The Express.
London, England, 1862-10-07 00:00:00

THZ INTZRHATIONAL ZXHIBMON.

There was an exceedingly good average attend-
"nos yesterday, including an tmmense number of
working people and a fair sprinkling of soldiers
and sailors, who seem now., at last, to be finding
their way to South Kensington. The picture gal-
leries were crowded almost to suffocation, but the
visitors soon found that they had come on a boot-
less errand, the rooms being so dark that the
pictures on the walls were scarcely discernible.
The atmosphere also was exceedingly close and
oppressive, and sent the people in crowds to the
• balconies. The nave and courts were equally
and everything looked like a revival of
the public interest in the Exhibition.
The p •mary uses of the Exhibition building
being soon t to terminate, the question is
being very generally asked, " What will they do
with it r The contractors have received 200,0001.,
and the commissioners have retained 200,0001.
more, but they find that sum quite insufficient
for expenses, including Messrs. £elk and Lucas's
extraa, which amount to 800001. The fifth hun-
dred thousand, which is tote all the contractors',
mounts up very slowly, so that the prospect of any
surplus for the purchase of the building is becom-
ing more hazy every day. Supposing that after
settling accounts for the building the contractors
should be willing to sell it as it stands for
100,0001, or so, the next persons to be con-
suited would be the Commiaaioners of 1851, who would
demand 7,0001. a year, or about 300,0001. in a
capital sum for the ground. There would then be
60,0001. required to put the building in permanent
repair, so that, taken altogether, the public must
prepare for an outlay of about half a million if
they wish to preserve the building and devote it to
a permanent purpose. Should there be no bargain
of this kind, the Commis/sit:mere of 1851 could
insist on the contractors removiug the building at
once, by which of course a very considerable ex-
pense would be incurred. We understand that
there are projects afloat for the permanent employ-
ment of the building, and that sanguine hopes are
entertained in some quarters that Captain Fowkes's
masterpiece may be preserved for future exhibitions
and the admiration of posterity
The commissioners says a contemporary) were
long in deliberation yesterday touching several!
weighty matters which have crowded on their atten-
tion lately. We believe the moat important reso-
lution," which were passed at this sitting related to
season tickets, which are to be admitted after the
let of November, and until the end of the time
assigned for selling oft No more day tickets
are to be sold after the 18th of the present month.
The commissioners were also busily engaged with
questions of detail connected with the clearance of
the building. As a general rule, all portable arti-
cles will be allowed immediate removal, ou being
sold ; but heavy goods must remain till after the
final closing of the building.
The following schodla and organised parties were
present ..—Men of 91st Regiment, Chatham' in
charge of Captain D'Eye sad Lieut. Armstrong,
45, expenses paid by Colonel Patterson ; agricultural
labourers (men and women), 55, from Milton, near
Canterbury, by Mr. R. Lake ; la-
bourers, 15, from Stanton Wyvell, Leicestershire,
by Rev. T. Burnaby and friends ' • agricultural la-
bourers, 147, from Wendover, Bucks, by Captain
P. Smith ; agricultural labourers, 38, from Bow
Brickhill, Bucks, by Mr. Thos. Day; mechanics and
labourers, 61, of Millwall Tank Factory, by Burney
and Bellamy; printers, 17, Cursitor-street, Chan-
cery-lane, by W. Trounce, Req. ' • men of 83rd Re-
giment, Dover, 152, by officers ; malteters, 20,Ayle-
worth, Suffolk, by R. W. Iturleigh, Req.; choristers,
Canterbury Cathedral, 23, by the Dean ; Blue Coat
School, Oxford, 63, by subscription • Nixon's
Grammar School, Oxford, 77, by subscription ;
Sunday School teachers, 31, Kerealey, Warwick, by
Rev. W. Thickins.
The highest temperature yesterday, as shown
by Negretti and Zambra's patent thermometers,
was :—ln the nave, 66.0 deg. ; in the galleries, 67.6
deg.; in the western annex, 72.3 deg. The read-
ings were taken at 3 o'clock p.m.
The following were the total numbers admitted
yesterday, compared with the corresponding day
in 1851 :

IBIL
One Shilling day. i Season tickets 16:76
Monday, Oct. 6 { Ten Shilling Wile 076
(Payment

Total 47.01f

One Shilling day. i Semen Metals
Monday, Oct.. 6
Total 1ef7,816