The Express.
London, England, 1862-06-02 00:00:00

THZ

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

THE FIRST SHILLING DAY.

A lovelier morning than that on which the Exhi-
bition has been opened to the masses was never
seen. A cloudless sky and a temperature decidedly
warm yet moderated by a refreshing breeze has given
it a fair start with the multitude, who have not been
slow to appreciate the favourable auspices. Any-
one who was traversing the great thorough-
fares running east and west at 10 or 11
o'clock must at once have perceived that the tide
was flowing vigorously westward, and the stream
went on with increasing force till the afternoon.
As the morning advanced the trains from different
parted the country contributed to increase the traffic.
Besides the occupants of omnibuses and cabs,
there was a large number of foot passen-
gers, tending in the same direction, in-
cluding many public schools ; and the working
classes, anticipating the approaching holiday, were
also strongly represented.

Up toll o'clock the aspect of the build-
ing itself exhibited little change. Not more than
about 6,000 persons had then paid the shilling
which now procures a sight of the most splendid and
varied marvels ever collected. Soon after, however,

there was an unwonted influx, and by one o'clock
not less, it was estimated, than 25,000 persona--a
number which will probably be doubled before
night—had entered the Exhibition, and spread
themselves over the various departments.
The interest manifested throughout the building
seemed as fresh and as lively as though nothing of
the kind had ever been seen before. The jewellery
was, as usual, almost monopolised by the
ladies, and the attendant police had considerable
difficulty in getting many of them to " move on"
quickly enough to enable all to hide a peep. The
models and machinery, however, and generally
everything exhibiting mechanical design and con-
structive skill, seemed to fix the greatest amount of
general attention ; and the exhibitors were fre-
quently plied with questions, which they answered
with the greatest readiness and goodwill.
Great as was the increase of visitors, no part
of the building appeared to be crowded. The truth
is, that it is too vast in its dimensions to be sensi-
bly affected by the addition of a few thousands.
With the new arrangements every one has plenty of
space to move about in, and with a little patience can
obtain full opportunity for indulging his curiosity.
Thus far the present Exhibition contrasts favour-
ably in that respect with its predecessor • and
one result of this will probably be that the Middle
classes will again, as they have been to-day, be
present on shilling days in much larger numbers
than they were in 1851.

People talk of 60,000 a day from this to the
end on all the shilling days as being necessary to
balance the accounts; but this is absurd, as well as
being unlikely to be reached. In 1851, the at-
tendance on the first shilling day was under 20,003;
it seldom reached double those numbers, and it
was only within two or three days of the close that
the leviathan returns were reached which astonished
the world. Besides, it is to be remembered that
there are two ways of settling the contractors' ac-
count "The nature of the contract"—we quote
from Mr. Hollingshead's history of the Exhibition
—" was peculiar. The whole responsibility of the
works rested with the contractors, and the amount
they are to receive is contingent on the receipts of
the Exhibition. The oommiasioners have the option of
purchasing the building out and out, or of merely
paying for the use of it. For the rent of the build-
ing a sum of two hundred thousand pounds is
guaranteed absolutely ; if the receipts exceed four
ired thousand pounds the contractors are to be
paid one hundred thousand pounds more for rent,
and if the sum is fully paid, then the centre acre
of the great picture galleries is to be left the pro-
perty of the Society of Arta. The contractors are
also bound to sell the whole for a further sum of
one hundred and thirty thousand pounds, thus
making its total cost four hundred and thirty thou-
sand pounds." So much for the conditions of the
contract thus stated on the authority of the com-
missioners, from which it does not appear to us
that the guarantors have any cause for that un-
easiness which many of them have expressed
to ourselves within the last week or fort-
night. The amount absolutely guaranteed t 3
the contractors is only 200,0001., and the
receipt of that amount and much more is a
matter of certainty. In the opinion of many com-
petent judges it would amply remunerate Messrs.
Kelk and Lucas for their outlay, taken in con-
nexion with the privilege of removing the building
when the Exhibition is over, a privilege which will
be cheerfully conceded to them by everyone who
has the slightest respect for our national character
as architects. According to our reading of the
contract, it is they, and not the guarantors, who
are interested in the receipts swelling beyond
400,0001., so that the latter may rest perfectly easy
in their minds, and the public may flock in to see
their Exhibition without any drawback on their
enjoyment caused by the reflection that what is so
great a general advantage may be purchased by
Leavy individual sacrifice, as was the case with the
contractors for the building of 1851. The ye dila-
tion and thorough understanding of this point
is rendered doubly important just now, be-
cause a plan has been proposed for reducing the
admission fees so as to make the Exhibition
if possible accessible to the very poorest classes of
the community. Some time since Mr. William
Hawes broached the topic at a meeting of the
Society of Arta, and very recently it has again been
raised by the same gentleman, in discussing the
history and prospects of the undertaking. It must
be remembered that the minimum price of admis-
sion to our Exhibition is considerably higher than it
was either at Paris, or Dublin, or Florence, and
that, moderate as it is, it would act to the exclu-
sion, if not of many working men, at least of the;r
wives and families, the last-named, the rising
generation of the country in fact, being the most
likely to receive beneficial and lasting impressions.
If a certain rate of charge be necessary to render
the concern solvent, we are of course
shut out from considering the propriety of
reduction ; but if, as we believe to be the
case, from reading the terms of the contract as
quoted above, there is ample scope and verge, then
it becomes a national duty in the commissioners to
see whether they cannot make the great Inter-
nt tional Exhibition accessible to all classes, and to
the young and rising as well as the mature or aged
members of the community. We do not mean to
say that we have proved the possibility of doing so
by the above quotation, but at least we have af-
forded materials for considering the question,
which may have hitherto escaped the public atten-
tion or have been forgotten. We commend it to
the legal minds of the country, assuring them that
they will be conferring a national benefit, if they
can satisfy the commissioners that with safety to
their money obligations they can throw open their
doors to even the poorest classes amongst our
people.

SHREWSBURY ELECTION.-(THIS DAY.)

(BY LLYXTRIC TZLIGRAPH.)

STATE OF THE POLL AT ONE O'CLOCK.
Robertson (Liberal) . • • • 639
Oakley .. • • 269
Atkins .. .. 6

A POTH ICARIEV-ILILL. —At a Court of Examiners
held on Thursday, the following gentlemen were admitted
herntistes of the Society of Apothecaries, viz. :--lfaism.
Theodore Bloomeethal, of Ceaterbury.row, Kennington •
Richard Dawson, of Brighton ; Everett! William Dostoo:
of Ivy-lodge, Horses; Hull ; Eugene Goddard..„‘ of fit
Jobu.street.rced ;C. H. H°OO"T. Bslhaa.m" ;i. I.
Joliet, of Bangor ; Robert Joao, of Llaarvirt ; J. 0. Lam
f Havant ; Walter Rickards, of Cosby ; sod Jeliaa L.
Vaaderstraaten, of Shafteabury-crement,