The Express.
London, England, 1851-01-18 00:00:00

No. 1,373.1 [No. 4, EXHIBITION EXPRESS.)

THE

EXHIBITION
EXPRESS,

FOR THE WEEK ENDING
SATURDAY, JANUARY 18.

•
THE EXIIIBITION "NEWS OF THE WEEK."

The building in Hyde-park is now rapidly approach-
ing cr enpletion, and, unless some neforeseen
chances should occur, within three weeks the
contractors will doubtless witness the successful
accomplishment of the extraordinary task undertaken
by teem The most striking feature of progress in
the interior of the building during the past week is
the completion of the flooring of the galleries, which
now etnetitute an extensive and attractive promenade.
The ground floor of the south compartments is laid
dean, end :hit of the north division of the building
I. being steadily pushed forward. The subordinate
details of the iron work will be speedily finished.
The fix ;ng of the ornamental capitils of the pillars
was commenced in the latter part of the week, and
the additional columns at the corners of the transept
are in c curse of erection- The progress of the roof-
gluinghas beenimpeded by the difficulty of procuring
a sufficient supply of glass of the required dimensions;
nevertheless, about two-thirds of the transept is now
cove red io, and the east and west extremities of the
building, which were lett open until the middle of the
week, are beginning to present a finished appearance.
The decorative painting of the interior, as designed
by Mr. Owen Jones, was commenced during the
week, but it does not yet extend beyond a small
portion of the framework of the transept. In the
galleries there remains little work to be accomplished,
beyond fixing the railings by which they are to be
surrounded. These galleries present peculiar attrac-
tions to persons who intend to exhibit articles of
manufacture which, from minuteness of decoration,
delicacy of construction, or extreme fineness of fabric,
will require mach light for their efficient display.
Ti'; are admirably adapted for the exhibition of
silks, ve.vets, lace, embroidery, and productions of a
similar nature. Previous to the completion of this
part of the bendier, the struggle for the occupancy of
spaces or stadocs was confined chiefly to the ground-
floor. Those persona, however, who have had an
opportunity of traversing the galleries, and of witness-
lag the ethet of the unbroken light which pours in on
them, will not be surprised to learn that the Execu-
tive Committee have now to deal with a keen corn-
Wino* for allotments in this portion of the building.
It sheuld also be borne in mind that from these gal-
leries and the platform bridges by which they are
linked together, the most extensive and interesting
view of the building and its contents will be obtained.
Tt err, in all probability, visitors will make their most
prolonged s ey, and devote a large amount of time t 3
the inspection of the various re/ticks displayed
close by.
The simple machinery by which ventilation
I secured has been arranged throughout the
whole of the building, and it will be com-
pleted when the cranks are attached by which the
opening and closing of the moveable iron plates is
to be *fleeted. Up to the present period the building
has remained perfectly free from 0 drip." When the
exhalations from the ground reach toe glue of the
roof, the moisture becomes condensed on assuming the
liqu d shape, trickks into groove., by which the fluid
is conducte d into the gutters, and ultimately preci
pitates itse If into the sewers through the hollows in
the centre of the supporting columns.
e point in the present arrangements requires
mon comment. The provision made for the entrance
nod departure of visitor., would at first sight seem
to be ample enough, yet there is, on closer considera-
tion, cause for anticipating that much inconvenience
awaits those who may visit the Exhibition in carriages,
If the present plans be adhered to for having only one
place where caeriages may set down and take up their
occupants. Two carrisge.dcors, at least, are wanted.
A double carriage-way, and an ample entrance in
Rotten-row, should be established to prevent the oc-
currence of the annoyances which most otherwise
accrue; and as there is an abundance of sward between
the present gallopiog-ground and the Serpentine,
which might be used for the purpose of widening the
road, there would seem to be little difficulty in the
way of the accomplishment of so eltirable an improve-
meat. The fear seems to be that " Rotten-row" and
its denizens mast not be interfered with, but the pa-
trons of that aristocratic drive will be the first to
sutler if all carriages are to be mixed in one tangle
outside only one entrance.
The Electric Telegraph Company have, with the
approval of the Executive Committee, taken mea-
sures fur laying down wires within the building.
These eirtll radiate from the offices of the Executive
Committee, who will thus be enabled to give instan-
taneous directions, and so exercise instantaneous c0n-
....

trot over all parts of the building.
It is at present intendtd to use the electric agency
for "police" purposes only, but its application or
eststsi in to other uses in the building will doubt-
!los be suggested before the commencement of the

Exhibitions:-
The Ex.. cutive Committee have been occupied
a:reoet unintermittiogly throughout the week with ,
the allotment of space to the local committees. A I
diagram of the portion of the floor usigned to each i
locality is forwarded to the committee deputed to act
for it, and upon them devolves the sub-division of the l
surface indicated in the drawing. The allot- I
sent' for machinery will occupy more than
half the spec- assigred to the productions of British
mariutactures, and much of the busineee of this de-
partment bal been got through already. In the
agar merit of places for manufactures, considerable
progress has been also made, and in meting out the ;
arcs with which they have to deal, the Executive j
Committee have experienced no little embarrassment
from the great "pressure from without" for more.
If the present capabilities of the buiiding for the ac- '
commodation of exhibitors should be deemed insuffi-
COT.', an accession of available space, amounting to
tear:y ore hundred thousand square feet, might be
gamed by the erection of a second tier over the
gsieries which flank the great central avenue.
firariy all the necessary-iron.woik, including girders
ard braces is complete, and ready for the reception of
the flowing timbers, but there is a great, if not an
insuperable objection to the adoption of the suggestion,
in the unsightly appearance which the additional
gaiety would present when viewed from the central
parmge. Much light would be also excluded, and
the view of the lateral portions of the building would
be greatly impeded. Surely nothing should be done
lately to damage the aspect of this Great Giles
Palace of Industry.
One of the elm trees within the building was oat
down on Wedcesday, notwithstanding all that Colonel
S.btboep said in its favour. The Executive should
not venture to remove any more, or they and the
Woods and Foveae will surely get into a quarrel with
the parliament sad the public.
On the Contiqgst the 'object of the Exhibition still
attracts oonsideffible attention, and even in Germany,
Rhea it would seem likely to be overlooked, on ac-
count of political divergencies, great interest s maul-
fatted. It seems Alit the Berlin i
committee intend to
prepare and print catalogues of their own for the nap
of the Prussians. Tic Siziatriinzeiger publishes a
sommunicatioo, in which the Berlin committee an-
nounce that they are in treaty with the printers
Becker end CO, for the publication, in German and
Fa6l:st-, of a pi iced catalogue of objects sent from any
Poi uf G. !many. The price is expected to be about
oft shidin4. In order to promote re visit of Pros-
lilts to the Exhibition, the Mirieter of Trade has
a:nouneed that he will secure the conveniences of
(mil-ch.ss travelling on the state railroads at third-
tiara fare to all visitors to London during the sum-
r. A
nrdtr, dated Lutuary 2i4, brings this
441i°11 to the knowledge of the r, e.tphuiaa,

the Aix and Daraeldorf, and the Lower Silesian
railroads.

Though the French manufacturers are very active,
none of them will, it items, be ready by the 20th of
this month, the limit fixed for the delivery of goods.
In fact, this became so evident, that steps were tam
by M. 1/..mas, the French Minister of Commerce, to
obtain an extension of time. Accordingly we find
that M. &headroom de Lamornaix has succeeded in
obtaining from the authorities in London an extension
of time in favour of the Frencb exhibitors. The date
of the 20th remake fixed, however, for all merchan-
dise except that which is lately to suffer from the
destructive I ffects of air, dust, or damp. All deli-
cate articles—stuffs of a light colour, for in-
stance, which cannot be finished before the end
of winter, will have every latitude in the shape of
time. Other privileges have been extended to French
exhibitors. The difficulties which had arisen on the

subject of valuation by the custom-houre have been
got Mr. The declarations of the exhibitors will be
taken on arrival as the base of the caution-money to

be furnished, without reference to the fixing of the
duties to be paid in case of eel, in England at the con-
clusion of the Exhibition. When that moment

comes, the merchandise that has not been re-exported
or delivered for internal consumption, will be valued
at the amount they are then worth, so se
to give a margin in case of depreciation. The French
products will not be brought with the rest of the
foreign goods into the galleries of the Glass Palace, but
will be placed immediately in that part of the building
specially intended for French exhibitors, and they
will not be unpacked till the latest possible moment,
so that they will have every advaatsge of freshness
and novelty.
The governments of Belgium and Switzerland have
delegated special employs, who are tocome toEogland
at official expense, in order to ready the produce of
'other countries. This example the French govern-
ment has not as yet followed. It is said
that the English watch-makers have proposed to buy
of the Geneva manufacturers their whole stock of
watches, "in order that they may appear in England
with English prices and names." This statement we
give with a desire that it may be contradicted.