The Express.
London, England, 1855-05-17 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, MAT 17, 1855.

de Neufehatesa's proposition, made to the republican
Isemeninent in the following year, was based upon the
lealven to him by the late commissioner. A ro-
te the archives of the ministry of state would
est di matter right; and the increasing popularity
sifindestriel exhibitions enhances its importance. Nor,
la abider, st these exhibitions, should England
soapy the very modest position the conductors
of the hunch press are inclined to give
her. These gentlemen should turn back the
pages ot their industrial records, and leans
that long since oar Society of Arts (from which M.
Benjamin Delesent, in 1801, copied the Societe pour
l'Encouragement de l'lndustrie) and Royal Dublin
Society had gathered together special collections of
industrial products. They should also learn that
many of our provincial towns had held industrial ex-
hibitions before the great year 1861. Io short, they
should learn English history, both political and
social, from the beginning, and devote the first year
of their studies to the destruction of prejudices whisk
are evidence of a malevolent spirit and of ignoring&
This present Exhibition will achieve wonders fee is.
if, among other benefits, it bring the English people
in immeaiate contact with the French people. There
are mutual advantages to be gained from this meeting,
advantages upon which I have already dwelt more thee
once, and which I need not recapitulate. The barriers
have been down only a few hours—people destined
before October next to become test friends have only
just shaken hands for the first time—the juries have
not yet made their critical tour of the building—we
can, therefore, only indulge in cheerful speculation ;
but we are assured that our dreams of the good re-
sults destined to be realised are reasonable. I will
now proceed to offer your readers a rapid view of the
gaccete/ distribution of the nations of the world, as
by their industries, in the two great
prepared for their reception.
' Your readers are aware that three dieinot build-
have been prepred for the Exhibition, vie., the
de l'lodustrie, containing about 500,000 square
lbst English, or about half the exhibiting Parfet* of
the building erected in Hyde-park for the Exhibition
et 1861; a gallery, 4,000 feet in length by 100 feet
is width, situate upon the quay known as the Cours
is Reins; and a third building devoted exclu-
sively to the fine arts, which has 16,000
entree of wall space. I have already described
these three buildings to your readers-1 have even
informed them on the details connected with the
gallery that is to join the Palais with the long
gallery. To describe the distribution of space gener-
, ally, I may state at once that the Palais presents to
the visitor a collection of the manufactures of the
world ; that the long gallery exhibits the raw mate-
rials and the machinery, which are combined to pro-
bes the manufactures; and lastly, that the Fine-Art
building exhibits the highest modern developments
et that artistic genius which it is the ambition 01
every enlightened government to wed with its
industry. To follow the French classification, the
?skis m devoted to the objects comprised in the
classes running from XIII. to XXVII. inclusive; the
long gallery to classes I. to XII. ; and the Fine Art
building to classes XXVIII. to XX. Of the man-
ner in which the several departments or classes art
distributed and arranged it would be perhaps prema-
ture to judge. At present, the buildings (with
the exception of that devoted to the fine arts) offer
to the eye of the visitor only faint outlines of the
dint intended. The Falau may be likened to a
may pale photograph—full of happy suggestions—
rliof art—but all, as yet, shapeless and Indio-
The distribution adopted by the English
committee is, however, the most sensible of any in
the building. Remembering that in 1861 the courts
exclusively devoted to textile fabrics were generally
deserted—that people preferred to crowd about De-
lares's envelope machine—the Koh-i-Noor—the Rus-
sian diamonds, &c.—the English government autho-
rities have grouped these fabrics about the walls of
warts devoted to metals, earthenware, and other
articles not requiring so great a height for their dis-
play. In this way visitors moved by a love of pottery,
seedy charmed by cutlery, will be lured bettor* the
textile fabrics of England ! The idea is a happy
one, undoubtedly ; and I think Manchester
would have done well to fall in with it. But k
appears that the cotton lords prefer to remain apart
from Glasgow and Dunfermline, in the majesty ot a
separate, solid block of epos. These English cotton
manufactures occupy no less than 6,000 square feat
ot epos, and are represented by about 38 exhi-
bitors. In 1831 these manufactures covered 1,744
square feet of space, and were sent by 64 exhibitors.
In other departments of the PaWs, however, the tex-
tile fabrics are to be found, as in former industrial
exhibitions, grouped apart. Lyons, for instance,
occupies a long series of gay gallery cases to the
teeth ; and under these cases Elbreuf and other ma-
anfeeturing towns of France display their heavy
lathe. Yet these cloths might have formed excellent
beekground for the exhibition of plate or jewellery.
It is the jealousy of exhibitors which often destroys
the possible effects of an exhibition like this. No-
body will have his contribution made subordinate
M that of his neighbour. Yet when combinations
san be obtained they are always effective, and
lend to the advantage of all contributing par-'
des. Thus the southeastern gallery staircase, with
its beautiful stained windows, and the chandeliers
sixteen feet in length, that are to be seen by their
'mellowed light—all of British manufacture—will
}cwt to visitors one of the most pleasing effects of
the Exhibition. The arrangement of this daimon,
leading to the splendid Indian bazaar, is excellent ;
and I see nothing in any other part of the Pekoe to
equal in completeness and in taste this corner of the
building. The stalk are of Eastern architecture,
roofed by ceilings from India, filled with Indian
curiosities. Hers the French will pause in wonder at
the wsedrees patterns produced in the East ;
at a civilisation widely different from ours,
bat still a civilisation. The tweedy curios will be
amused with the excellent models of Indians variously
employed: selling sweetmeats (which are an Eaters
peeks), or working at a loom which presents a
wan sus contrast to the kolas to be sus
fs the keg gallery. Yet let the visitor who
tusk inclined to laugh at the Indian's machinery
attentively examine the manufactures produced by
k—the fine carpets of which no European mush.
teen, would be ashamed—end he will elan to be
usseed only. Indeed, no thoughtful vivito, sea
weeder into this south eastern corner of the bwithout thanking the East India Companye=
Vedas and expense (80,0001) which such a sense-
den el 'adorn products meet cost.
Fun this interesting owner the visitor will was.
Ilse westward peat the glittering gold plate al the
addemithef Company ; past the Sunderland sue—
with its ship models in tubes; past the carpets sad
hangings hstessed against the pillars, with thank-
lists hanks, helve= (an emegmaset adopted by
the Impseld Oemmiedeeses, whisk reminds all
English deka, of the Crystal Palms is 1661) ; put
the gay stall of De la En and Co.; put theenoellent
milisetvon of English' Frieda( and ducats-litho-
graphs pad the British -phekgrepie whore the
names of Means. Thumb's,- Monroe, Ila
Coeds% and others are
to the Belgian, Austrian, and Zoilversia depart-
ments.
The Belgian gallery spew is filly compied, chiefly
with lace, furniture and laangicgs, pbstaraphs. good
Redeems of printing, cheap furs, brushes, sad china.
Itismoreadvaseed than the other parted thetallcise,
except that part occupied by England sand by the
French Lyons axes. As arrangement, or
decorative ornament expend= stalls, this section
presents no remarkable features.
From the Belgian the visitor advances to the Ace-'
mien gallery space, where be will find various light
manufactures—but, as yet, nothing in any way equal
to the Austrian display in England in 1851. A iler-1
lin wool trophy will arrest the attention of ladies as
they advance into the Zollverein gallery epos. But
before finally quitting the Austrian section of the
gallery the visitor should remark some contributions
of raw silk from the Tyrol, the fine wall case ooetaia-
lag silk@ from Vienna, and MOO ribbons from the
Austrian capital.

The Peril gallery display includes some beauti-
ful print's, boa Dadra ; and, I believe, some remark-
able fakir" as the plashes ocatribuited by Sae-
asaaa, of Berbu, faxen threads, dm.

The &Mini& geserally oterapias all the south-
western earner et the gallseiss. The epees is well
Ailed, sod digkyst emenspt other objects, a large
eellesden of the esishrsupd Bulls outings, some
which appeq to be perthalsrly fine, after Rauch:
Goths alrssdy dimplsys saw Essollsat mar Maris

and Fontaine, of Mannheim, have arranged a fair col-
, lead= of prints; Fromann, of Darmatadi, has sent a
wonderful collection of fantastic playing cards (to
suit the whims of the gamblers of all netting); I
noticed a large case of indifferent photographs from
Munchen, and some specimens of gold leaf from
Nuremberg. The Zollverem space is bounded on the
north by some long and elegant cases filled with
castings, aid artistic manufactures of various kinds.
The south-western gallery staircase is lighted through
stained glass windows, some of which call for par-
ticular remark at a future period. The space at the
head of the staircase has also been turned to account
for the exhibition of some heavy pieces of Berlin
casting.
The western gallery is divided among Sweden and
Norway, Holland and Switzerland. Sweden and
Norway have does little more than take possession
of their space. Let us hops that from Norway we
shall fled some good samples of the wonderful wood-
carving which the Norwegian peasants execute in
the long nights of their hard winter; and from
Stockholm some good silversmith's work. Holland
has laid out an effective little court, and occupied it
chiefly with some peculiar furniture, and some fine
carpets. '1 he Dutch collection includes some models
of iron ships, some carvings in cork, Btc.
Switzerland is not so far advanced as sedate
Holland. But already the Cantons have sent some
interesting contributions. Lausanne is represented
by a floe cue of embroidery from the establishment
of Deplite FrAres. This stall includes a red velvet
chair exquisitely embroidered in straw, with a
needle.

The sorth-western corner of the gallery is wholly
given u_p to a court in which the raw materials upon
which Lyons depends are exhibited in various stages
of preparation. We may here see the silkworm's
story, from its first nibble at the mulberry leaf, down
to the tiros when its web is ready to be thrown over
the shoulder@ of a dainty lady. In this court, where
cocoons lie about in every case, the visitor is properly
prepared for the wonders to be found in the splendid
aeries of Lyons eases, which stretch away to the
eastern extremity of the building. Spain and Por-
tugal have two squares of space at the south-western
point of this northern gallery. As yet they have
exhibited little or not hiog. In addition to the Lyons
eases, there are some floe French lace stalls in this
gallery, exquisitely decorated. At the south-eastern
point of the northern gallery are the squares of space
given to Sardinia and the Roman Suttee. Sardinia
promises an interesting, if a small collection of ob-
jects. Already she displays a beautifully ornamented
bookcase, surmounted with the head of Dante, and
inlaid in every part ; also some stuffed animals.
The Roman States are very backward. The western
some of the gallery appears to be given up to Paris
Irish for the exhibition of those nothings of exqui-
site taste fur which our allies are remarkable. At
the staircase-door there is a little cue of Alenson

lace, noticeable for the superscription. which runs
thus—"Fibrique footle sous le Ministre Colbert."
But the spirit of Colbert has a wider influence over
these galleries than the Alenson manufacturer
dreams of.

The eastern gallery includes the space ceded to
the Two Sicilies (but not occupied), Tuscany, Greece,
Tunis, Turkey, Egypt, China, and Persia. There is
no sign of occupation yet given either by Egypt or
Persia ; indeed, I believe that the great Sunderland
cue stands in the very centre of the Persian allot-
ment. Turkey, however, occupies a very gaudy case,
to be filled with the well-known manufactures of our
brave allies.

We will now rapidly pus through the ground-
floor oourta and passages. Descending the south-
eastern staircase we arrive in the midst of the
English cottons. Making our way northward,
past the English engineering department, and the
great English organ, the only one at present in the
Palace, we arose the passage to the eastern entsmese,
flanked by Carew's group in relief, and spesimens of
marbles, &c., into the northern half of the Palms,
which is entirely devoted to French exhibitors. It
would be unjust to criticise either the disposition of
the French courts or the character of French sow
tributions at the present time, for no part of the
French section is complete. We have only hese wad
there indications of the manufactures to white
various courts and passages are given up. Theme we
will rapidly indicate. The north-eastern se nets
whence visitors turn westward, is marked by Ism.
four Lemonnier's hair trophy—a colossal gnus of
birds, rock-work, &0., all, according to the artiet's
English, placed over his frame, "executed human
hair entirely.* I should recommend Prince Napo-
leon to send an English gentleman round the
bnild-
isgs to correct French-English; and a French gen-
tleman to correct English-French. We now proceed
rapidly westward through the French courts and
passages. •
We enter, first, a vast region given up to printing
of all kinds—the opposite nave court being the pro-
pe•rty of the booksellers and publishers of Franco.
The Imperial Printing-office promises a splendid series
of contributions to this section. Even now we re-
mark some beautifully executed maps; the French
constitution printed in gold; some delicate litho-
graphs by Atibry-Lecomts, Calms, Bouvier, L. Saba-
tier, L. Laroc, and Raffet. The examination ef
theme works conducts us to the opening to the nave
court given up to plastic ornaments: it is prettily
arranged, and contains some very wield opesimes
of this peculiarly French art, including wonderfal
fruit and shell flowers. Cootinuing ear way west-
ward we traverse the photographic aegis= of our
ghee. The collection already contains ems sew
derful specimens of the art-science. We renaniteil
some fine photographs from sculpture by Ms
some good portraits by Dejouge, including as
effective one of Prince Napoleon, the President of
the Imperial Commission ; a large stall ossepled
by Brim= Frites, whims collection includes a fine
view, large size, of the Aro de l'Etoile ; a cue of con-
temporary industrial celebrities by Olivier and Co.;
and some camera studies of the nude, the Moralities
of which make them very low indeed. Peonies the
t=rraio, we approsch the crystal regions of the
igte. The bright manufactures glisten from
pale bins souters—the nave court to the left pro-
mising to be very brilliant: We still make our way
westward, past huge bottles, and tubes, and retorts,
and sheets of coloured glue, to where the passage
hem the principal entrance to the nave divider
spate. here, glancing north and south, we find a
remarkable mines of ornaments of all kinds in baked
earth, with elaborately ornamented terrautta chan-
delier dangling overhead. The huge terra-ootta,
sr baked earthen, ornaments which are the first ob-
jests that arrest the visitor's attention as he enters
the building, are not happy specimens of French art.
That to the left, with the pretentious inscription
" Renaissance de rarchitecture religious,' Lin exe-
crably bad taste, the figures of the Virgin and Child,
gaudily painted, appearing beyond the spire els terra-
cotta church before them. From this wogs we
continue our way westward through the Mink
regions of the French space, and the regions of
Eked, &c., of which we will my nothing at the
present time. They are far from finished. Arrived
at the western end of the building, we turn to the
south into the Zollurein ground floor sections. Here
we find matters more advanced. Already an im-
mense collection of metal manufactares, some of
singular excellence, has been arranged, together with
some fine marble furniture. Under the western gal-
lery Wurtemburg has arranged some pretty toy ma-
nufactures, and the Leipzig booksellers have assorted
their volumes. Hereabouts also is an interesting
contribution from Saxony. It is a ease containing
samples illustrating the progress made in spinning
by an inmate of the workshop to give employment to
poor children at Zittau. Saxony has other interesting
contributions, as Baum manufacturesoke. ; but among
all the contributions of a remarkable nature in this
part of the building, a huge bronze case, elaborately,
frightfully ornamented, stands in bold relief. It is
a nightmare reduced to solid metal, crowned with a
head. We bastes outward along the
esi.o=sd half of the building—past the Zollverein
cants fall of china, of beautiful design and exquisite
castings ; tools of all kinds, fantastically arranged in
the passages; past Austrian manufactures of all
kinds; past the warlike products of Liege, and
the beautiful Belgian furniture, through the United
States vacant space, into the quarter of the building
given up to Great Britain. Here, the stalk are nearly
all finished, except Elkington'e court, which was
given up to him only at the lest moment. We pus
through the Birmingham bright with all
kinds of metal work ; past hobbit remarkable stall
of Lab past the beautiful furniture of Coca and

others; the fabrics of Gtssgow and Dunfermline;
the glittering steels of Sheffield; into the cotton re-
gions of Manchester; and before the beautiful series
of English engineering models exhibited under the
'eastern gallery. From this point we emerge into
the nave, at its eastern extremity.
The effect from this point of view is undoubtedly
pretty ; but in no way impressive. The view is inter-
rupted. There is no perspective seen where the flags
pendent from the roof suggest the length of the
building. The great St. Gobain glass, upwards of
five metres in height, effectually shuts out the general
view from the visitor who reaches the building by
the eastern entrance. Even as he advances further
into the nave, the effect is not very striking. There
are too many flags: no very striking objects, except
the great phare, which even Gerome's fine figures
cannot make an attractive contribution. We will
conduct the reader very rapidly down the two
avenues of the nave—and very shortly notice the ob-
jects placed on either side of them. Before starting,
I may remark that there are uniform nave canopies
on each side ornamented according to the taste of the
several occupants. From the galleries, the effect of
these, with the deal revelations of their tope, is not'
yet pretty.
Much is unfinished, however; and it would
be unfair to peas a verdict upon it, or indeed upon
any portion of this very pretty, very compact, and
very promising exhibition.