tention of naturalists has been recently much arrested by two specimens of that extraordinary animal the Orcitho rhyncus, or duck-billed playtypus, exhibited in the west nave (Sec. 16) of the Exhibition. It is a native of Austra lis, and bean some resemblance to the beaver and the otter, with a fur similar to those creatures. The head is rather eat, and the mouth furnished with a bill like that of a duck ; it is, notwithstanding this marvellous incongruity, a very pretty looking animal. When first sent to this coun try it iris received by zoologists with caution, amounting to suspicion ; nor was it till one or two more specimens ar rived from Governor Hunter (we believe, and addressed to Sir Joseph Hanks) that naturalists were ready to allow that the beak was naturally attached to the body. Sir Henry Haltord also devoted much time to the investigation of this subject, and succeeded in establishing the fact of its reality —a satisfactory instance of the progress and accuracy of scientific application. The Great Ezhibition has been the means of placing this zoological wonder before the public. It is exhibited by Mr. 0. Ellis, of Fore-street. The following shows the temperature, as recorded by Mr. Bennett's thermometer., being the mean remit of 100 readings . 10 o'clock, 63; 12 o'clock, 65 ; 2 o'clock, 68 ; 4 o'olock, 68 ; 6 o'clock, 67; mean temperature 66.2. LUGUST 30, 1851. EXHIBITORS AND THEIR REWARDS. TO TUE EDITOR Or TEE TIMES. Sir,—l hare long hoped that some one who felt strongly interested in the Grand Exhibition would make known to you sentiment* that prevail among many of its promoters upon subjects that affect the full success of the great work ; and it is only on reading the decisions of the last meeting of the Royal Commission that I venture to un dertake the task. It had been I tlid not credit the nsser tion—that the medals awarded by the juries of the various sections would nut be declared until the Exhibition was closed; the Royal Commission have decided at their last meeting that such will be the case. This resolution has been taken not only without consult ing the jurors, but all of these to whom I have spoken must strongly deprecate such a decision. Are the labours of the 300 jurors, men selected out of all Etrope and America, who have worked early and late for more than two months, who have devoted their best energies to arrive at a just and pro per appreciation of the distinctive merits of the works ex hibited—are these labours and their awards not to bear the test of public opinion ? Are the public never to know which works are selected as worthy of reward ? The whole tone of the report frock the Royal Commission conveys the idea that the medals will not be awarded for any excel lence iu degree; if so it is. why have they appointed juries at all ? Are the men of ail nations who have thus worked conscientiously and harmoniously together in a manner and under circumstances unexampled—are they to feel that their services were superfluous ; nay more, that the Royal Commission think it necessary almost to excuse their acts? The eyes of every country in the world arc upon the Royal Commission in their conduct of this matter. Their path must be clear and open; it is so usual to let the public know and appreciate the awards of juries at exhibi tions that the reasons fur a departure front this rule should be strong indeed. Is it from the fear of offending rival manufacturers? or an apprehension that foreign countries I have carried away more uncials than ourselves ? It cannot be these. Do the Royal Commissioners forget that they, firstly offend great money prices to be contended tier by manufac turer of all countries, and that afterwards, suppressing the money, they invited them to contend for honourable distinctions to be awarded by three classes or medals ? Fo reign exhibitors expect that the same course will be fol lowed as in their own countries, at Paris, at Brussels, at Berlin, where the awards of the juries are marked un the exhibited articles while the public eau appreciate the justice and propriety of the selection. The Royal C0=1361400 would have it inferred that the first-class medal, by M. Bunn:trite!, will be given by the council for special reasons, not as a mark GC excellence in degree. Why spoil this high honour ? It is well known that the first-class medal was recommended by the juries for those objects that showed the highest excellence. The ceremonial of presenting the medals is not very clearly indicated, but it appears that the closing of the Ex hibition is not to be a great public act; the opening was originally proposed to be a quiet affair, this was afterwards altered ; let us hope that its last day will be one of gran deur also. The jurors and all connected with the Exhibition have lately rctursied from Paris, much gratified with the splen dour and beauty of the fetes; delighted, also, with their cordial reception individually amoug•t all classes. We feel that this splendid hospitality of the French municipality and government should be responded to by some grand fes tival of a public ur national kind on the part of England. Is there not one—is thin no official body which can give direction to this ? Hampton -court might perhaps offer attractions equal to St. Claud; and u reception and ball at the Crystal Palace might help us to veil our blushes in comparing the Ilotti de . . . Ville with the Mansion-house of our cit) , friends. A review at Spithead might interest as well as the brilliant sight in the Champs de Mars. These or other fetes would enab!c us to ask our French friends to come and receive our thanks on English ground. The Royal Commission have a high and very responsible duty to discharge. They hare promoted to the best of their ability the success of the Exhibition tip to thi.present time; they base now to act so that foreign nations shall in future times declare, not only that the International Exhibition held at London in Mil was noble in its conception and grand in its execution, hut also frank, just, and honourable, #0,40 pens at sane reprvelie, in the honours it awarded. I am, Sir, your obedient servant. Aug. 25. AN ESC3LISII JUROR. Sir,—l cordially concur in the judicious and well tinted remarks of " An English Juror " which appear in your paper of to-day. It cannot, I think, be denied that theneeessity now more than ever exists tin' at once oflici..lly putting before the public the decisions of the vartou4 jurits of the Great Exhibition. Report with its hundred tongues has already circulated so many contradictory accounts as to the nature of the awards, that, but fur their absurd cha• meter carrying refutation with them, the effect might be highly detrimental to the interests of a very large and iui port:int body of the exhibit or. The official report of the intention of the Royal Commis sion unmistakeably denotes that the prize question is one which has given rise to no ordinary difficulties, and bids fair to prove an insurmountable obstacle in the way of the complete success of this otherwise most successful under taking. The attempt to make "things pleasant " by the proposed wholesale and indiscriminate distribution of "prizes, medals, books, certificates, and distinctions," can only be viewed as a kind of admission on the put of the Commission of the difficulties of their position, and of the peculiar mode they have adopted of encountering them. We are told that the decisions of the professional juries who have undergone the drudgery of personally examining the; various products with the view of awarding the prin cipal prizes to the most meritorious works—a task of no ordinary difficulty and delicacy—have been most arbitrarily and unjustly set aside by other juries, consisting of non professional men, thus casting an unmerited slur on the Integrity or the ability of the former body, who, by reason of their practical experience, must be the most competent for the performance of such a duty. It can scarcely be necessary to expose the glaring injustice and wont of com mon Willie of vesting in persons who may know nothing whatever either of art or manufactures on which they are called to adjudicate the power of superseding the awards of others especially appointed for the purpose by reason of their practical knowledge, but such a mode of procedure cannot fail to bring the whole system into contempt, and to deprive those who have fairly earned their laurels of the distinction., which should necessarily attach to them. If this be an unfounded rumour, it is obviously of the utmost consequence that the public mind should be disabused on so important a point, for if it can he truly shown that the independence and integrity of the professional juries —the only tribunals recognised by the exhibitors—have been thus destroyed, there is an end at once to all confidence in the awards which may hereafter be announced under the au thority of the Royal Commission. If, too, as has also been reported, first-class medals have been awarded, not in respect of the intrinsic excellence of the articles exhibited, but front some official reason not made apparent, it is evident that great injustice has been in flicted 'won those txhibiton who, at a vast outlay, have sent in the chef d'eurres of their factories and ateliers, and have thereby no largely contributed to the beauty and at tractiveness of the Exhibition. Another, and more cogent reason, however, exists for an immediate official announce- ment of the awards. Our French friends have already most industriously and boastfully circulated in their journals a list of the great medals gained by their countrymen, by which, as I learn, they claim no less than 42 of the priori pal prices. Where, let me ask, have they procured this in formation ? By what breach of good filth have the French journalists been able to obtain and promulgate information of a strictly confidential character, and of which the Royal Commissioners were themselves ignorant up to the date of their last meeting on the 21st inst. ? Surely some steps should be taken by the Royal Commissioners to counteract so flagrant a branch of their regulations, and to protect the interests of the great body of exhibitors from a premature, unauthorised, and perhaps garbled report. " An English Juror" most justly states that " The Royal Commission have a high and very responsible duty to discharge." It is, therefore, the more incumbent upon them to see that the original awards of the profissional juries are carried out in their integrity, and not to permit the exercise of petty intrigues and private influence among other bodies to interfere with the decisions of practical men, whose names and talents are a sufficient guarantee for the honesty and ability of their verdicts. If the Royal Com mission be found wanting in this important duty, on them alone will rest the odium of the only failure in con nexion with the Great Exhibition. I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, Aug. 27. AN ENGLISH EXHIBITOR. VISIT OF PAUPER CHILDREN TO THE Exam- TION.-It has been arranged that the pauper children at present in the St. Pancras Workhouse 11114411, at an early day, have ■n opportunity of visiting the Crystal Falser. The expense will be defrayed by a contribution from each member of the vestry. lhis mode of affording the poor children a day's instructive recreation emanated from Mr. Churchwarden Baker. [PRICE (DOUBLE SHEET) FOURPENCE CONTENTS OF TILE GLASS PALACE. THE MEDLEVAL COURT AT THE GREAT EXHIBITION. It has been said of Mr. Pugin, perhaps not with out truth, that though he cannot design the majestic proportions of an ecclesiastical edifice, he is neverthe less unapproachable in his manner of constructing a finial, or a crocket, and all other minor members of church ornament. If there ever was a chance of coming at the truth, most assuredly now is the time. There manufacturers of repute, each in their several way, Messrs. Hardman, Minton, and Crace, have united their efforts in further ing the Pugiuistic designs. Though the present sys tematic arrangement of the stone cuttings, wood carv ing, of the tiles, mosaic, and stuff-embroidery in the mediaeval court is far more satisfactory to the eye than that adopted at St. George's Cathedral ; a close inspection tends considerably to qualify admi ration. The stiff rigid forms of an exploded art arc doubtless to be found accurately enough copied; but the secret charm of the handiwork, the pleasant strokes of the chisel, all trace of hammer mark are gone ; every detail though striking is but an unintelligent approximation to the venerable furni ture it strives to mimic. The medireval court seems to have been fairly enough divided in its ministry to the temporal and spiritual wants of all good catho lics. If at one side industrial neophytes are invited to kneel at the shrine of the venerable Dom. I'. 'Walsh, or at the altar of some saint as yet mica nonised, at the next they are invited to a buffet carved with devices emblematic of the very best cheer. If in ono easement are to be found pyxes, thuriblcs, and staves, crosses; and cha- Ikea, in the next may be found an inseu ventory of salvers, cups, and platters, lee. The ecclesiastical furniture shows a manifest supe riority over that which is merely of a quasi-religious nature. It shows that though a priesthood may inflict paintully hard and uncomfortable seats on its parishioners, they in their turn are not less alive to the necessity of our modern improvements. Fancy being compelled to live in a chamber fitted up as it has been temporarily for us by the complaisant l'ugin. One wonders first whether any heat could come out of that hearth, and, if it did, whether the unfortunate doves forming the procession on each side would not in due time hi consmned by a slow !tame. And, as if with some misgiving as to their ultimate chance of escape, they have not only been further se cured in slabs behind the grate, but are also seen com placently strutting on the andirons. Nor arc the Lion and the Unicorn treated less scarcity: seldom have they had to perform a more ignominious office as supporters of a fire-screen, with their heads coin• pletcly twisted round on their backs with ultra heraldic anatomy. Then, again, look at that " Prie- Dieu ;" we have seen on the continent many a monk or cardinal kneel at his orisons, but never on such a rieketty uncomtbrtable concern as this. One shudders to think of an " Eminence" trusting his burly per son to such feeble support, and the consequent igno minious capsize. How could he be expected too to collect his thoughts with such a glarin. abomination as the triptych which surmounts this prayer-stool; with its tawdry -middle-pattern, and maudlin Santa Catherina and Maria, seemingly extracted from Hamilton's dresses; the only remedy would be to close those fly-leaves,even though at the imminent risk of upsetting the candlesticks adorned with ltrummnagem fleurs-de-lis. These noble emblems of chastity are lavished with a reckless pro digality which sets alike time, taste, and circumstance at defiance. litre it may be found stuck into the brass ornamentations of a cup board ; there inserted in the an te-pendium, sculptured in stone, or chased in silver. One soon becomes satiated with the perpetual recurrence of vine-leaves o and pine-tops, interspersed more or less with emble matic devices and seutchcons. By frequent re iteration of the same motives, one becomes alive to the necessity of introducing the human figure, or even animal nature. But clearly Mr. Pugin pins his faith to napkin-work, to scroll-ornaments, to slender shafts, and assiduous imitation of scales. Of the " Gothic pianoforte," on the " patent repeater cheek action principle," it is needless to dilate : it is a small monstrosity of its kind. Gold, it is well known, lets hitherto mainly served the purpose of annihi lating limn, and here being spread over the whole instrument, in its unburnished state, it effec tually conceals any beauty of form, it might originally have possessed. The large sideboard claims o the merit of reminding one of one of Froissart's illu minations, particularly the dazzling carved roof which projects over it. The very pleasantness of the shale however would call for bolder relief and leas timid under-cutting. The salvers, and the credit with which they are charged, are among nut the best specimens of embossed metal to be seen in the Crystal-palace. Clumsy in design, glossed in execution, and spurious in colour, they are no more calculated for real service than the tin helmets of stage heroes. Of the ecclesiastical portion of the display, it is hard to know what to say. Taken separately, the wood carving, the silver-work, and the stone-cutting are admirable specimens of workmanship. But no sooner are these brought together in close com panionship than their inaptness to harmonise is at once made painfully clear. To the end of time it will evidently assume the form of patchwork. 'f he variegated tiles of Minton will have nothing in com mon with the stone carvings of Crace. The red dra peries, powdered with ducal coronets and lilies, will never blend with their brazen supports. Mr. l'ugin himself avowsthat in church decoration colours should be contrasted, hut not subdued, and here, indeed, we we can only point to most unsatisfactory results. With such a chromatic scale of harmony as is afforded by brown,green,red, and blue in immediateauccess:on ,as adopted in the arrangement of paper patterns exhi bited, we have only a further illustration of a disas trous principle which has been carried out to the letter in the new houses of parliament. If one looks at such specimens of art-manufacture as the lofty oak rood, or the wrought brass lettern beside it, nothing can be more admirable than their fashioning ; nothing can equal the artful concealment of manual labour, unless it be a conse quent insipidity of execution. Perfect in its way is also the stone altar, on which is figured the "Saluta tion of the Virgin." The emblematic lily in the flower-pot seems suddenly to have sprung up. The incised brasses have also a good deal of quaint cha racter about them. Mr. Pugin is clearly a better hand at sepulchral than baptismal monuments. There is a poor little font, which is sorely tasked with a huge excrescence of wooden pinnacles. The small figures ensconced beneath a massive groining, and forming the base, seem to be lost in thew sense of inferiority. Immediately above, four angels, in still worse plight, seem to be supplicating to be relieved from their untenable position. On the whole those things give least satisfaction which evince a desire to remain content with the forms sanctioned by former times, without a straining after injudicious improvements, and ill-sorted adaptations. This is conspicuous as well in the embroidered vestments to be donned by the bishops as in the in laid utensils with which they minister to Roman faith. In the make and measurement of cope and chasuble, stole and maniple, Mr. Pugin is as superior to the continental artist us silk is to buck ram. The latter, still extensively used in catholic countries, is utterly repudiated by Nlr. Pugin, as well as their monster patterns. Though neither a Man tegna nor a Holbein, our architect can erect a cre ditable candlestick; he is a dab at spiral knops, and inlaid crystal ; and if he is a trifle too fund of sprink ling about indiscriminately doves and ball flowers, still the neat way in which their time-honoured forms are compassed go far to redeem the effects of bald composition. THE FINE ARTS COURT. Every one, more or less deeply versed in the cheer ful subject of criminal statistics, has seen those strange foreign maps, in which the different degrees of moral culpability of a whole nation are rendered visible at a glance. Thus aWM some departments are made to assume an unenviable hue of black, others appear on the contrary quite fair, with of course numberless shades between, denoting clearly the average depravity of these provinces. If an in dustrial map of this description were made out attic, contents of the Great Exhibition, we know of no compartment which would come out of a more unmitigated black than the Fine Arts Court. It is quite incredible what an agglomeration of artistic delinquencies is there offered to mortal vision, thinly scattered with perhaps a dozen works of real merit and sterling character. Foremost amongst the latter we would place Mr. Armitage's Sybil of " Peace," whose attitude and expression seems to indicate a doubtful sense of the honour or possibility of mixing in such company. Her glances seem less directed to the smouldering implements of war at her feet, than at the dubious earrings, would-be new inventions, and the thousand knick-knacks, which would just pass muster in sonic provincial museum. Perhaps one of the most deplorable symptoms to bo met with in the Fine Arts Court is the boast of self tuition; and the egregious complacency with which this is announced, not to claim leniency for such efforts, but as it were calling for superior admiration at the results. Every man who can whittle at wood, who can handle card-board with a pen-knife, or de sign with a but poker, at once fancies himself a pro digy ; cork, elder-pith, bog-wood, and leather are made to alternate in the abominable mimicry of na- Before noticing more particularly the few good specimens of deconttive manufacture, the raw ntato nals of art collected here and elsewhere call for not ice. At one of the nave entrances of the Zollverein do- partment is an unpretending little box, containing, Irides numerous fragmentary specimens of amber, different solutions of this material, which have attracted the attention of the artistic community. in three small glass vials may be seen that problem to the ancients, the "magisterium sueeini"—asolution of amber, by means or alcohol or volatile oils. The suceinic acid" is here in a state as clear u it has hitherto been turbid. An ample account of this vehicle is to be found in Sir Charles East lake's able work. Merely indicating the subjects to those more immediately concerned therein, and pointing to the numerous specimens of amber, rough or ready, (lug out of pits, or washed on the shores of the Ealtic. we pass on. Whilst everyone must easily comprehend that l)antzie mug al;vays have the command of the amber trade, owing to na tural or antediluvian laws, which cause the material to be blown on its coast, it. becomes just as difficult to understand why in Italy the manufacture of paper has remained stationary. Strange as it may seem, the drawing paper still in use is now made at the same place, and we believe by the descendants of th e same firm which furnished Italy's greatest draughismen with materials ; the watermark clearly indicating Fabriano, between Ancona and Perugia. While thus seemingly digressing, we now arrive at the driven point. Both the northern amber-varnish and the southern paper are allowed to be the best for their several purposes; and yet neither are to be had, ex cept of course in the gross. Neither are to be found, for instance, in Winsor and Ness ton's splendidly got up case of artistie materials, in the gallery allotted to the chemical compounds. Here may be Salmi in tempt in garmy evergvehiele from poppy to mast ie,from copal to linseed, but no label p o i n t s t o t h e m i xture exhibited by a I)antzic apothecary. Messrs. Winsor and Newton, of Itathbonc-place, exhibit cobalts and cochineals, chromes and c' bars, emeralds and ochres, canvasses and panels, brushes and badger tools, which even a Gerard Dow or a Mieris would in vain have called for. In the Fine Arts Court Messrs. Roberson, Rowney, and Miller have erected stands of artistic manufacture. Whilst Mr. Rober son has successfully solved the problem of blending copal and varnish into what is known as their me dium, Mr. Miller has taken out a patent for having rendered colours vitrifiable and in con sequence more durable. Silica is the name of the substance, which is employed alike in oil and water colour. While, however, bearing ungrudging witn e ss to the decided superiority manifested in the method of preparing and grinding colours, it is impossible not to perceive the glaring errors into which that very perfection may have led us; and it is not going too far to assert that all the schemes for producing paint ings by mechanical processes have ended in the utter • discomfiture of the system. Mesas. Baxter and Kronheim can never be conceived to be even art's journey -men, as long as they imitate painting so abominably. Blocks in the heads of these gentlemen assume all the virtues of brains. If Mr. Baxter crams an incredible number of tones into a very limited space, Mr. Kronheim, on the other hand, offers borne compensation, negativing his scale of harmony as far as possible. Both are supremely painful for two reasons—first, because they 'hr. late all sense of form and light and shade ; secondly, because the colours as put on are essentially- false and inharmonious. 'I his statement of plain tact is only warrantable by the strange infatuation with which these paintings are held up as miracles of power and invention ; they are as paltry in power as others by band are the re verse. We need scarcely point to the mantels of Essex, in which surprising fidelity in reproduction is united to imperishable execution. Though Mr. Carrick does not lay much stress on intrinsic dura bility, it is but too evident that the relatives of those he has delineated on white marble, in preference to the usual ivory, will be anxious to combat with care, the effect's of time on the too-fleeting colours. Other miniatures of royal ceremonies may possibly in time acquire that interest with which their execution as yet fails to invest them. By far the pleasantest features of this compartment are the wood carvings executed by Wallis and Rogers. 'rho first, perhaps, following a trifle too close on the heels of Glinting Gibbons, in the way of composition, though perhaps superior in other respects. Mr. Rogers has nursed his reputation in his cradle, a most dainty and delicate piece of work manship: he must, however, be alive to his finikin tendencies: the lime-tree and box-wood doubtless in vite detail work, but the British oak is not to be tickled with pen-knives, larger tools were evidently employed on the Kenilworth buffet, exhibited by Cooke and Sons, of Warwick. It is massively constructed, and not over-elaborated with figures, and these skilfully executed ; nevertheless, a more decidedly Elizabethan character would have been desirable. There is Elizabeth in one of her progresses; there are courtiers and poets; and more conspicuous still, dan c i ng b ears . [hough sometimes, it is said, still to be met with on occasions of festivity, this animal has hitherto been confined, as a decorative member, to Bernese monu ments. Pleasant associations and difficulties van quished serve to render the piece of furniture unu sually interesting. The same can scarcely be said of the Trish bog-yew carving, which is made the me dium of compositions of " Harpers in Tarah-Hall ;" Comae and Brian 'laminate. It is difficult to decide whether these, or the Edinburgh pier -table carvings bid more defiance to an invisible foe than to the commonest rules of design. In comparison . with these, the rough carpentry of the Victoria ship head altnost elicits admiration. One fancies this figure already mounted on the prow of a vessel, and steering clear of the obstacles of an over-crowded harbour. Would that we could follow her example. Here to the right we full foul of a three-decker, 120 guns; to be sure, its substance is only cork, but cork of the quality of the make, wretchedly inferior. Turn ing away from this, and a little way oft; you come in collision with the I /undo° Anglo-Saxon arch, which manifestly bears off the palm of ugliness, only equalled by its originality. It would require the whole vocabulary of tracery to distinguish one after the other fi ve or d ers superinduced. It would seem as if the architect was anxious to collect all the fragments of Saxon architecture into one composi tion, just as another gentleman has thought fit to gather the valuable morsels of the shattered Port land Vase. Flying from the frigid "Altar of Minerva" by Piaglev, one finds pleasant shelter in Me. idochi's farm close by. While occupied with ture.