The Express.
London, England, 1851-08-23 00:00:00

No. 1,559.] [No. 35, EXHIBITION EXPRESS.]

THE

I 0 NI

EXHIBIT
EXPRESS,

FOR THE WEEK ENDING
SATURDAY, AUGUST 23.

The attendance at the Crystal Palace continues
still to decrease, the average number of visitors on
the " shilling" days in the present week being not
quite 51,000. The annual flight from town, at this
particular season, of a large portion of the aristocratic
and middle class sojourners in the metropolis, suffi-
ciently accounts for the falling-off. 'the attractions
of the Exhibition itself are no less powerful than here-
tofore. The weekly railway returns prove that the
provincial excitement respecting its marvels is deci-
dedly on the increase ; and there is little doubt but
that, as the period fur the final closing approaches,
the attend:ince will equal, if not exceed, that of lust

May and June.
A fully attended meeting of the Royal Com-
mission, which was presided over by Prince
Albert, took place on Tuesday, in the Crystal
Palace. The subjects brought lwfore the no-
tice of the meeting. had reference principally to
the time and mode in which the Exibition is to be
closed, the distribution of the rewards and the dispo-
sition of the surplus funds. The Royal Commissioners
have appointed Suturday, the llth of October, as the
day for closing the Exhibition to the public, and it is
their intention to hold a meeting in the building, on
Wednesday, the rith of (ktober, at twelve o'clock,
to receive the reports of the several juries, and to
take leave of the tyre iAnt commissioners. Upon this
occasion they intend to request the presence of the
exhibitor., the jurors, the foreign and local commis-1
shiners, and the members of the local committees.
Immediately after the close of their pnweedings,
permission will be given to the exhibitors to
remove their goods, subject to such regulations
as may be made by the executive committee.
It would seem, from such account of the proceedings
at this meeting as has been allowed to transpire,
and which is given elsewhere, that it is not ,
at present the intention of these who hare 1
the guidance of the affair; of the Exhibition in
their hands, to signalise its closing by any
pageant ur ceremonial. It is, however, intended to
postpone the official announcement of prizes, and to
take other steps, as fur as possible, to prevent indivi-
dual jealousies. A not unnatural apprehension is
in consequence entertained by many, that, if
this system be persevered in, the Great Exhibi-
tion may be forgotten, and the youngest contributor
grown grey, before the honorary distinction to which
he is entitled shall have reached him. The an-
nouncement of the final closing has induced many
exhibitors to inquire whether facilities will be given 11
fur the disposal of their goods in the building pew 1.
vious to their removal. The reply to every applies-'
tion of the kind has been a decided negative. •
As the Exhibition is to close on Saturday, the 11th
of Oct., and the meeting of commissioners is to take
plats, on the 15th, a question arises as to what is to I
be done with the building on the intervening Mow I
day and Tuesday. and the following suggestion in'
referent* to the' point has been mink : 1
It has beta very generally rumoured—we know not with
what amount of truth—that the Exhibition was to 1111411 on
those two days, and that the receipts arising from the ad-
=lesion of visitor. were to be appropriated to the purpose et
salweling some compensation to those member; of the me-
estive commines and special commissiumn who kayo
hitherto received no remuneration for their lahours—swd
who, at a period when the success of the enterprise was
problematical, in the most generous mauner declined to
accept any peruulary reward for their services; and also fur
the pitiless, of giving bonuses to all persons count eted with
the Eshibition, whose salaries have been confessedly inade-
quate to the labour and time which they have V X IWlllied in
the vert.firmancv of their duties. Whether son-h a plan is
really contemplated, we are not in a position to state
positively ; but certain it is that the public, which
has so nobly supported the Exhibition, mid so libe-
rally
contributed to iis funa,,, will not be well pleased to
hear that those upon *horn have devolved the duties of car-
rying not the complieated and wearisome details of the great
undertaking are the only parties whose services have not
been appreciated and rewarded. We should rejoice if the I
punlie ;sure afforded an opportunity of thus giving expres-
sion to their feelings 1)f respect and gratitude towards those I
whn have so ably served them. and we have not the slight-
ed doubt that,upon those occasions, the vast building would I
be Mk d to its utmost capacity.
No official intimation has yet been given respect- 1
ing the appropriation of the surplus funds. An
ingenious correspondent of a contemporary, how- I
ever, has suggested that a sufficient sum should be
devoted to the importation of Cleopatm's needle and
its erection on the site of the Crystal Palace to per-
petuate the glories of that remarkable structure.
What the asks)_ would be so fitting for the comme•
moratien of the Works of Industry as a needle, though
Cleopatra might base been troubled to work with it ? and
as a work of industrial art and skill, it may be assumed to
he the mot ancient. It has been thought to have origi-
nally decorated the port of Memphis before it
was removed to the city of Alexandria. In its
cradle it witnessed the glory of Thebes, and in its
name it records the Roman loves of Cleopatra. Thus, fur
nude than 3.000 years. its history hOO been connected with
Ye; ptian, Grecian, and Roman greatness, and would, there-
fore. Is- a very fitting monument to adorn the greatest capi-
tal the world ever saw, and to celebrate one of the 4
remarlahle events of the world's history. My suggestion
is that this celebrated monolith obelisk, nearly 70 feet hi,h,
of Tlichaie granite, should be raised on a pedestal of some
30 feet of BABA stone of the same character, on the four
faces of which should he recorded in sculpture, metal, glass,
or enamel, the flags or ensigns of all the nations of the
earth, while at the four corners should be raised colossal
statues remseuting industry, skill. science, and art, to be
given as orders, by way of prises, to the competing sculp-
tors of every country in the Exhibition itself.
Another suggestion will be found in a letter given
elsewhere.
With reference to the recent selectiut of goods
added to the Exhilition, with the view of illustrating
in a condensed form the every-day productions of
Manchester and the districts around it, some idea
may be formed of the significance of that unpretend-
ing display when we mention that at present
bothwitil.noolb. of cotton ace annually delivered at
Liverissil for consumption, nearly the whole of
which is manufactured intoyarn and cloth in or near
Manchester. The manufacture of mixed fabric's and
of silk goods is also rapidly increasing there' as is
shown by the following liana-hill, circulated by the
hssl committee, in reference to their selection of
the staple manufucture of Manchester, mentioned in
cur last :

The Manchester Local Committee for the Great Exhi-
bition have made this selection of goods from stock, with
the view of exhibiting, in a condensed form, the every-day
pr.sluctiom of the mattulacturing industry of Manchester
awl 11,, surrounding districts.
mo-t important feature of this branch of our mana-
tee torimi industry is its immense extent, an idea of which
vim ts. Is--t conveyed be stating the quantity of cotton de-
hem el at Liverpool for iousumption, which is now about
miliion and a half ttttt ually ; and as they ave rage
`sent Pollee. each, it Rises the enormous weight of six than-
niiilion pounds, and nearly the whole of this is manu-
talon tl into yarn and cloth in the districts of which Man-
closter i, the capital anti centre.
Our exports of cotton manufactu
tiaram the year lois), were as follows.
1... mm manufactures entered by the yard—
"".2:04,144 yards, declare) value
111 other descriptions, lace, hosiery, sic
ottou yarn-1:11,133,1tio lb. 6,380,5t8

nod cotton yam,

Total dictated •Alue
.1 he feature of the. next importance is the perfection to
why, h marhinery has ta en brought, as applied to this menu-
Lturt and the consequert rapidity of production.
.
Thi manutarture of mixed fabrics is now an important
h of the industry of this district, and is rapidly in-
Itca•toe
t ttotal and labour employed in the production of
Silk are alto very lance.
of the nuiniser of power looms in the United
kiinethou in the pan ltwli and laird :
cotton fabric,Produewit 1833. 1830. Isertoso.
108,632 249,627 110.99.5
wor.teit ut mixed &brim 3,082 32.617 29,433
b.ttq si. 4 ditto

Tail
113,428 218,336 174,908.

Such are the astounding facts connected with
a small and commonplace-looking collection of
goods, situated in a remote corner of the Exhi-
bition, which few have the curiosity to visit, and
Mill fewer the patience to survey in the light which
the figures we have given cost upon them.

APPOINTMENT OF THE DAY FOR THE
FINAL CLOSING OF THE EXHIBITION.

All speculation as to the longer or shorter eon-
tinuonev of the Ezhibitionis now at an end. A full meeting
of the Royal Commissioners was held on Tuesday at the
Crystal Palace, when it was decided to close the Exhibition
to the public on Saturday the Ilth of October. The meet-
ing was presided over by Prince Albert, who came from
Osborne specially for that purpose. The other members of
the Royal Commission present were—Earl Granville, Lord
John Russell, the Right lion. Henry Lationchere, the
Right lion. W. E. Gladstone, Mr. Charles Barry, Mr.
Barley, Mr. Cobden, M.l'., Mr. Wm. Callitt, Sir Charles
Eastlake; Mr. Thos. F. Gibson, Mr. John Gott, Mr. l'usey,
M.P., Mr. Robert Stephenson, M.P., Mr. John Shepherd,
and Mr. Hopkins. Dr. Lyon Playfair, Special Commis-
shiner, Colonel Lloyd, Special Commissioner, Lieut.-Colonel
Reid, Chairman of the Executive Committee. Mr. Dilke
and Mr. Cole were also present
The subjects brought before the notice of the meeting had
reference principally to the time and mode in which the
Exhibition is to be closed, the distribution of the rewards,
and the disposition of the surplus funds, besides other im-
portant matters.
The day for closing, as above stated, having beat fixed,
it was decided that a meeting of the commissioners should
by held in the building on Wednesday, the I•ith of October,
at 12 o'clock, for the purpose of receiving the several re ports
of the jurors, and fur taking leave of the foreign cumin isionen.
On this occasion the commissioners intend to request the pre-
sence of the exhibitors, the jurors, the foreign and local com-
missioners, and the numbers of the local commit-
tees. Immediately after the close of their proceedings,
permission will be given to the exhibitors to remove their
1(0044, subject to such regulations as may be made by the
Executive Committee. The reports of the juries, and the
names of the persona M whom prizes shall have been
awarded, will afterwards be published in the Loarlan Ga
:vete. his the desire of the It syal Commissioner, nut only
to present medals to the individuals to whom the juries
may have awarded them, but to mirk their sense of the
great exertions of all the exhibitors, and also of the jurors,
the foreign and local commissioners, the chairmen, trea-
surer', and secretaries of local committee+, and other per-
sons who have rendered services in promoting the Exhibi-
tion, and to present them with a permanent memorial of
the undertaking, by distributing medals to each, accom-
panied by a certificate and a copy of the reports of the
juries.

The three medals, of which the designs were originally
approved, are intended to he applied as foilows That by
Mr. Leonard Wyon will be distributed to the prisemen
selected by the juries; that by M. Bunnardel—the great
medal —will be given in certain cases retominended by the
council of ehairusen, not as a mark of eye:lli:ace iu degree
on the part of those who receive it, but fur reasons which
the council of chairmen have been requested I. state sm.
Malty in their report.; the medal designed by Mr. Adams
will be given to the jurors.
In addition to these medals the commissioners propose to
cause two other medals to be struck, which will be pre-
sented respectively to the exhibitors, and to those who have
rendered other services to the Exhibition.
The gnat number of the medals, books, and certificates
which will thus be presented obviously renders the distri-
bution of them on a single occoion a physical
On the other hand, the commissioners feel that it would Ise
insidious to 'sleet any persons to receive their tiled As at one
time, and to omit others. And further, it is clearly desirable
that the medals, the certificatesomil the report., should be pre-
sented simultaneoudy, and the length of t ime which must
necessarily elapse before the whole of them eon be prepared
makes it difficult to fix any precise day on which the distri-
bution could be effected. Under these circumstances the
!lyal Commissioners have come to the conclusion that it
will be must desirable to tie a limited period within which
each individual may mike such arrangements for receiving
medals, books, and certificates from the commission as may
best suit his personal convenience. Due notice will be given
on this point as soon as tie comnsissioners are able to fix a
time for the distribution to commence.
l'resious to the assemblin.: of the Royal Commissioners a
meeting of the Finance Cohimittee was held iu the Exhibi-
tion building.